TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE A NETWORK TELEVISION SCHEDULE

• US 20140143813A1
• Filed: 11/19/2012
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc. (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Original Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc. (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Inventors: Chase, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,686,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/74
• 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62

Abstract

Techniques to selectively provide a video feed to broadcasting equipment are disclosed. A master control switcher may receive video feeds from video servers containing video content. The master control switcher may select one of the video feeds to output. At least one localized switcher may also receive video feeds from the video servers and select one of the video feeds to output. One of the video feeds supplied to the localized switcher(s) is the output from the master control switcher. An air server may receive video feeds from the master control switcher and the at least one localized switcher and out put the video feeds to separate broadcasting equipment. The video feeds may be arranged to reflect a schedule of programming for a local television station. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a master control switcher to receive one or more video feeds from one or more video servers containing video content and to select one of the video feeds to output;

at least one localized switcher to receive one or more video feeds from the one or more video servers and to select one to output, one of the video feeds being the output from the master control switcher; and

an air server to receive video feeds from the master control switcher and the at least one localized switcher.

2. The system of claim 1, the air server further to forward the video feeds to broadcasting equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, the video feeds arranged to reflect a schedule of programming for a local television station.

4. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving one or more video feeds into a master control switcher from one or more video servers containing video content;

selecting one of the video feeds to output from the master control switcher;

receiving one or more video feeds into a localized control switcher from the one or more video servers containing the video content, one of the video feeds being the output from the master control switcher;

selecting one of the video feeds to output from the localized control switcher; and

receiving one or more video feeds into an air server to receive, the video feeds coming from the master control switcher and the localized switcher.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising forwarding the video feeds from the air server to broadcasting equipment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, the video feeds arranged to reflect a schedule of programming for a local television station.

7. A system, comprising:

a traffic master (TM) server executing one or more software applications operative to;

receive schedule data indicative of programming to air on a local television station; and

edit the schedule data to create an air-able schedule;

an inventory management server (IMS) server executing one or more software applications operative to;

locate video content associated with the programming;

convert the video content to a specific format; and

load the converted video content into one or more video servers;

a real time (RT) system comprising;

a master control switcher to receive one or more video feeds from the one or more video servers containing the converted video content and select one of the video feeds to output;

at least one localized switcher to receive one or more video feeds from the one or more video servers and select one to output, one of the video feeds being the output from the master control switcher; and

an air server to receive video feeds from the master control switcher and the at least one localized switcher.

8. The system of claim 7, the air server further to forward the video feeds to separate broadcasting equipment.

9. The system of claim 7, the at least one localized switcher associated with a television service provider.

10. The system of claim 9, the television service provider comprising one of a cable television service provider, a satellite television service provider, an over-the-air (OTA) television service provider, and a television over telephone line television service provider.

11. The system of claim 10, the broadcasting equipment associated with a television service provider.

12. The system of claim 7, the video content associated with the programming comprising a program.

13. The system of claim 12, the program comprising one of a scripted television show, an unscripted television show, a sporting event, a newscast, and a movie.

14. The system of claim 7, the video content associated with the programming comprising a spot.

15. The system of claim 14, the spot comprising one of an advertisement, network promotion, and public service announcement.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving schedule data indicative of programming to air on a local television station;

editing the schedule data to create an air-able schedule;

locating video content associated with the programming;

converting the video content to a specific format; and

loading the converted video content into one or more video servers;

receiving one or more video feeds into a master control switcher from the one or more video servers containing the converted video content;

selecting one of the video feeds to output from the master control switcher;

receiving one or more video feeds into a localized control switcher from the one or more video servers containing the converted video content, one of the video feeds being the output from the master control switcher;

selecting one of the video feeds to output from the localized control switcher; and

receiving one or more video feeds into an air server to receive, the video feeds coming from the master control switcher and the localized switcher.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising forwarding the video feeds from the air server to separate broadcasting equipment.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, the localized switcher associated with a television service provider.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, the television service provider comprising one of a cable television service provider, a satellite television service provider, an over-the-air (OTA) television service provider, and a television over telephone line television service provider.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, the broadcasting equipment associated with a television service provider.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, the video content associated with the programming comprising a program.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, the program comprising one of a scripted television show, an unscripted television show, a sporting event, a newscast, and a movie.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, the video content associated with the programming comprising a spot.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, the spot comprising one of an advertisement, network promotion, and public service announcement.

25. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:

receive schedule data indicative of programming to air on a local television station;

edit the schedule data to create an air-able schedule;

locate video content associated with the programming;

convert the video content to a specific format; and

load the converted video content into one or more video servers;

receive one or more video feeds into a master control switcher from the one or more video servers containing the converted video content;

select one of the video feeds to output from the master control switcher;

receive one or more video feeds into a localized control switcher from the one or more video servers containing the converted video content, one of the video feeds being the output from the master control switcher;

select one of the video feeds to output from the localized control switcher; and

receive one or more video feeds into an air server, the video feeds coming from the master control switcher and the localized switcher.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to forward the video feeds from the air server to separate broadcasting equipment.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, the localized switcher associated with a television service provider.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, the television service provider comprising one of a cable television service provider, a satellite television service provider, an over-the-air (OTA) television service provider, and a television over telephone line television service provider.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, the broadcasting equipment associated with a television service provider.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, the video content associated with the programming comprising a program.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, the program comprising one of a scripted television show, an unscripted television show, a sporting event, a newscast, and a movie.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, the video content associated with the programming comprising a spot.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, the spot comprising one of an advertisement, network promotion, and public service announcement.