APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR THUMBNAIL GENERATION

• US 20160307596A1
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Manchester, Eric, Hardin, Glen
• Granted Patent: US 10,375,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• 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 65/612 for unicast
• 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: H04N 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for thumbnail generation. In one embodiment, a thumbnail stream is generated where one or more bits are assigned to key frames and minimizes the number of bits assigned to delta frames. Each key frame may be used to extract a still image for use in thumbnails during trick mode operation (e.g., fast forward, rewind, pause, or random seek operation). When the encoded video file is given to a Just in Time Packager (JITP), the JITP extracts the image files (via the key frames). Information regarding how to reference these files is stored in generated manifest file and may be reformatted by the JITP to fit the needs of the current product. In a variant, the JITP reformats the image files extracted from the encoded video for operation on a number of devices.

Claims

1. An encoder apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with a network;

a storage apparatus; and

a processor configured to execute at least one computer program, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to;

encode a plurality of video files from a content source for use with adaptive bitrate streaming, said plurality of video files comprising;

a thumbnail stream comprising a first plurality of key frames separated by null frames, said thumbnail stream configured to have said first plurality of key frames extracted and be transmitted to a user device during a trick mode operation of said user device; and

at least one other encoded stream, said at least one other encoded stream comprising a second plurality of key frames separated by delta frames.

2. The encoder apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of key frames of said thumbnail stream and said second plurality of key frames of said at least one other encoded stream are synchronized.

3. The encoder apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one other encoded stream comprises a plurality of streams each associated with a different bit rate configured for use with adaptive bit rate streaming.

4. The encoder apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thumbnail stream and each stream of said at least one other encoded stream are packaged in separate transport stream files.

5. The encoder apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one other encoded stream comprise an audio track.

6. A packager apparatus comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with a content delivery network;

a storage apparatus; and

a processor configured to execute at least one computer program, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to;

based on a user request, extract a plurality of thumbnail images configured for use during trick mode operation of a user device from a plurality of key frames in a thumbnail stream, said thumbnail stream comprising said first plurality of key frames separated by null frames; and

based, at least in part, on said user request and said extraction of said plurality of thumbnail images, generate a manifest file comprising a plurality of addresses corresponding to a location of said plurality of thumbnail images.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to segment portions of an encoded stream for delivery via said content delivery network.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, wherein said generated manifest file further comprises a second plurality of addresses corresponding to said plurality of segmented portions of said encoded stream.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said extraction of said plurality of thumbnail images comprises skipping said null frames in said thumbnail stream.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said extraction of said plurality of thumbnail images is based, at least in part, on a user request for said thumbnail images.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said generation of said manifest file is based on a device type of a requesting device.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to remove said extracted plurality of thumbnail images.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to resize said extracted plurality of thumbnail images based, at least in part, on a device type of a requesting device.

14. A method for providing images for display during trick mode operation, comprising:

receiving a plurality of encoded files, said plurality of encoded files comprising;

a thumbnail stream, said thumbnail stream comprising a first plurality of key frames separated by null frames and comprising no delta frames; and

a video stream, said video stream comprising a second plurality of key frames separated by delta frames, where said first plurality of key frames and said second plurality of key frames are synchronized;

receiving a request from a user device for a manifest file associated with said source file; and

based, at least in part, on said receipt of said request;

generating said manifest file comprising addresses of said extracted plurality of thumbnail images; and

providing said manifest file to said user device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second request from said user device for said video stream of said source file; and

based, at least in part, on receiving said second user request, segmenting said video stream of said source file into a plurality of segments;

wherein said manifest file further comprises addresses of said plurality of segments.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said key frames comprise I-frames and said delta frames comprise B-frames.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising resizing each of said extracted plurality of thumbnail images.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said resizing is based, at least in part on a device type of said user request.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising, serving at least one of said plurality of thumbnail images to said user device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising, deleting said plurality of thumbnail images based, at least in part, on a termination of a session with said user device.