Caption data delivery apparatus and methods

• US 20070136777A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gould, Kenneth, Hasek, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for efficiently and flexibly providing caption data (e.g., closed captioning) to subscribers of a content-based network, such as for example Internet protocol television (IPTV) subscribers. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a server performing real-time extraction and encapsulation of caption data, transport of caption data to client devices over the network, and use of one or more applications running on the client devices to decode and display the caption data consistent with the multimedia (audio/video) content with which it is associated. In one variant, instant messaging (IM) infrastructure is used to authenticate clients and receive and display the caption data via a separate transport process. Server and client-side apparatus adapted for caption data receipt, decoding and display are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for distribution of multimedia content and associated closed-caption data over a packet-switched network, the system comprising:

a content source adapted to generate content including associated closed-caption data;

a caption data extractor unit;

a caption data server in data communication with said extractor unit;

a streaming server in data communication with said caption data server; and

at least one client device in data communication with said streaming server and said data server, said at least one client device configured to receive said media content from said streaming server and said caption data from said caption data server, and display the media content and caption data in a substantially synchronized form.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said packet-switched network comprises the Internet, and said system further comprises:

a messaging server in communication with said data server;

a web server;

an authentication server; and

a messaging client application running on said at least one client device;

said application in data communication with at least said messaging server and said web server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said client device further comprises a video player application running thereon, said video player application being configured to play at least a portion of said content, and said messaging client application displays at least a portion of said caption data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said playing of said at least a portion of said content and said display of said at least a portion of said caption data occurs in substantial synchronization based at least in part on a priori delays associated with one or more functions of said network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said caption data comprises vertical blanking interval (VBI) caption data, and said packet-switched network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) transport.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said packet-switched network comprises at least portions of an HFC cable network including at least one cable modem interposed between said streaming server and at least one client device.

7. In a packet-switched network comprising at least one multimedia server configured to send multimedia programs, at least one data server different from the said multimedia server configured to send caption data associated with one or more of said multimedia programs, and a plurality of client devices in direct or indirect signal communication with said servers, a method of delivering said caption data to one or more of said client devices, the method comprising:

extracting said caption data from said one or more multimedia programs;

buffering said caption data for a first duration;

formatting said caption data in a format suitable for transport over the network; and

delivering said caption data to said one or more client devices over said network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said act of buffering is performed based at least in part on a format of a video codec used to encode or decode said multimedia programs.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said act of formatting comprises creating multiple packet formats for the same data, said packet formats being selected to meet one or more requirements associated with said plurality of client devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said act of delivering is performed by using an Internet Protocol (IP) transport for said caption data different from that for said multimedia programs.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said act of delivering is performed by using an Internet Protocol (IP) transport for said caption data the same as that for said multimedia programs.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising authenticating one of said client devices prior to said delivering of said caption data thereto.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said act of authenticating is performed using at least an instant messaging-based authentication mechanism.

14. Consumer equipment adapted for use within an IPTV network, comprising:

a multimedia content decoder and display unit;

a computer program configured to determine the availability of caption data associated with said multimedia content;

a computer program configured to receive and decode said caption data;

a computer program configured to display said decoded caption data; and

a computer program configured to substantially synchronize said caption data with said multimedia content.

15. The consumer equipment of claim 14, wherein said computer program configured to receive caption data comprises an instant messaging program.

16. The consumer equipment of claim 14, wherein said computer program configured to display caption data comprises an instant messaging program.

17. The consumer equipment of claim 14, wherein said computer program configured to determine the availability, said computer program configured to receive and decode, said computer program configured to display, and said computer program configured to substantially synchronize comprise a single computer program.

18. The consumer equipment of claim 14, further comprising an RF tuner adapted to tune to at least one radio frequency channel on a cable or satellite network, said multimedia content decoder being in direct or indirect signal communication with said tuner.

19. Network server apparatus for use in an IPTV broadcast network having a plurality of client devices, the apparatus comprising:

an extraction unit configured to remove caption data from incoming television signals;

a storage unit configured to buffer said removed caption data;

a formatting unit configured to process said removed caption data; and

a delivery unit configured to deliver said caption data on said IPTV network to said client devices.

20. In a packet-switched network comprising at least one multimedia server configured to send multimedia programs, at least one data server configured to send caption data associated with one or more of said multimedia programs, and a plurality of client devices in direct or indirect signal communication with said servers, a method of delivering said caption data to one or more of said client devices, the method comprising:

extracting said caption data from said one or more multimedia programs;

formatting said caption data in a format suitable for transport over the network;

delivering said one or more multimedia programs to said one or more client devices over a first transport stream associated with a first process running on said one or more client devices; and

delivering said caption data to said one or more client devices over a second transport stream different from the first and associated with a second process running on the same ones of said one or more client devices on which said first process is running.

21. A method of doing business within content-based network comprising at least one server and a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE) in direct or indirect signal communication therewith, the method comprising:

providing caption data services to a plurality of subscribers associated with respective ones of said plurality of CPE;

causing each of said CPE to possess an identifying parameter;

identifying user-selected content to be delivered to one or more of said CPE;

delivering said selected content to said one or more CPE; and

selectively delivering caption data to said one or more CPE, said selective delivery based at least in part on said identifying parameter.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said content-based network comprises an IPTV network, said IPTV network being comprised of at least portions of an HFC cable or satellite network.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said content-based network comprises at least an IP transport mechanism, and said direct or indirect communication comprises data communication via a cable modem of an HFC network.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said act of providing caption data services comprises providing at least two tiers or service levels of said data services.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said act of selectively delivering caption data comprises selectively formatting and transmitting said caption data to said one or more CPE based at least in part on correlation of said identifying parameter with at least one of said at least two tiers or service levels of said data services.

26. A method of delivering media content and caption data to a client device over a content-based packet-switched network, comprising:

allocating said media content to a first transport stream different than, but substantially synchronized with, a second transport stream to which said caption data is allocated; and

processing said first and second streams using first and second software applications within said client device, said first and second applications providing for substantial synchronization between said media content and caption data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said acts of allocating comprise using two or more different servers to provide said media and said caption data.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said first application comprises a media player application comprising a video decoder, and said second application comprises an instant messaging application.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said first and second applications comprise modules of a single software application running on said client device.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said caption data further comprises metadata, said metadata being useful for providing content related to one or more contexts present in said media content.

31. A method of delivering media content and caption data to a client device a content-based packet-switched network, comprising:

allocating said media content to a first transport stream different than, but substantially synchronized with, a second transport stream to which said caption data is allocated; and

processing said first and second streams to display said media content and said caption data simultaneously on the same display, said synchronization being provided by selectively delaying at least one of said first and second streams.

32. A method of operating a network having a plurality of client devices, and at least one server adapted to provide closed caption (CC) data, in order to optimize bandwidth usage, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of CC data via said server;

at least periodically evaluating the need to provide said CC data to one or more of said client devices; and

based at least in part on said act of evaluating, selectively providing said CC data to ones of said client devices.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said act of selectively providing comprises selectively performing one of (i) not providing;

(ii) unicasting, (iii) multicasting, or (iv) broadcasting, of said CC data over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing a plurality of content data, and wherein said content data and said CC data are provided by different ones of said at least one server.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said act of evaluating the need comprises receiving data from said one or more client devices relating to a user'"'"'s desire to receive CC data.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein said act of selectively providing comprises selectively switching delivery of CC data to one or more of said client devices on or off via a switching device.