Squeezable rebroadcast files

• US 7,707,602 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Cragun, Brian John
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US11/101,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 725 34- 36, 725/32, 725 86- 88, 725 90- 94, 725 28- 29, 725/460, 725 75- 76, 348/460
• US Class Current: 725/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method of providing rebroadcast programming includes encoding a rebroadcast program, specifying a preferred play time, and providing a broadcast that fits the preferred play time. The encoding of the rebroadcast program can use a replay plan which prioritizes portions of the rebroadcast. A priority can be assigned to commercials which have been made to be shortened or dropped, or an alternative commercial substituted, depending on time limitations. A rebroadcast packaging and playlist are provided. The specifying a preferred play time can be done by one of the following ways: specifying the preferred play time in response to a specific user request; specifying the preferred play time based on a user profile; specifying the preferred play time automatically by another program; connecting a replay timing to other events, wherein the other events includes setting an automatic pause when phone calls come in, lengthening a rebroadcast on certain days, and shortening a rebroadcast based on location of an automobile; providing a radio/television player which has functions of pause and replay which can be selected by the user to deduct time dynamically during the rebroadcast and which performs at least one of: replaying the broadcast; reacting to the need to pause/rewind; respecifying the adjusted time; playing unlistened to material at a later time; and displaying a list of unlistened/unviewed segments. A default play time for the rebroadcast program is used if no time is otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing audio and/or video programming, comprising:

providing an audio and/or video program in a server, wherein the audio and/or video program comprises a plurality of segment records and program data including a plurality of program segments, each of the segment records is associated with at least one of the program segments and comprises a plurality of fields including a priority field and an alternate segment specifier field, wherein the priority field of each segment record indicates a priority assigned to the at least one program segment associated with that segment record, and wherein the priority assigned is one of at least three possible priorities ranging from a lowest priority to a highest priority, and wherein the alternate segment specifier field of each segment record specifies an alternate program segment that is not normally played at any time when there are no time constraints;

processing a user input of a preferred numerical duration of play time;

providing a replay plan that distinguishes the program segments that are planned to be played from one or more of the program segments that are not planned to be played based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority fields and the alternate segment specifier fields of the segment records; and

playing a duration-adjusted version of the audio and/or video program based on the replay plan;

wherein the steps of processing a user input, providing a replay plan, and playing a duration-adjusted version of the audio and/or video program are performed in at least one of the server and a computer having access to the server.

2. The computer-implemented method of providing audio and/or video programming according to claims 1, wherein each of the segment records includes a status field and wherein the step of providing a replay plan includes the step of setting the status field of at least one of the segment records, based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority field of the at least one segment record, to indicate that the program segment associated with the at least one segment record is not planned for playing.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claims 1, wherein each of the segment records includes a length field and a status field;

wherein each of the status fields specifies one of planned or hidden;

wherein the step of providing a replay plan comprises;

setting all segments having a hidden status to planned status;

setting all alternate segments status to hidden;

setting a total planned time to the sum of all planned segment lengths;

beginning with a lowest priority segment, for each planned segment, if the total planned time is not less than or equal to the preferred numerical duration of play time, and if a segment priority is less than or equal to a current filter priority, then;

setting the segment'"'"'s status to hidden, and setting the alternate segment'"'"'s status to planned, wherein the alternate segment is specified by the segment'"'"'s alternate segment specifier field;

decreasing the total planned time by the segment'"'"'s length and increasing the total planned time by the alternate segment'"'"'s length.

4. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions that when executed by the computer result in:

processing a user input of a preferred numerical duration of play time;

providing a replay plan for an audio and/or video program, wherein the audio and/or video program comprises a plurality of segment records and program data including a plurality of program segments, each of the segment records is associated with at least one of the program segments and comprises a plurality of fields including a priority field and an alternate segment specifier field, wherein the priority field of each segment record indicates a priority assigned to the at least one program segment associated with that segment record, wherein the priority assigned is one of at least three possible priorities ranging from a lowest priority to a highest priority, and wherein the alternate segment specifier field of each segment record specifies an alternate program segment that is not normally played at any time when there are no time constraints, and wherein the step of providing a replay plan includes the step of distinguishing the program segments that are planned to be played from one or more of the program segments that are not planned to be played based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority fields and the alternate segment specifier fields of the segment records; and

playing a duration-adjusted version of the audio and/or video program based on the replay plan.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein each of the segment records includes a length field and a status field;

wherein each of the status fields specifies one of planned or hidden;

wherein the step of providing a replay plan comprises;

setting all segments having a hidden status to planned status;

setting all alternate segments status to hidden;

setting a total planned time to the sum of all planned segment lengths;

beginning with a lowest priority segment, for each planned segment, if the total planned time is not less than or equal to the preferred numerical duration of play time, and if a segment priority is less than or equal to a current filter priority, then;

setting the segment'"'"'s status to hidden, and setting the alternate segment'"'"'s status to planned, wherein the alternate segment is specified by the segment'"'"'s alternate segment specifier field;

decreasing the total planned time by the segment'"'"'s length and increasing the total planned time by the alternate segment'"'"'s length.

6. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions that when executed by the computer result in:

processing a user input of a preferred numerical duration of play time, wherein a program that automatically inputs the preferred numerical duration of play time;

providing a replay plan for an audio and/or video program, wherein the audio and/or video program comprises a plurality of segment records and program data including a plurality of program segments, each of the segment records is associated with at least one of the program segments and comprises a plurality of fields including a priority field and an alternate segment specifier field, wherein the priority field of each segment record indicates a priority assigned to the at least one program segment associated with that segment record, wherein the priority assigned is one of at least three possible priorities ranging from a lowest priority to a highest priority, and wherein the alternate segment specifier field of each segment record specifies an alternate program segment that is not normally played at any time when there are no time constraints, and wherein the step of providing a replay plan includes the step of distinguishing the program segments that are planned to be played from one or more of the program segments that are not planned to be played based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority fields and the alternate segment specifier fields of the segment records; and

playing a duration-adjusted version of the audio and/or video program based on the replay plan.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program that automatically inputs the numerical time duration is an automotive system which automatically inputs the numerical time duration by estimating a drive-time-remaining value based on at least one of time-of-day, vehicle speed, and vehicle location.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program that automatically inputs the numerical time duration is a parental control system which automatically inputs the numerical time duration by calculating a child'"'"'s time-remaining value based on a preassigned daily allocation.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program that automatically inputs the numerical time duration is a scheduling program which automatically inputs the numerical time duration by calculating a time-remaining value based on a scheduled time of a calendared event.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein each of the segment records includes a length field and a status field;

wherein each of the status fields specifies one of planned or hidden;

wherein the step of providing a replay plan comprises;

setting all segments having a hidden status to planned status;

setting all alternate segments status to hidden;

setting a total planned time to the sum of all planned segment lengths;

beginning with a lowest priority segment, for each planned segment, if the total planned time is not less than or equal to the preferred numerical duration of play time, and if a segment priority is less than or equal to a current filter priority, then;

setting the segment'"'"'s status to hidden, and setting the alternate segment'"'"'s status to planned, wherein the alternate segment is specified by the segment'"'"'s alternate segment specifier field;

decreasing the total planned time by the segment'"'"'s length and increasing the total planned time by the alternate segment'"'"'s length.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program that automatically inputs the numerical time duration is an automotive system which automatically inputs the numerical time duration by estimating a drive-time-remaining value based on at least one of time-of-day, vehicle speed, and vehicle location.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program that automatically inputs the numerical time duration is a parental control system which automatically inputs the numerical time duration by calculating a child'"'"'s time-remaining value based on a preassigned daily allocation.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program that automatically inputs the numerical time duration is a scheduling program which automatically inputs the numerical time duration by calculating a time-remaining value based on a scheduled time of a calendared event.

14. A computer-implemented method of providing audio and/or video programming, comprising the steps of:

providing an audio and/or video program in a server, wherein the audio and/or video program comprises a plurality of segment records and program data including a plurality of program segments, each of the segment records is associated with one of the program segments and comprises a plurality of fields including a length field, a priority field, a status field, and an alternate segment specifier field, wherein the priority field of each segment record indicates a priority assigned to the program segment associated with that segment record, wherein the priority assigned is one of at least three possible priorities ranging from a lowest priority to a highest priority, and wherein the alternate segment specifier field of each segment record specifies an alternate program segment that is not normally played at any time when there are no time constraints;

processing a user input of a preferred numerical duration of play time;

providing a replay plan based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority fields of the segment records; and

playing a duration-adjusted version of the audio and/or video program based on the replay plan;

wherein the steps of processing a user input, providing a replay plan, and playing a duration-adjusted version of the audio and/or video program are performed in at least one of the server and a computer having access to the server;

wherein each of the status fields specifies one of planned or hidden;

wherein the step of providing a replay plan based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority fields of the segment records comprises;

setting all segments having a hidden status to planned status;

setting all alternate segments status to hidden;

setting a total planned time to the sum of all planned segment lengths;

beginning with a lowest priority segment, for each planned segment, if the total planned time is not less than or equal to the preferred numerical duration of play time, and if a segment priority is less than or equal to a current filter priority, then;

setting the segment'"'"'s status to hidden, and setting the alternate segment'"'"'s status to planned, wherein the alternate segment is specified by the segment'"'"'s alternate segment specifier field;

decreasing the total planned time by the segment'"'"'s length and increasing the total planned time by the alternate segment'"'"'s length.

15. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the program segments of the audio and/or video program include a first program segment and a second program segment, wherein the second program segment is shorter than the first program segment, and wherein the second program segment is not normally played at any time when there are no time constraints;

wherein a first one of the segment records is associated with the first program segment, and wherein the alternate segment specifier field of the first program segment specifies the second program segment,

wherein a second one of the segment records is associated with the second program segment, and

wherein during the step of providing a replay plan based on the preferred numerical duration of play time and the priority fields of the segment records, if the total planned time is not less than or equal to the preferred numerical duration of play time, and if the segment priority of the first program segment is less than or equal to a current filter priority, then;

setting the status of the first program segment to hidden, and setting the status of the second program segment to planned;

decreasing the total planned time by the length of the first program segment and increasing total planned time by the length of the second program segment.

16. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein the second program segment is a shortened-duration version of the first program segment.

17. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 16, wherein the first program segment and the second program segment are commercials.