Stream conditioning for seamless switching of addressable content across transport multiplex, using local stored content as pre-roll and post-roll buffers; in digital television receivers

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus to enable a form of addressable advertising content delivery in which multiple addressable content streams are sent in a transport multiplex, Addressable Content Channel Multiplex, different from the Primary Channel Multiplex on which the Primary Channel is delivered describe the present invention. The Primary Channel is network stream onto which the addressable content is to be inserted. Seamless switch between the Primary Channel and the addressable content streams on the Addressable Content Channel Multiplex is accomplished by using Receiver stored content as interim buffers to which the switching happens prior to switching to a different transport multiplex. These buffers in effect feed the audio and video decoders with content, during the time it takes for the tuner to switch to a different transport multiplex. Two content buffers, Pre-roll and Post-roll are used during switching, one from Primary Channel Multiplex to Addressable Content Channel Multiplex and another when switching from the Addressable Content Channel Multiplex to the Primary Channel Multiplex.