Methods and systems for synchronizing timecodes when sending indices to client devices

• US 7,555,196 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Crawford, Jeffrey D., Taylor, Thomas H., Potrebic, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hasan; Syed Y
• Application Number:
  US10/247,995
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/69, 386/52, 386/65, 386/124, 348/170, 348/561, 348/E5.007, 348/E5.108, 358/908, 370/474, 370/537, 370/150, 370/510, 375/240.28, 375/E7.003, 375/E7.008, 375/E7.024, 375/E7.004, 375/E7.272, 707/104.1, 707/E17.026, 707/E17.028, 725/60, 725/139, 725/80, 725/109, 725/145, 725/146
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• 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 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Methods and systems for indexing programs are described. In accordance with one embodiment, program data associated with a program recorded on a first entertainment system is processed sufficient to create one or more signatures. The signatures define points of reference that can be utilized to synchronize timecodes associated with other recorded versions of the program from which the signatures were created. One or more indices are created and associated with the program from which the signatures were created. An index file can be created and can contain the created indices as well as the created signatures. A client system that receives the index file can use the signatures to synchronize the timecode on its recorded version of the program with a timecode of the program from which the signatures were created. Once the timecodes are synchronized, the client system can locate the same indices on its recorded version of the program.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating one or more indices associated with a program, the one or more indices defining one or more regions of interest of the program marked by a user on a first recording of the program recorded by a first entertainment system;

processing program data associated with the first recording of the program recorded on the first entertainment system sufficient to create one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures defining a point of reference in the program for synchronizing a first timecode associated with the first recording of the program with one or more timecodes associated with one or more recordings of the program on one or more additional entertainment systems;

creating an index file that contains the one or more signatures and the one or more indices; and

sending the index file containing the one or more signatures and the one or more indices to the one or more additional entertainment systems;

wherein;

the one or more signatures are configured to be used by the one or more additional entertainment systems to synchronize respective timecodes of respective recordings of the program recorded by the one or more additional entertainment systems with the timecode of the first recording of the program recorded by the first entertainment system; and

the one or more indices are configured to be used by the one or more additional entertainment systems to output the one or more regions of interest of the program marked by the user of the first entertainment system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing video data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the video data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the audio data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the closed caption data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data associated with the program to create at least two signatures.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing program data other than video data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data other than video data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing program data other than audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data other than audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing program data other than closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data other than closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

12. A method comprising:

creating one or more indices associated with a program, the one or more indices defining one or more regions of interest of the program marked by a user on a first recording of the program recorded by a first entertainment system;

processing program data associated with the first recording of the program recorded on the first entertainment system sufficient to create one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures defining a point of reference in the program for synchronizing a timecode associated with the first recording of the program recorded on the first entertainment system, with one or more timecodes associated with one or more recordings of the program on one or more additional entertainment systems;

creating an electronically-sendable index file comprising the one or more signatures and the one or more indices; and

sending the electronically-sendable index file containing the one or more signatures and the one or more indices to the one or more additional entertainment systems;

wherein;

the one or more signatures are configured to be used by the one or more additional entertainment systems to synchronize respective timecodes of respective recordings of the program recorded by the one or more additional entertainment systems with the timecode of the first recording of the program recorded by the first entertainment system; and

the one or more indices are configured to be used by the one or more additional entertainment systems to output the one or more regions of interest of the program marked by the user of the first entertainment system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing video data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the video data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the audio data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the closed caption data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data associated with the program to create at least two signatures.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing program data other than video data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data other than video data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing program data other than audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data other than audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing program data other than closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the act of processing comprises processing multiple different types of program data other than closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

23. A system comprising:

a timecode synchronizing module configured to enable creation of one or more index files that are associated with a first recording of a program recorded by a first entertainment system, wherein each of the one or more index files include;

