International Business Machines Corporation

David Israel Seidman

Frank Andre Schaffa

Richard Steven Chernock

Paolo Dettori

Ahmed N Tantawy

Gary Scott Delp

Paul S Chang

Dominick Anthony Zumbo

Rafael M Montalvo

Hanafy E Meleis

Jurij R Paraszczak

Steven W Depp

Olivier Casile

William H Beckmann

A system and method allowing a broadcaster to deliver short-term cyclic data along with the main content of the broadcast stream, synchronized with that main content, and for allowing users to have access to that information for longer periods than a typical data broadcast system would allow. Additional data content is added to the main content stream and is broadcast along with it. The additional data content is initially broadcast shortly prior to the time of its relevance to the main content and is buffered upon reception. In addition, it is rebroadcast cyclically over a short period, allowing viewers who tune in late to take advantage by acquiring the material during and briefly after the time of its initial relevance. If a viewer tunes in after the cyclic broadcast period has elapsed or if there was an error in the receiving or buffering of the additional data content, a return channel can be used to request that the material be retransmitted. If an insufficient number of viewers request a particular piece of material, it may be narrowcast to those viewers over their telephone lines. For a larger number of requests, a rebroadcast will be scheduled.

System and method for the coordination of short-term cyclic data and ephemeral content in a broadcast stream

A system and method for replacing all or part of the original audio of a digital program with other audio enables a user to customize a digital program soundtrack. The method includes receiving the audio portion of the digital program as an audio data stream including multiplexed associated audio and data packets, selecting at least one of the audio packets to be replaced by a replacement audio packet, and replacing the at least one of the audio packets with a replacement audio packet thereby customizing the audio portion of the digital program during program playback. The method also enables customizing an audio portion of a transmitted analog program. The method includes receiving first and second audio signals, receiving information transmitted in a vertical blanking interval of the transmitted analog program, interpreting the information and removing a replaceable audio signal, and replacing the replaceable audio signal with a user-selected audio signal.

Customizing soundtracks

Method for automatic and semi-automatic event scheduling based on information embedded in multimedia content

A personalized data delivery system for dynamically integrating viewer-specified data with visual content includes an input port for receiving a visual content signal, an output port for displaying enhanced visual content on a display, and an interface operatively coupled to the input and output ports. The personalized data delivery system may also include an input/output port for receiving data from a data content source other than the visual content signal and/or for sending requests for viewer specified data to the data content source. Parameters for the selection and display of data can be customized by the viewer. The interface includes at least one processor responsive to one or more viewer personalization parameters and operative to integrate at least a portion of the received data with the visual content signal in accordance with the personalization parameters.

System for integrating personalized data with visual content

For a network with a distributed hierarchical broadcast architecture, a method for efficiently and reliably distributing data content and remotely managing the storage of content. Both the distribution and the storage management methods are rule-based, utilizing network resources in an efficient manner. Simple and reliable mechanisms are provided for ensuring both data integrity and control over storage utilization. At each stage throughout the network hierarchy, content is distributed to nodes in the subsequent stage based on rules. The rules may be modified at each stage. Only one device in the hierarchy is required to maintain detailed information of the storage characteristics of storage devices and content therein in stages which are subsequent to it in the network. The recipient device owner specifies a set of preferences which may be used for local filtering, or which the owning (or other) entity may use to select data which targets the client's interests. The downloaded data may be presented to the client in the form of an interactive application, video, audio, still image, or other format.

Efficient method for rule-based distribution and management of content in a distributed hierarchy of storage devices

The present invention uses multiple broadcast television channels to distribute high volume of data to a client device from a server. Multiple analog channels are broadcast, at least one of which contains video/audio programs and control data inserted into the analog signal's VBI; and at least one separate channel contains a digital data stream which is modulated onto an analog channel and associated with channels containing those video/audio programs. STBs designed to implement this invention are equipped with at least two tuners in order to tune to two of those channels simultaneously. One tuner is used to tune to the video/audio channel, and extract the control data in the VBI. The second tuner is used to tune to the channels containing the data itself.

Data distribution system using coordinated analog and digital streams

A method for displaying an enhanced multimedia presentation including personalized supplementary audio, video, and graphic content selectable by a user and rendered by a receiving device, comprises the steps of: communicating a multimedia presentation file to the receiving device, the multimedia presentation file comprising base multimedia presentation content and, frame-synchronized information including starting frame timing identifier, ending frame timing identifier, starting frame spatial coordinates, ending frame spatial coordinates, and motion vector specifications for describing frame-accurate location, motion and timing of the personalized supplementary audio, video, and graphic content, the frame-synchronized information indicating one or more free areas of the multimedia presentation absent significant base multimedia content; extracting the frame-synchronized information from the multimedia presentation file; retrieving the personalized supplementary content from the receiving device; decoding the personalized supplementary content at a time sufficiently in advance of the starting frame timing identifier; and the receiving device selecting an indicated free area and initiating display of one or more items of the personalized supplementary content at frame-accurate times between the starting frame timing identifier and ending frame timing identifier at the frame coordinates in accordance with the frame-synchronized information.

