Method and apparatus for performing sub-picture level splicing based on interrupts

• US 7,174,084 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Edmonds, Jeremy S., Comito, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier; Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/805,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20020057288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 386/55, 386/52, 386/53, 386/46, 386/54, 386/92, 386/95, 386/1, 386/4, 360/13, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/280
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42692 for reading from or writing on a volatile storage medium, e.g. Random Access Memory [RAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/845 Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

Techniques to effectuate splicing at sub-picture level. In one aspect, splicing is effectuated via an interrupt generated after each splice has occurred. The interrupt may be generated by either the hardware designated to perform splicing or other peripheral hardware. The interrupt may be provided to a controller, which then performs the necessary processing to effectuate the next splice (e.g., load a new PID value for the next splice into the hardware register). The interrupts required for splicing may be generated in various manners, and typically depends on the specific design of the splicing and/or peripheral hardware. In one simple design, the splicing hardware generates an interrupt after each splice. Other mechanisms may also be used to generate the interrupt. For example, (e.g., scrambled audio) packets may be inserted into a transport stream and used to cause the hardware to generate an interrupt each time the packet is detected.

Claims

1. A method for splicing video slices associated with a plurality of packet identifiers (PIDs), comprising:

loading a splicing hardware with a current PID and a target PID for an upcoming splice;

processing a transport stream for packets;

generating the interrupt in response to receiving a packet of a particular type;

receiving an interrupt indicating that a splice has been performed; and

loading a new target PID into the splicing hardware for a next splice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular type packet is specifically inserted into the transport stream to cause the interrupt.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular type packet is a scrambled audio packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more packets are included in the transport stream between the particular type packet and a first packet with the new target PID.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more padding packets are inserted in the transport stream between the particular type packet and a first packet with the new target PID.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrupt is generated by the splicing hardware as a result of performing the splice.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying video packets in a transport stream;

checking the PID of each video packet in the transport stream against the current PID; and

providing the video packet if the PID of the packet matches the current PID.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a splice has been performed and prior to loading the new target PID into the splicing hardware, transferring the target PID as the current PID within the splicing hardware.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining an array with a plurality of elements; and

setting the plurality of elements in the array with the plurality of PIDs.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

traversing the elements in the array as each splice is performed; and

providing the PID stored in a current element as the new target PID.

9. A method for splicing video slices associated with a plurality packet identifiers (PIDs), comprising:

loading a splicing hardware with a current PID and a target PID for an upcoming splice;

receiving an interrupt indicating that a splice has been performed; and

loading a new target PID into the splicing hardware for a next splice;

wherein the splicing is performed at a sub-picture level and a plurality of splices are performed for an intra-coded (I) picture;

wherein video slices for three or more PIDs are spliced to for the 1 picture.