In-stream controls for national video distribution

• US 10,070,161 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Harrell, Michael, Middlemist, Eric, Weaver, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierorazio, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US14/867,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 725 36
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• 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 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• 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 21/6338 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for delivering regional content for a lineup over a national network. A content provider may select a particular regional broadcast for inclusion in a regional service lineup. The content provider may be able to broadcast multiple, or even all, services nationally. At regional distribution centers, a multiplexer may select only those services that are desired for the region in response to in-stream signals. In some instances, a single region-specific version of a given service may be selected from multiple versions broadcasted nationally. The regional lineup, including the selected services, can then be multiplexed and transmitted to customers throughout the region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first multiplexer, a plurality of alternative video feeds for a single slot in a regional service lineup, wherein each alternative video feed of the plurality of alternative video feeds comprises multiplexing instructions indicating whether that alternative video feed is to be multiplexed in the regional service lineup;

determining, by the first multiplexer and based on the multiplexing instructions, a first alternative video feed of the plurality of alternative video feeds for inclusion in the regional service lineup; and

transmitting, by the first multiplexer, the regional service lineup comprising the determined first alternative video feed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the regional service lineup comprises:

one of the plurality of alternative video feeds and a plurality of other video feeds.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the determining of the first alternative video feed; and

storing a description of the monitoring in a log.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of alternative video feeds comprise Internet Protocol feeds, and wherein transmitting the regional service lineup further comprises transmitting via quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiplexing instructions comprise in-stream messaging, the method further comprising:

selecting, based on the determining, the first alternative video feed for inclusion in the regional service lineup.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the in-stream messaging comprises a Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) 35 protocol command.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the first alternative video feed comprises comparing a region identifier provided by a scheduler with the SCTE 35 protocol command.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first alternative video feed has a constant bitrate less than or equal to a minimum bitrate of another video feed of the plurality of alternative video feeds with a variable bit rate.

9. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, a plurality of broadcasts for a single slot in a regional service lineup, wherein each of the broadcasts corresponds to one of a plurality of geographic regions;

inserting, by the computing device, codes into the plurality of broadcasts, the codes configured to instruct a multiplexer to select one or more broadcasts from among the plurality of broadcasts for inclusion in the regional service lineup in one of the plurality of geographic regions corresponding to the multiplexer; and

transmitting, by the computing device, the selected one or more broadcasts of the plurality of broadcasts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the regional service lineup comprises:

one of the plurality of determined broadcasts and a plurality of other broadcasts.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring the determining of the plurality of broadcasts in real time; and

storing a description of the monitoring in a log.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of broadcasts comprise Internet Protocol feeds, and wherein transmitting the regional service lineup further comprises transmitting via quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the codes comprise in-stream messaging, the method further comprising:

selecting, based on the codes, the one or more broadcasts for inclusion in the regional service lineup.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the in-stream messaging conforms to Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) 35 protocols.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein the inserting codes comprises inserting a region identifier in the in-stream messaging.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

one of the plurality of determined broadcasts has a constant bitrate less than or equal to a minimum bitrate of another broadcast of the plurality of determined broadcasts with a variable bitrate.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one signal inserter, a plurality of alternative video feeds for a single slot in a service lineup; and

inserting, by the at least one signal inserter and based on an instruction from a scheduler, in-stream signaling into the plurality of alternative video feeds to cause at least one multiplexer to determine content based on the in-stream signaling.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the instruction from the scheduler comprises an Event Signaling and Messaging (ESAM) instruction, and

wherein the in-stream signaling comprises Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) 35 protocols.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining, by the scheduler, a schedule and a database of downstream devices, wherein the downstream devices comprise the at least one signal inserter and the at least one multiplexer.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the inserting comprises inserting a region identifier in the in-stream signaling.