Techniques for manipulating programming breaks in streaming content

• US 20030046687A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Plantronics, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Octiv, Inc. (Apttus Corporation)
• Inventors: Hodges, Richard, McMillen, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/100,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/10 Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for enabling a computer to manipulate programming breaks in an original digital content stream. One of a plurality of substitute durations is selected with reference to a first duration of a first programming break. The selected substitute duration is substituted for the first duration, thereby generating a modified digital content stream having a modified programming break.

Claims

1. At least one computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored therein for enabling a computer to manipulate programming breaks in an original digital content stream, the computer program instructions comprising:

first instructions operable to select one of a plurality of substitute durations with reference to a first duration of a first programming break; and

second instructions operable to substitute the selected substitute duration for the first duration and thereby generate a modified digital content stream having a modified programming break.

2. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the modified digital content stream is characterized by a variable delay which varies with manipulation of the programming breaks, the computer program instructions further comprising third instructions operable to select a different substitute duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be outside of a delay range.

3. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein the computer program instructions further comprise fourth instructions having a fixed delay associated therewith, the delay range being determined with reference to the fixed delay.

4. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the fourth instructions implement a first-in-first-out delay buffer.

5. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein the delay range is characterized by a minimum delay and a maximum delay, and the third instructions are operable to select a larger substitute duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be less than the minimum delay, and to select a smaller substitute duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be greater than the maximum delay.

6. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the computer program instructions further comprise fourth instructions operable to eliminate the first program break where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be greater than the maximum delay and where the selected substitute duration is the smallest substitute duration.

7. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 5 wherein the computer program instructions further comprise fourth instructions operable to substitute the selected substitute duration for the first duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be less than the minimum delay and where the selected substitute duration is the largest substitute duration.

8. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein the variable delay also varies with a difference between a first clock rate and a second clock rate, the computer program instructions further comprising fourth instructions operable to insert and delete samples to and from the modified digital content stream to keep the variable delay in the delay range.

9. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second instructions are further operable to insert filler content in the modified programming break.

10. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the filler content comprises instrumental music.

11. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions further comprise third instructions operable to insert alternate content in the modified programming break.

12. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the alternate content is also characterized by the selected substitute duration.

13. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the third instructions are further operable to select the alternate content from an archive having a plurality of alternate content segments, each of the alternate content segments corresponding to one of the substitute durations.

14. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein selected ones of the alternate content segments are characterized by the corresponding substitute duration.

15. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the alternate content comprises geographically relevant content.

16. A system including the at least one computer-readable medium of claim 1.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the original digital content stream comprises any of audio data, video data, graphics data, text data, and control data.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the system comprises a computer system in a wide area network.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the system comprises a digital radio station.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the digital radio station is one of an Internet radio station, a cable radio station, and a satellite radio station.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the computer program instructions further comprise third instructions operable to insert alternate content in the modified programming break, and wherein the first and second instructions are stored in a first computer-readable medium associated with the digital radio station.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the third instructions are stored in a second computer-readable medium associated with a user machine.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the third instructions are stored in the first computer-readable medium.

24. A computer-implemented method comprising transmitting at least a portion of the computer program instructions of claim 1 in a wide area network.

25. A computer-implemented method for manipulating programming breaks in an original digital content stream, the method comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of substitute durations with reference to a first duration of a first programming break; and

substituting the selected substitute duration for the first duration, thereby generating a modified digital content stream having a modified programming break.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the modified digital content stream is characterized by a variable delay which varies with manipulation of the programming breaks, the method further comprising selecting a different substitute duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be outside of a delay range.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising determining the delay range with reference to a fixed delay.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the fixed delay is associated with a first-in-first-out delay buffer.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the delay range is characterized by a minimum delay and a maximum delay, and selecting a different substitute duration comprises selecting a larger substitute duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be less than the minimum delay, and selecting a smaller substitute duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be greater than the maximum delay.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising eliminating the first program break where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be greater than the maximum delay and where the selected substitute duration is the smallest substitute duration.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising substituting the selected substitute duration for the first duration where substitution of the selected substitute duration for the first duration would cause the variable delay to be less than the minimum delay and where the selected substitute duration is the largest substitute duration.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the variable delay also varies with a difference between a first clock rate and a second clock rate, the method further comprising inserting and deleting samples to and from the modified digital content stream to keep the variable delay in the delay range.

33. The method of claim 25 further comprising inserting filler content in the modified programming break.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the filler content comprises instrumental music.

35. The method of claim 25 further comprising inserting alternate content in the modified programming break.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the alternate content is also characterized by the selected substitute duration.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising selecting the alternate content from an archive having a plurality of alternate content segments, each of the alternate content segments corresponding to one of the substitute durations.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein selected ones of the alternate content segments are characterized by the corresponding substitute duration.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the alternate content comprises geographically relevant content.