IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,368,764

Granted Patent B2

US 11,368,764 · App. 17/148,700 · Granted Jun 21, 2022

Method and apparatus for selection of content from a stream of data

Inventors: Igor Alexandrovich Nagorski (Geldrop, NL); Jan Alexis Daniel Nesvadba (Eindhoven, NL); Ronaldus Maria Aarts (Geldrop, NL)

Assignee: Roku, Inc.

H04N21/8133 H04N5/50 H04N19/467 H04N21/235 H04N21/2368 H04N21/2389 H04N21/23892 H04N21/234363 H04N21/234381 H04N21/2541 H04N21/4135 H04N21/435 H04N21/4341 H04N21/4383 H04N21/4385 H04N21/44008 H04N21/44016 H04N21/4622 H04N21/4667 H04N21/84 H04N21/8456 H04N21/8549

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,368,764
App. No.: 17/148,700
Granted: Jun 21, 2022
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A main stream contains successive content elements of video and/or audio information that encode video and/or audio information at a first data rate. A computation circuit ( 144 ) computes main fingerprints from the successive content elements. A reference stream is received having a second data rate lower than the first data rate. The reference stream defines a sequence of the reference fingerprints. A comparator unit ( 144 ) compares the main fingerprints with the reference fingerprints. The main stream is monitored for the presence of inserted content elements between original content elements, where the original content elements have main fingerprints that match successive reference fingerprints and the inserted content elements have main fingerprints that do not match reference fingerprints. Rendering of inserted content elements to be skipped. In an embodiment when more than one content element matches only one is rendered. In another embodiment matching is used to control zapping to or from the main stream. In another embodiment matching is used to control linking of separately received mark-up information such as subtitles to points in the main stream.

Claims (94)

1. A method comprising:

accessing, by a media device, a media stream that includes a first sequence of items of content corresponding to a first channel and a second sequence of items of content corresponding to a second channel;

accessing, by the media device, a first reference stream defining a sequence of first reference fingerprints corresponding to respective segments of at least some of the items of content in the first sequence;

accessing, by the media device, a second reference stream defining a sequence of second reference fingerprints corresponding to respective segments of at least some of the items of content in the second sequence;

computing, by a processor of the media device, a first computed fingerprint from a particular segment of the first sequence of items of content of the media stream and a second computed fingerprint from a particular segment of the second sequence of items of content of the media stream;

performing, by the processor of the media device, comparisons of (i) the first computed fingerprint to one or more of the first reference fingerprints and (ii) the second computed fingerprint to one or more of the second reference fingerprints;

making a decision, based on the comparisons, to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content; and

rendering, based on the decision, the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

tuning, by a channel selector of the media device, to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel; and

while tuning to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel, determining that the second channel is a predicted next channel to which the channel selector will tune.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein accessing the second reference stream is responsive to determining that the second channel is a predicted next channel to which the channel selector will tune.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein making the decision whether to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content comprises:

making, based on the comparisons, a determination that (i) the first computed fingerprint mismatches the one or more of the first reference fingerprints and (ii) the second computed fingerprint matches the one or more of the second reference fingerprints; and

responsive to the determination, deciding to render the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

while tuning to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel, receiving a command from a remote control unit to select the second channel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the media stream is substantially simultaneous with accessing the first reference stream.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein accessing the media stream is substantially simultaneous with accessing the second reference stream.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the media stream is performed at a different time than accessing the first reference stream and accessing the second reference stream.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the first reference stream comprises:

accessing, by the processor of the media device, a modified version of at least some of the items of content of the first sequence; and

computing, by the processor of the media device, the one or more of the first reference fingerprints from the modified version of the at least some of the items of content of the first sequence.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the first reference stream comprises receiving, by the receiver of the media device, the first sequence of reference fingerprints.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein each item of content of the media stream comprises audio content.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein each item of content of the media stream comprises video content.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein making the decision comprises deciding to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content, and

wherein rendering, based on the decision, the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content comprises rendering the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein making the decision comprises deciding to render the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content, and

