Methodology for display/distribution of multiple content versions based on demographics

• US 7,870,575 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Spio, Mary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan; Mehmood B
• Application Number:
  US10/412,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,832 Days
• Field of Search: 725/28, 725/31, 725/63
• US Class Current: 725/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A method and apparatus for distributing different versions of media programs is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of segmenting media program data collectively describing different versions of the media program into a plurality of media segments wherein each media segment is includes at least one component associated with one or more attributes having one or more attributes values; generating a mapping of each attribute value with a pointer to the component of the segment of the media program data having the attribute associated with the attribute value; generating a manifest from the mapping and from data describing an authorized media program version authorized for display at the display entity; and transmitting the media program data and the manifest to the display entity.

Claims

1. A method of providing media programs to a theater for eventual display, comprising the steps of:

segmenting media program data collectively describing different versions of the media program into a plurality of media segments wherein each media segment includes at least one component associated with one or more attributes, each having one or more attribute values;

generating a mapping of each attribute value with a pointer to the component of the segment of the media program having the attribute associated with the attribute value;

generating conditional access information at least in part from the data describing the authorized media program version;

generating a manifest, the manifest incorporating the conditional access information and inalterable by the theater from the mapping and from data describing an authorized media program version authorized for display at the theater; and

transmitting the media program data and the manifest to the theater.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the media program data and the manifest; and

assembling the components of the authorized media program version according to the manifest.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

decrypting the media program data associated with the authorized media program version according to the conditional access information.

4. The method claim 1, wherein the media program data is segmented, by time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media program data is segmented by scene.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media program data is segmented into segments by tagging the segments.

7. The method claim 1, wherein the at least one component is selected from the group comprising;

video;

audio; and

text.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping comprises a database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping comprises a matrix.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized media program version is assembled from data describing authorized components of the segments of the media program.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of augmenting the media program with an auxiliary media segment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary media segment is selected from the group comprising:

a trailer; and

an advertisement.

13. An apparatus for providing media programs to a theater for eventual display, comprising

means for segmenting media program data collectively describing different versions of the media program into a plurality of media segments wherein each media segment is includes at least one component associated with one or more attributes, each having one or more attribute values;

means for generating a mapping of each attribute value with a pointer to the component of the segment of the media program having the attribute associated with the attribute value;

means for generating conditional access information at least in part from the data describing the authorized media program version;

means for generating a manifest incorporating the conditional access information and inalterable by the theater from the mapping and from data describing an authorized media program version authorized for display at the theater; and

means for transmitting the media program data and the manifest to the theater.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for segmenting media program data into a plurality of media segments, for generating a mapping of each attribute value with a pointer to the component of the segment of the media program data having the attribute associated with the attribute value, and for generating a manifest from the mapping and from data describing an authorized media program version authorized for display at the theater comprises one or more data processors.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for transmitting the media program data and the manifest to the theater comprises a ground station, and a satellite in communication with the ground station.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving the media program data and the manifest; and

means for assembling the components of the authorized media program version according to the manifest.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the means for receiving the media program data and the manifest comprises a receiver, and

the means for assembling the components of the authorized media program version according to the manifest comprises a display entity processor.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for decrypting the media program data associated with the authorized media program version according to the conditional access information.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the media program is segmented by time.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the media program is segmented by scene.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the media program is segmented into segments by tagging the segments.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one component is selected from the group comprising;

video;

audio; and

text.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, the mapping comprises a database.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mapping comprises a matrix.

25. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the authorized media program version is assembled from data describing authorized components of the segments of the media program.

26. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising the step of a augmenting the media program with an auxiliary media segment.

27. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary media segment is selected from the group comprising

a trailer;

and

an advertisement.