IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,387,105
Granted Patent B1
US 8,387,105 · App. 12/652,080 · Granted Feb 26, 2013

Method and a system for transmitting video streams

Inventors: Tal Weiss (Ness Ziona, IL); Alon Shafrir (Kfar Saba, IL); Amotz Hoshen (Ramat Gan, IL)
Assignee: ARRIS Solutions, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,387,105
App. No.
12/652,080
Granted
Feb 26, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system and a method for facilitating transitions between video streams is provided. The method includes the steps of: (i) receiving a primary video stream that includes a first primary video stream portion and a second primary video stream portion, wherein the second stream portion follows the first primary video stream portion; (ii) receiving a secondary video stream; processing at least one of the primary video stream and the secondary video stream to facilitate a seamless transition, at a multiple tuner device, between the first primary video stream portion and the secondary video stream; (iii) transmitting the primary video stream to a first tuner of the multiple tuner device; (iv) transmitting the secondary video stream to a second tuner of the multiple tuner device; and (v) instructing the multiple tuner device to perform a seamless transition between the first primary video stream portion to the secondary video stream.

Claims (30)

1. A method for facilitating transitions between video streams, the method comprising:

receiving a primary video stream that comprises a first primary video stream portion and a second primary video stream portion, wherein the second stream portion follows the first video stream portion;

receiving a secondary video stream;

processing at least one of the primary video stream and the secondary video stream to facilitate a seamless transition, at a multiple tuner device, between the first primary video stream portion and the secondary video stream;

transmitting the primary video stream to a first tuner of the multiple tuner device over a first physical channel;

transmitting the secondary video stream to a second tuner of the multiple tuner device over a second physical channel that differs from the first physical channel;

wherein the primary video stream and secondary video stream are a same version of a same program;

instructing the multiple tuner device to perform a seamless transition between the first primary video stream portion to the secondary video stream;

wherein the processing comprises marking a first packet of a video frame of the primary video stream as a first synchronization point if the video frame has a same program clock reference (PCR) value and a same presentation time stamp (PTS) value as a frame of the secondary video stream.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the primary video stream comprises a first synchronization point and the secondary video stream comprises a second synchronization point; wherein the method comprises instructing the multiple tuner device to perform the seamless transition if the multiple tuner device detects the first and second synchronization points.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising transmitting the secondary video stream substantially in parallel to the transmitting of the second primary video stream portion; and preventing a transmission of video content to the second tuner before starting the transmitting of the secondary video stream.

4. The method according to claim 1 comprising monitoring an availability of tuners of the multiple tuner.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second primary video stream portion is targeted to a user of the multiple tuner device; and wherein the secondary video stream is targeted to another user.

6. The method according to claim 1 comprising:

receiving a primary video stream that comprises the first and second primary video stream portions and a third primary video stream portion, wherein the third primary video stream portion follows the second primary video stream portion;

receiving the secondary video stream;

processing at least one of the primary video stream and the secondary video stream to facilitate a seamless transition, at a multiple tuner device, between the first primary video stream portion and the secondary video stream and facilitates a seamless transition, at the multiple tuner device, between the secondary video stream and the third primary video stream portion;

transmitting the primary video stream to the first tuner of the multiple tuner device;

transmitting the secondary video stream to the second tuner of the multiple tuner device;

instructing the multiple tuner device to perform a seamless transition between the first primary video stream portion to the secondary video stream; and

instructing the multiple tuner device to perform a seamless transition between the secondary video stream to the third primary video stream portion.

7. A system for facilitating transitions between video streams, the system comprising:

a receiver to receive a secondary video stream and to receive a primary video stream; the primary video stream comprises a first primary video stream portion and a second primary video stream portion, wherein the second stream portion follows the first video stream portion; wherein the second primary video stream portion and the secondary video stream portion are different versions of a same program;

a video processor to process the primary video stream and the secondary video stream by marking a first packet of a video frame of the primary video stream as a first synchronization point if the video frame has a same program clock reference (PCR) value and a same presentation time stamp (PTS) value as a frame of the secondary video stream; any by marking the frame of the secondary video stream as a second synchronization point;

a transmitter to transmit the primary video stream to a first tuner of the multiple tuner device, for transmitting the secondary video stream to a second tuner of the multiple tuner device and for transmitting a seamless transition instruction to the multiple tuner device, wherein the seamless transition instruction instructs the multiple tuner device to perform a seamless transition between the first primary video stream portion to the secondary video stream.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the system is configured to transmit a seamless transition instruction that instructs the multiple tuner device to perform the seamless transition if the multiple tuner device detects the first and second synchronization points.

9. The system according to claim 7 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the secondary video stream substantially in parallel to a transmission of the second primary video stream portion; and wherein the system is configured to prevent a transmission of video content to the second tuner before the transmitter starts a transmission of the secondary video stream.

10. The system according to claim 7 wherein the second primary video stream portion and the secondary video stream differ from each other by at least one parameter out of bit rate and quality.

11. The system according to claim 7 wherein the second primary video stream portion is targeted to a user of the multiple tuner device; and wherein the secondary video stream is targeted to another user.

12. The system according to claim 7 wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit the primary video stream over a first physical channel and to transmit the secondary video stream over a second physical channel that differs from the first physical channel; wherein the primary video stream and secondary video stream are a same version of a same program.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049820/0495 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 049586/0470 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 8, 2019
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS, INC.; BIG BAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
Reel/Frame 048825/0294 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 14, 2017
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES INC
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 041995/0031 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2015
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 036601/0162 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2013
From: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS; BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030498/0023 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 7, 2012
From: BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.
To: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029428/0969 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2012
From: SHAFRIR, ALON; WEISS, TAL; HOSHEN, AMOTZ
To: BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029405/0238 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61142394 · Jan 5, 2009
Provisional Application 61221108 · Jun 29, 2009