System and method for media stream indexing and synchronization

• US 20060101322A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Espial Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kasenna, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin P., Abbott, Michael J., Close, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,272,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/203
• 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 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An indexing method for allowing a viewer to control the mode of delivery of program material. By mapping from time to data position, data delivery can begin at any selected time in the program material. The indexing method also provides for controlling data delivery to begin at the beginning of a frame of data. A synchronizing method is provided to minimize a time offset between audio and vide data, particularly in environments using groups of pictures.

Claims

1. A system for interactive delivery of program material to a viewer, comprising:

formatting means for arranging media data representing program material in accordance with a viewer command from the viewer, wherein said media data is arranged using an object hierarchy that comprises

segments, wherein each of said segments references a corresponding atom of media data and is defined by an offset from a beginning of said corresponding atom, and a duration,

series, wherein each of said series comprises at least one segment, and

groups, wherein each of said groups comprises at least one series; and

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for converting a program material time to a data location for media data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said formatting means comprises:

a server at a location remote from the viewer.

4. A method for locating program material at a specified time T, comprising:

(1) converting the specified time T to a time T_rel, relative to media data representing the program material;

(2) determining an index number from said time T_rel using an index duration; and

(3) converting said index number to a data position, thereby locating media data representing the program material at the specified time T.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said index duration is a duration of one frame of media data.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

(4) rounding said index number to locate an index boundary.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said boundary is a beginning of a frame of media data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said index boundary is a beginning of a group of pictures of media data.