How Video Streaming Services Deliver Content from Multiple Sources
This patent describes a method for video streaming services to create a special file that tells your device where to find different parts of a video, pulling from multiple internet locations to ensure smooth playback.
Original patent title: “Systems and methods for network selection for adaptive video streaming”
This patent describes a method for video streaming services to create a special file that tells your device where to find different parts of a video, pulling from multiple internet locations to ensure smooth playback. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system for improving adaptive video streaming by intelligently generating a manifest file. When a user's device asks for a video, the system identifies a source manifest file that outlines all the video segments, which are encoded at various quality levels (reference bitrates). The system then creates a new, 'issued' manifest file. This new file includes web addresses (URLs) that point to video segments located on different internet domains. For example, a first part of the video might come from 'cdn1.example.com' and a second part from 'cdn2.example.com'. This issued manifest file is then sent to the user's device, allowing it to fetch video parts from various sources for better performance.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover video streaming that does not adapt to network conditions by changing video quality (non-adaptive streaming).
- Does not cover the specific technical process of encoding video into different quality levels or dividing it into segments.
- Does not cover the client-side logic for a user device to select which video segment to request based on network conditions.
- Does not cover delivering all video segments for a single stream from only one internet domain or server.
- Does not cover the specific streaming protocols like HLS or DASH themselves, only the generation of their manifest files.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever bit is dynamically generating a manifest file that directs a user's device to fetch different video segments from multiple, distinct internet domains. This allows for flexible content delivery, improving resilience and load balancing beyond what a single content source could offer.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Netflix streaming
YouTube video playback
Amazon Prime Video
Hulu streaming service
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) like Akamai or Cloudflare
Most modern smartphone video apps
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This approach enhances the reliability and performance of video streaming. By sourcing video segments from multiple domains, a streaming service can better distribute network traffic and quickly switch sources if one server experiences issues or becomes slow. This helps reduce buffering and ensures a more consistent, high-quality viewing experience for users, especially across different geographic regions.
Filed
January 18, 2025
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major streaming companies like Netflix, YouTube (Google), and Amazon Prime Video constantly refine their content delivery networks and manifest generation techniques to optimize user experience. Content Delivery Network (CDN) providers such as Akamai, Cloudflare, and Fastly are also deeply involved in developing and implementing multi-domain content delivery strategies to serve their clients in the streaming industry.
Market impact
This technology contributes to the widespread adoption of high-quality, reliable video streaming. By enabling content delivery from diverse sources, it significantly reduces buffering and improves the global reach and performance of streaming services. This approach has become a foundational element for major streaming platforms, allowing them to scale their operations and deliver content efficiently to millions of users worldwide.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system for improving adaptive video streaming by intelligently generating a manifest file. When a user's device asks for a video, the system identifies a source manifest file that outlines all the video segments, which are encoded at various quality levels (reference bitrates). The system then creates a new, 'issued' manifest file. This new file includes web addresses (URLs) that point to video segments located on different internet domains. For example, a first part of the video might come from 'cdn1.example.com' and a second part from 'cdn2.example.com'. This issued manifest file is then sent to the user's device, allowing it to fetch video parts from various sources for better performance.
The clever bit
The clever bit is dynamically generating a manifest file that directs a user's device to fetch different video segments from multiple, distinct internet domains. This allows for flexible content delivery, improving resilience and load balancing beyond what a single content source could offer.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover video streaming that does not adapt to network conditions by changing video quality (non-adaptive streaming).
- Does not cover the specific technical process of encoding video into different quality levels or dividing it into segments.
- Does not cover the client-side logic for a user device to select which video segment to request based on network conditions.
- Does not cover delivering all video segments for a single stream from only one internet domain or server.
- Does not cover the specific streaming protocols like HLS or DASH themselves, only the generation of their manifest files.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$17K – $54K
Midpoint $34K · 18.3 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). How Video Streaming Services Deliver Content from Multiple Sources (U.S. Patent No. 12,739,451). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12739451/systems-and-methods-for-network-selection-for-adaptive-video-streaming
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Video Streaming Services Deliver Content from Multiple Sources cover?
This patent describes a method for video streaming services to create a special file that tells your device where to find different parts of a video, pulling from multiple internet locations to ensure smooth playback.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This approach enhances the reliability and performance of video streaming. By sourcing video segments from multiple domains, a streaming service can better distribute network traffic and quickly switch sources if one server experiences issues or becomes slow. This helps reduce buffering and ensures a more consistent, high-quality viewing experience for users, especially across different geographic regions.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover video streaming that does not adapt to network conditions by changing video quality (non-adaptive streaming).
Patent monitoring