US 12231703

Summary of U.S. Patent 12,231,703

A concise summary of U.S. Patent 12,231,703 is provided below, based on the available information as of April 26, 2026.

Title: Bitrate and pipeline preservation for content presentation

Assignee: OpenTV Inc

Inventors:

• Amarendra N. Gogoi
• Sanjay Kumar Gupta
• Ravikant Swami

Filing Date: October 4, 2023

Issue Date: February 18, 2025

Abstract:
Systems and methods for optimizing a content change process are provided. In example embodiments, a digital receiver causes playback of a first piece of content. The digital receiver receives a selection of a new piece of content for playback during the playback of the first piece of content. In response to the receiving of the selection, the digital receiver maintains a bitrate used for playback of the first piece of content to initiate playback of the new piece of content.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

U.S. Patent 12,231,703 contains three independent claims: claim 1, claim 11, and claim 20. Here is a plain-language explanation of each:

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a method for a digital receiver (like a set-top box or smart TV) to more efficiently switch between different pieces of content. When a user who is watching one video selects a new one, the system checks if the new video is of the same technical format as the first. If it is, the system then determines if it can reuse parts of the existing software pathway (the "playback pipeline") that's already running. This pipeline includes components for downloading the video, separating the audio and video, and decoding them for playback. The goal is to reuse as much of this pipeline as possible to make the switch to the new content faster and smoother.

Independent Claim 11: This claim describes a system, which includes a hardware processor and a storage device, that performs the same method outlined in claim 1. Essentially, it covers the physical device that is configured to receive a selection for a new piece of content while another is playing, and then determine whether to preserve parts of the existing playback pipeline based on whether the content types are the same. This allows for a quicker transition to the new content by not having to rebuild the entire processing pipeline from scratch.

Independent Claim 20: This claim covers a machine-readable storage medium (like a hard drive or memory chip) that contains instructions. When these instructions are executed by a processor, they cause the machine to perform the method described in claim 1. This means the claim protects the software itself that, when run on a device, enables the efficient switching between content by evaluating the content type and preserving the playback pipeline where possible.

Litigation Status

As of April 26, 2026, a search of the dockets for the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) for the year 2026 did not reveal any appeals related to U.S. Patent 12,231,703. However, the patent document indicates a history of litigation, with a case filed in the Delaware District Court (1:25-cv-01404). The current status of that district court case is not specified in the available information.