INTERNET STREAMING AND THE PRESENTATION OF DYNAMIC CONTENT

• US 20140149596A1
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harry E. Emerson III
• Original Assignee: Harry E. Emerson III
• Inventors: Emerson, Harry E. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,270,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/526 Mutual exclusion algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Internet streaming from broadcast radio or television stations is described wherein triggers for dynamic content from internal or external systems cause an encoder system to generate command messages, and to synchronize those command messages with any delays associated with the triggering events. Command messages are delivered through a streaming media distribution system to client media players which obtain or present the dynamic content, in association with any desired configuration changes to the appearance of the media player or the method or manner in which the dynamic content is presented.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A method to dynamically change content elements of a continuous media stream by an encoder system having a delay filter and an encoder so that an Internet audience having a client media player receives an altered continuous media stream, comprising the steps of:

a. inserting a received continuous media stream by the encoding system into a delay filter;

b. receiving metadata identifying a content element in the received continuous media stream as the content element is received, said identification interpretable to mean that the content element is to be replaced;

c. obtaining a local replacement content element and a player replacement content element and an associated identifier for the player replacement content element;

d. removing the content element to be replaced from the delay filter and inserting in its place the local replacement content element into the delay filter as a media stream;

e. inserting a start command message for the player replacement content element into the delay filter such that it is associated with the local replacement content element;

f. directing the output of the delay filter by the encoder system into an encoder when the delay has expired for the beginning of the replacement content element of media in the media stream;

g. receiving the start command message by the encoder system in the output of the delay filter when the delay has expired for the beginning of the replacement content element of media in the media stream;

h. encoding the media stream output from the delay filter by the encoder, and outputting the encoded media stream by the encoder to the distribution media server; and

i. impressing the start command message into the encoded media stream by the encoder, wherein the encoded media stream comprises the local replacement content element, said command message being received by the distribution media server and the connected client media players and causing the connected client media players to play the player replacement content element referenced by the start command message, and to suppress playing the encoded media stream comprising the local replacement content while the player replacement content element is playing, and wherein, if a connected media players cannot play the player replacement content, it will instead play the encoded media stream comprising the local replacement content.

11. A method as recited by claim 10, wherein the encoder system, concurrently with inserting said start command message for the player replacement content element into the delay filter, performs the additional step of inserting a pre-fetch command message for the player replacement content element into the encoder which then impresses the pre-fetch command message into the media stream as it continues to encode the preceding content element in the media stream, said pre-fetch command message being immediately output to the distribution media server and the connected client media players, and causing the client media player to retrieve and queue up a player replacement content element for display on the client media player such that, upon receipt of said start command message for the same second replacement content element playback can begin immediately.

12. A method as recited by claim 10, wherein the step of obtaining a player replacement content element and an associated identifier for the player replacement content element comprises obtaining a tag by which one client media player may obtain a replacement content media element which is different from the replacement content media element obtained by another client media player.

13. A method as recited by claim 10, wherein at the step of obtaining a player replacement content element and an associated identifier for the player replacement content element a reference is also obtained to a companion display element to be presented on the client media player concurrently with the player replacement content element, said reference being inserted into the delay filter sent by the encoder system, and received by the encoder system concurrently with the receipt of said start message, said reference being then directed by the encoder system to the encoder to be sent as a command message concurrently with the sending of the start command message, upon receipt of which said client media players obtain and present said companion display element.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the local replacement content element is comprised of audio, and the player replacement content element is comprised of video.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing processor readable code for programming a processor-to dynamically change content elements of a continuous media stream by an encoder system having a delay filter and an encoder so that an Internet audience having a client media player receives an altered continuous media stream, comprising:

a. a routine to insert a received continuous media stream by the encoding system into a delay filter;

b. a routine to receive metadata identifying a content element in the received continuous media stream as the content element is received, said identification interpretable to mean that the content element is to be replaced;

c a routine to obtain a local replacement content element and a player replacement content element and an associated identifier for the player replacement content element;

d. a routine to remove the content element to be replaced from the delay filter and to insert in its place the local replacement content element into the delay filter as a media stream;

e. a routine to insert a start command message for the player replacement content element into the delay filter such that it is associated with the local replacement content element into the delay filter;

f. a routine to direct the output of the delay filter by the encoder system into an encoder when the delay has expired for the beginning of the replacement content element of media in the media stream;

g. a routine to receive the start command message by the encoder system in the output of the delay filter when the delay has expired for the beginning of the replacement content element of media in the media stream;

h. a routine to encode the media stream output from the delay filter by the encoder, and outputting the encoded media stream by the encoder to the distribution media server; and

