Systems and methods for providing multiple video streams per audio stream

• US 8,166,503 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Music Choice
• Original Assignee: Music Choice
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Jeremy C., Farber, Stuart H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andramuno, Franklin
• Application Number:
  US12/212,203
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/109, 725/134
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages

Abstract

A system and method for providing multiple video presentations per audio program. In one aspect, the method comprises (a) assigning a first packet identifier (PID) to a first elementary stream, wherein the first elementary stream comprises video packets corresponding to a high-definition video presentation; (b) assigning a second PID to a second elementary stream, wherein the second elementary stream comprises video packets corresponding to a standard-definition video presentation and the second PID is different than the first PID; (c) assigning a third PID to a third elementary stream, wherein the third elementary stream comprises audio packets corresponding to a selected audio recording, wherein the third PID is different than the second PID; and (d) (1) creating a program map table that includes the first PID, the second PID and the third PID or (2) creating (i) a first program map table that includes the first PID and the third PID and (ii) a second program map table that includes the second PID and the third PID. In this way, the method provides a high-definition and a standard-definition video presentation per a single audio program.

Claims

1. A method for providing a visual complement to an audio service, comprising:

selecting a sound recording;

after selecting the sound recording, transmitting a trigger message, wherein the trigger message comprises an identifier that is associated with the selected sound recording;

receiving the trigger message; and

in response to receiving the trigger message, generating or selecting at least a first video image and a second video image based, at least in part, on configuration data and/or the identifier contained in the trigger message, wherein the resolution of the first video image is greater than the resolution of the second video image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a stream comprising:

(i) audio data packets corresponding to the selected sound recording, (ii) video packets corresponding to the first video image, and (iii) video packets corresponding to the second video image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stream is a transport stream and the stream further comprises a packet containing a program map table (PMT) for identifying audio and video components of a program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the PMT identifies (i) the video packets corresponding to the first video image as being a component of the program, (ii) the video packets corresponding to the second video image as being a component of the program, and (iii) the audio packets as being a component of the program.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning to each of the audio packets a first packet identifier (PID);

assigning to each of the video packets corresponding to the first video image a second PID; and

assigning to each of the video packets corresponding to the second video image a third PID, wherein the second PID is different than the first PID.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the stream further comprises a program map table, and the program map table includes the first PID, the second PID and the third PID.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the stream further comprises a first program map table and a second program map table, wherein the first program map table includes the first PID and the third PID and the second program map table includes the second PID and the third PID.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video image comprises an intra-coded frame and the second video image comprises an intra-coded frame.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first video image further comprises null predictive-frames and the second video image further comprises null predictive-frames.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second video images are encoded according to an MPEG standard.

11. A system for providing a visual complement to an audio service, comprising:

a sound recording selector configured to select a sound recording;

a trigger message transmitter configured to transmit a trigger message after the sound recording selector selects a sound recording, wherein the trigger message comprises an identifier that is associated with the selected sound recording; and

a video image generator configured to generate or select at least a first video image and a second video image in response to receiving the trigger message such that the resolution of the first video image is greater than the resolution of the second video image, wherein the video image generator is configured to generate or select said video images based, at least in part, on configuration data and/or the identifier contained in the received trigger message.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a stream comprising:

(i) audio data packets corresponding to the selected sound recording, (ii) video packets corresponding to the first video image, and (iii) video packets corresponding to the second video image.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the stream is a transport stream and the stream further comprises a packet containing a program map table (PMT) for identifying audio and video components of a program.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the PMT identifies (i) the video packets corresponding to the first video image as being a component of the program, (ii) the video packets corresponding to the second video image as being a component of the program, and

(iii) the audio packets as being a component of the program.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising an encoder configured to:

assign to each of the audio packets a first packet identifier (PID);

assign to each of the video packets corresponding to the first video image a second PID; and

assign to each of the video packets corresponding to the second video image a third PID, wherein the second PID is different than the first PID.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the stream further comprises a program map table, and the program map table includes the first PID, the second PID and the third PID.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the stream further comprises a first program map table and a second program map table, wherein the first program map table includes the first PID and the third PID and the second program map table includes the second PID and the third PID.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the first video image comprises an intra-coded frame and the second video image comprises an intra-coded frame.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first video image further comprises null predictive-frames and the second video image further comprises null predictive-frames.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second video images are encoded according to an MPEG standard.

21. A method for providing a visual complement to an audio service, comprising:

(a) assigning a first packet identifier (PID) to a first elementary stream, wherein the first elementary stream comprises video packets corresponding to a high-definition video presentation;

(b) assigning a second PID to a second elementary stream, wherein the second elementary stream comprises video packets corresponding to a standard-definition video presentation and the second PID is different than the first PID;

(c) assigning a third PID to a third elementary stream, wherein the third elementary stream comprises audio packets corresponding to a selected audio recording, wherein the third PID is different than the second PID; and

(d) (1) creating a program map table that includes the first PID, the second PID and the third PID or (2) creating (i) a first program map table that includes the first PID and the third PID and (ii) a second program map table that includes the second PID and the third PID.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

(e) generating or selecting the high-definition and standard definition video presentations in response to the selection of the audio recording, wherein step (e) is preformed prior to step (a).

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the generating or selecting step is performed directly in response to the receipt of a trigger message that was transmitted after the audio recording was selected, wherein the trigger message includes an identifier associated with the selected audio recording.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of generating the high-definition video presentation comprises creating a video image encoded according to an MPEG standard.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting in a single transport stream (1) the video packets corresponding to the standard-definition video presentation, (2) the video packets corresponding to the high-definition video presentation, (3) the audio packets corresponding to the selected audio recording, and (4) the program map table that includes the first PID, the second PID and the third PID.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting in a single transport stream (1) the video packets corresponding to the standard-definition video presentation, (2) the video packets corresponding to the high-definition video presentation, (3) the audio packets corresponding to the selected audio recording, (4) the first program map table, and (5) the second program map table.