Closed caption tagging system

• US 8,781,298 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Smith, Kevin P., Chamberlin, David, Look, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Daquan
• Application Number:
  US13/253,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20120114301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 386/239, 386/241, 386/245, 386/248, 386/249, 386/250, 725/22, 725/32, 725/36, 725/42
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/8455 : involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 : Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 : the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. Program material from the broadcast stream is played back to the viewer from the storage device. Tags indicate the start and end points of a program segment. Program segments such as commercials are automatically replaced by the receiver with new program segments that are selected based on various criteria.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a device, a broadcast stream comprising at least video frames and command tags, the command tags including at least start tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to start points of program segments and end tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to end points of the program segments;

detecting a first end point of a first program segment in the broadcast stream by detecting a first end tag in the broadcast stream that indicates the first end point of the first program segment;

responsive to detecting the first end tag;

searching for a first start tag, in the broadcast stream, that is associated with the first end tag and indicates a first start point of the first program segment;

identifying, by the device, the first program segment based on the first start tag and the first end tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first end tag occurs during a rewind operation being performed by the device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment during playback of the broadcast stream.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising overwriting at least a portion of the first program segment stored in memory with at least a portion of a second program segment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first start tag comprises a tag type of the first start tag, the tag type indicating one or more actions to be performed by the device in association with the first program segment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first start tag and the first end tag are located in one or more of:

closed caption data in the broadcast stream, or a private data channel in the broadcast stream.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing the first program segment with a second program segment that is selected based on one or more of:

locale of a device playing the broadcast stream, the time of day, a viewer'"'"'s viewing habits, the viewer'"'"'s program preferences, or the viewer'"'"'s personal information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment responsive to detecting the first end point while rewinding through the broadcast stream.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first start tag comprises a unique identifier for the first program segment and the first end tag comprises the same unique identifier for the first program segment.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a device, a broadcast stream comprising at least video frames and command tags, the command tags including at least start tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to start points of program segments and end tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to end points of the program segments;

detecting a first start point of a first program segment in the broadcast stream, during a fast-forward operation being performed by a device, by detecting a first start tag in the broadcast stream that indicates the first start point of the first program segment, the first start tag comprising a unique identifier for the first program segment;

responsive to detecting the first start tag;

searching for an first end tag, in the broadcast stream, that is associated with the first start tag and indicates the first end point of the first program segment, the first end tag comprising the same unique identifier for the first program segment;

identifying, by the device, the first program segment based on the first start tag and the first end tag.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising replacing at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment during playback of the broadcast stream.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising overwriting at least a portion of the first program segment stored in memory with at least a portion of a second program segment.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first start tag comprises a tag type of the first start tag, the tag type indicating one or more actions to be performed by the device in association with the first program segment.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first start tag and the first end tag are located in one or more of:

closed caption data in the broadcast stream, or a private data channel in the broadcast stream.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising replacing the first program segment with a second program segment that is selected based on one or more of:

locale of a device playing the broadcast stream, the time of day, a viewer'"'"'s viewing habits, the viewer'"'"'s program preferences, or the viewer'"'"'s personal information.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first start tag comprises a timeout value indicating a maximum duration of time to search for the first end tag.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, performs steps comprising:

receiving, at a device, a broadcast stream comprising at least video frames and command tags, the command tags including at least start tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to start points of program segments and end tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to end points of the program segments;

detecting a first end point of a first program segment in the broadcast stream by detecting a first end tag in the broadcast stream that indicates the first end point of the first program segment;

responsive to detecting the first end tag;

searching for a first start tag, in the broadcast stream, that is associated with the first end tag and indicates a first start point of the first program segment;

identifying, by the device, the first program segment based on the first start tag and the first end tag.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein detecting the first end tag occurs during a rewind operation being performed by the device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise replacing at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment during playback of the broadcast stream.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise overwriting at least a portion of the first program segment stored in memory with at least a portion of a second program segment.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first start tag comprises a tag type of the first start tag, the tag type indicating one or more actions to be performed by the device in association with the first program segment.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first start tag and the first end tag are located in one or more of:

closed caption data in the broadcast stream, or a private data channel in the broadcast stream.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise replacing the first program segment with a second program segment that is selected based on one or more of:

locale of a device playing the broadcast stream, the time of day, a viewer'"'"'s viewing habits, the viewer'"'"'s program preferences, or the viewer'"'"'s personal information.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise replacing at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment responsive to detecting the first end point while rewinding through the broadcast stream.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first start tag comprises a unique identifier for the first program segment and the first end tag comprises the same unique identifier for the first program segment.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, performs steps comprising:

receiving, at a device, a broadcast stream comprising at least video frames and command tags, the command tags including at least start tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to start points of program segments and end tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to end points of the program segments;

detecting a first start point of a first program segment in the broadcast stream, during a fast-forward operation being performed by a device, by detecting a first start tag in the broadcast stream that indicates the first start point of the first program segment, the first start tag comprising a unique identifier for the first program segment;

responsive to detecting the first start tag;

searching for an first end tag, in the broadcast stream, that is associated with the first start tag and indicates the first end point of the first program segment, the first end tag comprising the same unique identifier for the first program segment;

identifying, by the device, the first program segment based on the first start tag and the first end tag.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise replacing at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment during playback of the broadcast stream.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise overwriting at least a portion of the first program segment stored in memory with at least a portion of a second program segment.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the first start tag comprises a tag type of the first start tag, the tag type indicating one or more actions to be performed by the device in association with the first program segment.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first start tag and the first end tag are located in one or more of:

closed caption data in the broadcast stream, or a private data channel in the broadcast stream.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise replacing the first program segment with a second program segment that is selected based on one or more of:

locale of a device playing the broadcast stream, the time of day, a viewer'"'"'s viewing habits, the viewer'"'"'s program preferences, or the viewer'"'"'s personal information.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the first start tag comprises a timeout value indicating a maximum duration of time to search for the first end tag.

33. A system comprising:

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to receive, at a device, a broadcast stream comprising at least video frames and command tags, the command tags including at least start tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to start points of program segments and end tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to end points of the program segments;

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to detect a first end point of a first program segment in the broadcast stream by detecting a first end tag in the broadcast stream that indicates the first end point of the first program segment;

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to, responsive to detecting the first end tag;

search for a first start tag, in the broadcast stream, that is associated with the first end tag and indicates a first start point of the first program segment;

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to identify, by the device, the first program segment based on the first start tag and the first end tag.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein detecting the first end tag occurs during a rewind operation being performed by the device.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising a component configured to replace at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment during playback of the broadcast stream.

36. The system of claim 33, further comprising a component configured to overwrite at least a portion of the first program segment stored in memory with at least a portion of a second program segment.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the first start tag comprises a tag type of the first start tag, the tag type indicating one or more actions to be performed by the device in association with the first program segment.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein at least one of the first start tag and the first end tag are located in one or more of:

closed caption data in the broadcast stream, or a private data channel in the broadcast stream.

39. The system of claim 33, further comprising a component configured to replace the first program segment with a second program segment that is selected based on one or more of:

locale of a device playing the broadcast stream, the time of day, a viewer'"'"'s viewing habits, the viewer'"'"'s program preferences, or the viewer'"'"'s personal information.

40. The system of claim 33, further comprising a component configured to replace at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment responsive to detecting the first end point while rewinding through the broadcast stream.

41. The system of claim 33, wherein the first start tag comprises a unique identifier for the first program segment and the first end tag comprises the same unique identifier for the first program segment.

42. A system comprising:

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to receive, at a device, a broadcast stream comprising at least video frames and command tags, the command tags including at least start tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to start points of program segments and end tags that indicate which of the video frames correspond to end points of the program segments;

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to detect a first start point of a first program segment in the broadcast stream, during a fast-forward operation being performed by a device, by detecting a first start tag in the broadcast stream that indicates the first start point of the first program segment, the first start tag comprising a unique identifier for the first program segment;

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to responsive to detecting the first start tag;

search for an first end tag, in the broadcast stream, that is associated with the first start tag and indicates the first end point of the first program segment, the first end tag comprising the same unique identifier for the first program segment;

a component, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to identify, by the device, the first program segment based on the first start tag and the first end tag.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising a component configured to replace at least a portion of the first program segment with at least a portion of a second program segment during playback of the broadcast stream.

44. The system of claim 42, further comprising a component configured to overwrite at least a portion of the first program segment stored in memory with at least a portion of a second program segment.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the first start tag comprises a tag type of the first start tag, the tag type indicating one or more actions to be performed by the device in association with the first program segment.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein at least one of the first start tag and the first end tag are located in one or more of:

closed caption data in the broadcast stream, or a private data channel in the broadcast stream.

47. The system of claim 42, further comprising a component configured to replace the first program segment with a second program segment that is selected based on one or more of:

locale of a device playing the broadcast stream, the time of day, a viewer'"'"'s viewing habits, the viewer'"'"'s program preferences, or the viewer'"'"'s personal information.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein the first start tag comprises a timeout value indicating a maximum duration of time to search for the first end tag.