,

i. a routine to impress the start command message into the encoded media stream by the encoder, wherein the encoded media stream comprises the local replacement content element, said command message being received by the distribution media server and the connected client media players and causing the connected client media players to play the player replacement content element referenced by the start command message, and to suppress playing the encoded media stream comprising the local replacement content while the player replacement content element is playing, and wherein, if a connected media player cannot play the player replacement content-it will instead play the encoded media stream comprising the local replacement content.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the routine to insert said start command message for the player replacement content element into the delay filter, concurrently inserts a pre-fetch command message for the player replacement content element into the encoder which then impresses the pre-fetch command message into the media stream as it continues to encode the preceding content element in the media stream, said pre-fetch command message being immediately output to the distribution media server and the connected client media players, and causing the client media player to retrieve and queue up a player replacement content element for display on the client media player.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the routine to obtain a player replacement content element and an associated identifier for the player replacement content element also comprises obtaining a tag by which one client media player may obtain a replacement content media element which is different from the replacement content media element obtained by another client media player.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the routine to obtain a player replacement content element and an associated identifier for the player replacement content element also obtains a reference to a companion display element to be presented on the client media player concurrently with the player replacement content element, said reference being inserted into the delay filter sent by the encoder system, and received by the encoder system concurrently with the receipt of said start message, said reference being then directed by the encoder system to the encoder to be sent as a command message concurrently with the sending of the start command message, upon receipt of which said client media players obtain and present said companion display element.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the local replacement content element is comprised of audio, and the player replacement content element is comprised of video.

20. A method to dynamically change content elements of a continuous media stream by an encoder system having a delay filter and an encoder so that an Internet audience receives an altered continuous media stream, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving a continuous media stream and associated metadata identifying the content elements of the media stream;

b. replacing a selected content element of the media stream by inserting a first replacement content element into the delay filter in place of said selected content element, and concurrently inserting a start command message for a second replacement content into the delay filter, said start command message comprising identification information of said second replacement content;

c. encoding the output of the delay filter, wherein said output incorporates said first replacement content element, and transmitting said encoded output as a continuous media stream, along with any command messages, to a media distribution server for delivery to client media players for playback, wherein said client media players are caused to obtain and play said second replacement content in lieu of playing back said continuous media stream upon receipt of a start command message comprising identification information of said second replacement content.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the encoder system, concurrently with inserting said start command message for said second replacement content element into the delay filter, also inserts a pre-fetch command message for said second replacement content element into the media stream, said pre-fetch command message being immediately output to the distribution media server and the connected client media players, and causing the client media players to retrieve and queue up a said second replacement content element for presentation on the client media players such that, upon receipt of said start command message for the same second replacement content element playback can begin immediately.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the identifier for the second replacement content element comprises a tag by which one client media player may obtain a second replacement content media element which is different from the second replacement content media element obtained by another client media player.

23. method as recited in claim 20, wherein a reference to a companion display element to be presented on the client media players in association with said second replacement content element is inserted into the delay filter such that in the output continuous media stream said reference to said companion display element appears as a command message, upon receipt of which client media players are caused to obtain and present said companion display element.

24. method as recited in claim 20 wherein the first replacement content element is comprised of audio, and the second replacement content element is comprised of video.

25. A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing processor readable code for programming a processor to dynamically change content elements of a continuous media stream by an encoder system having a delay filter and an encoder so that an Internet audience receives an altered continuous media stream, comprising the steps of:

a. a routine to receive a continuous media stream and associated metadata identifying the content elements of the media stream;

b. a routine to replace a selected content element of the media stream by inserting a first replacement content element into the delay filter in place of said selected content element, and concurrently inserting a start command message for a second replacement content into the delay filter, said start command message comprising identification information of said second replacement content;

c. a routine to encode the output of the delay filter, wherein said output incorporates said first replacement content element, and transmitting said encoded output as a continuous media stream, along with any command messages, to a media distribution server for delivery to client media players for playback, wherein said client media players are caused to obtain and play said second replacement content in lieu of playing back said continuous media stream upon receipt of a start command message comprising identification information of said second replacement content.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the routine to insert said start command message for the second replacement content element into the delay filter concurrently inserts a pre-fetch command message for the second replacement content element into the media stream, said pre-fetch command message being immediately output to the distribution media server and the connected client media players, and causing the client media player to retrieve and queue up a second replacement content element for display on the client media player.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the start command message for a second replacement content element comprises a tag by which one client media player may obtain a replacement content media element which is different from the replacement content media element obtained by another client media player.

28. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the routine to insert a start command message for a second replacement content element into the delay filter also inserts into the delay filter a reference to a companion display element to be presented on the client media player concurrently with the second replacement content element, said reference sent as a command message concurrently with the sending of the start command message, upon receipt of which said client media players obtain and present said companion display element.

29. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the first replacement content element is comprised of audio, and the second replacement content element is comprised of video.