System for insertion of locally cached information into a received broadcast stream

• US 20080163290A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Marko, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/438 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for receiving a broadcast comprising a plurality of program channels and generating a playback stream using at least one of a buffered program channel and stored indexed content (e.g., commercials, programs, songs) for insertion. Control data controls which receivers insert which indexed content and when the indexed content is inserted into a received program channel, allowing for playback of songs from playlists, tiered subscription services, and sponsorship of broadcast program channels to provide market-directed content to selected receivers and listeners. Buffer management operations prevent uncontrolled buffer growth and commercial content avoidance through rapid channel changes.

Claims

1. A method of inserting content into a received broadcast stream for playback comprising:

receiving a broadcast stream comprising at least one program channel for playback and processing the received broadcast stream for playback at a user'"'"'s receiver in a playback stream;

determining changes between program channel content segments in the at least one program channel;

receiving indexed content segments that can be inserted into the playback stream at selected content index pointers corresponding to potential insertion points between selected ones of the program channel content segments;

receiving control data indicating which of the indexed content segments to store at the receiver, and at least one of the frequency and when to insert selected ones of the indexed content segments into the playback stream;

storing selected ones of the received indexed content segments at the receiver in accordance with the received control data;

buffering the at least one program channel prior to playback; and

generating the playback stream using a least one of the buffered program channel and selected ones of the stored indexed content segments by

determining from the control data which of the stored indexed content segments are to be inserted into the playback stream and at which of the content index pointers in the buffered program channel, and

pausing the buffered program channel during playback at a selected one of the content index pointers and inserting a selected one of the stored indexed content segments into the playback stream in accordance with the control data, and

resuming playback of the buffered program channel, the buffered program channel being time delayed by at least the duration of the inserted indexed content segment.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising performing buffer management by dropping at least part of the buffered program channel from playback in the playback stream that has been delayed for insertion of the selected indexed content segments.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the performing buffer management comprises dropping a program channel part constituting an entire program channel segment from the buffered program channel to avoid the resuming of playback using a fragmented buffered program channel segment.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the content index pointers are data provided in the broadcast stream, and further comprising receiving at least one of the content index pointers and other auxiliary data at the receiver which indicates that a program channel segment in the received broadcast stream cannot be followed by an inserted indexed content segment during playback, the auxiliary data being provided via at least one of the broadcast stream and another transport channel.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one of the content index pointers and other auxiliary data at the receiver which indicates that a program channel segment in the received broadcast stream cannot be dropped from playback.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indexed content segments are commercials, and further comprising:

receiving the control data which indicates a selected amount of the commercials for insertion into the playback stream depending on different tiers of subscription service; and

operating the receiver to insert the selected amount of commercials into the playback stream that corresponding to a selected one of the tiers of subscription service indicated in the received control data.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein buffering further comprises:

maintaining plural buffers for storing respective ones of the at least one program channel currently selected for the playback stream and at least one other program channel recently selected for playback;

clearing one of the plural buffers when content from another one of the plural buffers is being currently selected for playback in the playback stream; and

commencing recording content from another program channel in the cleared buffer;

wherein the clearing of content from the plural buffers is delayed a selected amount of time corresponding to at least the duration of the selected indexed content segment currently being inserted into the playback stream to prevent avoiding playback of commercials through rapid program channel changes and to allow reverting to a previously selected program channel for playback that is subject to a delay that corresponds to the duration of the program channel change.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indexed content segments are songs, and further comprising:

receiving the control data which indicates a playlist of selected songs; and

operating the receiver to insert the songs indicated by the playlist in the received control data into the playback stream.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast stream is a satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) content stream comprising program associated data (PAD), and further comprising using the PAD as the content index pointers, the PAD indicating changes between at least one of artist, song title and a program identifier provided for each program broadcast in the program channel.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising operating the receiver in accordance with control data comprising factors indicating which of a plurality of receivers are to substitute selected ones of the indexed content segments into their respective playback streams, the factors comprising at least one of geographic location of the receiver, user profile, time of day, date, and expiration date of a corresponding indexed content segment.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one program channel is sponsored by an entity that selects the indexed content segments to be inserted using selected ones of a plurality of receivers to be targeted by the entity, and further comprising:

receiving the control data which indicates the indexed content segments selected by the entity and when to insert them into the sponsored program channel; and

operating at least one of the receivers targeted by the entity in accordance with the control data to insert the indexed content segments selected by the entity into playback stream.

