Media Stream Splicer

• US 20090010273A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Dustin L., Baldwin, James Armand, Barrett, Peter T., Grossman, John H. IV
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/432
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

An implementation is described herein, which facilitates a fast channel change by receiving and decoding a unicast acquisition media stream that corresponds to a soon-to-be-requested target multicast media stream. It does this before requesting the target multicast media stream of the new channel. Once the transmission of the unicast stream is caught up with the multicast stream, this implementation splices from the unicast acquisition stream to the target multicast media stream.

Claims

1. A processor-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising:

transmitting a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission in response to a channel change, which corresponds to a target multicast media-stream transmission, the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission further comprising content including a first series of frames; and

transmitting the target multicast media-stream transmission including a second series of frames, wherein the first series of frames include the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the second series of frames, wherein the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission is decoded by a receiver, the receiver switching reception from the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission to the target multicast media-stream transmission at a frame in the second series of frames.

2. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication to change to a new channel, the new channel being the target multi cast media-stream transmission, and a request for the target multicast media-stream transmission, wherein the transmission is representative of the new channel.

3. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication to change to a new channel, the new channel being represented by the target multicast media-stream transmission and the unicast acquisition media-stream, and a request for the unicast acquisition media-stream which corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission.

4. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises decoding and presenting the decoded content of the target multicast media-stream transmission after the switching.

5. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a request to cease transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

6. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

7. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

8. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

9. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the switching occurs before the reception of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

10. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the switching occurs during or close to the reception of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

11. A computing device comprising:

a media-stream transmission device;

a medium as recited in claim 1.

12. A processor-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising:

transmitting a low bit-rate unicast acquisition media-stream transmission in response to a channel change, which corresponds both in time and in content to a target normal bit-rate multicast media-stream transmission, the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission being decoded by a receiver, the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission being displayed by the receiver;

transmitting a normal bit rate unicast intermediate media-stream transmission, which corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission and includes a first series of frames, wherein the receiver switches reception from the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission to the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission, decodes the content of the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission, and switches display from the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission to the content of the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission; and

transmitting the multicast media-stream transmission including a second series of frames, wherein the first series of frames include the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the second series of frames, wherein the receiver switches reception from the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission to the target multicast media-stream transmission at a frame in the second series of frames and switches display from the content of the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission to the content of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

13. A medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication to change to a new channel, the new channel being the target multicast media stream transmission and a request for the target multicast media-stream transmission, wherein the transmission is representative of the new channel.

14. A medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises receiving a request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

15. A medium as recited in claim 12, wherein frame properties of the intermediate media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

16. A medium as recited in claim 12, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

17. A medium as recited in claim 12, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the intermediate media-stream transmission.

18. A medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

19. A computing device comprising:

a media-stream transmission device;

a medium as recited in claim 12.

20. A processor-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising:

transmitting a target multicast media-stream transmission which includes at least a first series of frames;

transmitting, in response to a channel change, a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission, where the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission corresponds in subject matter to that of the target multicast media-stream transmission and includes a second series of frames and wherein the second series of frames include the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the first series of frames, wherein a receiver decodes and presents the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission and switches reception from the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission to the target multicast media-stream transmission at a frame in the first series of frames.

21. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the receiver decodes and presents the content of the target multicast media-stream transmission after the switching.

22. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises receiving a request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

23. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

24. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

25. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

26. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the switching occurs before the reception by the receiver of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

27. A medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the switching occurs during or close to the reception by the receiver of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

28. A computing device comprising:

a media-stream transmission device;

a medium as recited in claim 20.

29. A method facilitating fast channel-change, the method comprising:

transmitting a target multicast media-stream transmission having a first series of frames;

transmitting, in response to a channel change, a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission having a second series of frames, where the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission wherein the second series of frames include the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the first series of frames, wherein a receiver decodes and presents the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission and switches reception from the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission to the target multicast media-stream transmission at a frame in the first series of frames.

30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the receiver decodes and presents the decoded content of the target multicast media-stream transmission after the switching.

31. A method as recited in claim 29, further comprising receiving a request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

32. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

33. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

34. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

35. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the switching occurs before the reception by the receiver of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

36. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the switching occurs during or close to the reception by the receiver of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

37. A computer comprising one or more processor-readable media having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 29.

38. A multimedia system comprising:

one or more transmitters configured to transmit to a receiver a target multicast media-stream transmission having first frames and a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission having second frames in response to a channel change, wherein the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission correspond to the target multicast media-stream transmission by including a series of frames in the first frames that is the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the second frames;

wherein the receiver includes a decoding unit configured to decode both the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission and a the target multicast media-stream transmission, and a splicing unit configured to splice from the reception of the unicast acquisition media-stream to the reception of the target multicast media-stream transmission at one of the second frames.

39. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein a first transmitter transmits the target multicast media-stream transmission and a second transmitter transmits the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

40. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

41. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

42. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

43. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein the splicing unit is further configured to perform its splice before the reception of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

44. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein the splicing unit is further configured to perform its splice during or close to the reception of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

45. A method of channel changing comprising:

processing a request to change to a new channel;

receiving a unicast media-stream, the unicast media-stream including first media content corresponding to the new channel, in response to processing;

determining a last frame of the unicast media-stream;

receiving, after the last frame of the unicast media-stream is received, a portion of a multicast media-stream, the portion of the multicast media-stream including second media content corresponding to the new channel;

displaying the media content received in the unicast media-stream; and

switching from displaying the media content received in the unicast media-stream directly to displaying the media content in the portion of the multicast media-stream.

46. The processor-readable medium of claim 45 wherein the processing comprises requesting the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission prior to requesting the target multicast media-stream transmission.

47. The processor-readable medium of claim 45 wherein the processing comprises requesting the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission concurrently with requesting the target multicast media-stream transmission.

48. A method of channel changing comprising:

processing a request to change to a new channel;

transmitting to a receiver a unicast media-stream, the unicast media-stream including first media content corresponding to the new channel, in response to processing;

determining a last frame of the unicast media-stream;

transmitting to the receiver, after the last frame of the unicast media-stream is received, a portion of a multicast media-stream, the portion of the multicast media-stream including second media content corresponding to the new channel;

wherein the receiver displays the media content received in the unicast media-stream, and switches from displaying the media content received in the unicast media-stream directly to displaying the media content in the portion of the multicast media-stream.