Method and apparatus for indexing content within a media stream

• US 8,904,446 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Pandey, Chandra
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIERORAZIO, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/483,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20130326561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 386/295, 386/356
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/921 by recording or reproducing the baseband signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

An approach provides indexing of media content capable of effectively controlling playback availability of the vast variety of media content. A recording of a video session associated with a media stream is initiated. A portion of the video session is selected. And an index for playback of the selected portion and for playback of the video session is configured, wherein the selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating a recording of a video session associated with a media stream;

determining a frame of the video session displayed during a user input indicating a duration;

selecting a portion of the video session having the frame as a last frame and the duration as a playback time, wherein the portion is selected by dynamic insertion of one or more frame markers into the media stream during the video session; and

configuring an index for playback of the selected portion and for playback of the video session, wherein the selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving scheduling information associated with one or more electronic program guides indicating a plurality of video sessions associated with the media stream including the video session, wherein the video session recording is initiated based on the scheduling information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a part of the video session from a repository that does not include the selected portion, wherein the removal of the part of the video session renders the video session unavailable for playback, and the selected portion is played back after removing the part of the video session.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

designating a first priority value to the video session, wherein the removal of the part of the video session is based on the first priority value; and

designating a second priority value to the selected portion, wherein the selected portion is available for playback after removing the part of the video session based on the second priority value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the index for playback of a part of the video session that does not include the selected portion, wherein the part of the video session is played back when the selected portion is unavailable.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining authentication information authorizing playback of the selected portion when the playback of the video session reaches the selected portion; and

configuring the index for playback of the video session based on the authentication information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting another portion of the video session; and

configuring the index for playback of the another selected portion, wherein the another selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

initiate a recording of a video session associated with a media stream;

determine a frame of the video session displayed during a user input indicating a duration;

select a portion of the video session having the frame as a last frame and the duration as a playback time, wherein the portion is selected by dynamic insertion of one or more frame markers into the media stream during the video session; and

configure an index for playback of the selected portion and for playback of the video session, wherein the selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

retrieve scheduling information associated with one or more electronic program guides indicating a plurality of video sessions associated with the media stream including the video session, wherein the video session recording is initiated based on the scheduling information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to remove a part of the video session from a repository that does not include the selected portion, wherein the removal of the part of the video session renders the video session unavailable for playback, and the selected portion is played back after removing the part of the video session.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

designate a first priority value to the video session, wherein the removal of the part of the video session is based on the first priority value; and

designate a second priority value to the selected portion, wherein the selected portion is available for playback after removing the part of the video session based on the second priority value.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to configure the index for playback of a part of the video session that does not include the selected portion, wherein the part of the video session is played back when the selected portion is unavailable.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine authentication information authorizing playback of the selected portion when the playback of the video session reaches the selected portion; and

configure the index for playback of the video session based on the authentication information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

select another portion of the video session; and

configure the index for playback of the another selected portion, wherein the another selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

15. A method comprising:

initiating, by a set-top box, a recording of a video session associated with a media stream;

determining, by the set-top box, a frame of the video session displayed during a user input indicating a duration;

selecting, by the set-top box, a portion of the video session having the frame as a last frame and the duration as a playback time, wherein the portion is selected by dynamic insertion of one or more frame markers into the media stream during the video session; and

configuring, by the set-top box, an index for playback of the video session and for playback of the selected portion, wherein the selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

retrieving, by the set-top box, scheduling information associated with one or more electronic program guides indicating a plurality of video sessions associated with media stream including the video session, wherein the video session recording is initiated based on the scheduling information.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising removing a part of the video session from memory of the set-top box that does not include the selected portion, wherein the removal of the part of the video session renders the video session unavailable for playback, and the selected portion is played back after removing the part of the video session.

18. A set-top box device comprising:

a processor configured to;

initiate a recording of a video session associated with a media stream,

determine a frame of the video session displayed during a user input indicating a duration,

select a portion of the video session having the frame as a last frame and the duration as a playback time, wherein the portion is selected by dynamic insertion of one or more frame markers into the media stream during the video session, and

configure an index for playback of the video session and for playback of the selected portion; and

a memory configured to store the video session,

wherein the selected portion is played back when the video session is unavailable for playback.

19. The set-top box device according to claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

retrieve scheduling information associated with one or more electronic program guides indicating a plurality of video sessions associated with media stream including the video session, wherein the video session recording is initiated based on the scheduling information.

20. The set-top box device according to claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to remove a part of the video session from the memory that does not include the selected portion, wherein the removal of the part of the video session renders the video session unavailable for playback, and the selected portion is played back after removing the part of the video session.