Synchronous and multi-sourced audio and video broadcast

• US 10,104,408 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bamtech LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Bamtech LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Inzerillo, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US14/478,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 725116, 725146, 725151, 348500, 709203
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content

Abstract

Embodiments provide for outputting video and allowing a user to switch between different audio steams in a synchronous manner without impacting the timeline of the audio presentation. The audio and video streams may be directed to a single sporting event. For example, a user can view video associated with a national television broadcast of a baseball game, and switch between the audio from the national broadcast and the audio from the radio broadcast. Similarly, the user can view video associated with a local television broadcast, and switch between the audio from the national, regional, and/or radio broadcast. As any sport fan would appreciate, such flexibility enables users to watch the video with, e.g., the best quality and camera angle, while at the same time listening to the audio or broadcaster they find the most appealing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user device, a plurality of data segments including at least one video feed and at least two audio feeds comprising a first audio feed and a second audio feed, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are directed to a single event;

combining, by the user device, the plurality of data segments to generate a single bit stream;

filtering, by a media player plug-in module executed by the user device, the single bit stream to provide to a media player a first video feed of the at least one video feed and the first audio feed of the at least two audio feeds;

receiving a request to change audio feeds; and

filtering, by the media player plug-in module executed by the user device, the single bit stream to provide to the media player the first video feed and the second audio feed based on the request to change the audio feeds, wherein filtering the single bit stream based on the request to change audio feeds includes discontinuing the first audio feed from being provided to the media player and continuing to provide the first video feed to the media player and synchronizing the second audio feed with the first video feed prior to providing the second audio feed to the media player, wherein synchronizing the second audio feed with the first video feed comprises;

detecting, by the media player plug-in module, that a time signature associated with the second audio feed is before a time signature associated with the first video feed by referencing a last video feed packet that has been sent by the media player plug-in module to the media player;

in response to the detecting that the time signature associated with the second audio feed is before the time signature associated with the first video feed, (i) determining, by the media player plug-in module, a number of packets in the second audio feed to be discarded based on a difference between the time signature associated with the second audio feed and the time signature associated with the first video feed, and (ii) discarding one or more packets of the second audio feed based on the determined number of packets to be discarded without discarding any packet of the first video feed so as to synchronize the second audio feed with the first video feed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are initially synchronized at a media center prior to reception.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are initially synchronized based on at least the timing of a slowest feed received from one or more sources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering and synchronizing processes are conducted by the media player plug-in module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is a baseball game, a football game, a basketball game, a hockey match, a golf tournament, an auto racing event, an Olympic event, a boxing match, a mixed martial arts event, a swimming event, a soccer match, a rugby tournament, a cricket match, or a wrestling event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two audio feeds include at least two of:

audio originating from a national television broadcast, audio originating from a local television broadcast, audio originating from a national radio broadcast, audio originating from a local radio broadcast, audio originating from a foreign language broadcast, audio providing natural sounds of a sporting event, or audio originating from a microphone associated with a player, coach, referee, umpire, or trainer.

7. A device comprising:

a processor; and

one or more communication interfaces configured to receive a plurality of data segments including at least one video feed and at least two audio feeds comprising a first audio feed and a second audio feed, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are directed to a single event, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising;

combining the plurality of data segments to generate a single bit stream;

filtering, using a media player plug-in module, the single bit stream to provide to a media player a first video feed of the at least one video feeds and the first audio feed of the at least two audio feeds;

receiving a request to change audio feeds;

filtering, using the media player plug-in module, the single bit stream to provide to the media player the first video feed and the second audio feed based on the request to change the audio feeds, wherein filtering the single bit stream based on the request to change audio feeds includes discontinuing the first audio feed from being provided to the media player while continuing to provide the first video feed to the media player and synchronizing the second audio feed with the first video feed prior to providing the second audio feed to the media player, wherein synchronizing the second audio feed with the first video feed comprises;

detecting, using the media player plug-in module, that a time signature associated with the second audio feed is after a time signature associated with the first video feed by referencing a last video feed packet that has been sent by the media player plug-in module to the media player;

in response to the detecting that the time signature associated with the second audio feed is after the time signature associated with the first video feed, buffering, using the media player plug-in module, the second audio feed until a predetermined condition is satisfied so as to synchronize the second audio feed with the first video feed.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are initially synchronized at a media center prior to reception.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are initially synchronized based on at least the timing of a slowest feed received from one or more sources.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the filtering and synchronizing processes are conducted by the media player plug-in module resident on the device.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the event is a baseball game, a football game, a basketball game, a hockey match, a golf tournament, an auto racing event, an Olympic event, a boxing match, a mixed martial arts event, a swimming event, a soccer match, a rugby tournament, a cricket match, or a wrestling event.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least two audio feeds include at least two of:

audio originating from a national television broadcast, audio originating from a local television broadcast, audio originating from a national radio broadcast, audio originating from a local radio broadcast, audio originating from a foreign language broadcast, audio providing natural sounds of a sporting event, or audio originating from a microphone associated with a player, coach, referee, umpire, or trainer.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors coupled to memory, the one or more processors configured to;

receive a plurality of data segments including at least one video feed and at least two audio feeds comprising a first audio feed and a second audio feed, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are directed to a single event;

combine the plurality of data segments to generate a single bit stream;

filter, using a media player plug-in module, the single bit stream to provide to a media player a first video feed of the at least one video feed and the first audio feed of the at least two audio feeds;

receive a request to change audio feeds;

filter, using the media player plug-in module, the single bit stream to provide to the media player the first video feed and the second audio feed based on the request to change the audio feeds, wherein filtering the single bit stream based on the request to change audio feeds includes discontinuing the first audio feed from being provided to the media player and continuing to provide the first video feed to the media player and synchronizing the second audio feed with the first video feed prior to providing the second audio feed to the media player, wherein synchronizing the second audio feed with the first video feed comprises;

detect, using the media player plug-in module, that a time signature associated with the second audio feed is before a time signature associated with the first video feed by referencing a last video feed packet that has been sent by the media player plug-in module to the media player;

in response to the detecting that the time signature associated with the second audio feed is before the time signature associated with the first video feed, (i) determine, using the media player plug-in module, a number of packets in the second audio feed to be discarded based on a difference between the time signature associated with the second audio feed and the time signature associated with the first video feed, and (ii) discard one or more packets of the second audio feed based on the determined number of packets to be discarded without discarding any packet of the first video feed so as to synchronize the second audio feed with the first video feed.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are initially synchronized at a media center prior to reception.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one video feed and the at least two audio feeds are initially synchronized based on at least the timing of a slowest feed received from one or more sources.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the event is a baseball game, a football game, a basketball game, a hockey match, a golf tournament, an auto racing event, an Olympic event, a boxing match, a mixed martial arts event, a swimming event, a soccer match, a rugby tournament, a cricket match, or a wrestling event.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least two audio feeds include at least two of:

audio originating from a national television broadcast, audio originating from a local television broadcast, audio originating from a national radio broadcast, audio originating from a local radio broadcast, audio originating from a foreign language broadcast, audio providing natural sounds of a sporting event, or audio originating from a microphone associated with a player, coach, referee, umpire, or trainer.