Method and Device for Transmitting Audio and Video for Playback

• US 20100178036A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gruchala, Carol S., Heinmiller, Wayne R., Tiliks, Dianna
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/239
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/22 Means responsive to presence or absence of recorded information signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals

Abstract

A video stream from a first source and an audio stream from a second source are received at a multimedia processing device such as a set-top box for play back. A first offset time is determined based upon user input, whereby playback of the video stream relative to playback of the audio stream is adjusted to facilitate synchronization of the audio and video stream.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a multimedia processing device, a multimedia stream in real-time from a first source, the multimedia stream including a first video stream and a first audio stream, the first video stream including a first picture associated with a first video time stamp, the first audio stream including a first audio portion associated with a first audio time stamp, wherein a content of the first picture and the first audio portion correspond to a common content;

receiving, at the multimedia processing device, a second audio stream in real-time from a second source, the audio stream including a second audio portion;

determining a first offset time based upon user input;

transmitting, from the multimedia processing device, information to display the first picture of the first video stream; and

transmitting, from the set top box, information to playback the second audio portion, wherein an offset time between transmission of the information to display the first picture and transmission of the information to playback the second audio portion is the first offset time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information to display first picture is delayed by the offset time relative to when the information to display the first picture is first available for transmission.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information to playback the second audio portion is delayed by the offset time relative to when the information to display the first picture is first available for transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting to a display device and image representing a user controllable offset indicator; and

determining the first offset time in response to user modification of the user controllable offset indicator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the first offset time is further determined in response to user control of a physical input of the multimedia processing device that delays the second audio stream.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first offset time is further determined in response to user control of a physical input of the multimedia processing device that delays the first video stream.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the first offset time is further determined in response to user control of a physical input of the multimedia processing device that delays the first video stream.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first multimedia stream is received via a private network, and the second audio stream is received via a public network source.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the second audio stream includes receiving a second multimedia stream including the second audio stream and a second video stream.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second audio stream is an audio-only stream.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first multimedia stream and the second audio stream are received a common input port of a multimedia processing device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the multimedia processing device is a set-top box.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first multimedia stream is received at a first input port of a multimedia processing device, and the second audio stream is received at a second input port of the multimedia processing device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the first offset time is based upon a delay between an occurrence of a first user action associated the first video stream and an occurrence of a second user action.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising saving the first video stream and the second video stream for retransmission based on first offset time.

16. A method comprising:

selecting a first multimedia stream including a first video stream and a first audio stream;

selecting a second audio stream;

selecting playback of the first video stream and the second audio stream at a multimedia center;

setting an offset time to control an offset time between transmission of the first multimedia stream and the second audio stream for simultaneous playback.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein setting the offset time further comprises adjusting an indicator at a display device, wherein the first video stream is to be displayed at the display device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein setting the offset time further comprises manipulating a physical input of a device that processes the second audio stream to set the offset time.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein selecting the second audio stream includes selecting a second multimedia stream including the second audio stream and a second video stream.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the second audio stream is an audio-only stream.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein setting the offset time comprises performing a first action associated with the first video stream and a performing a second action associated with the video stream, wherein the offset time is based upon a delay between the first action and the second action.

22. A device comprising:

a first data stream control module to request a first multimedia stream be transmitted to the device, the first multimedia stream including a first video stream and a first audio stream, the first data stream control module to request a second audio stream be transmitted to the device;

a video processing module to transmit picture information of the first video stream for display at a display device;

an audio processing module to transmit the second audio stream information for simultaneous playback with the first picture information at a multimedia center that includes the display device;

an offset module to determine an offset time between the transmission of the first picture information and the transmission of the second audio information, wherein the offset time is user controllable.

23. A device comprising:

a multimedia parser to receive a first multimedia stream comprising a first video stream and a second video stream;

an audio source consisting of one of a tuner and an audio-in port, the audio source to receive a second audio stream;

a video processing module to receive the first video stream from the multimedia parser and to transmit picture information of the first video stream for display at a display device;

an audio processing module to receive the second audio stream from the multimedia parser and to transmit second audio stream information for simultaneous playback with the first picture information at a multimedia center that includes the display device; and

an offset module to determine an offset time between the transmission of the first picture information and the transmission of the second audio information, wherein the offset time is user controllable.