A method for adaptive streaming of media content with bitrate switching is described, wherein the media content comprising a plurality of consecutive media segments. The method comprising, at a media streaming server: transmitting a segment of the media content encoded in a first coding mode having a first bitrate; receiving an indication for a coding mode switch to a second coding mode having a second bitrate and in response transmitting a transition segment for transitioning between the first coding mode and the second coding mode; and transmitting another segment of the media content encoded in the second coding mode.

A method for adaptive streaming of media content with bitrate switching is described, wherein the media content comprising a plurality of consecutive media segments. The method comprising, at a media streaming server: transmitting a segment of the media content encoded in a first coding mode having a first bitrate; receiving an indication for a coding mode switch to a second coding mode having a second bitrate and in response transmitting a transition segment for transitioning between the first coding mode and the second coding mode; and transmitting another segment of the media content encoded in the second coding mode.

Methods for recognizing thumbnails may include operations of receiving an identification of a thumbnail source for content, receiving the thumbnail, computing a hash value for the thumbnail, and associating the hash value with the thumbnail. Operations for content characterization may include launching an image analysis application, selecting a top level category to apply to a thumbnail, providing the thumbnail to the image analysis application, applying the selected top level category to the thumbnail to determine if the thumbnail satisfies the top level category, if satisfied, associating the top level category with the thumbnail, and repeating the one or more of the above operations with respect to a second category. Operations may include receiving an identification of a node to receive a thumbnail, obtaining a node selected category, receiving a proposed thumbnail to provide to the node, and determining if the proposed thumbnail has been previously recognized and categorized.

A method for providing media content within a media distribution network. The method comprises transforming source media content into an interim format, thereby providing transformed content. Furthermore, the method comprises storing the transformed content on at least one core storage unit. In addition, the method comprises receiving a request for the source media content from a client. The method further comprises encoding the transformed content or intermediate coded content derived therefrom into encoded content suitable for transmission over a core network and/or an edge network, as well as sending the encoded content via the core network and/or the edge network to the client.

A method for providing media content within a media distribution network. The method comprises transforming source media content into an interim format, thereby providing transformed content. Furthermore, the method comprises storing the transformed content on at least one core storage unit. In addition, the method comprises receiving a request for the source media content from a client. The method further comprises encoding the transformed content or intermediate coded content derived therefrom into encoded content suitable for transmission over a core network and/or an edge network, as well as sending the encoded content via the core network and/or the edge network to the client.

An apparatus for decoding data segments representing a time-domain data stream, a data segment being encoded in the time domain or in the frequency domain, a data segment being encoded in the frequency domain having successive blocks of data representing successive and overlapping blocks of time-domain data samples. The apparatus includes a time-domain decoder for decoding a data segment being encoded in the time domain and a processor for processing the data segment being encoded in the frequency domain and output data of the time-domain decoder to obtain overlapping time-domain data blocks. The apparatus further includes an overlap/add-combiner for combining the overlapping time-domain data blocks to obtain a decoded data segment of the time-domain data stream.

An apparatus for decoding data segments representing a time-domain data stream, a data segment being encoded in the time domain or in the frequency domain, a data segment being encoded in the frequency domain having successive blocks of data representing successive and overlapping blocks of time-domain data samples. The apparatus includes a time-domain decoder for decoding a data segment being encoded in the time domain and a processor for processing the data segment being encoded in the frequency domain and output data of the time-domain decoder to obtain overlapping time-domain data blocks. The apparatus further includes an overlap/add-combiner for combining the overlapping time-domain data blocks to obtain a decoded data segment of the time-domain data stream.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method of content-layer based compression of a video being broadcasted over a network. The method may include: receiving a video stream comprising a plurality of video stream frames; identifying in at least some of the plurality of video stream frames at least two content-layers of predefined content-layers to yield corresponding at least two content-layer streams, wherein each of the at least two content-layer streams is associated with one of the at least two content-layers; and compressing each of the at least two content-layer video streams according to predetermined parameters of the content-layer associated with the respective content-layer video stream and according to available resources of the network to yield corresponding at least two compressed content-layer streams.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method of content-layer based compression of a video being broadcasted over a network. The method may include: receiving a video stream comprising a plurality of video stream frames; identifying in at least some of the plurality of video stream frames at least two content-layers of predefined content-layers to yield corresponding at least two content-layer streams, wherein each of the at least two content-layer streams is associated with one of the at least two content-layers; and compressing each of the at least two content-layer video streams according to predetermined parameters of the content-layer associated with the respective content-layer video stream and according to available resources of the network to yield corresponding at least two compressed content-layer streams.

Systems and processes are provided for receiving a request for an audio video program from a display device, transmitting the request for the audio video program via a bidirectional network, receiving the audio video program via the bidirectional network wherein the audio video program is received at a first data rate, transmitting an alternate request for the audio video program via the bidirectional network wherein the alternate request for the audio video program includes are request for the audio video program to be transmitted via a unidirectional wireless transmission, receiving the audio video program via the unidirectional wireless transmission, and transmitting the audio video program to the display device.