CLOSED CAPTION TAGGING SYSTEM

• US 20110126107A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, Jim, Chamberlin, David, Smith, Kevin, Look, Howard
• Application Number:
  US13/021,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126107A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/8455 : involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 : Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 : the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. Program material from the broadcast stream is played back to the viewer from the storage device. Tags indicate the start and end points of a program segment. Program segments such as commercials are automatically replaced by the receiver with new program segments that are selected based on various criteria.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream, the portion including a specific video frame;

receiving input from the operator that identifies at least a graphic element and a position at which to display the graphic element within the specific video frame;

responsive to the input, generating at least one tag that specifies the graphic element and the position;

inserting the at least one tag into the media stream in association with the specific video frame, the media stream being provided for later transmission to a plurality of media playback devices with the at least one tag having been inserted therein.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the media stream to one or more of a satellite provider, cable provider, or broadcaster.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one tag is data that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to display the graphic element at the position in the specific video frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one tag is not understandable by a second media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, wherein the second media playback device is capable of playing the media stream.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in addition to displaying the graphic element at the position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by the first media playback device, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in response to receiving specific user input while displaying the graphic element at the position.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pausing playback of the media stream at the specific video frame while the operator provides the input;

resuming playback upon the operator providing the input.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream and receiving the input from the operator occur at one of a non-linear video editing application or a web interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one tag includes data specifying a duration for which to display the graphic element at the position.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the at least one tag into the media stream comprises inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream comprises inserting the tag in a private data channel.

12. A system comprising:

a tag generation subsystem that presents an operator with at least a portion of a media stream, receives input from the operator that identifies at least a graphic element and a position at which to display the graphic element within a specific video frame of the media stream, and, responsive to the input, generates at least one tag that specifies the graphic element and the position;

a tag insertion subsystem that inserts the at least one tag into the media stream in association with the specific video frame;

a plurality of media playback devices that receive a transmission of at least the portion of the media stream with the at least one tag having been inserted therein, detect the at least one tag inserted into the media stream, and display the graphic element over the specific video frame at the position during playback of the portion of the media stream to a user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of media playback devices receive the transmission of at least the portion of the media stream from one or more of a satellite provider, cable provider, or broadcaster.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one tag is not understandable by a second set of media playback devices, wherein the second set of media playback devices is capable of playing the media stream.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in addition to displaying the graphic element at the position.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by the first media playback device, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in response to receiving specific user input while displaying the graphic element at the position.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one tag generation subsystem further pauses playback of the media stream at the specific video frame while the operator provides the input and resumes playback upon the operator providing the input.

18. The system of claim 12, the at least one tag generation subsystem includes one of a non-linear video editing application or a web interface for presenting the media stream.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one tag includes data specifying a duration for which to display the graphic element at the position.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein inserting the at least one tag into the media stream comprises inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream comprises inserting the tag in a private data channel.

22. One or more storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:

presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream, the portion including a specific video frame;

receiving input from the operator that identifies at least a graphic element and a position at which to display the graphic element within the specific video frame;

responsive to the input, generating at least one tag that specifies the graphic element and the position;

inserting the at least one tag into the media stream in association with the specific video frame, the media stream being provided for later transmission to a plurality of media playback devices with the at least one tag having been inserted therein.

23. The or more storage media of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of sending the media stream to one or more of a satellite provider, cable provider, or broadcaster.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one tag is data that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to display the graphic element at the position in the specific video frame.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one tag is not understandable by a second media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, wherein the second media playback device is capable of playing the media stream.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in addition to displaying the graphic element at the position.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by the first media playback device, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in response to receiving specific user input while displaying the graphic element at the position.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

pausing playback of the media stream at the specific video frame while the operator provides the input;

resuming playback upon the operator providing the input.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream and receiving the input from the operator occur at one of a non-linear video editing application or a web interface.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one tag includes data specifying a duration for which to display the graphic element at the position.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein inserting the at least one tag into the media stream comprises inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream comprises inserting the tag in a private data channel.