Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Thomson Licensing

Hollinbeck Mgmt. Gmbh, LLC

Joseph S Rice

Mark Arana

Michael Andrew Radford

Zane Vella

Mark Rogers Johnson

Katherine S Navarre

Ralf Ostermann

William B May, Jr

Eric Colin Friedrich

Ole Lutjens

Jeffrey Robert Braun

Eric Ross Klein

Joseph A Inzerillo

Jeffrey Edwin Grubb

Derek L Prestegard

Noel Brandon Vasquez

Ole Lütjens

Christopher J Zucker

Jeff Braun

Aashish J Shah

Jun Liu

Joseph C Hart

A system for delivering accessibility enhanced content includes a computer server having processing hardware and a memory storing a software code. The processing hardware is configured to execute the software code to deliver, to a user system, accessibility enhanced content comprising primary content and an accessibility track synchronized to the primary content, the accessibility track including at least one of a sign language performance, or one or more video tokens each expressing one or more words. When the accessibility track includes the sign language performance, the sign language performance is delivered contemporaneously with delivery of the primary content. When the accessibility track includes the one or more video tokens, the one or more video tokens are played back when the primary content reaches a location corresponding to each of the one or more video tokens.

Accessibility enhanced content delivery

A user system for rendering accessibility enhanced content includes processing hardware, a display, and a memory storing software code. The processing hardware executes the software code to receive primary content from a content distributor and determine whether the primary content is accessibility enhanced content including an accessibility track. When the primary content omits the accessibility track, the processing hardware executes the software code to perform a visual analysis, an audio analysis, or both, of the primary content, generate, based on the visual analysis and/or the audio analysis, the accessibility track to include at least one of a sign language performance or one or more video tokens configured to be played back during playback of the primary content, and synchronize the accessibility track to the primary content. The processing hardware also executes the software code to render, using the display, the primary content or the accessibility enhanced content.

Accessibility enhanced content rendering

Techniques for improved media streaming are provided. A request for a variant list for streaming media content is received from a requesting entity, where the request includes a predefined flag. A set of predefined rules corresponding to the predefined flag is identified. The variant list is pruned based on the set of predefined rules, and the pruned variant list is transmitted to the requesting entity.

Dynamic variant list modification to achieve bitrate reduction

A process receives, from a media content server, media content. Further, the process performs a first playback, with a processor at a media playback device, of one or more sample files corresponding to the media content. The one or more sample files each corresponds to a distinct codec format. In addition, the process determines, with the processor at the media playback device, a confidence score for each of the one or more sample files. The confidence score is associated with one or more factors indicative of the distinct codec format being software-based or hardware-based. Finally, the process performs a second playback, with the processor at the media playback device, of at least a substantial portion of the media content according to the distinct codec format that is hardware-based.

Configuration for detecting hardware-based or software-based decoding of video content

There are provided methods and apparatus for synchronized stream packing of packets that differ contextually between A/V streams in a parallel presentation. A method includes the step of identifying sub-picture/subtitle packets and/or audio packets having arrival timestamps and/or presentation timestamps that match an arrival timestamp and/or a presentation timestamp, respectively, of video packets. The method also includes the step of packing a Video Object Unit (VOBU) and/or a Transport Stream (TS) with the identified sub-picture/subtitle and audio packets and the video packets having the matching timestamps.

Synchronized stream packing

Selection of an audio-visual stream from among a plurality of streams occurs by first detecting a navigation packet within at least one stream that provides information concerning the stream, as well as those streams in lie in synchronism therewith. From the navigation packet, a determination is made which other streams lie in synchronism with the one stream, which audio and sub-picture data packets exist in each stream, and as well as which highlight information properties exist for selecting among the synchronized streams. At least one of the audio data packets, sub-picture data packets, or highlight information properties undergoes modification in accordance with information about at least one other synchronized stream to allow display of a viewer selectable button or the like to select among the synchronized streams and/or be presented with differing audio and/or sub-picture contents with each stream.

Context dependent multi-angle navigation technique for digital versatile discs

A single control allows selection and display of different video sequences from a DVD. No screen graphics are necessary to assist the user with operation, such as to show which buttons correspond to which sequences. A dedicated control, such as a button on a DVD player or television remote control device, is used to switch between two possible video tracks, or to otherwise select among multiple video tracks. Full-screen video tracks can be displayed without the need for visual indicators, such as thumbnail images, to identify selectable video tracks associated with different controls. Another aspect of the invention allows for modification of control information, such as navigation information, within a playback device.

System for selecting video tracks during playback of a media production

A 'hold' feature on a user operated remote control allows a currently displayed track or view to be maintained while a video presentation is being played. As a user is watching a presentation that uses multiple camera views shown one-at-a-time as in a standard edited cut (i.e., 'director's cut') of a movie, the user can press a button when the user sees a camera view or scene of particular interest. Thereafter, the track associated with the camera view or scene that was showing when the hold button was pressed will continue to be played in place of the presentation. To return to the edited cut the user depresses the hold button again. The held track will continue to play until the user decides to resume presentation of the edited program or until the held track ends. Upon ending, the program track is resumed. While holding a track the user is free to select other available tracks in addition to jumping back to the program track at any time.

System for holding a current track during playback of a multi-track media production

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Joseph S Rice