(i) one or more indices defining one or more regions of interest of the program marked by a user on the first recording of the program recorded by the first entertainment system, and (ii) one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures defining one or more points of reference in the program; and

wherein the timecode synchronizing module comprises;

a signature creation component configured to process program data associated with the first recording of the program and create the one or more signatures defining the one or more points of reference in the program for synchronizing a timecode associated with the first recording of the program with one or more timecodes associated with one or more different recordings of the program recorded by one or more additional entertainment systems; and

a signature matching component that is configured to attempt to match signatures associated with index files that are received from one or more other entertainment systems, with portions of the program recorded on the first entertainment system;

wherein the one or more index files that are associated with the first recording of the program are configured to be used by the one or more additional entertainment systems to synchronize respective timecodes of the additional entertainment systems with the timecode associated with the first recording of the program and to output the one or more regions of interest of the program marked by the user of the first entertainment system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process video data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the video data.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process audio data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the audio data.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process closed caption data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the closed caption data.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process multiple different types of data associated with recorded programs to create at least two signatures from the data.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process multiple different types of program data other than video data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the program data.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process multiple different types of program data other than audio data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the program data.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process multiple different types of program data other than closed caption data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the program data.

31. An entertainment system embodying the system of claim 23.

32. An entertainment system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media embodying;

a timecode synchronizing module configured to enable a user to create one or more index files that are associated with a first recording of a program that is saved on the entertainment system, wherein each of the one or more index files includes;

(i) one or more indices defining one or more regions of interests of the program marked by the user on the first recording of the program recorded by the entertainment system, and (ii) one or more signatures, each of the signatures defining one or more points of reference in the program; and

wherein the timecode synchronizing module comprises;

a user interface component configured to allow the user to select and index on the entertainment system the one or more regions of interest of the first recording of the program;

a signature creation component configured to process program data associated with the first recording of the program and create the one or more signatures that define the one or more points of reference for synchronizing a timecode associated with the first recording of the program on the entertainment system, with one or more timecodes associated with one or more other recordings of the program recorded on one or more other entertainment systems;

a signature matching component that is configured to attempt to match signatures associated with programs for which index files are received, with portions of corresponding programs that are recorded on the entertainment system;

wherein

the timecode synchronizing module is configured to locate one or more indices in a recorded program as a result of one or more matched signatures in order to output one or more regions of interest associated with the located one or more indices.

33. The entertainment system of claim 32, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process video data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the video data.

34. The entertainment system of claim 32, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process audio data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the audio data.

35. The entertainment system of claim 32, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process closed caption data associated with recorded programs to create at least one signature from the closed caption data.

36. The entertainment system of claim 32, wherein the signature creation component is configured to process multiple different types of data associated with recorded programs to create at least two signatures from the data.

37. A system comprising:

a timecode synchronizing module configured to enable a user to create one or more index files that are associated with a program that is saved on a user'"'"'s entertainment system, wherein each of the one or more index files contains one or more indices and one or more signatures;

a user interface component configured to allow the user to select and index different portions of the saved program with the one or more indices; and

a signature creation component configured to process program data associated with the program that is saved on the user'"'"'s entertainment system and create the one or more signatures that are utilized as points of reference for synchronizing a timecode associated with the program saved on another entertainment system with a timecode associated with the program saved on the user'"'"'s entertainment system, the signature creation component comprising one or more parsers for parsing program data to create the one or more signatures; and

wherein the one or more index files are configured to be used by the another entertainment system to output the selected and indexed portions of the saved program on the another entertainment system.

38. The system of claim 37 further comprising:

a signature matching component that is configured to attempt to match signatures associated with index files that are received from an entertainment system that is not the user'"'"'s entertainment system, with portions of programs on the user'"'"'s entertainment system; and

the timecode synchronizing module being configured to attempt to synchronize timecodes on other recorded programs that correspond to the programs from which the signatures are created.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise at least one video data parser.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise at least one video data parser configured to create multiple different signatures from the same recorded program.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise at least one audio data parser.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise at least one audio data parser configured to create multiple different signatures from the same recorded program.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise at least one closed caption data parser.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise at least one closed caption data parser configured to create multiple different signatures from the same recorded program.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise multiple parsers selected from a group of parsers comprising a video data parser, an audio data parser, and a closed caption data parser.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more parsers comprise multiple parsers selected from a group of parsers comprising a video data parser, an audio data parser, and a closed caption data parser, individual parsers being configured to create multiple different signatures from the same recorded program.