System for video, audio, and graphic presentation in tandem with video/audio play

A system is presented for two-way digital multimedia broadcast services, enabling a variety of interactive and other applications. These applications include: navigation from one video program to another by selection of objects in the current video; creation and transmission of records of user viewing selection histories; iterative video-based data search and retrieval; dynamic customization of coordination between video content of the broadcast stream and data embedded therein; and the dynamic creation of &ldquo;personalized&rdquo; programs by the user without, through the broadcast and selection of overlapping program segments which are themselves customized for a particular user or group of users.

System for two-way digital multimedia broadcast and interactive services

A user interface is presented for the interaction, by a viewer, with the content of a multi media presentation and functions related to this content. The user interface enables the navigation, by a viewer, among dynamic selectable regions (hot spots) within a multi media presentation. These hot spots are defined prior to the video's presentation, and are used to allow the viewer to invoke functions associated with the multi media presentation. The user interface allows the viewer to move from one hot spot to another with a simple interface, such as a tab key on a remote control. The user interface constrains the possible locations of an on-screen cursor to the hot spot locations. Properties of the hot spots, such as priority, region size, and display parameters are modifiable and customizable by the viewers's system automatically or through interaction with the viewer.

User interface for interaction with video

A system architecture enables the distribution, to users connected to a digital broadcast medium, of supplementary information, which is presented and accessed in the context of the viewing of a video program. This ancillary, or 'follow-up' information (FUI) is embedded in the same transport stream (digital multimedia broadcast stream) as the digital video and audio content. The FUI may take the form of video, audio or text. Alternatively, the transport stream may carry pointers to follow-up information (PFUI) instead of the information itself. In the latter case, the pointers are saved and used subsequently in the selection of FUI from a channel which carries data exclusively. In the former case, the user selects the FUI (supplementary information) which is to be extracted from the broadcast stream as it is transmitted.

Scheme for the distribution of multimedia follow-up information

A generic high bandwidth adapter providing a unified architecture for data communications between buses, channels, processors, switch fabrics and/or communication networks. Data is carried by data stream packets of variable lengths, and each packet includes a header control information portion required by communication protocols used to mediate the information exchange, and normally a data portion for the data which is to be communicated. A packet memory stores data packets arriving at a plurality of generic adapter input/output ports. The packet memory is segmented into a plurality of buffers, and each data packet is stored in one or more buffers as required by the length thereof. A generic adapter manager is provided for performing and synchronizing generic adapter management functions, including implementing data structures in the packet memory by organizing data packets in buffers, and organizing data packets into queues for processing by the processor subsystem or transfer to or from generic adapter input/output ports. The generic adapter manager prepares future response to anticipated requests for communications services which are functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data. The generic adapter manager stores the future responses at specified addresses in memory which can be read by a requester. Each generic adapter input/output port has associated therewith a packet memory interface providing for the transfer of data packets into and out of the packet memory, such that when a data packet is received at an input/output port, the data packet is transferred into the adapter packet memory and queued for processing.

Generic high bandwidth adapter providing data communications between

A generic high bandwidth adapter providing a unified architecture for data communications between buses, channels, processors, switch fabrics and/or communication networks. Data is carried by data stream packets of variable lengths, and each packet includes a header control information portion required by communication protocols used to mediate the information exchange, and normally a data portion for the data which is to be communicated. The generic high bandwidth adapter comprises a processor subsystem including a processor for processing the header control information portions of data packets. The processor has access to data packets stored in a packet memory which stores data packets arriving at four generic adapter input/output ports. The packet memory is segmented into a plurality of buffers, and each data packet is stored in one or more buffers as required by the length thereof. A generic adapter manager is provided for performing and synchronizing generic adapter management functions, including implementing data structures in the packet memory by organizing data packets in buffers, and organizing data packets into queues for processing by the processor subsystem or transfer to or from generic adapter input/output ports. Each generic adapter input/output port has associated therewith a packet memory interface providing for the transfer of data packets into and out of the packet memory, such that when a data packet is received at an input/output port, the data packet is transferred into the adapter packet memory and queued for processing.

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New York, NY, United States of America

David Israel Seidman