Content replacement by PID mapping
First Claim
1. A method of content substitution, comprising:
- receiving a structured stream of data representing content structured according to a first and a second substitutable portion, the data encoded using at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second substitutable portions of content, each encoded portion of said substitutable content being mapped to at least one of said PIDs;
receiving private signaling forming part of an adaptation layer of packets in the received structured stream of data, the private signaling establishing a parameter to be used to start and stop the content substitution, where the private signaling specifies a decoder operational mode that enables one of a plurality of content substitution modes of decoder operation, and where the private signaling further specifies switching among the content substitution modes of the decoder operation;
initiating processing of content having the first PID;
determining that a substitution criterion has been met;
substituting content having the second PID for content having the first PID wherein data encoded with said first and second PIDs are portions of the said received structured stream of data;
processing the substituted content for display or storage; and
wherein whenever packets are inserted or deleted, a continuity count for said first PID is preserved by adjusting the continuity count.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for content substitution, consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves receiving data representing content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second portions of content. The content having the first PID is placed into a data stream. An initiation flag is received indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation. The content having the second PID is then mapped to the first PID and the mapped content is placed into the data stream. A termination flag is received indicating termination of the PID mapping operation at which point the process returns to placing content having the first PID into the data stream. The content substitution process can be used to replace advertisements, provide multiple plots, multiple endings, multiple views as well as other applications.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method of content substitution, comprising:
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receiving a structured stream of data representing content structured according to a first and a second substitutable portion, the data encoded using at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second substitutable portions of content, each encoded portion of said substitutable content being mapped to at least one of said PIDs; receiving private signaling forming part of an adaptation layer of packets in the received structured stream of data, the private signaling establishing a parameter to be used to start and stop the content substitution, where the private signaling specifies a decoder operational mode that enables one of a plurality of content substitution modes of decoder operation, and where the private signaling further specifies switching among the content substitution modes of the decoder operation; initiating processing of content having the first PID; determining that a substitution criterion has been met; substituting content having the second PID for content having the first PID wherein data encoded with said first and second PIDs are portions of the said received structured stream of data; processing the substituted content for display or storage; and wherein whenever packets are inserted or deleted, a continuity count for said first PID is preserved by adjusting the continuity count. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of content substitution, comprising;
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receiving a structured stream of data representing content structured according to a first and a second substitutable portion, the data encoded using at least primary and secondary packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second substitutable portions of content respectively, each encoded portion of said substitutable content being mapped to at least one of said PIDs; placing content having the primary PID into a data stream; receiving private signaling forming part of an adaptation layer of packets in the received structured stream of data, the private signaling establishing a parameter to be used to start and stop the content substitution, where the private signaling specifies a decoder operational mode that enables one of a plurality of content substitution modes of decoder operation, and where the private signaling further specifies switching among the content substitution modes of the decoder operation; receiving an initiation flag indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation, said initiation flag being indicative of a starting point for content substitution of the second portion for the first portion; mapping the second portions of content having the secondary PID to the primary PID and placing the mapped content into the data stream as a substitute for the first portion of the content; receiving a termination flag indicating termination of the PID mapping operation; resuming placement of the first portion of the content having the primary PID into the data stream so that at least part of the first portion is replaced by the second portion of said structured stream of data representing content; and wherein whenever packets are inserted or deleted, a continuity count for said first PID is preserved by adjusting the continuity count. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A content substitution encoder, comprising:
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means for receiving input data representing main content comprising at least first and second substitutable portions; means for receiving input data representing substitution content, such substitution content being for replacement of at least a portion of the main content; a packet identifier (PID) mapper that assigns a primary PID to the main content and assigns a secondary PID to the substitution content; a private data generator that generates user private data that identifies the main content by the primary PID and substitution content by the secondary PIDs and where the private signaling specifies a decoder operational mode that enables one of a plurality of content substitution modes of decoder operation, and where the private signaling further specifies switching among the content substitution modes of the decoder operation; means for assembling the private data responsive to user input, the main content mapped to the primary PID comprising the first substitutable portion of said input data and the substitution content mapped to the secondary PID comprising the second substitutable portion of said input data into a single structured stream of data and wherein the private data are inserted into an adaptation layer of packets in the structured stream of data; and wherein whenever packets are inserted or deleted, a continuity count for said first PID is preserved by adjusting the continuity count. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A decoder, comprising:
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a receiver receiving a structured stream of data that represents content structured in a first and a second substitutable portion, the data encoded using at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second substitutable portions of content; the receiver receiving private signaling forming part of an adaptation layer of packets in the received structured stream of data, the private signaling establishing a parameter to be used to start and stop the content substitution, and where the private signaling specifies a decoder operational mode that enables one of a plurality of content substitution modes of decoder operation, and wherein the private signaling further specifies switching among the content substitution modes of the decoder operation; a content decoder configured to play content having the first PID using the specified decoder operational mode; a controller that determines that a substitution criterion has been met; a PID mapper that maps content from said received data content having the second PID to said received data content having the first PID so that the received data content originally having the second PID is played; and wherein whenever packets are inserted or deleted, a continuity count for said first PID is preserved by adjusting the continuity count. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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Specification