INTERACTIVE CONTENT DELIVERY METHODS AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A system for providing interactive content comprising:
- hardware adapted to receive one or more first video streams that include video data, first interactive content and an interactive content code, wherein the interactive content code includes an option field, and wherein the hardware is further to produce a second video stream;
an interactive content code detector adapted to detect the interactive content code and the option field therein, and based on the value of the option field, to produce a control signal to indicate the first interactive content is to be replaced with second interactive content; and
a data insertion unit adapted to receive the control signal and to insert the second interactive content into the second video stream to produce a third video stream.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Interactive content preservation and customization technology is placed at the broadcast facility to ensure reliable transmission of the interactive content to a local subsystem. An interactive content code detector detects interactive content codes in the video stream at the broadcast facility. The interactive content code detector is placed in the transmission path before the video stream is transmitted to broadcast facility hardware that may strip out, destroy, corrupt or otherwise modify the interactive content and interactive content codes. Once an interactive content code detector detects a code, an interactive broadcast server determines what action to take, and instructs an data insertion unit accordingly. The interactive content codes or interactive content may be placed in a portion of the video that is guaranteed by the broadcast facility to be transmitted, for example, the closed caption region of the vertical blanking interval.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for providing interactive content comprising:
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hardware adapted to receive one or more first video streams that include video data, first interactive content and an interactive content code, wherein the interactive content code includes an option field, and wherein the hardware is further to produce a second video stream;
an interactive content code detector adapted to detect the interactive content code and the option field therein, and based on the value of the option field, to produce a control signal to indicate the first interactive content is to be replaced with second interactive content; and
a data insertion unit adapted to receive the control signal and to insert the second interactive content into the second video stream to produce a third video stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing interactive content in a broadcast facility that transmits a video broadcast stream containing video along a transmission path for delivery to end users and contains equipment that may corrupt interactive content, the method comprising:
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encrypting an interactive content code to include with first interactive content, resulting in an encrypted interactive content code wherein the interactive content code includes an option field;
inserting the encrypted interactive content code into a first video stream based on a value of the option field, resulting in a second video stream with embedded interactivity, wherein the encrypted interactive content code specifies second interactive content to replace the first interactive content;
processing the second video stream, to produce a third video stream; and
inserting the second interactive content corresponding to the interactive content code into the third video stream, to produce a fourth video stream, which includes the second interactive content and the encrypted interactive content code. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 28)
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14. A method for providing interactive content in a broadcast facility that transmits a video broadcast stream containing video for delivery along a transmission path to end users and contains equipment that may corrupt interactive content, the method comprising:
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encrypting an interactive content code, resulting in an encrypted interactive content code wherein the interactive content code is encrypted in a manner to prevent ad skipping and includes an option field;
inserting the encrypted interactive content code into a first video stream including first interactive content, resulting in a second video stream with embedded interactivity, wherein the interactive content code specifies second interactive content to accompany a video broadcast based on the value of the option field, and wherein the encrypted interactive content code is inserted into a region of the second video stream that is preserved by the broadcast facility;
processing the second video stream, to produce a third video stream; and
inserting the second interactive content based on the interactive content code and the option value into the third video stream at a point in the transmission path after a point in the transmission path where broadcast facility equipment that may corrupt the interactive content is coupled to the transmission path, to produce a fourth video stream. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for providing interactive content in a broadcast facility that transmits a video stream containing video for delivery along a transmission path to end users, the method comprising:
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inserting an encrypted reference to second interactive content into a region of a first video stream including first interactive content, wherein the encrypted reference is encrypted in a manner to prevent ad skipping and includes an option field, and wherein the region is preserved by the broadcast facility, resulting in a second video stream with embedded interactivity;
processing the second video stream, to produce a third video stream; and
inserting the second interactive content based on the encrypted reference and the options field into the third video stream, to produce a fourth video stream. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A system for providing interactive content comprising:
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hardware adapted to receive a first video stream that includes video data, first interactive content, and one or more encrypted interactive content codes, and to produce a second video stream, wherein each encrypted interactive content codes is encrypted in a manner to prevent ad skipping and include an option field;
an interactive content code detector, coupled to the first video stream, adapted to detect one or more interactive content codes identified within the one or more encrypted interactive content codes and to produce a control signal responsive to detecting and processing an interactive content code and its associated option field; and
a data insertion unit, coupled to the interactive content code detector, adapted to receive the control signal and to insert second interactive content into the second video stream responsive to information contained in the control signal, resulting in a third video stream to be transmitted to one or more local subsystems, wherein the data insertion unit is positioned to insert interactive content into the second video stream prior to the third video stream being transmitted to a transmission source, causing the interactive content to remain in the third video stream upon transmission.
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20. A system for providing interactive content comprising:
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local equipment, adapted to receive one or more first signals from a broadcast facility, wherein the one or more first signals include video data, first interactive content, and one or more encrypted interactive content codes, wherein the one or more encrypted interactive content codes are encrypted in a manner to prevent ad skipping and include an option field, and wherein the local equipment is further to produce a first video stream;
an interactive content detection unit adapted to detect an interactive content code identified within an encrypted interactive content code and to transmit a control signal responsive to detecting and processing the interactive content code and the option field; and
a data insertion unit, coupled to the interactive content code detector, adapted to receive the control signal and to insert second interactive content into the first video stream responsive to information contained in the control signal, resulting in a second video stream. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of ensuring reliable delivery of interactive content comprising:
inserting a plurality of encrypted interactive content codes including corresponding option fields into different regions of data in a video stream to be broadcast to a plurality of local subsystems, wherein the interactive content codes correspond to an interactive content to be inserted into the video stream based on values associated with respective option fields, wherein the plurality of encrypted interactive content codes is encrypted in a manner to prevent ad skipping, and wherein each region of data is preserved by at least one local subsystem.
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26. A method of ensuring reliable delivery of interactive content comprising:
inserting an encrypted interactive content code into a closed caption region of a video stream, wherein a first portion of the interactive content code corresponds to second interactive content to be inserted into the video stream to replace first interactive content and a second portion of the interactive content code includes an option field composed of conditions for replacing the first interactive content with the second interactive content, and wherein the closed caption region is preserved by at least one local subsystem.
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27. A method of increasing a reliability for delivery of interactive content, the method comprising:
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inserting an encrypted interactive content code into a first component of a first signal alternate to a second component, which includes first interactive content and is used to convey the first interactive content, wherein the encrypted interactive content code is encrypted in a manner to prevent ad skipping and includes an option field;
processing the first signal, to produce a second signal;
detecting an interactive content code and the option field identified by the encrypted interactive content code in the first signal; and
inserting second interactive content corresponding to the interactive content code into the second signal and based on a value of the option field, to produce a third signal.
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Specification