Sub-frame metadata distribution server

• US 20080007651A1
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D.
• Application Number:
  US11/506,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20080007651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/443
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A distribution server includes a communication interface, storage, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry retrieves a full screen sequence of video and sub-frame metadata relating to the full screen sequence of video. The processing circuitry sub-frame processes the sequence of full screen video using the sub-frame metadata to produce a plurality of sub-frames of video. The processing circuitry assembles the plurality of sub-frames of video to produce an output sequence for a client system. The distribution server may also receive, store, and distribute the sub-frame metadata and/or the video for subsequent use by a video processing system.

Claims

1. A video server that operates on encoded video data representing a sequence of full frames of video data, the video server comprising:

a communication interface;

memory operable to store encoded video data and sub-frame metadata;

processing circuitry coupled to the communication interface and to the memory, the processing circuitry operable to;

decode the encoded video data to generate the sequence of full frames of video data;

sub-frame process the sequence of full frames of video data based upon the sub-frame metadata to generate both a first sequence of sub-frames of video data and a second sequence of sub-frames of video data, the first sequence of sub-frames of video data corresponding to a different region within the sequence of full frames of video data than that of the second sequence of sub-frames of video data;

generate a third sequence of sub-frames of video data by combining the first sequence of sub-frames of video data with the second sequence of sub-frames of video data; and

transmit the third sequence of sub-frames of video data via the communication interface.

2. The video server of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry encodes the third sequence of sub-frames of video data.

3. The video server of claim 1, wherein the decoding and sub-frame processing applied by the processing circuitry are integrated.

4. The video server of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry tailors the sub-frame metadata based on a characteristic of a target display device before carrying out the sub-frame processing.

5. The video server of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry tailors the third sequence of sub-frames of video data based on a characteristic of a target display device.

6. The video server of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry performs digital rights management operations regarding a target display device.

7. The video server of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry performs billing management regarding a target display device.

8. A distribution server circuitry that supports a full screen sequence of video for a client device, the distribution server circuitry comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage interface;

processing circuitry coupled to the communication interface and to the storage interface;

the processing circuitry retrieving, via the storage interface, both the full screen sequence of video and sub-frame metadata related to the full screen sequence of video, the sub-frame metadata defining a plurality of differing sub-frames within the full screen sequence of video;

the processing circuitry generates tailored video from the full screen sequence of video and the sub-frame metadata; and

the processing circuitry delivers the tailored video to the client device via the communication interface.

9. The distribution server of claim 8, wherein the client device has a display characteristic, and the sub-frame metadata is selected based on the display characteristic.

10. The distribution server of claim 8, wherein the client device requests the generation of the tailored video via interaction with the processing circuitry via the communication interface.

11. The distribution server of claim 8, wherein the generation of the tailored video occurs in advance of a request to deliver the tailored video that is sent from the client device to the processing circuitry via the communication interface.

12. The distribution server of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry supports digital rights management relating to the tailored video.

13. The distribution server of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry supports billing management relating to the tailored video.

14. A distribution server, communicatively coupled to a communication network, that supports a plurality of video sequences for a client system, each of the plurality of video sequences representing a series of full frames of video data, the distribution server comprising:

processing circuitry;

communication interface circuitry that communicatively couples the processing circuitry with the client system via the communication network;

memory that contains a plurality of sub-frame metadata that relates to the plurality of video sequences; and

the processing circuitry cooperates with the client system, the cooperation resulting in the application of first sub-frame metadata of the plurality of sub-frame metadata to a first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to generate tailored video for the client system.

15. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein the cooperation comprising application by the processing circuitry of the first metadata of the plurality of metadata to the first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to generate the tailored video for the client system.

16. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein the cooperation comprising the distribution server delivering the first metadata of the plurality of metadata to the client system, and the client system applying the first metadata of the plurality of metadata to the first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to generate the tailored video.

17. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein the memory also contains the plurality of video sequences.

18. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein the client system contains the plurality of video sequences.

19. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein at least one display parameter is used to select the first metadata of the plurality of metadata.

20. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry supports digital rights management.

21. The distribution server of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry supports billing services.

22. A method for producing tailored video for a client system by a distribution server, the distribution server communicatively coupled to the client system via a communication network and supports a plurality of video sequences for the client system, each of the plurality of video sequences representing a series of full frames of video data, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the client system via the communication network, the request relating to the tailored video;

based upon the request, accessing first sub-frame metadata of a plurality of sub-frame metadata that relates to the plurality of video sequences, the first sub-frame metadata relating to the client system; and

cooperating with the client system to apply the first sub-frame metadata to a first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to produce the tailored video for the client system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein cooperating with the client system to apply the first sub-frame metadata to a first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to produce the tailored video for the client system comprises applying, by the distribution server, the first of the plurality of metadata to the first of the plurality of video sequences to generate the tailored video for the client system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein cooperating with the client system to apply the first sub-frame metadata to a first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to produce the tailored video for the client system comprises:

the distribution server transmitting the first plurality of metadata to the client system; and

the client system applying the first plurality of metadata to the first of the plurality of video sequences to generate the tailored video.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the distribution server transmitting the first video sequence of the plurality of video sequences to the client system

26. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one display parameter is used to select the first of the plurality of metadata.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising performing digital rights management operations.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising performing billing service operations.