Method and Device for Handling Multiple Video Streams Using Metadata

• US 20090115901A1
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Gandolph, Dirk, Peters, Hartmut, Ostermann, Ralf, Janssen, Uwe, Winter, Marco, Schewzow, Andrej, Hoerentrup, Jobst
• Granted Patent: US 9,167,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A method and device for dynamically overlaying two or more video streams uses specialized metadata that are attached to at least one of the video streams.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. Method for overlaying two or more video streams dynamically, wherein metadata are associated to at least one of the video streams, comprising the steps of

displaying a first video stream being one of said video streams;

extracting said metadata;

detecting that the extracted metadata define how to overlay the two or more video streams, wherein said metadata contain position data defining a display area for overlaying; and

overlaying at least a second video stream to the first video stream as defined by said metadata.

26. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata contain timing information specifying a time for overlaying the second video stream to the first video stream.

27. Method according to claim 25, wherein said display area is relative to the display size.

28. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata contain priorities for the position data, and wherein in the case of collisions the position data with the higher priority is applied.

29. Method according to claims 25, wherein said metadata further contain format information, content information and/or audio properties of the video stream to which it is associated.

30. Method according to claim 25, wherein the metadata are associated to a video stream by means of a playlist.

31. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata are associated to the first video stream and define how the at least second video stream may be overlaid to another video stream.

32. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata are associated to the second video stream and define how the second video stream may be overlaid to other streams.

33. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata contain scaling information or transparency information for the second video stream.

34. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata contain colour range information, flip information and/or rotation information for the second video stream.

35. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata contain special effects data, for example fade in/fade out data, colour change data, frame data for a frame boundary or an indication of an overlapping method to be used.

36. Method according to claim 33, wherein said metadata define said transparency information and/or said special effects data only for particular display types.

37. Method according to claim 35, wherein said metadata define said special effects data only for particular display types.

38. Method according to 25, wherein the second video stream contains difference video data that change the appearance of the first video stream on pixel level.

39. Method according to claim 38, wherein the metadata contain projection information, further comprising the steps of

generating or receiving data defining a 3-dimensional model;

calculating a projection of the 3-dimensional model according to said projection information; and

including the data of said projection as difference video data into the second video stream.

40. Method according to claim 25, wherein said metadata may be modified at presentation time.

41. Method according to claim 40, further comprising the steps of

detecting that the second video stream is selected, and

upon the detecting, automatically increasing the display area for the second video stream.

42. Method according to claim 25, wherein the metadata contains position data, timing data and special effects data, and wherein a hierarchy exists which defines that the timing data control the position data and the special effects metadata.

43. Method according to 25, wherein first metadata associated with the first video stream indicate a brightness level of a display area, and second metadata associated with the second video stream contain a brightness level indication of the second video stream, further comprising the step of

automatically generating position information based on said brightness level of said display area of the first video stream and the brightness level indication of the second video stream, wherein the second video stream is overlaid to the first video stream according to the generated position information.

44. Device for overlaying two or more video streams dynamically, wherein metadata are associated to at least one of the video streams, the device including

means for reading and extracting said metadata;

means for generating position data based on the extracted metadata; and

means for overlaying the two or more video streams according to the position data.

45. Device according to claim 44, further comprising

means for extracting time synchronization information from said metadata;

and

means for performing time synchronization between the overlaid video stream, wherein the time synchronization may either be frame/field accurate or loosely, depending on said timing synchronization information.

46. Device according to claim 44, wherein the position data define a display area for overlaying to a first video stream at least a second video stream, the display area being relative to the display size.

47. Device according to claim 44, wherein the metadata contain projection information, further comprising

means for receiving data defining a 3-dimensional model;

means for calculating a projection of the 3-dimensional model according to said projection information; and

means for including the data of said projection as difference video data into the second video stream.

48. Device according to claim 44, further comprising means for modifying said metadata at presentation time.

49. Device according to claim 44, further comprising

means for detecting that the second video stream is selected, and

means for automatically increasing the display area for the second video stream upon said detecting.