US 11632413

Here's a concise summary of US patent 11632413 based on the provided text and a search for its claims:

US Patent 11632413

• Title: Methods and systems for streaming media content
• Current Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides Inc
• Inventor: Tao Chen
• Filing Date: 2022-07-18
• Issue Date: 2023-04-18 (Publication date for B1 patents is typically the issue date)
• Abstract: Systems and methods for streaming media content are described. The invention involves receiving a first portion of media content at a user device, where its quality is based on available bandwidth. A second portion is then received at an altered (decreased or increased) bandwidth, with its quality also based on this new bandwidth. The system determines the quality of both portions. If the quality of the second portion (received at decreased bandwidth) is below a quality threshold, the first portion's quality is reduced before being sent to a playback buffer. Conversely, if the quality of the second portion (received at increased bandwidth) is above a quality threshold, the second portion's quality is reduced before buffering.

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Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Method Claim): This claim describes a method for streaming media content that aims to smooth transitions in playback quality due to bandwidth changes. It involves:

  1. Receiving a first part of a media item at a user device, with its quality determined by the current available bandwidth.
  2. Receiving a second part of the media item at a new, changed (either lower or higher) bandwidth, with its quality determined by that new bandwidth.
  3. Figuring out the quality level of both the first and second parts.
  4. If the second part's quality (when bandwidth decreased) is below a set quality limit, the system reduces the quality of the first part before it goes into the playback buffer.
  5. Alternatively, if the second part's quality (when bandwidth increased) is above a set quality limit, the system reduces the quality of the second part before it goes into the playback buffer.

• Independent Claim 13 (System Claim): This claim describes a system (specifically, a user device) designed to perform the method outlined in Claim 1. The system includes:

  1. Control circuitry configured to receive the first and second portions of media content, with their qualities determined by the available bandwidth, as described in Claim 1.
  2. The control circuitry is also configured to determine the qualities of both portions.
  3. The control circuitry is further configured to reduce the quality of the first portion (if the second portion's quality dropped below a threshold) or reduce the quality of the second portion (if its quality increased above a threshold), before sending them to a playback buffer.

• Independent Claim 14 (Method Claim - related to buffering and reduction): This claim describes a method for managing media content in a buffer. It involves:

  1. Buffering a media content item with an initial target quality based on the available bandwidth.
  2. Recognizing that the quality of the buffered content changes due to an increase or decrease in bandwidth.
  3. In response to this detected quality change, reducing the quality of at least a part of the buffered media content item.

• Independent Claim 15 (Method Claim - specific buffering scenario): This claim describes a method focusing on buffering two distinct portions of a media item and applying quality reduction. It involves:

  1. Buffering a first portion of a media item at an initial available bandwidth, where its quality depends on that bandwidth.
  2. Buffering a second portion of the media item at a changed (decreased or increased) bandwidth, where its quality depends on that changed bandwidth.
  3. If the first portion's quality is higher than the second portion's quality, the quality of the first buffered portion is reduced before playback.
  4. If the first portion's quality is lower than the second portion's quality, the quality of the second buffered portion is reduced before playback.

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CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, a search for US patent 11632413 in the CAFC 2026 dockets did not yield any results. This indicates there is no active litigation involving this patent in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 2026 as of this date.