IP Library Granted Patent US 11,895,370
Granted Patent B2
US 11,895,370 · App. 17/706,417 · Granted Feb 6, 2024

Modifying playback of replacement content responsive to detection of remote control signals that control a device providing video to the playback device

Inventors: Kurt R. Thielen (Maple Grove, MN); Shashank Merchant (Sunnyvale, CA); Peter Dunker (Weimar, DE); Markus K. Cremer (Orinda, CA); Chungwon Seo (Seoul, KR); Seunghyeong Lee (Seoul, KR); Steven D Scherf (Oakland, CA)
Assignee: Roku, Inc.
H04N21/47217H04N9/8715H04N21/4312H04N21/44016H04N21/812H04N21/8146
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,895,370
App. No.
17/706,417
Granted
Feb 6, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one aspect, an example method includes (i) providing, by a playback device, replacement media content for display; (ii) determining, by the playback device that while the playback device is displaying the replacement media content a remote control transmitted an instruction to a media device that provides media content to the playback device; (iii) determining, by the playback device, a playback-modification action corresponding to the instruction and the media device; and (iv) modifying, by the playback device, playback of the replacement media content in accordance with the playback-modification action.

Claims (46)

1. A method comprising:

providing, by a playback device, replacement media content for display;

while the playback device is displaying the replacement media content, receiving, using a receiver of the playback device, an instruction that a remote control transmitted to a media device, wherein the media device provides media content to the playback device;

determining, by the playback device, a region within a display of the playback device at which the playback device is configured to provide an overlay corresponding to the instruction for display; and

modifying, by the playback device, presentation of the replacement media content such that the overlay is visible within the region while the playback device provides the replacement media content for display.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the presentation of the replacement media content comprises modifying a transparency of the region such that the overlay is visible through the replacement media content while the playback device provides the replacement media content for display.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the region comprises determining the region using correlation data corresponding to the media device that maps instructions to regions.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

identifying, by the playback device, the media device; and

obtaining, by the playback device, the correlation data corresponding to the media device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the media device comprises:

determining a plurality of instructions transmitted by the remote control to the media device prior to the instruction; and

identifying the media device based at least on the plurality of instructions.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the media device comprises:

generating a fingerprint from a portion of media content received from the media device; and

identifying the media device based at least on the fingerprint.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instruction comprises an instruction configured to cause a modification to playback of the replacement media content.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the instruction comprises a volume adjustment, and wherein the overlay comprises a volume-adjustment graphic.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the instruction comprises a playback-speed adjustment, and wherein the overlay comprises a playback-speed graphic.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instruction comprises a request to access a channel-selection guide, and wherein the overlay comprises the channel-selection guide.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the playback device comprises a television.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the replacement media content is an advertisement.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of acts comprising:

providing replacement media content for display;

while a playback device is displaying the replacement media content, receiving, using a receiver of the playback device, an instruction that a remote control transmitted to a media device, wherein the media device provides media content to the playback device;

determining a region within a display of the playback device at which the playback device is configured to provide an overlay corresponding to the instruction for display; and

modifying presentation of the replacement media content such that the overlay is visible within the region while the playback device provides the replacement media content for display.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein modifying the presentation of the replacement media content comprises modifying a transparency of the region such that the overlay is visible through the replacement media content while the playback device provides the replacement media content for display.

15. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that are executable to cause the computing system to perform a set of acts comprising:

providing replacement media content for display,

while a playback device is displaying the replacement media content, receiving, using a receiver of the playback device, an instruction that a remote control transmitted to a media device, wherein the media device provides media content to the playback device,

determining a region within a display of the playback device at which the playback device is configured to provide an overlay corresponding to the instruction for display, and

modifying presentation of the replacement media content such that the overlay is visible while the playback device provides the replacement media content for display.

16. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein modifying the presentation of the replacement media content comprises modifying a transparency of the region such that the overlay is visible through the replacement media content while the playback device provides the replacement media content for display.

17. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein determining the region comprises determining the region using correlation data corresponding to the media device that maps instructions to regions.

18. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the set of acts further comprises:

identifying the media device; and

obtaining the correlation data corresponding to the media device.

19. The computing system of claim 18 , wherein identifying the media device comprises:

determining a plurality of instructions transmitted by the remote control to the media device prior to the instruction; and

identifying the media device based at least on the plurality of instructions.

20. The computing system of claim 18 , wherein identifying the media device comprises:

generating a fingerprint from a portion of media content received from the media device; and

identifying the media device based at least on the fingerprint.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024
From: ROKU, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 068982/0377 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2022
From: GRACENOTE, INC.
To: ROKU, INC.
Reel/Frame 060211/0565 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2022
From: THIELEN, KURT R.; MERCHANT, SHASHANK; DUNKER, PETER; CREMER, MARKUS K.; SEO, CHUNGWON; LEE, SEUNGHYEONG; SCHERF, STEVEN D.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 059417/0941 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17003211 · Aug 26, 2020
Continuation 16181978 · Nov 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62700409 · Jul 19, 2018
Related Publication 20220224986A1 · Jul 14, 2022