Patent attributes
Network-based content distribution is improved by controlling the flow of multimedia data and streaming characteristics to ensure real-time, consistent delivery. An adaptive media distribution system includes at least one original source of a media channel, a plurality of content playback devices, and one or more stream controllers disposed between the original sources and the playback devices. Each media channel provides audio and/or video content on one or more switchable streams, each stream being encoded with different characteristics such as bitrate. The stream controllers receive streams and determine how the streams should be allocated to the playback devices so as to provide consistent delivery of the content in accordance with playback demand and the stream attributes or information.
