Method and apparatus for modifying a stream of digital content

• US 9,854,019 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MX1 GmbH (SES SA)
• Original Assignee: MX1 GmbH (SES SA)
• Inventors: Herrfurt, Matthias, Sohst, Lennart
• Primary Examiner(s): Algibhah, Hamza
• Application Number:
  US14/287,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 709231
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/37 via a different channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/81 characterised by the transmission system itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• 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 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for modifying a stream of digital content received via a first data connection at a reproducing device, the stream of digital content being related to at least one time code. The method comprises the following steps when reproducing the stream of digital content: (a) receiving at least one cue point by the reproducing device via a second data connection; and (b) modifying the stream of digital content by the reproducing device when the at least one time code related to the stream of digital content matches the at least one cue point.

Claims

1. A method for modifying a stream of digital content received via a first connection at a reproducing device, the stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, the method comprising:

when reproducing the stream of digital content;

a. receiving, by the reproducing device, at least one cue point via a second connection, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp;

b. determining that the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point matches the at least one time code; and

c. modifying, by the reproducing device, the stream of digital content at the time indicated by the at least one time stamp in response to a determination that the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point matches the at least one time code.

2. A method for modifying a stream of digital content transmitted via a first connection by a transmitting device, the stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, the method comprising:

a. generating at least one cue point for the stream of digital content, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp; and

b. transmitting the at least one cue point via a second connection, the at least one cue point modifying the stream of digital content at the time(s) indicated by the at least one time stamp based on a determination that the at least one time code related to the stream of digital content matches the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

inserting at least one time code into the stream of digital content.

4. A method for modifying a stream of digital content by a cue point providing entity, the stream of digital content being transmitted from a transmitting device to a reproducing device via a first connection, and the stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, the method comprising:

a. receiving at least one cue point for the stream of digital content, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp; and

b. transmitting the at least one cue point via a second connection, the at least one cue point modifying the stream of digital content at the time(s) indicated by the at least one time stamp based on a determination that the at least one time code related to the stream of digital content matches the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting, by the reproducing device, at least one request for the at least one cue point.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said transmitting the at least one request for the at least one cue point is triggered by:

at least one signaling of the stream of digital content;

or

the reproducing device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one request for the at least one cue point is periodically transmitted.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one request for the at least one cue point is transmitted via the second connection.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the second connection comprises an out-of-band connection.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said modifying the digital content comprises one or more of:

removing digital content;

exchanging digital content by new digital content;

or

inserting new digital content in the received stream of digital content at the at least one cue point.

11. A reproducing device for modifying a stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, wherein the reproducing device is configured to:

a. receive the stream of digital content via a first connection and/or means for storing the stream of digital content;

b. receive at least one cue point via a second connection, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp;

c. determine that the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point matches the at least one time code; and

d. modify the stream of digital content at the time indicated by the at least one time stamp in response to a determination that the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point matches the at least one time code.

12. A transmitting device for modifying a stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, wherein the transmitting device is configured to:

a. transmit the stream of digital content via a first connection;

b. generate at least one cue point for the stream of digital content, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp; and

c. transmit the at least one cue point via a second connection, the at least one cue point modifying the stream of digital content at the time(s) indicated by the at least one time stamp based on a determination that the at least one time code related to the stream of digital content matches the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point.

13. A cue point providing entity for modifying a stream of digital content, the stream of digital content being transmitted from a transmitting device to a reproducing device via a first connection, and the stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, wherein the cue point providing entity is configured to:

a. receive at least one cue point for the stream of digital content, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp; and

b. transmit the at least one cue point via a second connection, the at least one cue point modifying the stream of digital content at the time(s) indicated by the at least one time stamp based on a determination that when the at least one time code related to the stream of digital content matches the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point.

14. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium that stores program instructions for modifying a stream of digital content received via a first connection at a reproducing device, the stream of digital content comprising at least one time code, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to perform:

when reproducing the stream of digital content;

a. receiving, by the reproducing device, at least one cue point via a second connection, wherein the at least one cue point comprises at least one time stamp;

b. determining that the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point matches the at least one time code; and

c. modifying, by the reproducing device, the stream of digital content at the time indicated by the at least one time stamp in response to a determination that the at least one time stamp of the at least one cue point matches the at least one time code.

15. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting, by the reproducing device, at least one request for the at least one cue point.

16. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 15, wherein said transmitting the at least one request for the at least one cue point is triggered by:

at least one signaling of the stream of digital content;

or

the reproducing device.

17. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one request for the at least one cue point is periodically transmitted.

18. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one request for the at least one cue point is transmitted via the second connection.

19. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 15, wherein the second connection comprises an out-of-band connection.

20. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 15, wherein said modifying the digital content comprises one or more of:

removing digital content;

exchanging digital content for new digital content;

or

inserting new digital content in the received stream of digital content at the at least one cue point.