12. One or more processor-readable storage devices having processor-readable code embodied on the processor-readable storage devices for programming a processing device in a digital audio broadcast radio receiver to perform a method of generating a playback stream from a received broadcast program channel having selectively inserted content, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast stream comprising at least one program channel for playback and processing the received broadcast stream for playback at a user'"'"'s receiver in a playback stream;

determining changes between program channel content segments in the at least one program channel;

receiving indexed content segments that can be inserted into the playback stream at selected content index pointers corresponding to potential insertion points between selected ones of the program channel content segments;

receiving control data indicating which of the indexed content segments to store at the receiver, and at least one of the frequency and when to insert selected ones of the indexed content segments into the playback stream;

storing selected ones of the received indexed content segments at the receiver in accordance with the received control data;

buffering the at least one program channel prior to playback; and

generating the playback stream using a least one of the buffered program channel and selected ones of the stored indexed content segments by

determining from the control data which of the stored indexed content segments are to be inserted into the playback stream and at which of the content index pointers in the buffered program channel, and

pausing the buffered program channel during playback at a selected one of the content index pointers and inserting a selected one of the stored indexed content segments into the playback stream in accordance with the control data, and

resuming playback of the buffered program channel, the buffered program channel being time delayed by at least the duration of the inserted indexed content segment.

13. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising performing buffer management by dropping at least part of the buffered program channel from playback in the playback stream that has been delayed for insertion of the selected indexed content segments.

14. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 13, wherein the performing buffer management comprises dropping a program channel part constituting an entire program channel segment from the buffered program channel to avoid the resuming of playback using a fragmented buffered program channel segment.

15. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein the content index pointers are data provided in the broadcast stream, and the method further comprising receiving at least one of the content index pointers and other auxiliary data at the receiver which indicates that a program channel segment in the received broadcast stream cannot be followed by an inserted indexed content segment during playback, the auxiliary data being provided via at least one of the broadcast stream and another transport channel.

16. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising receiving at least one of the content index pointers and other auxiliary data at the receiver which indicates that a program channel segment in the received broadcast stream cannot be dropped from playback.

17. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein the indexed content segments are commercials, and the method further comprising:

receiving the control data which indicates a selected amount of the commercials for insertion into the playback stream depending on different tiers of subscription service; and

operating the receiver to insert the selected amount of commercials into the playback stream that corresponding to a selected one of the tiers of subscription service indicated in the received control data.

18. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein buffering further comprises:

maintaining plural buffers for storing respective ones of the at least one program channel currently selected for the playback stream and at least one other program channel recently selected for playback;

clearing one of the plural buffers when content from another one of the plural buffers is being currently selected for playback in the playback stream; and

commencing recording content from another program channel in the cleared buffer;

wherein the clearing of content from the plural buffers is delayed a selected amount of time corresponding to at least the duration of the selected indexed content segment currently being inserted into the playback stream to prevent avoiding playback of commercials through rapid program channel changes and to allow reverting to a previously selected program channel for playback that is subject to a delay that corresponds to the duration of the program channel change.

19. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein the indexed content segments are songs, and the method further comprising:

receiving the control data which indicates a playlist of selected songs; and

operating the receiver to insert the songs indicated by the playlist in the received control data into the playback stream.

20. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein the broadcast stream is a satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) content stream comprising program associated data (PAD), and the method further comprising using the PAD as the content index pointers, the PAD indicating changes between at least one of artist, song title and a program identifier provided for each program broadcast in the program channel.

21. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising operating the receiver in accordance with control data comprising factors indicating which of a plurality of receivers are to substitute selected ones of the indexed content segments into their respective playback streams, the factors comprising at least one of geographic location of the receiver, user profile, time of day, date, and expiration date of a corresponding indexed content segment.

22. Processor-readable storage devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one program channel is sponsored by an entity that selects the indexed content segments to be inserted using selected ones of a plurality of receivers to be targeted by the entity, and the method further comprising:

receiving the control data which indicates the indexed content segments selected by the entity and when to insert them into the sponsored program channel; and

operating at least one of the receivers targeted by the entity in accordance with the control data to insert the indexed content segments selected by the entity into playback stream.