Stream Messaging for Program Stream Automation

• US 20130205332A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Siewers, Daniel, Michel, Kenneth, Martin, Michael, Hooper, William, Potter, David, Hill, Richard, Strein, Michael, Vincenty, Alfredo, Casabella, James, Converse, David, Beverlin, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 9,888,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip

Abstract

There is provided a content automation system and a method for use by the content automation system for issuing a content management message for use in a program stream. In one implementation, such a content automation system comprises a processor and a memory, and a stream messaging module residing in the memory. The stream messaging module is configured to issue the content management message by embedding a command sequence as metadata in a container data structure, and inserting the container data structure into the program stream. The command sequence authorizes a replacement of program stream content.

Claims

1. A content automation system comprising:

a processor and a memory;

a stream messaging module residing in the memory, the stream messaging module configured to issue a content management message for use in a program stream by;

embedding a command sequence as metadata in a container data structure; and

inserting the container data structure into the program stream;

the command sequence authorizing a replacement of program stream content.

2. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the stream messaging module is further configured to:

generate a time stamp for the content management message relative to an origination time of the program stream; and

embed a time command corresponding to the time stamp in the container data structure prior to inserting the container data structure into the program stream.

3. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the stream messaging module is further configured to:

identify an event boundary in the program stream corresponding to initiation of a program stream event;

determine a duration of the program stream event; and

embed a notification corresponding to the event boundary and the duration in the container data structure prior to inserting the container data structure into the program stream.

4. The content automation system of claim 3, wherein the container data structure is inserted into the program stream within a buffer interval of the event boundary.

5. The content automation system of claim 3, wherein the notification identifies at least one of program stream content preceding the program stream event and program stream content following the program stream event.

6. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the command sequence directs a return to the program stream.

7. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the command sequence authorizes a replacement of one of advertising content and promotional content.

8. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the command sequence identifies a replacement program content.

9. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the command sequence determines an offset interval for a replacement program content.

10. The content automation system of claim 1, wherein the content automation system is configured to enable a manual override of the command sequence after inserting the container data structure into the program stream.

11. A method for use by a content automation system including a processor, a memory, and a stream messaging module residing in the memory for issuing a content management message for use in a program stream, the method comprising:

embedding a command sequence as metadata in a container data structure; and

inserting the container data structure into the program stream;

the command sequence authorizing a replacement of program stream content.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a time stamp for the content management message relative to an origination time of the program stream; and

embedding a time command corresponding to the time stamp in the container data structure prior to inserting the container data structure into the program stream.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying an event boundary in the program stream corresponding to initiation of a program stream event;

determining a duration of the program stream event;

embedding a notification corresponding to the event boundary and the duration in the container data structure prior to inserting the container data structure into the program stream.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the container data structure is inserted into the program stream within a buffer interval of the event boundary.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification identifies at least one of program stream content preceding the program stream event and program stream content following the program stream event.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the command sequence directs a return to the program stream.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the command sequence authorizes a replacement of one of advertising content and promotional content.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the command sequence identifies a replacement program content.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the command sequence determines an offset interval for a replacement program content.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising enabling a manual override of the command sequence after inserting the container data structure into the program stream.