Content Schedule Detection And Adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018070146-A1
Application number	US-201615259598-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2016
Priority date	Sep 8, 2016
Publication date	Mar 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to determining variations or changes to a predetermined programming schedule. In accordance with one method, a predicted end time of video content may be determined to be later than a scheduled end time of the video content. Also, it may be determined that video content scheduled to be displayed on a first stream or channel has been moved to a second stream or channel. A scheduled recording or transmission time of video content may be altered based on detected changes to the predetermined programming schedule. A program listing such as an electronic program guide may be revised based on detected changes to the predetermined programming schedule.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
determining, by one or more computing devices and based on a visual indicator in a first video content item, a predicted end time of thee first video content item ; determining that the predicted end time of the first video content item is later than a scheduled end time of the first video content item, wherein the scheduled end time is indicated in a content listing that comprises a first entry corresponding to the first video content item and a second entry corresponding to a second video content item scheduled after the first video content item; modifying, based on the predicted end time of the first video content item, the first entry in the content listing; modifying, based on the predicted end time of the first video content item, the second entry in the content listing; and causing display of an updated content listing comprising the modified first entry and the modified second entry.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the first entry in the content listing comprises modifying the scheduled end time of the first video content item to be the predicted end time of the first video content item.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the second entry in the content listing comprises modifying, in an electronic program guide, a scheduled start time of the second video content item to be later than the predicted end time of the first video content item.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the second entry in the content listing comprises modifying an indication of a stream or a channel in the second entry in the content listing.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the predicted end time of the first video content item comprises determining, based on a detected scoreboard or a detected clock, the predicted end time.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the predicted end time of the first video content item comprises determining, based on a textual overlay indicating a change in scheduling, the predicted end time.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying, based on the predicted end time of the first video content item, a scheduled recording of the first video content item or a schedule recording of the second video content item.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the predicted end time of the first video content item comprises determining, using at least one of computer vision technology or automatic content recognition technology, the predicted end time.

9 . A method comprising:
determining, by one or more computing devices and based on closed captions corresponding to a first video content item, a predicted end time of the first video content item; determining that the predicted end time of the first video content item is later than a scheduled end time of the first video content item; and modifying, based on the predicted end time of the first video content item, a start time and an end time of a recording corresponding to a second video content item, wherein the second video content item is scheduled after the first video content item.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein modifying the start time and the end time of the recording comprises transmitting an instruction to modify the start time and the end time of the recording of the second video content item.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein modifying the start time and the end time of the recording comprises modifying the start time of the recording to be the predicted end time of the first video content item.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising extracting, from the first video content item, the closed captions.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
retrieving the scheduled end time of the first video content item from metadata corresponding to the first video content item; and comparing the predicted end time of the first video content item to the scheduled end time of the first video content item.

14 . (canceled)

15 . A method comprising:
determining, by one or more computing devices, that a first video content item transmitted via a first stream is delayed; determining that a recording is scheduled of a second video content item, wherein the second video content item is scheduled to be transmitted, after the first video content item, via the first stream; determining a second stream that the second video content item is scheduled to be transmitted via; and modifying the recording to record from the second stream.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining, based on a displayed indication of a quarter, a half, a period, or an inning, the delay in the first video content item.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising detecting one or more time markers in the first video content item.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein determining that the first video content item is delayed comprises comparing the one or more time markers to one or more system clocks.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising comparing a predicted end time of the first video content item to a scheduled end time of the first video content item.

20 . (canceled)

21 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a commercial is being displayed during the first video content item; and modifying, based on the determination that the commercial is being displayed, the first entry in the content listing.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the modifying the first entry in the content listing comprises updating the first entry in the content listing to indicate that the first video content item is displaying the commercial.

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Curtis Brian
• Schwartz Erik
• Deichmann Stefan
• Neumann Jan

Classifications

• H04N21/4821 Primary

  using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time · CPC title

• H04N21/262

  Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists {(scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62)} · CPC title

• H04N21/84

  Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4334

  Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27) · CPC title

• H04N21/435

  Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream · CPC title