MICRO-SPLICER FOR INSERTING ALTERNATE CONTENT TO A CONTENT STREAM ON A HANDHELD DEVICE
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inserting alternate multimedia content into multimedia program content in a mobile handheld device with tight synchronization, comprising:
- a micro-splicer for redirecting multimedia content;
a buffer, coupled to the micro-splicer, for to storing a multimedia program content and/or alternate multimedia content; and
a scheduler, coupled to the micro-splicer, for the switching between the alternate multimedia content and the multimedia program content based upon synchronization information;
wherein the multimedia program content is broadcast in real-time, the alternate multimedia content is broadcast separately from the multimedia program content, and the insertion of the alternate multimedia content is tightly synchronized with the multimedia program content by said scheduler.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a targeted advertising system focused advertisements or alternate content is pre-stored on a handheld device, inserted into a multimedia stream at predefined times and points in the content stream for a predefined interval, otherwise referred to as a spot. A micro-splicer, instantiated on a handheld device, enables alternate content insertion into a content buffer, instead of the multicast original content stream, at available advertisement spots during content viewing. The alternate content for the target audience can be downloaded and stored on a handheld device prior to the arrival of the content stream. The micro-splicer uses metadata, transmitted within the content stream or notified by other means, to identify the correct alternate content and insert it into the correct spot for reproduction on the handheld device.
132 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inserting alternate multimedia content into multimedia program content in a mobile handheld device with tight synchronization, comprising:
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a micro-splicer for redirecting multimedia content;
a buffer, coupled to the micro-splicer, for to storing a multimedia program content and/or alternate multimedia content; and
a scheduler, coupled to the micro-splicer, for the switching between the alternate multimedia content and the multimedia program content based upon synchronization information;
wherein the multimedia program content is broadcast in real-time, the alternate multimedia content is broadcast separately from the multimedia program content, and the insertion of the alternate multimedia content is tightly synchronized with the multimedia program content by said scheduler. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for inserting alternate multimedia content into multimedia program content that is broadcast to a mobile handheld device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving the alternate multimedia content at the mobile handheld device over a broadcast or a unicast channel;
storing the received alternate content at the mobile handheld device in a buffer;
receiving the multimedia program content and related metadata at the mobile handheld device over a broadcast or a unicast channel;
feeding the multimedia program content for rendering and display;
progressing the multimedia program content to detect spot break related metadata;
causing the feeding of the alternate multimedia content from the buffer for rendering and display instead of feeding the multimedia program content upon detection of spot break related metadata; and
switching back to the multimedia program content once the alternate multimedia content has been rendered and displayed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In an electric communication path, a multimedia program content signal comprising:
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a stream of multimedia content;
metadata with said stream of multimedia content that is synchronized with said multimedia;
wherein said metadata identify at least one spot break in said multimedia content. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for inserting alternate multimedia content into multimedia program content that is broadcast to a mobile receiver, comprising:
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means for enabling a mobile service at said mobile receiver;
a decoder for decoding incoming multimedia program content at said mobile receiver;
a media player at said mobile receiver comprising;
a content decryption module;
at least one multimedia plug-in;
a content buffer module;
a micro-splicer module for detecting and decrypting metadata contained within the multimedia program content and for the inserting alternate multimedia content or the multimedia program content into the content buffer module;
a scheduler for switching back and forth between the multimedia program content and the alternate multimedia content, based upon said metadata; and
a display module for displaying the contents of the content buffer;
wherein the stored, alternate multimedia content is synchronously inserted into a multimedia program at identified by said metadata spot breaks. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 26)
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25. (canceled)
Specification