Commercial replacement systems and methods using synchronized and buffered TV program and commercial replacement streams

• US 20040244035A1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microspace Communications Corp.
• Original Assignee: Microspace Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Radke, Daniel A., Wright, Winston Hugh
• Application Number:
  US10/848,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• 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 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

A television program stream that includes television programs and at least one original commercial, and a commercial replacement stream that includes at least one replacement commercial, are received simultaneously such that a respective replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial. The television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream is buffered to substantially synchronize a respective replacement commercial with a respective original commercial. Selective switching is performed between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream, to provide a television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial. Accordingly, commercial replacement may be provided in set top boxes without the need for mass storage devices to store the replacement commercials. Regional and/or national commercials may thereby be replaced by local commercials in TV markets and for multiple regional and/or national channels.

Claims

1. A television program receiving method comprising:

simultaneously receiving a television program stream that includes television programs and at least one original commercial, and a commercial replacement stream that includes at least one replacement commercial, such that a respective replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial;

buffering the television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream to substantially synchronize a respective replacement commercial with a respective original commercial; and

selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream that are substantially synchronized, to provide a television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial.

2. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream include switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream; and

wherein selectively switching is performed responsive to the switch commands.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a switch command stream that includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream; and

wherein selectively switching is performed responsive to the switch commands in the switch command stream.

4. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a switch command stream that also includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream; and

wherein selectively switching is performed responsive to the switch commands in the television program stream, in the commercial replacement stream and/or in the switch command stream.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein selectively switching comprises splicing the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream that are substantially synchronized to provide the television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

providing the television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial to a television receiver.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein simultaneously receiving, buffering and selectively switching are performed in a set top box.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream comprise first and second direct broadcast satellite streams.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the television program stream comprises a direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and the commercial replacement stream comprises a direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream.

10. A television program transmitting method comprising:

simultaneously transmitting a direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream that includes regional television programs and at least one original commercial, and a direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream that includes at least one local replacement commercial, such that a respective replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial.

11. A method according to claim 10:

wherein simultaneously transmitting comprises simultaneously transmitting a direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream that includes regional television programs and at least one original commercial, and a direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream that includes at least one local replacement commercial, such that a respective replacement commercial is substantially synchronized in time with a respective original commercial.

12. A method according to claim 10:

wherein the direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and/or the direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream include switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream.

13. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting a switch command stream that includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream.

14. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting a switch command stream that also includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein simultaneously transmitting is performed by a direct broadcast satellite television broadcasting system.

16. A method according to claim 10 wherein the direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream is a first direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and wherein simultaneously transmitting comprises simultaneously transmitting the first direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and a second direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream that includes television programs and original commercials, and wherein the direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream includes at least one local replacement commercial for the first direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and at least one replacement commercial for the second direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream, such that a respective local replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial.

17. A method according to claim 11 wherein the direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and the direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream are simultaneously transmitted from two different locations.

18. A method according to claim 10 wherein the direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream comprises a plurality of direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement streams, each of which includes at least one local replacement commercial, such that a respective replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting a switch command stream that includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and the plurality of direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement streams.

20. A set top box comprising:

a receiver that is configured to simultaneously receive a television program stream that includes television programs and at least one original commercial, and a commercial replacement stream that includes at least one replacement commercial, such that a respective replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial;

a synchronization buffer that is configured to buffer the television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream to substantially synchronize a respective replacement commercial with a respective original commercial; and

a switch that is configured to selectively switch between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream that are substantially synchronized to provide a television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial.

21. A set top box according to claim 20:

wherein the television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream include switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream; and

wherein the switch is controlled by the switch commands.

22. A set top box according to claim 20:

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a switch command stream that includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream; and

wherein the switch is controlled by the switch commands in the switch command stream.

23. A set top box according to claim 21:

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a switch command stream that includes switch commands that identify parameters for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream; and

wherein the switch is controlled by the switch commands in the television program stream, in the commercial replacement stream and/or in the switch command stream.

24. A set top box according to claim 20 wherein the switch comprises a splicer.

25. A set top box according to claim 22 wherein the receiver is further configured to demultiplex the switch command stream and the commercial replacement stream.

26. A set top box according to claim 23 wherein the receiver is further configured to demultiplex the switch command stream and the commercial replacement stream.

27. A set top box according to claim 20 further comprising:

an output system that is configured to provide the television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial to a television receiver.

28. A set top box according to claim 20 wherein the set sop box is free of a mass storage device that is configured to store the television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream.

29. A set top box according to claim 20 wherein the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream comprise first and second direct broadcast satellite streams.

30. A set top box according to claim 20 wherein the television program stream comprises a direct broadcast satellite television regional program stream and the commercial replacement stream comprises a direct broadcast satellite local commercial replacement stream.

31. A television program receiving system comprising:

means for simultaneously receiving a television program stream that includes television programs and at least one original commercial, and a commercial replacement stream that includes at least one replacement commercial, such that a respective replacement commercial is approximately synchronized in time with a respective original commercial;

means for buffering the television program stream and/or the commercial replacement stream to substantially synchronize a respective replacement commercial with a respective original commercial; and

means for selectively switching between the television program stream and the commercial replacement stream that are substantially synchronized to provide a television program output that includes the television programs and the at least one replacement commercial instead of the at least one original commercial.