System and method of programmatic window control for consumer video players

• US 7,496,277 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Poole, Kathleen S., Carr, Bennet S., Carey, Christopher T., Ackley, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Nigar
• Application Number:
  US10/859,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20050019015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/52, 386/131, 348564-568, 348/588
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/42653 for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A media playback device capable of displaying multiple streams simultaneously and with expanded picture-in-picture capabilities is provided. The placement, size, aspect ratio, cropping, scale, transparency, tint, contrast, and cropping of the media can be set or adjusted arbitrarily. Furthermore, the audio may be mixed between separate tracks accompanying the video streams and may also be set or adjusted arbitrarily. Each variable can be dynamically changed during playback through either automated or user-initiated means. A system and method are provided for simultaneously displaying a first video stream and at least a second video stream on a display comprising the steps of feeding the video streams into a video player; providing control of the display of the video streams; displaying a first video stream substantially across the display; and displaying the other video streams in a secondary display.

Claims

1. A media playback device for a picture-in-picture presentation of a first video stream and a second video stream, the media playback device comprising:

at least one media interface configured to receive the first video stream and the second video stream, wherein the first video stream is associated with first data and the second video stream is associated with second data, and wherein the first video stream includes the first data, and the second video stream includes the second data; and

a processor configured to obtain the first data and the second data, the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first data and the second data to determine a relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream, and the processor is further configured to maintain the relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream during the picture-in-picture presentation.

2. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located within a file in the media playback device.

3. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located in a source external to the media playback device.

4. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data are metadata.

5. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream by advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

6. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located in the second video stream.

7. A method for use by a media playback device for a picture-in-picture presentation of a first video stream and a second video stream, the method comprising:

receiving the first video stream, wherein the first video stream is associated with first data, and wherein the first video stream includes the first data;

receiving the second video stream, wherein the second video stream is associated with second data, and wherein the second video stream includes the second data;

obtaining the first data and the second data;

synchronizing the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first data and the second data to determine a relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream; and

maintaining the relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream during the picture-in-picture presentation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located within a file in the media playback device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located in a source external to the media playback device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first data and the second data are metadata.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the synchronizing the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream includes advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located in the second video stream.

13. A picture-in-picture presentation system comprising:

a medium including a first video stream, a second video stream, first data associated with the first video stream and second data associated with the second video stream, wherein the first data and the second data determine a relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream, and wherein the first video stream includes the first data, and the second video stream includes the second data;

a media playback device for a picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream from the medium, the media playback device including;

at least one media interface configured to receive the first video stream and the second video stream; and

a processor configured to obtain the first data and the second data, the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first data and the second data to determine the relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream, and the processor is further configured to maintain the relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream during the picture-in-picture presentation;

a display configured to receive and display the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream.

14. The picture-in-picture presentation system of claim 13, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located within a file in the media playback device.

15. The picture-in-picture presentation system of claim 13, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located in a source external to the media playback device.

16. The picture-in-picture presentation system of claim 13, wherein the first data and the second data are metadata.

17. The picture-in-picture presentation system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream by advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

18. The picture-in-picture presentation system of claim 13, wherein control data for arranging the picture-in-picture presentation is located in the second video stream.

19. A media playback device for a presentation of a first video stream and a second video stream, the media playback device comprising:

at least one media interface configured to receive the first video stream and the second video stream, wherein the first video stream is associated with first metadata and the second video stream is associated with second metadata, and wherein the first video stream includes the first metadata, and the second video stream includes the second metadata; and

a processor configured to obtain the first metadata and the second metadata, the processor is further configured to synchronize the presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first metadata and the second metadata to determine a relative offset between the presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream.

20. The media playback device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream by advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

21. A media playback device for a picture-in-picture presentation of a first video stream and a second video stream, the media playback device comprising:

at least one media interface configured to receive the first video stream and the second video stream, wherein the first video stream is associated with first data and the second video stream is associated with second data, and wherein the first video stream includes the first data, and the second video stream includes the second data; and

a processor configured to obtain the first data and the second data, the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first data and the second data indicative of a relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream, and the processor is further configured to maintain the relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream during the picture-in-picture presentation.

22. The media playback device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream by advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

23. A method for use by a media playback device for a picture-in-picture presentation of a first video stream and a second video stream, the method comprising:

receiving the first video stream, wherein the first video stream is associated with first data, and wherein the first video stream includes the first data;

receiving the second video stream, wherein the second video stream is associated with second data, and wherein the second video stream includes the second data;

obtaining the first data and the second data;

synchronizing the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first data and the second data indicative of a relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream; and

maintaining the relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream during the picture-in-picture presentation.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the synchronizing the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream includes advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

25. A picture-in-picture presentation system comprising:

a medium including a first video stream, a second video stream, first data associated with the first video stream and second data associated with the second video stream, wherein the first data and the second data are indicative of a relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream, and wherein the first video stream includes the first data, and the second video stream includes the second data;

a media playback device for a picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream from the medium, the media playback device including;

at least one media interface configured to receive the first video stream and the second video stream; and

a processor configured to obtain the first data and the second data, the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream, using the first data and the second data indicative of the relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream, and the processor is further configured to maintain the relative offset between the first video stream and the second video stream during the picture-in-picture presentation;

a display configured to receive and display the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream.

26. The picture-in-picture presentation system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream by advancing the first video stream and the second video stream at a rate that maintains synchronization.

27. A media playback device for a presentation of a first video stream and a second video stream, the media playback device comprising:

at least one media interface configured to receive the first video stream and the second video stream, wherein the first video stream is associated with first metadata and the second video stream is associated with second metadata, and wherein the first video stream includes the first metadata, and the second video stream includes the second metadata; and

a processor configured to obtain the first metadata and the second metadata, the processor is further configured to synchronize the presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream using the first metadata and the second metadata indicative of a relative offset between the presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream.

28. The media playback device of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to use the first data and the second data to determine the relative offset between the picture-in-picture presentation of the first video stream and the second video stream.