Method and apparatus for synchronizing the broadcast content of interactive internet-based programs

• US 6,239,793 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rotor Communications Corp.
• Original Assignee: Rotor Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Barnert, Andrew, Byrd, Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US09/315,889
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 345/302, 709/203, 709/231
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing broadcast program content and corresponding program commands of an Internet-Based broadcast. The method (and system) generates a plurality of time-indicative index values during a broadcast of a program, associates ones of the plurality of index values with respective commands in a command stream launched during broadcast of the program, transmits the commands and associated index values to one or more clients, and associates ones of the plurality of index values to respective video frames in a video stream of the program to indicate the relative time within the program at which the video frame occurs. The method (and system) uses the index values in the video stream to determine the timing and sequence of execution of commands in the command stream at the one or more client.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing broadcast program content and corresponding program commands of an Internet-Based broadcast, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of time-indicative index values during broadcast of an Internet-based program,

associating each of the plurality of index values with respective commands in a command stream launched during broadcast of the program,

transmitting the command stream and associated index values to one or more clients,

associating each of the plurality of index values to respective video frames in a video stream of the program to indicate the relative time within the program at which the video frame occurs, wherein the index values are tagged to the video frames as script commands to be executed at the client,

receiving the transmitted command stream and associated index values,

storing a series of time-stamped commands, and

using the index values in the video stream to determine the timing and sequence of execution of commands in the command stream at the one or more clients, by;

executing the script commands tagged to the video frames to obtain the index values;

retrieving the stored time-stamped commands associated with the retrieved index values;

retrieving any unexecuted time-stamped commands having a time-stamp earlier in time than the time-stamped commands associated with the retrieved index values; and

executing the commands so that the unexecuted commands with time-stamps earlier in time are executed before the commands associated with the retrieved index values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more clients execute commands arriving at a time after their time-stamp as soon as they are received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the index values are encoded prior to being tagged to the video frames.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the index values are encoded by a variable length encoding scheme.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the index values are incremented on a per second basis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the index values are incremented on a per half-second basis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the video stream is transmitted via UDP protocol to the one or more clients, and the command stream is transmitted via TCP protocol.

8. A system for synchronizing broadcast program content and corresponding program commands of a network-based broadcast, said system comprising:

a counter for generating a plurality of time-indicative index values during broadcast of an Internet-based program;

a first server for inputting the index values and for launching program commands to be executed during the broadcast, said server associating each of the plurality of index values with respective commands in a command stream launched during broadcast of the program, said first server transmitting the command stream and associated index values to one or more clients; and

a second server for inputting the index values and associating each of the plurality of index values to video frames in a video stream of the program to indicate the relative time within the program at which the video frame occurs, wherein the index values are tagged to the video frames as a script command to be executed at the one or more clients, said second server transmitting the video stream and associated index values to the one or more clients,

wherein the one or more clients receive the transmitted command stream and associated index values, store a series of time-stamped commands, execute the script commands tagged to the video frames to obtain the index values, retrieve the stored time-stamped commands associated with the retrieved index values, retrieve any unexecuted time-stamped commands having a time-stamp earlier in time than the time-stamped commands associated with the retrieved index values, and execute the commands so that the unexecuted commands with time-stamps earlier in time are executed before the commands associated with the retrieved index values.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an encoder, said encoder inputting the index values from said counter and sending the index values to said second server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the index values are encoded by said encoder prior to being sent to said second server.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the index values are encoded by said encoder prior to being sent to said second server by a variable length encoding scheme.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the index values are encoded by said second server prior to being tagged to the video frames.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the index values are encoded by said second server prior to being tagged to the video frames by a variable length encoding scheme.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said first server transmits the command stream and associated index values via a first protocol and the second server transmits the video stream and associated index values via a second protocol.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first protocol is TCP and the second protocol is UDP.

16. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium having stored therein indicia of a plurality of machine-executable control program steps, the control program comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of time-indicative index values during broadcast of an Internet-based program;

associating each of the plurality of index values with respective commands in a command stream launched during broadcast of the program;

transmitting the command stream and associated index values to one or more clients;

associating each of the plurality of index values to respective video frames in a video stream of the program to indicate the relative time within the program at which the video frame occurs, wherein the index values are tagged to the video frames as script commands to be executed at the client;

receiving the transmitted command stream and associated index values;

storing a series of rime-stamped commands; and

using the index values in the video stream to determine the timing and sequence of execution of commands in the command stream at the one or more clients, by;

executing the script commands tagged to the video frames to obtain the index values;

retrieving the stored time-stamped commands associated with the retrieved index values;

retrieving any unexecuted time-stamped commands having a time-stamp earlier in time than the time-stamped commands associated with the retrieved index values; and

executing the commands so that the unexecuted commands with time-stamps earlier in time are executed before the commands associated with the retrieved index values.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the one or more clients execute commands arriving at a time after their time-stamp as soon as they are received.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the index values are encoded prior to being tagged to the video frames.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the index values are encoded by a variable length encoding scheme.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the video stream is transmitted via UDP protocol to the one or more clients, and the command stream is transmitted via TCP protocol.