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

• US 10,595,057 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2019
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• 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:
  US16/355,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20190215546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 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 produced content into distributed media, the system comprising:

memory that stores information regarding produced content associated with a producer account, the produced content being produced in real-time relative to a play duration of an associated media title;

a network interface that receives a request from a user device, the request indicating selection of the produced content associated with the producer account; and

a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instruction by the processor;

identifies the media title that is associated with the produced content that is indicated by the request, wherein identifying the media title is based on the stored information, and

prepares a synchronized combination of the identified media title and the produced content based on synchronization information that identifies when the produced content was produced in relation to the play duration of the identified media title, wherein the synchronized combination is provided to the user device in response to the request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores a content channel associated with a plurality of content streams that includes the produced content.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the content channel is associated with the producer account.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the media title is further associated with at least one other produced content.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one other produced content in the content channel is associated with a different media title.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information includes timestamp information for the identified media title that is associated with the produced content.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein preparing the synchronized combination includes generating the synchronization information, and the synchronized combination provided to the user device includes separate streams for the identified media title and the produced content, and wherein the user device uses the generated synchronization information to synchronize play of the separate streams.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronized combination is provided as a single stream.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronized combination includes at least one other content stream.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronized combination is prepared before production of the produced content is completed.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronized combination is prepared after production of the produced content is completed.

12. A method for real-time incorporation of produced content into distributed media, the method comprising:

storing information in memory regarding produced content associated with a producer account, the produced content being produced in real-time relative to a play duration of an associated media title;

receiving a request from a user device, the request indicating selection of the produced content associated with the producer account;

identifying the media title that is associated with the produced content that is indicated by the request, wherein identifying the media title is based on the stored information; and

preparing a synchronized combination of the identified media title and the produced content based on synchronization information that identifies when the produced content was produced in relation to the play duration of the identified media title, wherein the synchronized combination is provided to the user device in response to the request.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing a content channel in memory, the content channel associated with a plurality of content streams that includes the produced content.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the content channel is associated with the producer account.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the media title is further associated with at least one other produced content.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one other produced content in the content channel is associated with a different media title.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronization information includes timestamp information for the identified media title that is associated with the produced content.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein preparing the synchronized combination includes generating the synchronization information, and the synchronized combination provided to the user device includes separate streams for the identified media title and the produced content, and wherein the user device uses the generated synchronization information to synchronize play of the separate streams.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronized combination is provided as a single stream.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronized combination includes at least one other content stream.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronized combination is prepared before production of the produced content is completed.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronized combination is prepared after production of the produced content is completed.

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

storing information in memory regarding produced content associated with a producer account, the produced content being produced in real-time relative to a play duration of an associated media title;

receiving a request from a user device, the request indicating selection of the produced content associated with the producer account;

identifying the media title that is associated with the produced content that is indicated by the request, wherein identifying the media title is based on the stored information; and

preparing a synchronized combination of the identified media title and the produced content based on synchronization information that identifies when the produced content was produced in relation to the play duration of the identified media title, wherein the synchronized combination is provided to the user device in response to the request.