Use of multiple embedded messages in program signal streams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10477263-B2
Application number	US-201414458874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Apr 6, 2010
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

Methods of generating video streams including advertisement information sufficient to support advertisement countdown times and other functions such as advertisement auto pause functions are described. In accordance with various embodiments, advertisement duration is determined from one or more messages included in a video stream, e.g., prior to the corresponding advertising segment. A countdown timer is generated from the advertisement information and displayed along with the content of the advertisement segment. Restrictions for different subscribers may be indicated in the advertisement information messages, e.g., with some end users being permitted to fast forward or skip advertisements with other users being required to allow the full normal playback of one or more advertisement segments. The auto pause function, when activated, pauses an ad segment or set of ad segments at a predetermined time before output of the main program resumes thereby making sure none of the main program is missed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A content playback method, the method comprising:
determining, at a content playback device, advertisement segment time information;
receiving, at the content playback device, a signal from a user control device enabling an automatic commercial pause operation; and
in response to said signal, pausing output of an advertisement segment at a predetermined point prior to an end of said advertisement segment, said predetermined point being a fixed number of seconds before an end of a commercial.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein pausing output of the advertisement segment includes pausing output of the advertisement segment to a display device;
wherein said user control device is a remote control device used by a user of the content playback device; and
wherein said signal is a signal from said remote control device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
outputting, prior to pausing output of the advertisement segment, an indicator indicating the time remaining until the end of the advertisement segment.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
storing broadcast encoded video stream content corresponding to a first broadcast encoded video stream following said predetermined point in said advertisement segment; and
in response to a command from said user control device received while said output of said advertisement segment was paused, outputting stored program content corresponding to said first broadcast encoded video stream.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a signal indicating one of an incoming telephone call, alert or incoming E-mail; and
in response to said signal, indicating one of an incoming telephone call, alert or incoming E-mail, automatically pausing output of said advertisement segment.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said advertisement segment is immediately paused in response to said received signal, indicating one of an incoming telephone call, alert or incoming E-mail.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring for a presentation control signal while said advertisement segment is being output; and
determining if a user is authorized to skip or fast forward through said advertisement segment in response to detecting, while said advertisement segment is being output, input from said user control device indicating a skip or fast forward command.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining if the user is authorized to skip or fast forward through said advertisement segment includes checking to determine if the advertisement segment being output was previously output within a predetermined time of said detected input from said user control device indicating a skip or fast forward command.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining if the user is authorized to skip or fast forward through said advertisement segment includes checking advertisement presentation restriction information included in an advertisement information message which is associated with said advertisement segment.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said advertisement segment is included in a received video content stream, the method further comprising:
resuming output of content received in said received video content stream from the predetermined point where output was paused.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said advertisement segment is included in a video content stream, the method further comprising:
storing content received in said video content stream while output of said advertisement segment is paused.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said fixed number of seconds is a user specified number of seconds.

13. A content playback device, comprising:
a duration determination module for determining advertisement segment time information;
a receiver for receiving a signal from a user control device enabling an automatic commercial pause operation; and
an auto pause module responsive to said signal for pausing output of an advertisement segment at a predetermined point prior to an end of said advertisement segment, said predetermined point being a fixed number of seconds before an end of a commercial.

14. The content playback device of claim 13 ,
wherein said user control device is a remote control device used by a user of the content playback device; and
wherein said signal is a signal from said remote control device.

15. The content playback device of claim 14 , further comprising:
an output module for outputting, prior to the output of the advertisement segment being paused, an indicator indicating the time remaining until the end of the advertisement segment.

16. The content playback device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a memory for storing broadcast encoded video stream content corresponding to a first broadcast encoded video stream following said predetermined point in said advertisement segment; and
wherein said output module is configured to output stored program content corresponding to said first broadcast encoded video stream, in response to a command from said user control device received while said output of said advertisement segment was paused.

17. The content playback device of claim 13 ,
wherein said receiver is configured to receive a signal indicating one of an incoming telephone call, alert or incoming E-mail; and
wherein said auto pause module is configured to automatically pause output of said advertisement segment in response to said signal indicating one of an incoming telephone call, alert or incoming E-mail.

18. The content playback device of claim 17 , wherein said advertisement segment is immediately paused in response to said received signal indicating one of an incoming telephone call, alert or incoming E-mail.

19. A content playback method, the method comprising:
determining, at a content playback device, advertisement segment time information;
receiving, at the content playback device, a signal from a user control device enabling an automatic commercial pause operation;
in response to said signal, pausing output of an advertisement segment at a predetermined point prior to an end of said advertisement segment;
wherein said advertising segment is a segment including a contiguous block of commercials; and
wherein said predetermined point is a user specified number of seconds before an end of a last commercial in the contiguous block of commercials.

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Stern Peter
• Witmer Melinda

Classifications

• H04N21/44213

  Monitoring of end-user related data (arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33) · CPC title

• H04N21/25866

  Management of end-user data (customer care in data networks H04L41/5077) · CPC title

• H04N21/26258

  for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list (retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40) · CPC title

• H04N21/812

  involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02) · CPC title

• H04N21/2541 Primary

  Rights Management (protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08) · CPC title