System and Method for Providing Digital Content

• US 20090300202A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Hogan, Daniel Edward, Greenbaum, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A system and method for disseminating digital content, including receiving a video stream having embedded time code markers, copying the video stream, distributing a first copy to a player with a desired delay, distributing a second copy for association of content, and associating content with the second copy during the delay for playing of the first copy and the associated content at the player.

Claims

1. A method for disseminating digital content, comprising:

receiving a video stream having embedded time code markers;

copying the video stream;

distributing a first copy to a player with a desired delay;

distributing a second copy for association of content; and

associating content with the second copy during the delay for playing of the first copy and the associated content at the player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises a marker for a call.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising inserting an advertisement at the player during playing of the first copy based on the marker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises a text string and a time code for the text string.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein associating content with the second copy comprises associating content with a second copy via a controller remote from a source of the video stream.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the controller comprises an interface to associate the content with the second copy.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the first copy to a server prior to distributing the first copy to the player.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the server comprises a publishing server in a content distribution network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein distributing the first copy comprises providing the first copy from the server to the player.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein distributing the first copy comprises providing the first copy from the server to a distribution server in a content distribution network and then to the player.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired time delay is configurable.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the player comprises an end-user interface.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising encoding the video stream prior to receiving the video stream.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising injecting the time code into the video stream.

15. A method for disseminating digital content, comprising:

providing a first copy of a video stream having time code to a first controller;

associating content with the first copy via the first controller;

passing the content and a second copy of the video stream to a server;

imposing a time delay in the second copy provided to the server;

passing the content and a third copy of the video stream from the server to an end-user interface; and

synchronizing the content with the third copy via the first controller and at least a second controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the end-user interface comprises the second controller.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the time delay is configurable.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first controller is disposed remote from a source of the video stream.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising placing text into a display of the end-user interface based on the content, wherein the text is associated with and synchronized with the third copy of the video.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising inserting an advertisement into a display of the end-user interface based on the content, wherein insertion of the advertisement is synchronized with the third copy of the video.

21. A system for disseminating digital content, comprising:

a video encoder configured to encode a video stream and to receive a time code;

a first server configured to provide both a first video stream having the time code from the video encoder to a first controller and a second video stream having the time code from the video encoder to a second server;

the second server configured to time delay the second video stream; and

the first controller configured to associate content with the first video stream and to facilitate synchronization of the content with the second video stream.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least a second controller configured to facilitate synchronization of the content with the second video stream and a copy of the second video stream.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the second controller is disposed at an end-user interface.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the first controller is disposed remote from a source of the video stream.