System and method for media stream indexing

• US 6,654,933 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Espial Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kasenna, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin P., Abbott, Michael J., Close, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUDWIG, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US09/399,777
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 707/500.1, 345/745, 345/569, 345/723, 348/569, 715/500.1, 715/513
• US Class Current: 715/203
• 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 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An indexing method for allowing a viewer to control the mode of delivery of program material. By mapping from time to data position, data delivery can begin at any selected time in the program material. The indexing method also provides for controlling data delivery to begin at the beginning of a frame of data. A synchronizing method is provided to minimize a time offset between audio and video data, particularly in environments using groups of pictures.

Claims

1. A system for interactive delivery of program material to a viewer, comprising:

a formatter for locating and arranging media data representing program material in accordance with a viewer command from the viewer, wherein said media data is located and arranged using an object hierarchy that comprises

segments, wherein each of said segments references a corresponding atom of media data and is defined by an offset from a beginning of said corresponding atom, and a duration,

series, wherein each of said series comprises at least one segment, and

groups, wherein each of said groups comprises at least one series, and

a computer in data communication with said formatter, said computer configured to receive the viewer command from the viewer, to transmit the command to said formatter, and to receive the formatted program material from said formatter for display to the viewer, wherein delivery of the formatted program material to the viewer is performed by delivering frames of media data in one of reverse order or forward order.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a converter for converting a program material time to a data location for media data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said formatter comprises:

a server at a location remote from the viewer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said formatter comprises:

a first converter for converting a specified time T to a time T_rel relative to media data representing the program material;

a determinant for determining an index number from said time T_rel using an index duration; and

a second converter for converting said index number to a data position, thereby locating media data representing the program material at the specified time T.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said formatter comprises:

a determinant for determining a specified segment during which a specified time T occurs within one of said series;

a first converter for converting the specified time T to a time T_seg relative to said specified segment; and

a second converter for converting said time T_seg to an atom-relative data position that is relative to a specified atom corresponding to said specified segment, thereby locating media data representing the program material at the specified time T.

6. A method for interactive delivery of program material to a viewer, comprising:

(1) locating and arranging media data representing program material in accordance with a viewer command from the viewer to form formatted program material, wherein the media data is located and arranged using an object hierarchy that comprises

segments, wherein each of said segments references a corresponding atom of media data and is defined by an offset from a beginning of said corresponding atom, and a duration,

series, wherein each of said series comprises at least one segment, and

groups, wherein each of said groups comprises at least one series, and

(2) delivering the formatted program material to the viewer, wherein the media data is parsed and wherein delivery of the formatted program material is performed by delivering the frames of media data in one of reverse order and forward order.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (2) is performed by delivering only selected frames of media data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein step (1) comprises:

(a) converting a specified time T to a time T_rel relative to media data representing the program material;

(b) determining an index number from said time T_rel using an index duration; and

(c) converting said index number to a data position, thereby locating media data representing the program material at the specified time T.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein step (1) comprises the steps of:

(a) determining a specified segment time during which a specified time T occurs within one of said series;

(b) converting the specified time T to a time T_seg relative to said specified segment; and

(c) converting said time T_seg to an atom-relative data position that is relative to a specified atom corresponding to said specified segment, thereby locating media data representing the program material at the specified time T.

10. A method for locating program material at a specified time T, comprising:

(1) converting the specified time T to a time T_rel relative to media data representing the program material;

(2) determining an index number from said time T_rel using an index duration; and

(3) converting said index number to a data position, thereby locating media data representing the program material at time T;

wherein said method for locating program material provides a viewer with interactive control when viewing program in special modes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said index duration is a duration of one frame of media data.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(4) rounding said index number to locate an index boundary.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said rounding step locates said index boundary that is a beginning of a frame of media data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said rounding step locates said index boundary that is a beginning of a group of pictures of media data.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein step (1) comprises the step of converting the specified time T to a time T_atom, said time T_atom identifying an amount of time into an atom at which the specified time T occurs;

and

wherein step (2) comprises determining an index number from said time T_atom using an index duration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein step (1) comprises:

(i) determining a specified segment during which the specified time T occurs within one of at least one series, wherein said at least one series comprises at least one segment, said at least one segment referencing an atom containing media data representing the program material;

(ii) converting the specified time T to a time T_seg relative to said specified segment; and

(iii) converting said time T_seg to a time T_atom relative to said atom.