Methods and apparatus for processing time-based content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456243-B1
Application number	US-73036503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2003
Priority date	Jun 6, 2003
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

An analyzer analyzes portions of a logical data stream including data content received from a source. Based on analyzing the data content (e.g., data content formatted according to Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)) received from the source, the analyzer generates metadata associated with multiple analyzed portions of the logical data stream. The metadata supports manipulation of how the logical data stream is presented when at least a portion of the data content of the logical data stream is later presented to a receiver for play back in a mode different than the original content (e.g., play back includes fast forwarding, rewinding, and/or pausing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for processing media data, the method comprising:
receiving a multimedia data stream for a single program, wherein the multimedia data stream is a time based sequence of packets encoded according to a first content format, and wherein the multimedia data stream includes first content containing first content portions;
analyzing the first content to detect sets of related first content portions, each set defining a presentation group for the first content, and to determine an access point for each presentation group, the access point including timing data in the first content;
generating a private transport packet for each presentation group, each private transport packet including:
metadata derived from at least one of the first content portions in the respective presentation group, the metadata including:
time stamps received for each of the packets in the respective presentation group that correspond to a normal playback of the multimedia data stream, and
one or more time stamp offsets corresponding to one or more presentation groups in the multimedia data stream, a time stamp offset identifying where the one or more presentation groups reside relative to the respective presentation group;
a pointer to the access point determined for the respective presentation group, wherein the pointer identifies a position of the respective presentation group throughout the multimedia data stream relative to a position of at least one other presentation group in the first content,
wherein the one or more time stamp offsets and the pointer to the presentation group's access point at least in part represent the presentation group's dependencies on one or more other presentation groups within the multimedia data stream,

wherein a plurality of private transport packets generated for a plurality of presentation groups in the multimedia data stream are navigable for modifying the normal playback of the multimedia data stream based on presentation group dependencies without requiring searching for individual packet timestamps of the multimedia data stream;
creating second content by embedding the private transport packet for each presentation group in the multimedia data stream; and
storing the second content.

2. A method for presenting content to a client device, the method comprising:
receiving a multimedia data stream for a single program, wherein the multimedia data stream is a time based sequence of packets encoded according to a first content format, and wherein the multimedia data stream includes second content that includes first content, and private transport packets, the first content containing first content portions that are arranged as a series of presentation groups, each presentation group including related first content portions and one of the private transport packets, each private transport packet containing metadata derived from at least one of the first content portions in the respective presentation group, the metadata including:
time stamps received for each of the packets in the respective presentation group that correspond to a normal playback of the multimedia data stream,
one or more time stamp offsets corresponding to one or more presentation groups in the multimedia data stream, a time stamp offset identifying where the one or more presentation groups reside relative to the respective presentation group, and
a pointer to the access point determined for the respective presentation group, wherein the pointer identifies a position of the respective presentation group throughout the multimedia data stream relative to a position of at least one other presentation group in the first content, the access point including timing data in the first content,
wherein the one or more time stamp offsets and the pointer to the presentation group's access point at least in part represent the presentation group's dependencies on one or more other presentation groups within the multimedia data stream,

producing a content stream for presentation to the client device using the metadata in at least one of the private transport packets associated with at least one of the presentation groups of the first content portions in the second content, wherein multiple private transport packets generated for a plurality of presentation groups in the multimedia data stream are navigable for fast-forwarding or rewinding playback of the multimedia data stream based on presentation group dependencies; and
presenting the content stream to the client device.

3. A method for processing information, the method comprising:
analyzing portions of a logical data stream including data content received as a multimedia data stream for a single program, wherein the multimedia data stream is a time based sequence of packets encoded according to a first content format, to detect groups of the data content, each group defining a presentation of the logical data stream, and to determine an access point for each group, the access point including timing data in the logical data stream; and
based on the analyzing, generating metadata for each of at least one of the groups of the data content, the metadata including:
time stamps received for each of the packets in the respective group that correspond to a normal playback of the multimedia data stream,
one or more time stamp offsets corresponding to one or more groups in the multimedia data stream, a time stamp offset identifying where the one or more groups reside relative to the respective group, and
a pointer to the access point determined for the respective group, wherein the pointer identifies a position of the respective group throughout the multimedia data stream relative to a position of at least one other group in the first content,
wherein the one or more time stamp offsets and the pointer to the group's access point at least in part represent the group's dependencies on one or more other groups within the multimedia data stream,

wherein the metadata is embedded in the logical data stream being used to support manipulation of presenting the logical data stream when the logical data stream is later presented to a receiver for play back, the metadata navigable for modifying the normal playback of the multimedia data stream based on group dependencies.

4. A method as in claim 3 , wherein generating metadata includes:
generating metadata that i.) supports navigation among different portions of the logical data stream in response to commands received from remote users each playing back at least a portion of the logical data stream substantially in real-time; and ii.) enables serial streaming of non-contiguous portions of the logical data stream in response to commands from remote users requesting presentation of the logical data stream in a different manner than originally supported by a content format of the logical data stream.

5. A method as in claim 3 further comprising:
creating at least one retrievable file formatted to include analyzed portions of the logical data stream and corresponding generated metadata;
for storage of the metadata in proximity to a first portion of the logical data stream, generating a pointer identifying a relative location of a second portion of the logical data stream; and
storing the pointer in relation to the first portion of the data stream.

6. A method as in claim 5 further comprising:
interleaving the pointer between portions of the logical data stream at an access point including a data field in a known position relative to the first portion of the logical data stream.

7. A method as in claim 3 further comprising:
buffering contiguous portions of the logical data stream;
generating multiple pointers based on the relative positions of each of multiple portions of t

Assignees

• Hughes Gary
• Falco Michael A
• Arris Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Hughes Gary
• Falco Michael A

Classifications

• H04N21/44016 Primary

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

• H04N21/43074

  of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV programme · CPC title

• H04N21/44008

  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 title

• H04N21/4341

  Demultiplexing of audio and video streams · CPC title

• H04N21/2387

  Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play · CPC title