Distributed And Automated Video Encoding And Delivery System

Abstract

At a user or client site, a user initially visits a website hosted by a partner, and following an initial interaction with the website, the user is provided with various software from an administrator website. The software enables the user to download information, such as a video file, to the partner website. The information is encoded in a format that was pre-selected by the partner so that the delivery process is streamlined for the partner. In addition, for further efficiency, the delivery process from the user to the partner is implemented substantially simultaneously with the encoding.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for facilitating delivery of content from a user to a partner over a network, the method comprising:
 hosting an administrator website, including storing a partner encoding profile containing partner encoding information;   hosting a partner website or application accessible by a user device;   providing access to the partner encoding information through the partner website or application;   delivering the partner encoding information to the user device; and   receiving from the user device user content encoded in accordance with the partner encoding information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing the partner with access to the partner encoding profile to enable the partner to customize the encoding information therein.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the encoding information relates to one or more of video codecs, video encoding parameters, video stream parameters, quality parameters, bitrates, constant or variable bitrates, frame size and resolution, and frame rates. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the partner encoding information includes software operative to enable the delivery of files from the user device to a partner-designated destination. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the receiving occurs substantially simultaneously with encoding the content at the user device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the encoding of the user content in accordance with the partner encoding information is performed using a dynamic encoding protocol that adjusts encoding according to a quality parameter or connection speed. 
     
     
         20 . A method for obtaining content from a user, the method comprising:
 storing at an administrator website a partner encoding profile containing encoding information for the partner;   providing a user device with access to the partner encoding information through a partner website or application;   delivering the partner encoding information to the user device; and   receiving at the partner or application user content encoded in accordance with the partner encoding information.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 providing the partner with access to the partner encoding profile to enable the partner to customize the encoding information therein.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the encoding information relates to one or more of video codecs, video encoding parameters, video stream parameters, quality parameters, bitrates, constant or variable bitrates, frame size and resolution, and frame rates. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the partner encoding information includes software operative to enable the delivery of files from the user device to a partner-designated destination. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the receiving occurs substantially simultaneously with encoding the content at the user device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the encoding of the user content in accordance with the partner encoding information is performed using a dynamic encoding protocol that adjusts encoding according to a quality parameter or connection speed. 
     
     
         26 . A system for facilitating delivery of content from a user to a partner over a network, the system comprising
 one or more administrator servers operable to:
 host an administrator website, including storing a partner encoding profile containing partner encoding information; 
 host a partner website or application accessible by a user device; 
 provide access to the partner encoding information through the partner website or application; 
 deliver the partner encoding information to the user device; and 
 receive from the user device user content encoded in accordance with the partner encoding information. 
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more administrator servers are further operable to provide the partner with access to the partner encoding profile to enable the partner to customize the encoding information therein. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the encoding information relates to one or more of video codecs, video encoding parameters video stream parameters, quality parameters, bitrates, constant or variable bitrates, frame size and resolution, and frame rates. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the partner encoding information includes software operative to enable the delivery of files from the user device to a partner-designated destination. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the receiving occurs substantially simultaneously with encoding the content at the user device. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the encoding of the user content in accordance with the partner encoding information is performed using a dynamic encoding protocol that adjusts encoding according to a quality parameter or connection speed. 
     
     
         32 . A nontransitory program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, method comprising:
 hosting an administrator website, including storing a partner encoding profile containing partner encoding information;   hosting a partner website or application accessible by a user device;   providing access to the partner encoding information through the partner website or application;   delivering the partner encoding information to the user device; and   receiving from the user device user content encoded in accordance with the partner encoding information.   
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing the partner with access to the partner encoding profile to enable the partner to customize the encoding information therein.   
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the encoding information relates to one or more of video codecs, video encoding parameters, video stream parameters, quality parameters, bitrates, constant or variable bitrates, frame size and resolution, and frame rates. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the receiving occurs substantially simultaneously with encoding the content at the user device. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the encoding of the user content in accordance with the partner encoding information is performed using a dynamic encoding protocol that adjusts encoding according to connection speed. 
     
     
         37 . A nontransitory program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, method comprising:
 storing at an administrator website a partner encoding profile containing encoding information for the partner;   providing a user device with access to the partner encoding information through a partner website or application;   delivering the partner encoding information to the user device; and   receiving at the partner website or application content encoded in accordance with the partner encoding information.   
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the encoding information relates to one or more of video codecs, video encoding parameters, video stream parameters, quality parameters, bitrates, constant or variable bitrates, frame size and resolution, and frame rates. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the receiving occurs substantially simultaneously with encoding the content at the user device. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the encoding of the user content in accordance with the partner encoding information is performed using a dynamic encoding protocol that adjusts encoding according to a quality parameter or connection speed. 
     
     
         41 . A method for sending information comprising:
 acquiring digital information in a first format;   encoding the acquired information into a data stream of a second format; and   transmitting portions of the data stream during the encoding.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said encoding comprises:
 determining a latency period for transmission of a packet from a source to a destination;   adjusting the encoding based on said latency period.   
     
     
         43 . A nontransitory program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, method comprising:
 acquiring digital information in a first format;   encoding the acquired information into a data stream of a second format; and   transmitting portions of the data stream during the encoding.   
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 43 , wherein said encoding comprises:
 determining a latency period for transmission of a packet from a source to a destination;   adjusting the encoding based on said latency period.