Data processing: presentation processing of document – operator i – Presentation processing of document – Layout
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2003-11-25
Feild, Joseph H. (Department: 2178)
Data processing: presentation processing of document, operator i
Presentation processing of document
Layout
C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06654933
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to media delivery systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for implementing interactive media delivery. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for media stream indexing and synchronization.
2. Related Art
Recent advances in data handling and data communications techniques have enabled the entertainment industry to provide movies and other audio, video, or multi-media program materials to viewers in a viewer's home at a time requested by the viewer. Such services are referred to as “video-on-demand” (VOD) services. Video-on-demand services allow a viewer to request and receive program materials at the viewer's television set at a time specified by the viewer.
However, conventional video-on-demand services have limited ability or flexibility to customize program materials transmitted to the viewer. Typically, program materials are stored in a format such that they cannot easily be edited, modified, or packaged in a customized manner by the video-on-demand service provider. Because of this limited flexibility, the VOD service provider has a limited range or variety of products that can be offered to the viewer.
This limited flexibility often results in a less than optimal mix of program material being transmitted to the viewer, with less than optimal use of available bandwidth. For example, a VOD service provider may be unable to provide additional program material desired by a particular viewer, such as closed-captioning text. Alternatively, the VOD service provider may be unable to modify program material transmitted to the viewer to better suit the needs of the viewer, such as transmitting the audio program material in an alternative language. Finally, the VOD service provider may be wasting bandwidth by transmitting program material, such as closed-captioning text, that a particular viewer may not be using.
In addition, conventional video-on-demand services do not offer interactive capabilities to the viewer. Once the viewer orders a program, the program is delivered (e.g., transmitted) to the viewer's television set for display at the specified time. The viewer has no control over the program material while it is airing. For instance, the viewer cannot pause, fast-forward or rewind the program. All the viewer can do is watch the program as it is delivered, and, as such, the conventional video-on-demand system is not interactive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a hierarchical structure used for storage and delivery of program materials such as video and other media. In this document, the terms “program”, “program material”, and “program content” are used generally to refer to media provided to a viewer, such as audio, video, multi-media, or other types of material intended for listening and/or viewing by the viewer.
According to the invention, a hierarchy of object types is used to format or arrange the program material that is transmitted to an individual viewer. The objects include: an atom; a segment; a series; and a group. An atom contains the program material in the form of data preferably encoded data, that is stored on a storage device or other memory means. The object hierarchy of the present invention is generally defined as follows: a group is comprised of one or more series; a series is comprised of one or more segments; and a segment identifies or references a portion of an atom, such as the data contained in an atom that occurs between two points in time. As such, a segment may identify all or part of an atom.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for locating program material so that delivery of the program material to a viewer begins at a specified time T in the program material. This indexing method of the present invention includes accessing a group having one or more series, each series having one or more segments that references a corresponding atom containing media data representing the program material.
This indexing method further includes steps for determining the data position of the program material corresponding to the specified time T. One step is determining in which segment the specified time occurs; this segment is referred to as the specified segment, and the corresponding atom is referred to as the specified atom. The specified time T is converted to specified-segment relative time T
seg
. In a preferred embodiment, this is done by calculating the elapsed time into the specified segment at which the specified time occurs. T
seg
is converted to a data position relative to the specified atom, thereby locating media data representing the program material at the specified time T.
In a preferred embodiment, T
seg
is converted to specified-atom relative time T
atom
. In a particularly preferred embodiment, this is done by adding the specified-segment's offset to T
seg
. An index number is computed from T
atom
using an index duration. In a preferred embodiment, the index duration is the duration of a frame of media data.
In a preferred embodiment, the index number is used to identify a data position for the media data representing the program material at the specified time T. In a particularly preferred embodiment, an index file is used to correlate index number with a corresponding data position. In particularly preferred embodiments, the corresponding data positions are the beginning of a frame of media data, or the beginning of a group of pictures of media data.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for synchronizing media data for delivery to a viewer. The synchronization method of the present invention includes identifying a base atom containing media data, and identifying one or more auxiliary atoms containing media data to be synchronized with the media data in the base atom. This synchronization method further includes constructing a base atom index file that contains base atom index boundaries. In a preferred embodiment, the base atom index boundaries are Groups of Pictures boundaries.
This synchronization method also includes constructing an auxiliary atom index file for each of the auxiliary atoms. Each auxiliary atom index file is constructed by selecting the auxiliary atom index boundaries that most closely match the base atom index boundaries, thereby synchronizing media data in the auxiliary atoms with media data in the base atom.
In further embodiments of the present invention, apparatus is provided for implementation of the foregoing indexing and synchronization methods.
In yet further embodiments of the present invention, computer program products for use with a computer system are provided. One such computer program product includes a computer usable medium having computer readable program code for enabling a computer system to carry out the indexing method of the present invention. Another such computer program product includes a computer usable medium having computer readable program code for enabling a computer system to carry out the synchronization method of the present invention.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for interactive delivery of program material to a viewer. As used herein, a viewer can be a television viewer, a user of a workstation, or any other entity that receives the program material. This system includes formatting means for arranging media data representing program material in accordance with a viewer command from the viewer, the media data being arranged using the object hierarchy of the present invention. This system also includes computer means in data communication with the formatting means. The computer means is configured to receive the viewer command from the viewer, to transmit the viewer command to the formatting means, and to receive the formatted program material from the formatting means for display to the viewer.
Features and Advantages
One feature of the present invention
Abbott Michael J.
Close Paul
Smith Kevin P.
Ananian R. Michael
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Feild Joseph H.
Kasenna, Inc.
Ludwig Matthew
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