Method and Apparatus for Generating Alternative Commercials

• US 20100218208A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Holden, Dan
• Application Number:
  US12/393,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218208A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The features herein pertain to methods, systems, and apparatus for providing alternate content to consumers of digital media during trick modes of operation comprising generating digital media content in a first file for standard playback for consumption by a consumer, generating at least one trick file corresponding to the first file, the trick file comprising content different than content in the first file, and mapping the trick file to a trick mode of operation in connection with the first file.

Claims

1. A method of providing alternate content to consumers of digital media during trick modes of operation comprising:

providing first content for standard playback to a consumer;

receiving a consumer request for a trick mode operation on the first content; and

in response to the consumer request for the trick mode operation on the first content, providing second content, different from the first content, to the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first content is a video program, and the second content comprises alternate advertising.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a further consumer request for a trick mode operation during presentation of the second content; and

responding to the further consumer request for a trick mode operation by providing additional alternate content to the consumer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second content comprises instructions to the consumer regarding re-mapping of one or more trick mode commands.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein responding to the further consumer request for a trick mode operation does not alter the presentation of the first content.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising responding to the consumer request for a trick mode operation by also providing a trick mode version of the first content, along with the second content.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the second content as an overlay over the trick mode version of the first content.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second content overlay still permits the consumer to perceive at least a portion of the first content.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second content is a partially transparent overlay over the first content.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second contents are displayed in different portions of a display.

11. The method of claim 1:

wherein the first and second contents are provided to the consumer over a television communication network.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second content comprises alternate advertising that corresponds temporally to portions of the first content.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the first content and the second content over a network to a client node of the network; and

storing the first content and the second content on a storage device at the client node.

14. One or more computer-readable media, storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

providing first content for standard playback to a consumer;

receiving a consumer request for a trick mode operation on the first content; and

in response to the consumer request for the trick mode operation on the first content, providing second content, different from the first content, to the consumer.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the first content is a video program, and the second content comprises alternate advertising.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, further storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

receiving a further consumer request for a trick mode operation during presentation of the second content; and

responding to the further consumer request for a trick mode operation by providing additional alternate content to the consumer.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, further storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

display the second content including instructions to the consumer regarding re-mapping of one or more trick mode commands.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein responding to the further consumer request for a trick mode operation does not alter the presentation of the first content.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, further storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

responding to the consumer request for a trick mode operation by also providing a trick mode version of the first content, along with the second content.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, further storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

providing the second content as an overlay over the trick mode version of the first content.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the second content overlay still permits the consumer to perceive at least a portion of the first content.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the second content is a partially transparent overlay over the first content.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, further storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

providing the first and second contents to the consumer over a television communication network.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the second content comprises alternate advertising that corresponds temporally to portions of the first content.

25. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, further storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the following to occur:

transmitting the first content and the second content over a network to a client node of the network; and

storing the first content and the second content on a storage device at the client node.