METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING MEDIA CONTENT

• US 20120002007A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• 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: MEUNINCK, TROY, BEDINGFIELD, JAMES CARLTON Sr., BROWN, WILLIAM, MORRIS, NADIA
• Granted Patent: US 9,787,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/354 for displaying sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/356 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to retrieve from a first high definition (HD) channel utilized for transporting two-dimensional media programs a first HD stereoscopic data stream, retrieve from a second HD channel utilized for transporting two-dimensional media programs a second HD stereoscopic data stream, and present a 3D HD imaging stream comprising the first and second stereoscopic data streams. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated.

Claims

1. A media processor, comprising a controller to:

receive a first high definition (HD) stereoscopic data stream on a first HD channel utilized for transporting two-dimensional (2D) media programs;

receive a second high definition stereoscopic data stream on a second HD channel utilized for transporting 2D media programs;

retrieve from the first and second HD channels the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams;

identify from portions of the first and second stereoscopic data streams synchronization data;

synchronize the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams according to the synchronization data to collectively form a first three-dimensional (3D) HD imaging stream; and

direct a presentation device to present the first 3D HD imaging stream.

2. The media processor of claim 1, comprising memory to buffer the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams, wherein the first HD stereoscopic data stream corresponds to a left eye stereoscopic data stream, wherein the second HD stereoscopic data stream corresponds to a right eye stereoscopic data stream, and wherein the controller is operable to:

buffer the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams and align them according to the synchronization data, wherein the synchronization data; and

transmit an audio signal associated with the first 3D HD imaging stream to a viewing apparatus capable of viewing the first 3D HD imaging stream.

3. The media processor of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to:

transmit a synchronization signal to a viewing apparatus, wherein the synchronization signal assigns the viewing apparatus to first and second periodic time slots;

direct the presentation device to emit a first set of light signals associated with a presentation of the first HD stereoscopic data stream in the first periodic time slot; and

direct the presentation device to emit a second set of light signals associated with a presentation of the second HD stereoscopic data stream in the second periodic time slot,

wherein the first and second periodic time slots have substantially non-overlapping intervals.

4. The media processor of claim 3, wherein a viewing apparatus has a first optical element operable to enable the first set of the light signals to traverse the first optical element during the first periodic time slot, wherein the viewing apparatus has a second optical element operable to enable the second set of the light signals to traverse the second optical element during the second periodic time slot, and wherein the first 3D HD imaging stream is viewable with the viewing apparatus.

5. The media processor of claim 4, the viewing apparatus corresponds to active shutter glasses.

6. The media processor of claim 1, wherein the presentation device comprises a polarized display with first and second portions having alternate polarizations.

7. The media processor of claim 6, wherein the controller is operable to:

direct the presentation device to present the first HD stereoscopic data stream in the first portion of the polarized display; and

direct the presentation device to present the second HD stereoscopic data stream in the second portion of the polarized display.

8. The media processor of claim 7, wherein a viewing apparatus has a first optical element having a first polarization receptive to images presented in the first portion of the polarized display, wherein the viewing apparatus has a second optical element having a second polarization receptive to images presented in the second portion of the polarized display, and wherein the first 3D HD imaging stream is viewable with the viewing apparatus.

9. The media processor of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to direct the presentation device to present a second 3D HD imaging stream, wherein the first and the second 3D HD imaging streams have overlapping presentation schedules.

10. The media processor of claim 9, wherein the first 3D HD imaging stream is viewable with a first viewing apparatus, wherein the second 3D HD imaging stream is viewable with a second viewing apparatus, wherein the second 3D HD imaging stream is not viewable with the first viewing apparatus, and wherein the first 3D HD imaging stream is not viewable with the second viewing apparatus, and wherein each of the first and second viewing apparatuses correspond to one of active shutter glasses or polarized glasses.

11. The media processor of claim 9, wherein the presentation device is operable to present portions of the first and second 3D HD imaging streams on a plurality of periodic time slots with non-overlapping periods, or present portions of the first and second 3D HD imaging streams with a plurality of polarizations.

12. The media processor of claim 9, wherein the second 3D HD imaging stream comprises third and fourth HD stereoscopic data streams, and wherein the controller is operable to:

direct the presentation device to present the first HD stereoscopic data stream during the first time slot;

direct the presentation device to present the second HD stereoscopic data stream during the second time slot;

direct the presentation device to present the third HD stereoscopic data stream during the third time slot; and

direct the presentation device to present the fourth HD stereoscopic data stream during the fourth time slot.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions to:

retrieve from a first high definition (HD) channel utilized for transporting two-dimensional media programs a first HD stereoscopic data stream;

retrieve from a second HD channel utilized for transporting two-dimensional media programs a second HD stereoscopic data stream; and

present a 3D HD imaging stream comprising the first and second stereoscopic data streams according to synchronization data embedded in at least one of the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions to:

present first images of the first HD stereoscopic data stream in a first periodic time slot;

present second images of the second HD stereoscopic data stream in a second periodic time slot.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein a viewing apparatus has a first optical element operable to enable the first images to traverse the first optical element during the first periodic time slot, wherein the viewing apparatus has a second optical element operable to enable the second images to traverse the second optical element during the second periodic time slot, wherein the 3D HD imaging stream is viewable with the viewing apparatus.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the 3D HD imaging stream is a first 3D HD imaging stream, and wherein the storage medium comprises computer instructions to direct the presentation device to present a second 3D HD imaging stream, wherein the first and second 3D HD imaging streams have overlapping presentation schedules.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions to:

present first images of the first HD stereoscopic data stream having a first polarization; and

present second images of the second HD stereoscopic data stream having a second polarization.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein a viewing apparatus has a first optical element having a first polarization receptive to the first images having the first polarization, wherein the viewing apparatus has a second optical element having a second polarization receptive to the second images having the second polarization, and wherein the 3D HD imaging stream is viewable with the viewing apparatus.

19. A presentation device, comprising a controller to present a three-dimensional (3D) high definition (HD) imaging stream comprising the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams, wherein the first HD stereoscopic data stream is transported in a first HD channel, wherein the first HD stereoscopic data stream is transported in a second HD channel.

20. The presentation device of claim 19, wherein the presentation device comprises an HD television that performs one of polarizing the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams or time-multiplexing the first and second HD stereoscopic data streams, and wherein the first and second HD channels are supplied by an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network.