System for transmitting information from a streamed program to external devices and media

• US 20070094703A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Darshan, Ezra, Praest, Peter, Skov, Soren, Thomsen, Soren, Nygaard, Kristian
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26603 for automatically generating descriptors from content, e.g. when it is not made available by its provider, using content analysis techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• 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

A method for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program is disclosed. The method includes receiving a streamed broadcast program, rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display, selecting a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display, and producing an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1-74. -74. (canceled)

75. A method for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program, the method comprising:

performing the following at a first location;

receiving a streamed broadcast program;

rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display;

selecting a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display;

producing an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

transmitting the indication signal to a second location remote from the first location,

thereby enabling, at the second location, identification of the section and further processing thereof.

76. The method according to claim 75 and also comprising:

identifying the section at the second location based on the indication signal.

77. The method according to claim 76 and wherein said identifying comprises:

computing, based on the indication signal, a selection time representing the time at which the selection of the section was carried out within a rendering period of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

recognizing the section as a discrete section which, in a sequential series of discrete sections constructed from the streamed broadcast program, corresponds to the selection time.

78. The method according to claim 77 and wherein each of the sections in the sequential series of discrete sections is tagged with a unique identification (UID), and the recognizing comprises determining a UID of the discrete section.

79. The method according to claim 76 and also comprising:

transmitting, in response to the identifying, a representation of the section to at least one of the following;

an external device; and

an external medium.

80. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the representation of the section comprises one of the following:

the section formatted in a format that is suitable for rendering on a rendering device;

metadata related to the section; and

the section formatted in a format that is suitable for rendering on a rendering device and associated with metadata related to the section.

81. The method according to claim 76 and also comprising:

finding, in response to the identifying, a replacement section that relates to the section; and

transmitting a representation of the replacement section to at least one of the following;

an external device; and

an external medium.

82. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the external device comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile telephone;

a computing device;

an entertainment device;

a printer; and

a communication device.

83. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the external medium comprises at least one of the following:

a medium in the external device; and

a medium attached to the external device.

84. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the external medium comprises a memory stick.

85. The method according to claim 79 and also comprising receiving the representation of the section embedded in at least one of the following:

a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message;

a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) push message;

a JAVA™

application;

a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message; and

an electronic-mail (e-mail) message.

86. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the representation of the section is suitable for at least one of the following:

playing on the external device;

displaying on the external device;

editing via the external device; and

transmitting to another external device.

87. The method according to claim 79 and also comprising:

editing the representation of the section.

88. The method according to claim 87 and wherein the editing comprises at least one of the following:

cropping a displayed area of the representation of the section;

reducing a displayed area of the representation of the section; and

enlarging a displayed area of the representation of the section.

89. The method according to claim 87 and also comprising returning editing values of section parameters in response to the editing.

90. The method according to claim 89 and wherein the returning comprises returning the editing values to a server.

91. The method according to claim 90 and wherein the server is associated with a headend.

92. The method according to claim 90 and wherein the server is comprised in a headend.

93. The method according to claim 89 and wherein the editing values comprise at least one of the following:

picture display coordinates;

picture size information;

information regarding picture elements positions; and

audio parameters.

94. The method according to claim 89 and also comprising:

processing the representation of the section and the editing values to produce a result comprising at least one of the following;

an edited representation of the section; and

a representation of a new section; and

transmitting the result, in response to the processing, to at least one of the external device and the external medium.

95. The method according to claim 79 and also comprising:

transmitting a request to receive at least one of the following;

a representation of a section preceding the section in the streamed broadcast program; and

a representation of a section following the section in the streamed broadcast program.

96. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the section comprises at least one of the following:

an audio section;

a video section;

an audio and video (A/V) section; and

a multimedia section.

97. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the section comprises at least one of the following:

a video frame;

at least a portion of a tune;

at least a portion of a video clip;

at least a portion of an audio program; and

at least a portion of a television program.

98. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the streamed broadcast program comprises at least one of the following:

a streamed audio program;

a streamed video program;

a streamed A/V program; and

a streamed multimedia program.

99. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the streamed broadcast program comprises at least one of the following:

a television program;

an audio program;

a video clip;

an interactive television program;

a multimedia program; and

a multimedia presentation.

100. The method according to claim 76 and wherein the identifying comprises identifying the section within an identification error range.

101. The method according to claim 77 and wherein:

the streamed broadcast program comprises an analog program;

the selecting comprises pressing a key on a telephone keypad; and

the computing comprises computing the selection time at a voice response system.

102. The method according to claim 101 and wherein the analog program comprises at least one of the following:

an audio program;

a video program;

an A/V program; and

a multimedia program.

