Method and System For Dynamic Management Of Multiple Media Data Streams

• US 20080008439A1
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CTS Information Technology
• Original Assignee: CTS Information Technology
• Inventors: Liu, Guangqun, Chen, Jun
• Application Number:
  US11/758,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20080008439A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/046
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An improved system and method for playing multiple media streams is disclosed. Unlike traditional sequential streaming methods where the source outputs media streams in a fixed sequential relationship, the improved system may play a media stream at any time during another media stream. In addition, a float layer on the media stream permits a user to activate (e.g., by clicking a mouse) events such as a popup window containing a website, another media, an advertisement and the like.

Claims

1. A method of playing a plurality of media streams, the method comprising:

playing a first media stream on a monitor;

determining a desired time to play a second media stream, the second media stream being provided as a separate stream from the first media stream;

determining whether the desired time is reached; and

when the desired time is reached, playing the second media stream on the monitor while buffering the first media stream in a storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media stream is a first video stream from a first source and the second media stream is a second video stream from a second source different from the first source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first video stream is a real time video stream from the first source.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a float layer on the first or second media stream currently being played, the float layer having an activatable portion that a user may activate to cause an event.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

when a user activates the activatable portion of the float layer, the event includes interrupting the currently playing first or second media stream, buffering the interrupted media stream, and playing a third media stream on the monitor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the third media stream is a third video stream from a third source.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the third video stream is an advertisement video.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

when a user activates the activatable portion of the float layer, the event including interrupting the currently playing first or second media stream, buffering the interrupted media stream, and displaying a website on the monitor.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

when the third media stream finishes playing, resuming the playing of the interrupted media stream at the point of interruption.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

when the third media stream finishes playing, resuming the playing of the interrupted media stream at the current real time position of the interrupted media stream.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

when the user exits the website, resuming the playing of the interrupted media stream at the point of interruption.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

when the user exits the website, resuming the playing of the interrupted media stream at the current real time position of the interrupted media stream.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a desired time to play a second media stream includes receiving a desired elapsed time of the playing of the first media stream at which the second media stream should begin playing.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of determining whether the desired time is reached includes monitoring an elapsed time of the playing of the first media stream and comparing the elapsed time with the desired elapsed time.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein the activatable portion of the float layer is activatable by the user'"'"'s movement of a cursor over the portion.

16. The method of claim 4 wherein the activatable portion of the float layer is activatable by the user'"'"'s selection of the portion with a mouse, trackball, or touchpad.

17. The method of claim 4 wherein the float layer has a plurality of activatable portions.

18. The method of claim 4 further comprising monitoring a usage statistic of the user'"'"'s activation or non-activation of the activatable portion.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising using the usage statistic of the activatable portion to affect whether the same activatable portion is displayed to the user in the future.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising using the usage statistic of the activatable portion to change the event caused by the activatable portion to a different event.

21. An apparatus for playing a plurality of media streams, the apparatus comprising:

a display monitor;

a media processor adapted to play a first media stream on the display monitor;

a timer to determine whether it is time to play a second media stream on the display monitor, the second media stream being provided as a separate stream from the first media stream; and

a storage medium to buffer the first media stream when the desired time is reached so the media processor can play the second media stream on the display monitor.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first media stream is a first video stream from a first source and the second media stream is a second video stream from a second source different from the first source.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first video stream is a real time video stream from the first source.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the media processor is adapted to display a float layer on the first or second media stream currently being played, the float layer having an activatable portion that a user may activate to cause an event.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein activation of the activatable portion causes the media processor to interrupt the currently playing first or second media stream, buffer the interrupted media stream, and play a third media stream on the monitor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the third media stream is a third video stream from a third source.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the third video stream is an advertisement video.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein activation of the activatable portion causes the media processor to interrupt the currently playing first or second media stream, buffer the interrupted media stream, and display a website on the monitor.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein after the media processor finishes playing the third media stream, the media processor resumes the playing of the interrupted media stream at the point of interruption.

30. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein after the media processor finishes playing the third media stream, the media processor resumes the playing of the interrupted media stream at the current real time position of the interrupted media stream.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the media processor detects when the user exits the website and upon the detection of the user'"'"'s exiting of the website, the media processor resumes the playing of the interrupted media stream at the point of interruption.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the media processor detects when the user exits the website and upon the detection of the user'"'"'s exiting of the website, the media processor resumes the playing of the interrupted media stream at the current real time position of the interrupted media stream.

33. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the timer receives a desired elapsed time of the playing of the first media stream at which the second media stream should begin playing.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the timer monitors an elapsed time of the playing of the first media stream and compares the elapsed time with the desired elapsed time.

35. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a cursor on the monitor that activates the activatable portion of the float layer when the cursor is placed over the activatable portion.

36. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a mouse, trackball, or touchpad adapted to permit the user to activate the activatable portion of the float layer.

37. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the float layer has a plurality of activatable portions.

38. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the media processor monitors a usage statistic of the user'"'"'s activation or non-activation of the activatable portion.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the media processor uses the usage statistic of the activatable portion to affect whether the same activatable portion is displayed to the user in the future.

40. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the media processor uses the usage statistic of the activatable portion to change the event caused by the activatable portion to a different event.