DIGITAL CONTENT SPATIAL REPLACEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160112729A1
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation), NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation), NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Ng, Sheau Bao, Sayed, Yasser Fouad, Mason, Thomas Bause, Holden, Danial Elliott
• Granted Patent: US 9,872,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234345 the reformatting operation being performed only on part of the stream, e.g. a region of the image or a time segment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A selected spatial portion of digital base content is selected, and one or more alternative content objects is selected to replace the spatial portion. The spatial portion may comprise less than a full frame of the base content, although it may span multiple frames, and may move within the successive frames. The replacement may occur before or after distribution of the content. The selections may be made based upon knowledge of general or specific audiences. The selections may facilitate bandwidth or processing, allow for product placements, or generally enhance the audience experience.

Claims

1. A digital content delivery method comprising:

selecting a spatial portion of digital base content to be replaced;

selecting one or more alternative content objects for replacement of the selected spatial portion;

replacing the selected spatial portion with the one or more selected alternative content objects to obtain altered digital content that is a combination of the base content and the one or more selected alternative content objects; and

distributing the digital base content and the one or more selected alternative content objects for experience by an audience.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital base content and the one or more selected alterative content objects are distributed prior to replacing to obtain the altered digital content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital base content and the one or more selected alterative content objects are combined to obtain the altered digital content prior to distributing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least selecting of the spatial portion and selecting the one or more alternative content objects are performed while the audience is experiencing the base content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least replacing of the selected spatial portion is performed while the audience is experiencing the base content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least distributing the digital base content and the one or more selected alternative content objects is performed while the audience is experiencing the base content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selected alternative content objects spatially replace less than a full frame of the base content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more selected alternative content objects spatially replace one or more specific elements visible in one or more frames of the base content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more selected alternative content objects spatially replace the one or more specific elements in multiple frames of the base content, and wherein locations of the one or more specific elements are different in the multiple frames.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more alternative content objects is based upon data collected from the audience.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more alternative content objects is based upon predicted interest of the audience.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternative content objects are selected to alter bandwidth utilization in distribution or playing back the content.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternative content objects are selected based upon a desired product placement.

14. A digital content delivery system comprising:

a digital content processing system that, in operation, selects a spatial portion of digital base content to be replaced, selects one or more alternative content objects for replacement of the selected spatial portion;

a digital content altering system that, in operation, replaces the selected spatial portion with the one or more selected alternative content objects to obtain altered digital content that is a combination of the base content and the one or more selected alternative content objects; and

a digital content distribution system that, in operation, distributes the digital base content and the one or more selected alternative content objects for experience by an audience.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital content altering system is at least partially disposed on an audience-side device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein digital content processing system is configured to select the spatial portion and the one or more alternative content objects while the audience is experiencing the base content.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein digital content altering system is configure to replace the selected spatial portion while the audience is experiencing the base content.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more selected alternative content objects spatially replace less than a full frame of the base content.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more selected alternative content objects spatially replace one or more specific elements visible in one or more frames of the base content.

20. A digital content delivery system comprising:

an audience data collection system configured to collect audience activity data indicative of audience activity during playback of digital content;

an audience environment collection system configured to collect audience environment data indicative of an audience environment during playback of the digital content;

a background data storage system configured to store audience background data indicative of a characteristic of the audience;

a processing system configured to determine a likely audience content interest based upon the audience activity data, the audience environment data, and the audience background data; and

a content adaptation system configured to select a spatial portion of digital base content less than a full frame, to select an alternative content object, and to replace the spatial portion with the alternative content object based upon the determined likely audience content interest.