Distributed composition of broadcast television programs

• US 9,420,230 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Reitmeier, Glenn A., Smith, Peter, Duff, Thomas M., Steib, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US11/272,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,928 Days
• Field of Search: 725/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Described are methods and systems for combining programming content in a controlled synchronized manner. The systems and methods allow for centrally generated content to be modified using local content. The centrally generated content can include data that specifies what portions of the centrally generated content can be modified by the local content.

Claims

1. A method of distributing customizable program content comprising:

distributing a program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously on different portions of a display, and

distributing spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments can be subsequently modified,

wherein the data and program are distributed simultaneously as part of a common program signal having a compressed format and the multiple program segments are horizontally and vertically sized as distributed to have spatial dimensions that are an integer multiple of a macroblock size, wherein at least one of the program segments includes a plurality of macroblocks, and wherein edges of the multiple program segments are aligned with macroblock boundaries.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is a television program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is a web site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises the location of one or more program segments.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises the size of one or more program segments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises the duration of one or more program segments.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the program signal is a nationally broadcast television program.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying one or more program segments.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the one or more program segments comprises replacing the one or more program segments with local content.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the one or more program segments comprises modifying only part of one or more segments.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising distributing the modified program to one or more users.

12. A method of distributing customizable program content comprising:

distributing a television program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously on different portions of a display, and

distributing spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments can be subsequently modified,

wherein the data and the television program are distributed simultaneously as part of the same program signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the program signal is a digital program signal.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the program signal is in MPEG-2 format.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the program signal is in a compressed format and the multiple program segments are horizontally and vertically sized to have dimensions that are an integer multiple of a macroblock size, and wherein edges of the multiple program segments align with macroblock boundaries.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the program signal is an analog program signal.

17. A method of distributing customizable program content comprising:

distributing a program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously on different portions of a display, and

distributing spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments can be subsequently modified,

wherein the program signal is in MPEG-2 format and the multiple program segments are horizontally and vertically sized as distributed to have spatial dimensions that are an integer multiple of a macroblock size, wherein at least one of the program segments includes a plurality of macroblocks, and wherein edges of the multiple program segments align with macroblock boundaries.

18. A method of customizing program content comprising:

receiving a program in a compressed format, the program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously on different portions of a display, the multiple program segments horizontally and vertically sized as distributed to have dimensions that are an integer multiple of a macroblock size,

receiving spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments can be subsequently modified, and

modifying one or more segments to produce a modified program including aligning edges of the multiple program segments with macroblock boundaries, at least one of the program segments including a plurality of macroblocks.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising distributing the modified program to one or more users.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising distributing the modified program to a plurality of users.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the program is a television program.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the program is a web site.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the data further comprises the location of one or more program segments.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the data further comprises the size of one or more program segments.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the data further comprises the duration of one or more program segments.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the program is a nationally broadcast television program.

27. A method of customizing program content comprising:

receiving a television program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously on different portions of a display,

receiving spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments can be subsequently modified, and

modifying one or more segments to produce a modified program,

wherein the data and the television program are received simultaneously as part of the same program signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the program is received in digital format.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the program signal is in MPEG-2 format.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the program signal is in MPEG-2 format and the multiple program segments are horizontally and vertically sized to have dimensions that are an integer multiple of a macroblock size, and wherein edges of the multiple program segments align with macroblock boundaries.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the program signal is in a compressed format and the multiple program segments are horizontally and vertically sized to have dimensions that are an integer multiple of a macroblock size, and wherein edges of the multiple program segments align with macroblock boundaries.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the program signal is an analog program signal.

33. A non-transitory computer readable media having computer readable code stored on a programmed computer system which when executed by the computer system causes the computer system to implement a method for customizing program content, comprising:

modifying a program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously utilizing spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments may be modified including aligning edges of the multiple program segments with macroblock boundaries, at least one of the program segments including a plurality of macroblocks.

34. The computer readable media of claim 33, wherein the data further comprises a location, size or timing of the segments.

35. A system for customizing program content comprising:

a computer system, and

an application program for modifying a program comprising multiple program segments configured to be displayed spatially adjacent to one another simultaneously utilizing spatial location data comprising an indication of which segments may be modified including aligning edges of the multiple program segments with macroblock boundaries, at least one of the program segments including a plurality of macroblocks.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the data further comprises a location, size or timing of the segments.