Customized zapping

• US 8,949,891 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gauthier, Aurelie, Sattler, Vincent, Chauvier, Laurent, Shah, Bijal, Ruelle, Alex, Lee, Stephen Hoiman
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAIG, SAHAR A
• Application Number:
  US14/115,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 725/38, 725/40, 725/47
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41 Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

A method and apparatus is described to display a customized video sequence during a channel change interval. The method includes displaying a first channel; receiving a channel change request from a user requesting a second channel for display; displaying a video sequence during the channel change interval; and displaying a second channel; characterized in that the displaying of the video sequence during the channel change interval further comprises displaying a black screen with no audio and no video for a short duration; playing out a first portion of a customized video sequence relevant to the second channel entirely; and playing out a second portion of the customized video sequence relevant to the second channel until the second channel is ready to be displayed.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a customized video sequence during a channel change interval, said method comprising:

displaying a first channel;

receiving a channel change request from a user requesting a second channel for display;

displaying a video sequence during said channel change interval; and

displaying a second channel;

wherein, said displaying a video sequence during said channel change interval further comprises;

displaying a black screen with no audio and no video for a short duration;

playing out a first video portion of a customized video sequence relevant to said second channel until an end point signaled in metadata provided by a television operator;

playing out a second video portion of said customized video sequence relevant to said second channel until said second channel is ready to be displayed; and

repetitively playing out said second video portion when an end point of said second video portion signaled in said metadata is reached and until said second channel is ready to be displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said playing out said second video portion is interrupted when said second channel is ready to be displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

storing a plurality of customized video sequences, said plurality of customized video sequences being relevant to a plurality of channels; and

identifying a customized video sequence relevant to a second channel requested by a user from said plurality of customized video sequences, said relevant customized video sequence being displayed as said video sequence.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said storing a plurality of customized video sequences comprises storing said customized video sequences in a single video file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said storing said customized video sequences in a single video file further comprises opening and placing said video file in a pause mode until a customized video sequence relevant to said second channel is identified for being played out.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said storing a plurality of customized video sequences comprises storing said customized video sequences in a plurality of video files.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said storing said customized video sequences in a plurality of video files comprises storing a set of customized video sequences relevant to one channel in a separate video file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said storing said set of customized video sequences relevant to one channel in a separate file comprises storing customized video sequences of channels adjacent to said one channel.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said storing said customized video sequences in a plurality of video files comprises storing a set of customized video sequences relevant to a specific group of channels in a separate video file, said specific group of channels including:

one channel and channels having a same two first digits as said one channel;

or

channels included in a specific subscription pack;

or

channels marked as favorite channels by a user;

or

channels obtained as results of a search performed by a user.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein said identifying said customized video sequence relevant to a second channel requested by a user comprises using metadata provided by television operators.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein said method further comprises processing a plurality of customized video sequences to create a plurality of new customized video sequences, said plurality of new customized video sequences being relevant to a plurality of channels.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said processing said plurality of customized video sequences comprises retrieving relevant frames for said customized video sequences from external sources.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said processing said plurality of customized video sequences comprises extracting relevant frames from said customized video sequences.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said extracting relevant frames from said customized video sequences comprises extracting i-frames from said customized video sequences.

15. The method of claim 11, said method further comprising:

playing out said processed customized video sequences as sequences using an i-frame decoder while decoding a second channel requested by a user.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said processing said plurality of customized video sequences to create said plurality of new customized video sequences comprises creating new frames, each of said new frames containing a mosaic of relevant frames extracted from said customized video sequences.

17. The method of claim 11, said method further comprising:

decoding and storing a new customized video sequence;

playing out a first video portion of said new customized video sequence upon decoding of said first video portion and until an end point of said first video portion signaled in metadata provided by a television operator;

playing out a second video portion of said new customized video sequence until a second channel requested by a user is ready to be displayed; and

repetitively playing out said second video portion when an end point of said second video portion signaled in said metadata is reached and until said second channel is ready to be displayed;

wherein said playing out said second video portion and said repetitively playing out said second video portion are achieved using said stored new customized video sequence.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said playing out said first and second video portions of said new customized video sequence comprises upscaling a relevant frame of said mosaic of relevant frames for display in full screen.

19. Apparatus for displaying a customized video sequence during a channel change interval, said device comprising:

means for displaying a first channel, a video sequence during said channel change interval and a second channel;

means for receiving a channel change request from a user requesting a second channel for display;

wherein said means for displaying a video sequence during said channel change interval is further for displaying a black screen with no audio and no video for a short duration;

for playing out a first video portion of a customized video sequence relevant to said second channel until an end point of said first video portion signaled in metadata provided by a television operator;

for playing out a second video portion of said customized video sequence relevant to said second channel until said second channel is ready to be displayed; and

for repetitively playing out said second video portion when an end point of said second video portion signaled in said metadata is reached and until said second channel is ready to be displayed.

20. A receiving device operable to display a customized video sequence during a channel change interval, said device comprising:

a display device operable to display a first channel, a video sequence during said channel change interval and a second channel;

a receiver operable to receive a channel change request from a user requesting a second channel for display;

wherein said display device operable to display a video sequence during said channel change interval is further operable to display a black screen with no audio and no video for a short duration;

to play out a first video portion of a customized video sequence relevant to said second channel until an end point of said first video portion signaled in metadata provided by a television operator;

to play out a second video portion of said customized video sequence relevant to said second channel until said second channel is ready to be displayed; and

to repetitively play out said second video portion when an end point of said second video portion signaled in said metadata is reached and until said second channel is ready to be displayed.