Media stream splicer

• US 8,514,891 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Dustin L., Grossman, John H. IV, Baldwin, James Armand, Barrett, Peter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidner, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/210,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20090010273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 370/432
• US Class Current: 370/486
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

An implementation is described herein, which facilitates a fast channel change by receiving and decoding a unicast acquisition media stream that corresponds to a soon-to-be-requested target multicast media stream. It does this before requesting the target multicast media stream of the new channel. Once the transmission of the unicast stream is caught up with the multicast stream, this implementation splices from the unicast acquisition stream to the target multicast media stream.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a media-stream transmission device; and

a processor-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising;

transmitting, to a receiver, a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission in response to a channel change, which corresponds to a target multicast media-stream transmission, the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission further comprising content including a first series of frames configured to be decoded by a receiver;

transmitting, to the receiver, the target multicast media-stream transmission including a second series of frames, wherein the first series of frames includes the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the second series of frames; and

receiving an indication to cease transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

2. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication to change to a new channel, the new channel being the target multicast media-stream transmission, and a request for the target multicast media-stream transmission, wherein the target multicast media-stream transmission is representative of the new channel.

3. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication to change to a new channel, the new channel being represented by the target multicast media-stream transmission and the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission, and a request for the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission which corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission.

4. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the content of the target multicast media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and presented at the receiver after receiving the indication to cease transmission.

5. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

6. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

7. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

8. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the indication to cease transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission comprises receiving a request from the receiver to cease transmission.

9. A computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission begins with a random-access point (RAP) that is prior to or co-located with a current transmission point of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

10. A computing device comprising:

a media-stream transmission device;

a processor-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising;

transmitting, to a receiver, a low bit-rate unicast acquisition media-stream transmission in response to a channel change, which corresponds both in time and in content to a target normal bit-rate multicast media-stream transmission, the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission configured to be decoded and displayed by the receiver;

transmitting, to the receiver, a normal bit-rate unicast intermediate media-stream transmission, which corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission and includes a first series of frames,

receiving a request from the receiver for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission wherein content of the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and displayed by the receiver;

transmitting the multicast media-stream transmission including a second series of frames, wherein the first series of frames includes the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the second series of frames; and

receiving a request from the receiver for cessation of transmission of the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission,

wherein content of the target multicast media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and displayed at the receiver.

11. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication to change to a new channel, the new channel being the target multicast media stream transmission, and wherein the transmission of the target multicast media-stream transmission is representative of the new channel.

12. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein frame properties of the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

13. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

14. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the unicast intermediate media-stream transmission.

15. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

16. A processor-readable storage medium excluding signals per se, the processor-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

transmitting a target multicast media-stream transmission which includes at least a first series of frames;

transmitting, in response to a channel change, a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission, where content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission corresponds in subject matter to that of the target multicast media-stream transmission and includes a second series of frames, and wherein the second series of frames includes the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the first series of frames, where the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and presented at a receiver; and

receiving a request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

17. A storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the content of the target multicast media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and presented at the receiver after receiving the request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

18. A storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

19. A storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

20. A storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

21. A storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission begins at a random access point (RAP) prior to a current transmission point of the target multicast media-stream stream transmission.

22. A storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission begins at a random access point (RAP) co-located with a current transmission point of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

23. A computing device comprising:

a media-stream transmission device; and

a storage medium as recited in claim 16.

24. A method facilitating fast channel-change, the method comprising:

transmitting a target multicast media-stream transmission having a first series of frames;

transmitting, in response to a channel change, a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission having a second series of frames, wherein content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission, and wherein the second series of frames includes the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the first series of frames, and wherein the content of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and presented at a receiver, and

receiving a request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein content of the target multicast media-stream transmission is configured to be decoded and presented at the receiver after receiving the request for cessation of transmission of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

26. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

27. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

28. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

29. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission begins with a random-access point (RAP) that is prior to a current transmission point of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

30. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the unicast media-stream transmission begins with a random-access point (RAP) co-located with a current transmission point of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

31. A computer comprising one or more processor-readable storage media having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the method as recited in claim 24.

32. A multimedia system comprising:

one or more transmitters configured to transmit to a receiver a target multicast media-stream transmission having first frames and a unicast acquisition media-stream transmission having second frames in response to a channel change, wherein the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission corresponds to the target multicast media-stream transmission by including a series of frames in the first frames that is the same content that is concurrently transmitting in the second frames;

wherein the receiver includes a decoding unit configured to decode both the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission and the target multicast media-stream transmission, and a splicing unit configured to splice from the reception of the unicast acquisition media-stream to the reception of the target multicast media-stream transmission at one of the second frames.

33. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein a first transmitter transmits the target multicast media-stream transmission and a second transmitter transmits the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission.

34. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

35. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein frame properties of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission do not match those of the target multicast media-stream transmission.

36. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein the second frames of the unicast acquisition media-stream transmission are encoded using a lower bit-rate than that used by the target multicast media-stream transmission.

37. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein the splicing unit is further configured to perform its splice before the reception of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

38. A system as recited in claim 32, wherein the splicing unit is further configured to perform its splice during or close to the reception of a random-access point (RAP) in the target multicast media-stream transmission.

39. A method of channel changing in a receiver, the method comprising:

processing a request to change to a new channel corresponding to a target multicast media stream, the target multicast media stream including first media content;

receiving, prior to commencing receiving the target multicast media-stream, a unicast media-stream including the first media content that is concurrently being transmitted in the target multicast media stream, in response to processing;

receiving, after a last frame of the unicast media-stream is received, a portion of the target multicast media-stream including second media content corresponding to the new channel;

displaying the first media content of the unicast media-stream; and

after displaying the last frame of the unicast media-stream, switching to displaying the second media content of the target multicast media-stream.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the processing comprises requesting the unicast acquisition media-stream prior to requesting the target multicast media-stream.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the processing comprises requesting the unicast acquisition media-stream concurrently with requesting the target multicast media-stream.

42. A method of channel changing, comprising:

transmitting a target multicast media-stream corresponding to a new channel;

processing a request from a receiver to change to the new channel;

in response to the processing and prior to commencing transmitting the target multicast media stream to the receiver, transmitting to the receiver a unicast media-stream including first media content corresponding to the new channel, wherein the first media content is transmitted to the receiver in the unicast stream concurrently with the first media content being transmitted in the target multicast media-stream but not yet being transmitted to the receiver;

transmitting to the receiver, after a last frame of the unicast media-stream is transmitted, a portion of the target multicast media-stream including second media content; and

receiving a request from the receiver to cease transmission of the first media content of the unicast media-stream,

wherein the first media content of the unicast media-stream and the second media content of the multicast media-stream are configured to be displayed by the receiver.