US 10469554

Here is a concise summary of US patent 10469554:

Title: Apparatus, system, and method for multi-bitrate content streaming

Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC

Inventors: David F. Brueck, Mark B. Hurst, R. Drew Major

Filing Date: January 18, 2019 (Application number US16/252,188)

Issue Date: November 5, 2019

Abstract: The patent describes an apparatus for multi-bitrate content streaming comprising a receiving module for capturing media content, a streamlet module for segmenting the media content into a plurality of streamlets, and an encoding module for generating a set of streamlets. The system further specifies that each set of streamlets contains multiple streamlets with identical time indices and durations, but each having a unique bitrate. The encoding module includes a master module responsible for assigning encoding jobs to various host computing modules based on encoding job completion bids. A corresponding method is also described, including receiving media content, segmenting it into streamlets, and generating sets of streamlets.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Apparatus): This claim describes a device for multi-bitrate content streaming. It includes a component to receive media, another component to break that media into many smaller, sequential pieces called "streamlets," and a third component to encode each of these streamlets into a "set" of streamlets. Each streamlet within a set has the same duration (between 0.1 and 5 seconds) and corresponds to the same point in time in the original media, but is encoded at a different quality level (bitrate). The encoding component also has a "master" part that gives out encoding tasks to different computer hosts, choosing which host gets a job based on their bids for how quickly they can complete it.
• Claim 6 (System): This claim describes a complete system for multi-bitrate content streaming. It includes the apparatus described in Claim 1. Specifically, it reiterates that the system generates sequential streamlets, each having a predetermined length, and creates sets of these streamlets where each streamlet in a set has an identical time index but a unique bitrate. The system also includes the master module assigning encoding jobs to host computing modules based on completion bids.
• Claim 14 (Method): This claim outlines a method for adaptive-rate content streaming. The steps involve receiving media content, dividing that content into a series of streamlets, and then encoding each streamlet as a separate content file. The method further includes generating a set of streamlets, where all streamlets in the set have the same time index and duration, but each is at a unique bitrate.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, the patent US10469554 is involved in multiple cases filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in 2026:

• Case number 26-1047
• Case number 26-1080
• Case number 26-1146