Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving content in a broadcast system

• US 10,116,997 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Rhyu, Sung-Ryeul, Song, Jae-Yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepard, Justin E
• Application Number:
  US13/980,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20130298177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,477 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234381 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. decreasing the frame rate by frame skipping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• 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 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43 Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for transmitting content in a content-transmission system are provided. The apparatus includes a service provider to construct a service using a plurality of pieces of content, and to transmit the service via one or more paths over a heterogeneous network, such that the service may be consumed in a converged environment.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting media data, the method comprising:

identifying a package including a plurality of assets, transport characteristics of each asset of the plurality of assets, and composition information on the plurality of assets; and

transmitting the package,

wherein the composition information includes information on spatial and temporal relationships among the plurality of assets,

wherein the information on spatial and temporal relationships comprises synchronization information for synchronizing the plurality of assets in the package, and target characteristic information required to at least one device for presenting each of the plurality of assets,

wherein the target characteristic information includes information for indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package are required to be presented across two or more screens, the plurality of assets being different from each other, and information indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package require a user interactive input, and

wherein the transport characteristics include quality of service (QoS) information and delivery direction information of the plurality of assets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the package includes a detailed description of the plurality of assets and a fragment list of the plurality of assets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the plurality of assets are arranged in a plurality of devices including the at least one device, the composition information includes information on which of the plurality of assets is arranged in which device among the plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition information includes at least one of service composition information of another package, asset information with the same or a different package, or a component within an asset within the same or the different package.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the package is distinguished by a package ID in a general broadcast and distinguished by the package ID and a sequence number in a live broadcast.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one asset is stored as one fragment in a general mode and stored as a plurality of fragments in a trick mode, and a time on a time axis of the plurality of fragments is indicated by a presentation time stamp (pts).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the package includes a list of the plurality of assets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition information includes information indicating whether a decoding of an asset in the package is dependent to a decoding of another asset in the package.

9. An apparatus for transmitting media data, the apparatus comprising:

a package generator configured to identify a package including a plurality of assets, transport characteristics of each asset of the plurality of assets, and composition information on the plurality of assets; and

a transport unit configured to transmit the package,

wherein the composition information includes information on spatial and temporal relationships among the plurality of assets,

wherein the information on spatial and temporal relationships comprises synchronization information for synchronizing the plurality of assets in the package, and target characteristic information required to at least one device for presenting each of the plurality of assets,

wherein the target characteristic information includes information for indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package are required to be presented across two or more screens, the plurality of assets being different from each other, and information indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package require a user interactive input, and

wherein the transport characteristics include quality of service (QoS) information and delivery direction information of the plurality of assets.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the package includes a detailed description of the plurality of assets and a fragment list of the plurality of assets.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, when the plurality of assets are arranged in a plurality of devices including the at least one device, the composition information includes information on which of the plurality of assets is arranged in which device among the plurality of devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the composition information includes at least one of service composition information of another package, asset information with the same or a different package, or a component within an asset within the same or the different package.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the package is distinguished by a package ID in a general broadcast and distinguished by the package ID and a sequence number in a live broadcast.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one asset is stored as one fragment in a general mode and stored as a plurality of fragments in a trick mode, and a time on a time axis of the plurality of fragments is indicated by a presentation time stamp (pts).

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the package includes a list of the plurality of assets.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the composition information includes information indicating whether a decoding of an asset in the package is dependent to a decoding of another asset in the package.

17. A method of receiving media data, the method comprising:

receiving a package including a plurality of assets, transport characteristics of each asset of the plurality of assets, and composition information on the plurality of assets;

analyzing the package; and

processing the plurality of assets and composition information in the package according to a result of the analysis,

wherein the composition information includes information on spatial and temporal relationships among the plurality of assets,

wherein the information on spatial and temporal relationships comprises synchronization information for synchronizing the plurality of assets in the package, and target characteristic information required to at least one device for presenting each of the plurality of assets,

wherein the target characteristic information includes information for indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package are required to be presented across two or more screens, the plurality of assets being different from each other, and information indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package require a user interactive input, and

wherein the transport characteristics include quality of service (QoS) information and delivery direction information of the plurality of assets.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the package includes a detailed description of the plurality of assets and a fragment list of the plurality of assets.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, when the plurality of assets are reproduced in a plurality of devices including the at least one device, the composition information includes information on which of the plurality of assets are reproduced in which device among the plurality of devices.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the composition information includes at least one of service composition information on another package, asset information with the same or a different package, or a component within an asset within the same or the different package.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the package is distinguished by a package ID in a general broadcast and distinguished by the package ID and a sequence number in a live broadcast.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein one asset is stored as one fragment in a general mode and stored as a plurality of fragments in a trick mode, and a time on a time axis of the plurality of fragments is indicated by a presentation time stamp (pts).

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the package includes a list of the plurality of assets.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the composition information includes information indicating whether a decoding of an asset in the package is dependent to a decoding of another asset in the package.

25. An apparatus for receiving media data, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of assets, transport characteristics of each asset of the plurality of assets, and composition information on the plurality of assets;

a package parser configured to parse the package; and

a processor configured to process the plurality of assets and composition information included in the package according to a result of the analysis,

wherein the composition information includes information on spatial and temporal relationships among the plurality of assets,

wherein the information on spatial and temporal relationships comprises synchronization information for synchronizing the plurality of assets in the package, and target characteristic information required to at least one device for presenting each of the plurality of assets,

wherein the target characteristic information includes information for indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package are required to be presented across two or more screens, the plurality of assets being different from each other, and information indicating whether the plurality of assets in the package require a user interactive input, and

wherein the transport characteristics include quality of service (QoS) information and delivery direction information of the plurality of assets.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the package includes a detailed description of the plurality of assets and a fragment list of the plurality of assets.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein, when the plurality of assets are reproduced in a plurality of devices including the at least one device, the composition information includes information on which of the plurality of assets are reproduced in which device among the plurality of devices.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the composition information includes at least one of service composition information on another package, asset information with the same or a different package, or a component within an asset within the same or the different package.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the package is distinguished by a package ID in a general broadcast and distinguished by the package ID and a sequence number in a live broadcast.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein one asset is stored as one fragment in a general mode and stored as a plurality of fragments in a trick mode, and a time on a time axis of the plurality of fragments is indicated by a presentation time stamp (pts).

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the package includes a list of the plurality of assets.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the composition information includes information indicating whether a decoding of an asset in the package is dependent to a decoding of another asset in the package.