System and apparatus for displaying substitute content

• US 8,375,407 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Group, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsuchida, Ted, Miller, Douglas A., Novak, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US09/963,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,159 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 725/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/10 Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• 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 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

An apparatus for performing a substitution for a broadcast content, includes: a substitute content engine configured to detect a break in a broadcast content and to show substitute content in response to the break in a broadcast content; and a processor configured to execute the substitute content engine. An apparatus for substituting broadcast content displayed on a screen, including: a customer premise equipment capable to receive broadcast content; the customer premise equipment including a viewing engine capable to permit the display of substitute content in response to a break in the broadcast content.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing a substitution for a broadcast content, the apparatus comprising:

a substitute content engine configured to detect a break in a broadcast content and to play moving video corresponding to the substitute content in response to the break in the broadcast content;

wherein the moving video corresponding to the substitute content is played on a portion of a display screen with the broadcast content;

wherein the substitute broadcast engine is further configured to detect a continuation of the broadcast content after the break;

wherein the substitute broadcast engine is further configured to automatically pause, without user intervention, the playing of the moving video corresponding to the substitute content such that a paused video frame of the substitute content is displayed on the portion of the display screen with the broadcast content in response to the continuation of the broadcast content; and

a processor configured to execute the substitute content engine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content engine is configured to record substitute content.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content comprises live programming content.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content comprises buffered programming content.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content comprises video telecast content.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content comprises teleconference content.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the teleconference content comprises remote learning session broadcast content.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the teleconference content comprises video conference content.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the break in the broadcast content includes a commercial segment.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the break in the broadcast content includes a commercial skip segment.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the break in the broadcast content represents a broadcast stoppage.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the break in the broadcast content represents non-activity in a broadcast event.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content comprises live broadcast content.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content comprises buffered broadcast content.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content comprises recorded broadcast content.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content comprises Internet Protocol channel content.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the Internet Protocol channel content comprises streaming video.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the Internet Protocol channel content comprises electronic mail interaction.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substitute content is displayed as a main screen view and the broadcast content is displayed as a picture-in-picture during the detected break.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substitute content is displayed in the screen foreground and the broadcast content is displayed in the screen background during the detected break.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content is displayed in a first screen area and the broadcast content is displayed in a second screen area.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content is displayed in response to a user-enabled command.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content is automatically displayed upon detection of the break in the broadcast content.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the viewing engine is capable to display a timer to indicate a time length for showing the substitute content.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content engine is configured to record the broadcast content when the substitute content is displayed.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substitute content engine is configured to pause the broadcast content when the break ends.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content includes a tag to prevent disruption of the display of the broadcast content during the occurrence of the break.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein a first party pays an operator to include the tag in the broadcast content.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein a subscriber pays an operator to disable the tag.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content includes a trigger.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substitute content is associated with the trigger.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the trigger is associated with an information site.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the information site is loaded prior to a break in the broadcast content.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an aggregator communicatively coupled to the customer premise equipment and capable to aggregate at least one substitute content based upon a viewer preference.

35. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast content is recorded to permit viewing of a missed segment in the broadcast content when the display of the substitute content terminates.

36. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a pre-selected segment of the broadcast content is recorded during display of the substitute content.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the pre-selected segment is content replayed during the showing of the broadcast content.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the pre-segment is viewed while displaying close caption text from the broadcast content.

39. An apparatus for substituting broadcast content displayed on a screen, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining an occurrence of a break in a broadcast content and a resumption of the broadcast content;

coupled to the determining means, means for playing moving video corresponding to substitute content on the screen with the broadcast content in response to the occurrence of the break; and

wherein the displaying means is configured to automatically pause, without user intervention, the moving video corresponding to the substitute content such that a paused video frame is displayed on the screen in response to determining the resumption of the broadcast content.

40. A system for preventing the disruption of break segments in a broadcast content, the system comprising:

a first stage configured to;

insert an advertisement in a break in a broadcast content in response to receiving a first payment from an advertiser;

allow a subscriber, in response to a payment of a second fee from the subscriber, to disrupt the advertisement in the break in the broadcast content by viewing substitute content during the advertisement; and

insert a trigger corresponding to the advertisement in the broadcast content in response to a payment of a third fee from the advertiser, the trigger configured to override the payment of the second fee by the subscriber to prevent the subscriber from disrupting the advertisement in the break in the broadcast content;

a transmission path configured to transmit the trigger from the first stage; and

a destination stage configured to receive the trigger along the transmission path and to prevent an attempted disruption of the advertisement in the break in the broadcast content.

41. A method for preventing the disruption of break segments in broadcast content, the method comprising:

preventing a first user and a second user from viewing substitute content during a break in a broadcast content;

receiving payment of a first fee from the first user;

in response to the payment of the first fee, allowing the first user to view the substitute content during the break in the broadcast content, the second user continuing to be prevented from viewing the substitute content during the break; and

inserting a trigger in the broadcast content upon payment of a second fee from an advertiser, the second fee being in addition to an advertising fee required to broadcast an advertisement corresponding to the advertiser during the break in the broadcast content, the trigger configured to override the first user'"'"'s ability to view the substitute content in place of the advertisement corresponding to the advertiser during the break in exchange for the first fee.

42. A method for displaying substitute content, the method comprising:

displaying a broadcast content on a screen;

detecting a break in the broadcast content;

in response to the break, displaying substitute content on a main portion of the screen and displaying the broadcast content as a picture-in-picture;

detecting an end of the break; and

in response to detecting the end of the break, and without user intervention, automatically swapping display locations of the broadcast content and the substitute content on the screen such that the broadcast content is displayed on the main portion of the screen and the substitute content is displayed as the picture-in-picture.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising pausing the substitute content in response to detecting the end of the break.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising recording the substitute content in response to detecting the end of the break.