US Patent 8392600 Dynamic stream switch control

In general, in one aspect, streaming content is received from a server. A condition indicative of a cycle of switching versions of the streaming content during playback of the streaming content is determined at a client-side application, the versions having different resolutions requiring different network and processing resources. In response to the determined condition, up-switching to a stream version having a bit rate that meets or exceeds a locked out bit rate is prevented. The prevented up-switching is allowed after expiration of a predetermined condition.