Real-time incorporation of user-generated content into third-party content streams

• US 10,237,584 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Trombetta, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierorazio, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US15/489,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20180302657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• 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 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• 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 21/85 Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content

Abstract

Systems and methods for real-time incorporation of user-produced content into a broadcast media stream are provided. A media title may be streamed to a producer computing device over a communication network. The producer computing device is associated with a channel for distributing the user-produced content in conjunction with the media title. Produced content may be captured from the producer computing device as the streamed media title is played on the producer computing device. Such captured produced content may be designated for the channel. The media title and the produced content may then be broadcast in real-time over the communication network to one or more subscriber devices subscribed to the channel. The media title and the produced content may be synchronized within the broadcast to reflect when the produced content was captured in relation to the media title as the media title was played on the producer computing device.

Claims

1. A server system for real-time incorporation of user-produced content into a broadcast media stream, the system comprising:

memory that stores information regarding a producer computing device associated with a channel;

a network interface that streams a media title to the producer computing device over a communication network; and

a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instruction by the processor captures produced content from the producer computing device in real-time as the streamed media title is played on the producer computing device, the captured produced content designated for the channel;

wherein the network interface broadcasts the media title and the produced content over the communication network to one or more subscriber devices subscribed to the channel, wherein the media title and the produced content are synchronized at each of the one or more subscriber devices to reflect when the produced content was captured in relation to the media title as the media title was played on the producer computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein memory further stores the synchronized broadcast in memory, wherein the stored broadcast is accessible at a subsequent time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein access by the subscriber device to the synchronized broadcast is based on a subscription to the media title.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast is associated with a set of advertisements that is different from a set of advertisements associated with another broadcast on another channel where the streamed media content is synchronized to different produced content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast as presented to a first subscriber device is associated with a set of advertisements that is different from a set of advertisements associated with the broadcast as presented to a second subscriber device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface further receives the produced content in real-time as the produced content is being produced at the producer computing device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the produced content is associated with one or more corresponding timestamps of the streamed media title that is being played on the producer computing device as the produced content is captured, and wherein the synchronization is based on the corresponding timestamps.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast comprises a single stream to each subscriber device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast comprises a plurality of streams provided to each subscriber device.

10. A method for real-time incorporation of user-produced content into a broadcast media stream, the method comprising:

streaming a media title to a producer computing device over a communication network, wherein the producer computing device is associated with a channel;

capturing produced content from the producer computing device in real-time as the streamed media title is played on the producer computing device, the captured produced content designated for the channel; and

broadcasting the media title and the produced content over the communication network to one or more subscriber devices subscribed to the channel, wherein the media title and the produced content are synchronized at each of the one or more subscriber devices to reflect when the produced content was captured in relation to the media title as the media title was played on the producer computing device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing the broadcast in memory, wherein the stored broadcast is accessible at a subsequent time.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling subscriber device access to the broadcast based on a subscription to the media title.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the broadcast is associated with a set of advertisements that is different from a set of advertisements associated with another broadcast on another channel where the streamed media content is synchronized to different produced content.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the broadcast as presented to a first subscriber device is associated with a set of advertisements that is different from a set of advertisements associated with the broadcast as presented to a second subscriber device.

15. The method of claim 10, further receiving the produced content in real-time over the communication network as the produced content is being produced at the producer computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the produced content is associated with one or more corresponding timestamps of the streamed media title that is being played on the producer computing device as the produced content is captured, and wherein the synchronization is based on the corresponding timestamps.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the broadcast comprises a single stream to each subscriber device.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the broadcast comprises a plurality of streams provided to each subscriber device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for real-time incorporation of user-produced content into a broadcast media stream, the method comprising:

streaming a media title to a producer computing device over a communication network, wherein the producer computing device is associated with a channel;

capturing produced content from the producer computing device in real-time as the streamed media title is played on the producer computing device, the captured produced content designated for the channel; and

broadcasting the media title and the produced content over the communication network to one or more subscriber devices subscribed to the channel, wherein the media title and the produced content are synchronized at each of the one or more subscriber devices to reflect when the produced content was captured in relation to the media title as the media title was played on the producer computing device.