Content replacement by PID mapping
First Claim
1. A method for packet substitution, comprising:
- receiving content data packets having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second packets of content data within the same content data stream;
programming a first PID into a demultiplexer configured to received said content data;
enabling a content substitution selectable criteria by choosing said second PID;
programming the second PID value into the demultiplexer;
if a content data packet within the received content data at the set-top box demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to the first PID, set a delete first PID flag for the packet;
if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, and if the delete first PID flag is set, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to null, clear the delete primary PID flag; and
wherein the demultiplexer is operative to store, stream or decode all selected content data packets that contain an active, non-null PID.
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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. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for packet substitution, comprising:
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receiving content data packets having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second packets of content data within the same content data stream; programming a first PID into a demultiplexer configured to received said content data; enabling a content substitution selectable criteria by choosing said second PID; programming the second PID value into the demultiplexer; if a content data packet within the received content data at the set-top box demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to the first PID, set a delete first PID flag for the packet; if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, and if the delete first PID flag is set, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to null, clear the delete primary PID flag; and wherein the demultiplexer is operative to store, stream or decode all selected content data packets that contain an active, non-null PID. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for packet substitution, comprising:
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receiving content data packets having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second packets of content data within the same content data stream; programming a first PID into a demultiplexer configured to received said content data; enabling a many-for-one content packet substitution selectable criteria by choosing said second PID; programming the second PID value into the demultiplexer; if a delete first PID flag is set and a content data packet within the received content data at the set-top box demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to null; if content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to the first PID, and store, stream or decode said content data packet. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for packet insertion operations in encoded content, comprising:
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receiving content data packets having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second packets of content data within the same content data stream; programming a first PID into a demultiplexer configured to received said content data; enabling a content insertion selectable criteria by choosing said second PID; programming the second PID value into the set-top box demultiplexer; if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the second PID to the first PID, and store, decode or stream said content data packet; if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, and the demultiplexer is operative to store, decode or stream said received content data packet stream; and wherein either the content marked by the second PID or the first PID contains an adaptation field, and private data in the adaptation field is examined first to determine whether or not the content substitution is to be enabled. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for packet substitution, comprising:
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receiving content data packets having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second packets of content data within the same content data stream; programming a first PID into a demultiplexer configured to received said content data; enabling a many-for-one content packet substitution selectable criteria by choosing said second PID; programming the second PID value into the demultiplexer; starting from a first state (state 1), if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, the demultiplexer is operative to store, stream or decode said content data packet and with the demultiplexer remaining in the first state; starting from the first state, if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to the first PID and to store, stream or decode said content and with the demultiplexer moving a second state (state 2); starting from the second state, if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to null and with the demultiplexer moving to a third state (state 3); starting from the second state, if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to the first PID and to store, stream or decode said content, and with the demultiplexer returning to the first state; starting the third state, if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the first PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to null and with the demultiplexer remaining in the third state; starting from the third state, if a content data packet within the received content data at the demultiplexer is marked by the second PID, the demultiplexer is operative to change the packet PID to the first PID and to store, stream or decode said content, and with the demultiplexer returning to the second state.
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44. A demultiplexer capable of multiple packet swapping modes, comprising:
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receiving content data packets having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second packets of content data within the same content data stream; programming a first PID into the demultiplexer configured to received said content data; enabling a substitution or insertion packet operation selectable criteria by choosing said second PID and programming a packet swapping mode; if a first packet swapping mode is programmed, enabling a one-for-one substitution of a packet marked by the second PID for a packet marked by the first PID; if a second packet swapping mode is programmed, enabling a one-for-one insertion of the packet marked by the second PID; and if a third packet swapping mode is programmed, enabling a multiple insertion of packets marked by the second PID and multiple deletion of packets marked by the first PID.
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45. A method for enabling packet substitution within a demultiplexer in a set-top box, comprising:
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programming a primary (packet identifier) PID into the demultiplexer; enabling a content substitution criteria selectable by choosing a secondary (PID) and programming that value into a set-top box demultiplexer storage register; receiving a transport stream packet at the demultiplexer marked by the secondary PID, changing the PID to the primary PID, setting the delete primary PID flag, and storing the packet in a temporary holding buffer; receiving a transport stream packet at the demultiplexer marked by the primary PID, if the delete primary PID flag is set, changing the PID to null, clearing the delete primary PID flag, and storing the received packet; wherein the demultiplexer is operative to perform a one-packet-for-one-packet substitution of content marked by a primary PID for content within packets marked by a secondary PID when all content is received within a single structured content stream.
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Specification