Displaying Video

• US 20100134692A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shelton, Ian, Costello, Michael, Cormican, Neil
• Application Number:
  US12/310,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20100134692A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/705
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A method of displaying video is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a main video sequence; receiving an overlay video sequence, the overlay video sequence comprising first and second sections; displaying the video on a display by: rendering the main video sequence; rendering the first section of the overlay video sequence over the main video sequence such that the video has the appearance of being rendered from a single video sequence; switching between the first section of the overlay video sequence and the second section of the overlay video sequence; and rendering the second section of the overlay video sequence over the main video sequence such that the video has the appearance of being rendered from a single video sequence.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method of displaying video, said method comprising:

receiving a main video stream;

receiving an overlay video stream, said overlay video stream comprising a first portion and a second portion;

displaying said video on a display by;

rendering said main video stream;

rendering said first portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream;

switching between said first portion of said overlay video stream and said second portion of said overlay video stream whilst continuing to render said main video stream; and

rendering said second portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream;

wherein said first portion and said second portion contain elements of said main video stream such that when said video is displayed said video has the appearance of being rendered as a single video.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said first portion comprises a first sequence of overlay video frames, and wherein said second portion comprises a second sequence of overlay video frames.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein said overlay video stream comprises a multiplicity of overlay video frames, at least one of said multiplicity of overlay video frames comprising at least two overlay video sub-frames, and wherein said at least two overlay video sub-frames comprise said first and second portions of said overlay video stream.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein said main video stream and said overlay video stream comprise independent video streams.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein said main video stream comprises a multiplicity of main video frames, said multiplicity of main video frames each comprising a plurality of main video sub-frames, wherein one or more of said plurality of main video sub-frames comprises one or more overlay video sub-frames.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein said rendering comprises repeatedly rendering said first portion of said overlay video stream before switching between said first portion of said overlay video stream and said second portion of said overlay video stream.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein said main video stream and said overlay video stream both comprise high definition video streams.

33. A method according to claim 26, said method further comprising:

receiving an additional overlay video stream, said additional overlay video stream comprising first and second additional portions; and

rendering said first additional portion of said additional overlay video stream over said main video stream,

wherein said first additional portion contains elements of said main video stream such that when said video is displayed, said video has the appearance of being rendered as a single video.

34. A method according to claim 32, said method further comprising:

switching between said first additional portion of said additional overlay video stream and said second additional portion of said additional overlay video stream; and

rendering said second additional portion of said additional overlay video stream over said main video stream,

wherein said second additional portion contains elements of said main video stream such that when said video is displayed, said video has the appearance of being rendered as a single video.

35. A method according to claim 26, wherein said switching comprises switching in response to at least one of the following:

timing information;

user input;

an instruction from a headend;

an instruction from a broadcast source; and

an instruction from an interactive application.

36. A method according to claim 26, wherein receiving said main video stream comprises receiving said main video stream from one of the following:

a broadcast source; and

a storage device of a digital video recorder.

37. A method according to claim 26, wherein receiving said overlay video stream comprises receiving said overlay video stream from one of the following:

a broadcast source; and

a storage device of a digital video recorder.

38. A method according to claim 33, wherein receiving said additional overlay video stream comprises receiving said additional overlay video stream from one of the following:

a broadcast source; and

a storage device of a digital video recorder.

39. A method according to claim 26, wherein said main video stream and said overlay video stream are related to an interactive game application.

40. A method according to claim 26, wherein said main video stream and said overlay video stream are related to a television advertisement.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein said main video stream comprises a background to said television advertisement, and said overlay video stream comprises a product to be advertised by said television advertisement.

42. A method according to claim 26, wherein rendering said first portion comprises rendering said first portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream such that one or more boundaries between said main video stream and said first portion of said overlay video stream are not noticeable by a viewer;

and wherein rendering said second portion comprises rendering said second portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream such that one or more boundaries between said main video stream and said second portion of said overlay video stream are not noticeable by said viewer.

43. A display device operable to render video for display on a display, said display device comprising:

a main video stream receiver operable to receive a main video stream;

an overlay video stream receiver operable to receive an overlay video stream, said overlay video stream comprising a first portion and a second portion; and

a video renderer operable to render video for display on said display by;

rendering said main video stream;

rendering said first portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream;

switching between said first portion of said overlay video stream and said second portion of said overlay video stream whilst continuing to render said main video stream; and

rendering said second portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream;

wherein said first portion and said second portion contain elements of said main video stream such that when said video is displayed, said video has the appearance of being rendered as a single video.

44. A display device according to claim 43, further comprising a store operable to store one or more of the following:

said main video stream; and

said overlay video stream.

45. A display system comprising:

a display device according to claim 43; and

a display.

46. A display device operable to render video for display on a display, said display device comprising:

main video stream receiving means for receiving a main video stream;

overlay video stream receiving means for receiving an overlay video stream, said overlay video stream comprising a first portion and a second portion; and

video display means for displaying said video on said display by;

rendering said main video stream;

rendering said first portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream;

switching between said first portion of said overlay video stream and said second portion of said overlay video stream whilst continuing to render said main video stream; and

rendering said second portion of said overlay video stream over said main video stream;

wherein said first portion and said second portion contain elements of said main video stream such that when said video is displayed, said video has the appearance of being rendered as a single video.

47. A display device according to claim 46, further comprising storage means for storing one or more of the following:

said main video stream; and

said overlay video stream.

48. A display system comprising:

a display device according to claims 46; and

a display.