103. The method according to claim 77 and wherein:

the streamed broadcast program comprises a digital program;

the selecting comprises pressing a key on a remote control (RC); and

the computing comprises computing the selection time at a headend.

104. The method according to claim 103 and wherein the digital program comprises at least one of the following:

an audio program;

a video program;

an A/V program; and

a multimedia program.

105. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the first location comprises an STB, and the producing comprises producing the indication signal at the STB.

106. The method according to claim 76 and wherein the second location comprises a headend, and the identifying comprises identifying the section at the headend.

107. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the producing comprises producing the indication signal unless the streamed broadcast program is marked by a mark forbidding selection of the section.

108. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the producing comprises producing the indication signal only if the streamed broadcast program is marked by a mark allowing selection of the section.

109. The method according to claim 107 and wherein the mark comprises a metadata code.

110. The method according to claim 108 and wherein the mark comprises a metadata code.

111. The method according to claim 75 and also comprising:

generating, on the display, a visual effect in response to the selecting.

112. The method according to claim 111 and wherein the visual effect comprises at least one of the following:

a flashy visual effect;

a visual blitz effect; and

a flashy visual blitz effect.

113. The method according to claim 75 and also comprising:

inviting a user to enter a device identification code identifying an external device to which to transmit a representation of the section.

114. The method according to claim 113 and wherein the inviting comprises displaying, on the display, a message inviting the user to enter the device identification code.

115. The method according to claim 113 and wherein the inviting comprises playing a message inviting the user to enter the device identification code.

116. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the transmitting of the representation of the section comprises:

producing an indication of agreement by a user to pay for the transmitting of the representation of the section; and

transmitting the representation of the section in response to the producing.

117. The method according to claim 87 and wherein the editing comprises editing the representation of the section via one of the following:

the external device; and

an STB.

118. The method according to claim 75 and also comprising, prior to the selecting, inviting a user to select a desired section.

119. The method according to claim 118 and wherein the inviting comprises displaying a message inviting the user to select the desired section.

120. The method according to claim 118 and wherein the inviting comprises playing a message inviting the user to select the desired section.

121. The method according to claim 75 and also comprising, prior to the selecting, accepting user input information comprising at least one of the following:

a user'"'"'s mobile telephone number;

a source of a video signal received at one of the display and a user'"'"'s STB;

a user'"'"'s mobile telephone type;

an indication indicating a mobile operator that provides cellular services for the user'"'"'s mobile telephone; and

a target mobile telephone number.

122. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the section comprises a plurality of sub-sections, and the selecting comprises selecting a start sub-section and a stop sub-section from the plurality of sub-sections.

123. The method according to claim 122 and also comprising determining a timeout stop sub-section if the stop sub-section is not selected within a timeout period.

124. The method according to claim 122 and wherein the selecting comprises selecting the start sub-section by pressing on a first key of an input device, and selecting the stop sub-section by pressing on a second key of the input device.

125. The method according to claim 122 and wherein the selecting comprises selecting the start sub-section by pressing once on a key of an input device, and selecting the stop sub-section by pressing again on the key of the input device.

126. The method according to claim 75 and wherein the display comprises at least one of the following:

a television;

a monitor of a computing device;

a display of a mobile telephone;

a display of an entertainment device; and

a display of a communication device.

127. The method according to claim 79 and wherein the transmitting of the representation of the section comprises associating branding information identifying a provider of the section with the representation of the section.

128. The method according to claim 127 and wherein the branding information comprises an owner rights code.

129. The method according to claim 78 and wherein the UID comprises an identifier based on a combination of values obtained from at least one of the following:

a time code;

a frame counter; and

a discontinuation counter.

130. The method according to claim 78 and wherein the UID comprises an identifier derived from a received broadcast transmission.

131. The method according to claim 78 and wherein the UID comprises an identifier derived from time information provided by an external clock.

132. The method according to claim 77 and wherein the computing also comprises performing computations correcting at least one of the following:

synchronization inaccuracies in at least one clock of at least one sub-system that is involved in computation of the selection time; and

effect of latencies in the at least one sub-system.

133. The method according to claim 78 and also comprising transmitting the UID of the section via at least one of the following:

a return path of an STB;

a wired communication link; and

a wireless communication link.

134. The method according to claim 77 and wherein the recognizing comprises:

finding a first preferred section and a second preferred section from a set of preferred sections representing the best sections of the sequential series of discrete sections, the first preferred section being the nearest preferred section before the discrete section that corresponds to the selection time, and the second preferred section being the nearest preferred section after the discrete section that corresponds to the selection time; and

selecting the section as one of the first and the second preferred sections which is closer in the sequential series of discrete sections to the discrete section that corresponds to the selection time.

135. The method according to claim 134 and wherein the set of preferred sections comprises predefined preferred sections.