47. An entertainment system embodying the system of claim 37.

48. A method comprising:

recording a program on a user'"'"'s entertainment system, the recording of the program being associated with a timecode;

presenting a user interface to enable a user to create one or more indices associated with one or more locations in the recorded program;

creating one or more signatures using program data associated with the recorded program;

creating an index file comprising the one or more indices created by the user and the one or more signatures; and

sending the index file and program-identifying data for receipt by one or more client entertainment systems, wherein;

the one or more signatures are used by the one or more client entertainment systems to synchronize the timecode associated with the program recorded by the user'"'"'s entertainment system with respective timecodes of respective recordings by the one or more clients entertainment systems; and

the one or more indices are used by the one or more client entertainment systems to output the one or more locations specified by the user on the one or more client entertainment systems.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating the one or more signatures can be performed by enabling the user to manually create the one or more signatures.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of sending comprises emailing the index file, signature(s), and program-identifying data.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of sending comprises broadcasting the index file, signature(s), and program-identifying data.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing video data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the video data.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the audio data.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature from the closed caption data.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing multiple different types of program data associated with the program to create at least two signatures.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing program data other than video data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing program data other than audio data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing program data other than closed caption data associated with the program to create at least one signature.

59. An entertainment system embodying one or more computer-readable media having instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement the method of claim 48.

60. An entertainment system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

instructions in the computer-readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

record a first program associated with a timecode on a user'"'"'s entertainment system;

present a user interface to enable the user to create one or more indices associated with one or more locations of interest in the first recorded program on the user'"'"'s entertainment system;

create one or more signatures using program data associated with the first recorded program on the user'"'"'s entertainment system, said first program data comprising program data selected from a group of data comprising video data, audio data and closed caption data;

create an index file comprising the one or more indices created by the user in the first recorded program and the one or more signatures associated with the first recorded program; and

send the index file for receipt by one or more client entertainment systems, wherein;

the one or more signatures are used by the one or more client entertainment systems to synchronize the timecode associated with the first recorded program on the user'"'"'s entertainment system with respective timecodes of respective recordings on the one or more client entertainment systems; and

the one or more indices are used by the one or more client entertainment systems to output the locations of interest identified by the user on the one or more client entertainment systems.

61. The entertainment system of claim 60, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to create multiple different signatures.

62. The entertainment system of claim 60, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to create multiple different types of signatures.

63. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first entertainment system, at least one index file and one or more signatures associated with the one index file, the one index file and associated signatures being associated with a program recorded by a user on a second entertainment system, the one index file comprising at least one index that points to a location of interest in the program, the location of interest having been specified by the user on the second entertainment system;

associating the index file and associated signatures with a recorded program on the first entertainment system, the recorded program on the first entertainment system being a different recording of the program that is recorded on the second entertainment system;

processing the recorded program on the first entertainment system to attempt to find a program portion that matches one or more signatures associated with the index file received at the first entertainment system;

responsive to finding a matching program portion, synchronizing a timecode associated with the recorded program on the first entertainment system with a timecode associated with the program recorded by the user on the second entertainment system with which the one or more signatures are associated; and

outputting, at the first entertainment system and with use of the at least one index, the location of interest specified by the user on the second entertainment system.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the act of processing the recorded program on the first entertainment system comprises creating, with at least one algorithm, one or more signatures using the recorded program, said algorithm comprising a same algorithm that was used to create said one or more signatures that are associated with the index file.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing video data associated with the corresponding program to create at least one signature from the video data.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing audio data associated with the corresponding program to create at least one signature from the audio data.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing closed caption data associated with the corresponding program to create at least one signature from the closed caption data.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing multiple different types of program data associated with the corresponding program to create at least two signatures.

69. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing program data other than video data associated with the corresponding program to create at least one signature.

70. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing program data other than audio data associated with the corresponding program to create at least one signature.

71. The method of claim 64, wherein the act of creating one or more signatures comprises processing program data other than closed caption data associated with the corresponding program to create at least one signature.

72. An entertainment system embodying one or more computer-readable media having instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement the method of claim 63.