Stream messaging for program stream automation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10484723-B2
Application number	US-201715724039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2017
Priority date	Feb 2, 2012
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

There is provided a content automation system and a method for use by the content automation system for issuing a content management message for use in a program stream. In one implementation, such a content automation system comprises a processor and a memory, and a stream messaging module residing in the memory. The stream messaging module is configured to issue the content management message by embedding a command sequence as metadata in a container data structure, and inserting the container data structure into the program stream. The command sequence authorizes a replacement of program stream content.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
broadcasting a linear TV program stream via a cable or a satellite network;
concurrently with the broadcasting of the linear TV program stream via the cable or the satellite network:
provisioning the linear TV program stream for streaming over a packet network;
generating a command sequence;
dynamically inserting the command sequence into the provisioned linear TV program stream; and
providing the provisioned linear TV program stream including the inserted command sequence over the packet network to a third party;
wherein the inserted command sequence authorizes the third party to remove at least one of an advertising content, a promotional content and a program content from the provisioned linear TV program stream, and replace the at least one of the advertising content, the promotional content and the program content with a replacement content provided by the third party to generate a modified program stream for streaming over the packet network for individually targeted distribution;
wherein the inserted command sequence directs a return to the provisioned linear TV program stream during a playout of the replacement content and prior to completion of the playout of the replacement content.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying an event boundary in the linear TV program stream corresponding to initiation of a program stream event; and
determining a duration of the program stream event;
wherein the inserting embeds a notification corresponding to the event boundary and the duration into the provisioned linear TV program stream.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inserting is performed into the provisioned linear TV program stream within a buffer interval of the event boundary.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the notification identifies at least one of the program content preceding the program stream event and the program content following the program stream event.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the command sequence provides an offset interval for the inserting.

6. A system configured to broadcast a linear TV program stream via a cable or a satellite network, the system comprising:
a processor, wherein concurrently with the broadcasting of the linear TV program stream by the system via the cable or the satellite network, the processor is configured to:
provision the linear TV program stream for streaming over a packet network;
generate a command sequence;
dynamically insert the command sequence into the provisioned linear TV program stream; and
provide the provisioned linear TV program stream including the inserted command sequence over the packet network to a third party;
wherein the inserted command sequence authorizes the third party to remove at least one of an advertising content, a promotional content and a program content from the provisioned linear TV program stream, and replace the at least one of the advertising content, the promotional content and the program content with a replacement content provided by the third party to generate a modified program stream for streaming over the packet network for individually targeted distribution;

wherein the inserted command sequence directs a return to the provisioned linear TV program stream during a playout of the replacement content and prior to completion of the playout of the replacement content.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system is further configured to identify an event boundary in the linear TV program stream corresponding to initiation of a program stream event, and to determine a duration of the program stream event, and wherein the inserting embeds a notification corresponding to the event boundary and the duration into the provisioned linear TV program stream.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the inserting is performed into the provisioned linear TV program stream within a buffer interval of the event boundary.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the notification identifies at least one of the program content preceding the program stream event and the program content following the program stream event.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the command sequence provides an offset interval for the inserting.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inserted command sequence directing the return to the provisioned linear TV program stream is dynamically inserted into the provisioned linear TV program stream during the playout of the replacement content and prior to completion of the playout of the replacement content.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the inserted command sequence directing the return to the provisioned linear TV program stream is dynamically inserted into the provisioned linear TV program stream during the playout of the replacement content and prior to completion of the playout of the replacement content.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Martin Michael
• Siewers Daniel
• Hooper William
• Potter David
• Hill Richard
• Strein Michael
• Michel Kenneth
• Vincenty Alfredo
• Casabella James
• Converse David
• Beverlin Guy

Classifications

• H04N21/234

  Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs · CPC title

• H04N21/44016

  involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip · CPC title

• H04N21/00 Primary

  Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] (real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 {; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18}) · CPC title

• H04N21/23424

  involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement · CPC title

• H04N21/236

  Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream {(multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00)} · CPC title