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions embodied thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

accessing, a media stream that includes a first sequence of items of content corresponding to a first channel and a second sequence of items of content corresponding to a second channel;

accessing a first reference stream defining a sequence of first reference fingerprints corresponding to respective segments of at least some of the items of content in the first sequence;

accessing a second reference stream defining a sequence of second reference fingerprints corresponding to respective segments of at least some of the items of content in the second sequence;

computing a first computed fingerprint from a particular segment of the first sequence of items of content of the media stream and a second computed fingerprint from a particular segment of the second sequence of items of content of the media stream;

performing comparisons of (i) the first computed fingerprint to one or more of the first reference fingerprints and (ii) the second computed fingerprint to one or more of the second reference fingerprints;

making a decision, based on the comparisons, whether to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content; and

rendering, based on the decision, the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein operations further comprise:

causing a channel selector of a media device to tune to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel; and

while tuning to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel, determining that the second channel is a predicted next channel to which the channel selector will tune.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein accessing the second reference stream is responsive to determining that the second channel is a predicted next channel to which the channel selector will tune.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein making the decision whether to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content comprises:

responsive to the determination, deciding to render the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein operations further comprise:

while tuning to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel, receiving a command from a remote control unit to select the second channel.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein accessing the media stream is substantially simultaneous with accessing the first reference stream.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein accessing the media stream is substantially simultaneous with accessing the second reference stream.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein accessing the media stream is performed at a different time than accessing the first reference stream and accessing the second reference stream.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein accessing the first reference stream comprises:

accessing a modified version of at least some of the items of content of the first sequence; and

computing the one or more of the first reference fingerprints from the modified version of the at least some of the items of content of the first sequence.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein accessing the first reference stream comprises receiving the first sequence of reference fingerprints.

25. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein each item of content of the media stream comprises audio content.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein each item of content of the media stream comprises video content.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein making the decision comprises deciding to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content, and

28. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 ,

wherein making the decision comprises deciding to render the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content, and

29. A media device comprising:

a plurality of receivers configured to access a media stream that includes a first sequence of items of content corresponding to a first channel and a second sequence of items of content corresponding to a second channel;

a memory that stores instructions; and

one or more processors configured by the instructions to perform operations comprising:

accessing the media stream that includes the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel and the second sequence of items of content corresponding to the second channel;

accessing a first reference stream defining a sequence of first reference fingerprints corresponding to respective segments of at least some of the items of content in the first sequence;

accessing a second reference stream defining a sequence of second reference fingerprints corresponding to respective segments of at least some of the items of content in the second sequence;

rendering, based on the decision, the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content.

30. The media device of claim 29 , wherein operations further comprise:

tuning, by a channel selector of the media device, to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel; and

while tuning to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel, determining that the second channel is a predicted next channel to which the channel selector will tune.

31. The media device of claim 30 , wherein accessing the second reference stream is responsive to determining that the second channel is a predicted next channel to which the channel selector will tune.

32. The media device of claim 30 , wherein making the decision whether to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content or the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content comprises:

responsive to the determination, deciding to render the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content.

33. The media device of claim 32 , wherein operations further comprise:

while tuning to the first sequence of items of content corresponding to the first channel, receiving a command from a remote control unit to select the second channel.

34. The media device of claim 29 , wherein accessing the media stream is substantially simultaneous with accessing the first reference stream.

35. The media device of claim 34 , wherein accessing the media stream is substantially simultaneous with accessing the second reference stream.

36. The media device of claim 29 , wherein accessing the media stream is performed at a different time than accessing the first reference stream and accessing the second reference stream.

37. The media device of claim 29 , wherein accessing the first reference stream comprises:

accessing a modified version of at least some of the items of content of the first sequence; and

computing one or more of the first reference fingerprints from the modified version of the at least some of the items of content of the first sequence.

38. The media device of claim 29 , wherein accessing the first reference stream comprises receiving, by the receiver of the media device, the first sequence of reference fingerprints.

39. The media device of claim 29 , wherein each item of content of the media stream comprises audio content.

40. The media device of claim 29 , wherein each item of content of the media stream comprises video content.

41. The media device of claim 29 , wherein making the decision comprises deciding to render the particular segment of the first sequence of items of content, and

42. The media device of claim 29 , wherein making the decision comprises deciding to render the particular segment of the second sequence of items of content, and

Assignments (5)

SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024

From: ROKU, INC.

To: CITIBANK, N.A.

Reel/Frame 068982/0377 →

TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (REEL/FRAME 056982/0194) Recorded Feb 22, 2023

From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.

To: ROKU, INC.; ROKU DX HOLDINGS, INC.

Reel/Frame 062826/0664 →

PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jun 29, 2021

From: ROKU, INC.

To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.