136. The method according to claim 134 and wherein the selecting of the section as one of the first and the second preferred sections comprises selecting the section as one of the first and the second preferred sections in response to a determination of the streamed broadcast program as a preview.

137. The method according to claim 134 and also comprising enabling linked access to external information via the section.

138. A method for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program, the method comprising:

receiving a streamed broadcast program;

rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display;

selecting a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display; and

producing, at one of a headend and a voice response system, an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display.

139. A method for obtaining at an external device a representation of a section, which section is obtained from a streamed broadcast program rendered on a display, the method comprising:

selecting at a first location, in a snapshot selection mode, a section from the streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display;

identifying, at a second location remote from the first location, the section based on a time at which the section was snapshot-selected at the first location with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

transmitting, from the second location, a representation of the section to the external device.

140. The method according to claim 139 and wherein the first location comprises an STB, and the selecting comprises selecting the section via the STB.

141. The method according to claim 139 and wherein the second location comprises a headend, the identifying comprises identifying the section at the headend, and the transmitting comprises transmitting the representation of the section from the headend.

142. A method for preparing a streamed program in a format suitable for transmission of discrete sections, the method comprising:

decoding a streamed program into a plurality of discrete sections;

associating, in synchronization, a UID with each discrete section in the plurality of discrete sections; and

enabling storage and retrieval of each of the plurality of discrete sections through reference to a UID.

143. The method according to claim 142 and wherein the streamed program comprises one of the following:

an analog program; and

a digital program.

144. The method according to claim 143 and wherein each of the analog program and the digital program comprises at least one of the following:

an audio program;

a video program;

an A/V program; and

a multimedia program.

145. The method according to claim 142 and also comprising:

preparing a set of preferred sections representing the best sections of the plurality of discrete sections.

146. The method according to claim 142 and wherein the decoding comprises decoding the streamed program only if the streamed program is marked by a mark allowing transmission of discrete sections.

147. The method according to claim 142 and wherein:

the streamed program comprises an MPEG encoded program; and

the enabling comprises enabling storage of MPEG sequences.

148. Apparatus for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving and rendering device receiving a streamed broadcast program and rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display;

a user selection unit enabling selection of a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display;

a controller producing an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

a transmitting unit transmitting the indication signal to a remote location thereby enabling, at the remote location, identification of the section and further processing thereof.

149. A system for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program, the system comprising:

at a first location;

a receiving and rendering device receiving a streamed broadcast program and rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display; and

a user selection unit enabling selection of a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display; and

at a second location remote from the first location;

a controller producing an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display.

150. A system for transmitting a representation of a section, which section is obtained from a streamed broadcast program rendered on a display, the system comprising:

at a first location;

a user selection unit enabling selection, in a snapshot selection mode, of a section from the streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display; and

at a second location remote from the first location;

an identifier unit identifying the section based on a time at which the section was snapshot-selected at the first location with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

a transmitting unit transmitting a representation of the section to an external device.

151. Apparatus for preparing a streamed program in a format suitable for transmission of discrete sections, the apparatus comprising:

a decoder decoding a streamed program into a plurality of discrete sections;

a unique identification (UID) control unit associating, in synchronization, a UID with each discrete section in the plurality of discrete sections; and

a database interface enabling storage in a section database and retrieval from the section database of each of the plurality of discrete sections through reference to a UID.

152. Apparatus for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a streamed broadcast program and for rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display;

means for enabling selection of a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display;

means for producing an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

means for transmitting the indication signal to a remote location thereby enabling, at the remote location, identification of the section and further processing thereof.

153. A system for selecting a section from a streamed broadcast program, the system comprising:

at a first location;

means for receiving a streamed broadcast program and for rendering the received streamed broadcast program on a display; and

means for enabling selection of a section from the received streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display; and

at a second location remote from the first location;

means for producing an indication signal which enables identification of the section based on a time at which selection of the section was carried out with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display.

154. A system for transmitting a representation of a section, which section is obtained from a streamed broadcast program rendered on a display, the system comprising:

at a first location;

means for enabling selection, in a snapshot selection mode, of a section from the streamed broadcast program substantially when the section is rendered on the display; and

at a second location remote from the first location;

means for identifying the section based on a time at which the section was snapshot-selected at the first location with respect to rendering progress of the streamed broadcast program on the display; and

means for transmitting a representation of the section to an external device.

155. Apparatus for preparing a streamed program in a format suitable for transmission of discrete sections, the apparatus comprising:

means for decoding a streamed program into a plurality of discrete sections;

means for associating, in synchronization, a unique identification (UID) with each discrete section in the plurality of discrete sections; and

means for enabling storage in a section database and for enabling retrieval from the section database of each of the plurality of discrete sections through reference to a UID.