Program storage, retrieval and management based on segmentation messages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706238-B2
Application number	US-201615130516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2016
Priority date	May 3, 2002
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

Segmentation messages indicative of locations of upcoming events, such as the start and end of programs and program portions, and/or rights related to the programs and program portions, are used by cable systems and the like to store programs and program portions for later retrieval and transmission to customers on request. Storage, retrieval and management of programming is thereby facilitated. Methods and systems are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of generating a program signal stream comprising:
creating a program signal stream comprising a serial sequence of programs;
inserting, by a processing device, into the program signal stream, a first rights-related segmentation message defining first rights-related information concerning a right to store an entire expanse of the program signal stream by a program distribution system, in a first location prior to a start of the expanse;
inserting, by the processing device, into the program signal stream, a second rights-related segmentation message defining second rights-related information for the program distribution system concerning the content of the entire expanse, the second rights-related information being different from the first rights-related information, in a second location after a start of the expanse and before an end of the expanse, wherein the respective first and second locations of the first and second rights-related segmentation messages are based, at least in part, on the first and second rights-related information; and
transmitting the program signal stream including the expanse and the first and second segmentation messages to a program content distribution system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rights-related segmentation messages are formatted in accordance with DVS 253 Standard.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rights-related segmentation messages each comprise a sync byte.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expanse comprises a program.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first right-related segmentation message defines a right to store the expanse by the program distribution system for distribution upon the request by a user.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second rights-related segmentation message defines a right to store the expanse by the program distribution system for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second rights-related segmentation message defines a right to transmit the stored expanse, the method comprising:
inserting, by the processing device, the second rights-related segmentation message within the expanse.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
inserting, by the processing device, a third rights-related segmentation message defining a right to manipulate a transmitted presentation of the expanse in response to a request by a user, at a third location within the expanse;
wherein manipulating the presentation comprises at least one of fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the presentation of the expanse.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rights-related segmentation message defines a right to transmit the expanse.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second rights-related segmentation message defines a right to manipulate presentation of the expanse by at least one of fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the presentation of the expanse, in response to a request by a user.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expanse comprises a program or a chapter of a program.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expanse comprises a program or a chapter of a program.

13. A system for generating a program signal stream comprising:
at least one source of a serial sequence of video program signal streams;
at least one processing device configured to:
insert a first rights-related segmentation message defining first rights-related information concerning a right to store an entire expanse of the program signal stream by a program distribution system, in a first location prior to a start of the expanse; and
insert a second rights-related segmentation message defining second rights-related information concerning the content of the entire expanse for the program distribution system, the second rights-related information being different from the first rights-related information, in a second location after a start of the expanse and before an end of the expanse, wherein the respective first and second locations of the first and second rights-related segmentation messages are based, at least in part, on the first and second rights-related information; and
a transmitter to transmit the program signal stream including the expanse and the first and second rights-related segmentation messages to a program content distribution system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter comprises an antenna to transmit the program signal stream.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the source comprises a video program source.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to format the at least one rights-related segmentation message in accordance with DVS 253 Standard.

17. The system of claim 13 , at least one processing device is configured to generate the at least one rights-related segmentation message comprising a sync byte.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second rights-related segmentation message defines a right to store the expanse by the program distribution system for a predetermined period of time.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to insert a second rights-related segmentation message defining a right to transmit the expanse in response to a user, at a third location, within the expanse.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to insert a third rights-related segmentation message defining a right to manipulate presentation of the expanse by at least one of fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the presentation of the expanse, in response to a request by a user, within the expanse.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to insert a second segmentation message defining a right to transmit the expanse in response to a request by a user, at a third location, within the expanse.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to insert a first rights-related segmentation message defining a right to manipulate presentation of the expanse by at least one of fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the presentation of the expanse, in response to a request by a user, within the expanse.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the expanse comprises a program or a chapter of a program.

24. A method of generating a program signal stream comprising:
receiving a program signal stream comprising a serial sequence of programs;
inserting, by a processing device, into the program signal stream, a first rights-related segmentation message defining first rights-related information concerning a right to store an entire expanse of the program signal stream by a program distribution system in a first location prior to a start of the expanse;
inserting, by the processing device, into the program signal stream, a second rights-related segmentation message defining second rights-related information for the program distribution system concerning the content of the entire expanse, the second rights-related information being different from the first rights-related information, in a second location after a start of the expanse and before an end of the expanse, wherein the respective first and second locations of the first and second rights-related segmentation messages are based, at least in part, on the first and second rights-related informati

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Carlucci John B
• Williamson Louis D
• Callahan John W
• Urdang Erik G
• Kimble David M
• Gonder Thomas
• Buehl Joseph

Classifications

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• H04N5/44543

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N21/435

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

• H04N21/6587

  Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection · CPC title

• H04N21/854

  Content authoring · CPC title