IP Library Granted Patent US 10,735,824
Granted Patent B2
US 10,735,824 · App. 16/046,473 · Granted Aug 4, 2020

In-band trick mode control

Inventor: John Raymond Mick, Jr. (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC
H04N21/6379H04N21/23614H04N21/26208H04N21/2747H04N21/435H04N21/6125H04N21/6543H04N21/6587H04N21/812H04N21/84H04N21/8455H04N21/8586
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,735,824
App. No.
16/046,473
Granted
Aug 4, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A server may receive metadata associated with specific content in a transport signal stream from a content information service. The metadata may identify a point in time of the transport signal stream. The server may instruct an encoder to insert a marker into the transport signal stream corresponding to the point in time of the transport signal stream. The marker may indicate control of a trick mode to be enforced by a delivery platform subsequent to the point in time of the transport signal stream. The server may record the marker in a data store associated with the server.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a transport signal stream;

detecting a marker inserted in the transport signal stream at a point in time of the transport signal stream, the marker indicating control of a trick mode to be enforced for a time duration subsequent to the point in time of the transport signal stream during presentation of content associated with the transport signal stream; and

enforcing control of the trick mode in accordance with one or more instructions associated with the marker during the presentation of the content associated with the transport signal stream,

wherein the marker comprises an indication to send a request to a trick mode controller for the one or more instructions to enforce one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the marker comprises the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more instructions comprise information regarding at least one of enabling or disabling the trick mode, the type of trick mode, time point offsets, content duration, or the duration of time that the trick mode is to be enabled or disabled.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises at least one of the marker or a universal resource locator.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, to the trick mode controller, an indication that the marker has been encountered at the point in time of the transport signal stream.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, to the trick mode controller, the request for the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker; and

receiving, from the trick mode controller, the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising sending, to the trick mode controller, an indication that the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker are being enforced.

8. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to:

receive a transport signal stream;

detect a marker inserted in the transport signal stream at a point in time of the transport signal stream, the marker indicating control of a trick mode to be enforced for a time duration subsequent to the point in time of the transport signal stream during presentation of content associated with the transport signal stream; and

enforce control of the trick mode in accordance with one or more instructions associated with the marker during the presentation of the content associated with the transport signal stream,

wherein the marker comprises an indication to send a request to a trick mode controller for the one or more instructions to enforce one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the marker comprises the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more instructions comprise information regarding at least one of enabling or disabling the trick mode, the type of trick mode, time point offsets, content duration, or the duration of time that the trick mode is to be enabled or disabled.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the indication comprises at least one of the marker or a universal resource locator.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the device to send, to the trick mode controller, an indication that the marker has been encountered at the point in time of the transport signal stream.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the device to:

send, to the trick mode controller, the request for the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker; and

receive, from the trick mode controller, the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the device to send, to the trick mode controller, an indication that the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker are being enforced.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a device to:

receive a transport signal stream;

detect a marker inserted in the transport signal stream at a point in time of the transport signal stream, the marker indicating control of a trick mode to be enforced for a time duration subsequent to the point in time of the transport signal stream during presentation of content associated with the transport signal stream; and

enforce control of the trick mode in accordance with one or more instructions associated with the marker during the presentation of the content associated with the transport signal stream,

wherein the marker comprises an indication to send a request to a trick mode controller for the one or more instructions to enforce one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the marker comprises the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more instructions comprise information regarding at least one of enabling or disabling the trick mode, the type of trick mode, time point offsets, content duration, or the duration of time that the trick mode is to be enabled or disabled.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the indication comprises at least one of the marker or a universal resource locator.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the device to send, to the trick mode controller, an indication that the marker has been encountered at the point in time of the transport signal stream.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable instructions; when executed, further cause the device to:

send, to the trick mode controller, the request for the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker; and

receive, from the trick mode controller, the one or more instructions to enforce the one or more trick mode settings associated with the marker.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Dec 1, 2020
From: THIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 054505/0979 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2020
From: MICK, JOHN RAYMOND, JR
To: THIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 054485/0232 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15361989 · Nov 28, 2016
Continuation 14825691 · Aug 13, 2015
Related Publication 20190124405A1 · Apr 25, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,464,198