Macro-block based content replacement by PID mapping

• US 20050028193A1
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant L., Pedlow, Leo M. Jr., Garrett, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,823,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• 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 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23895 involving multiplex stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/6543 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 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A method and apparatus for content substitution, consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves receiving data representing one or more macroblocks of content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second portions of content. The content having the first PID is placed into a data stream. An initiation flag is received indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation. The substitute macroblocks of content having the second PID is then mapped to the first PID and the mapped content is placed into the data stream. A termination flag is received indicating termination of the PID mapping operation at which point the process returns to placing content having the first PID into the data stream. The content substitution process can be used to replace advertisements, provide multiple plots, multiple endings, multiple views as well as other applications. This abstract should not be considered limiting, since other embodiments may incorporate more, fewer or different elements that those described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method of content substitution, comprising:

receiving data representing video content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with a first and a second macroblock of content;

initiating processing of content having the first PID;

determining that a substitution criterion has been met;

substituting the macroblock having the second PID for the macroblock having the first PID; and

processing the substituted content.

2. The method according to claim 1, carried out in a decoder forming a part of a television Set-top box.

3. The method according to claim 1, carried out in a hardware state machine.

4. The method according to claim 1, carried out in a programmed processor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substitution criterion is met as a result of receipt of a flag.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substitution criterion is met as a result of an operator input.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing comprises playing the content.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substituting comprises using private signaling to select the macroblock of content with the second PID and discarding the macroblock of content with the first PID.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substituting comprises using private signaling to select the macroblock of content on the second PID while receiving the macroblock with the first PID.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein substituting is initiated and terminated by private signaling forming part of an adaptation layer of packets in a data stream.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the adaptation layer is in a packet with the second PID.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the adaptation layer is in a packet with the first PID.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the adaptation layer is in a packet that is neither the second nor the first PID.

14. A computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out the content substitution method according to claim 1.

15. A method of content substitution, comprising:

receiving data representing content, the data having at least primary and secondary packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with a first and a second macroblock of content;

placing content having the primary PID into a data stream;

receiving an initiation flag indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation;

mapping content having the secondary PID to the primary PID and placing the mapped content into the data stream;

receiving a termination flag indicating termination of the PID mapping operation; and

continuing to place content having the primary PID into the data stream.

16. The method according to claim 15, carried out in a decoder forming a part of a television Set-top box.

17. The method according to claim 15, carried out in a hardware state machine.

18. The method according to claim 15, carried out in a programmed processor.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the substitution criterion is met as a result of receipt of a flag.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the substitution criterion is met as a result of an operator input.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the substituting comprises using private signaling to select the macroblock of content with the secondary PID and discarding the macroblock of content with the primary PID.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein substitution is initiated and terminated by private signaling forming part of an adaptation layer of packets in a data stream.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the adaptation layer is in a packet with the one of the primary PID and the secondary PID.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the adaptation layer is in a packet that has neither the secondary nor the primary PID.

25. A computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out the content substitution method according to claim 15.

26. A content substitution encoder, comprising:

means for receiving input data representing at least one macroblock of main content;

means for receiving input data representing at least one macroblock of substitution content;

a packet identifier (PID) mapper that assigns a primary PID to the main content and assigns a secondary PID to the substitution content;

a private data generator that generates user private data that identifies the main content by the primary PID and substitution content by the secondary PID; and

means for assembling the private data, the main content mapped to the primary PID and the substitution content mapped to the secondary PID into a data stream.

27. The content substitution encoder according to claim 26, implemented using a programmed computer.

28. A decoder, comprising:

a receiver receiving data that represents content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with a first and a second macroblock of content;

a content decoder configured to play content having the first PID;

a controller that determines that a substitution criterion has been met; and

a PID mapper that maps content having the second PID to the first PID so that the content originally having the second PID is played.

29. The decoder according to claim 28, wherein the decoder resides in a television Set-top box.