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WO2001019078A1 - Synchronisation de flux video analogiques et numeriques distincts a un site spectateur au moyen de sous-titres codes - Google Patents

Synchronisation de flux video analogiques et numeriques distincts a un site spectateur au moyen de sous-titres codes Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001019078A1
WO2001019078A1 PCT/US2000/023780 US0023780W WO0119078A1 WO 2001019078 A1 WO2001019078 A1 WO 2001019078A1 US 0023780 W US0023780 W US 0023780W WO 0119078 A1 WO0119078 A1 WO 0119078A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
vdu
stream
port
annotation
streams
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US2000/023780
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English (en)
Inventor
Anand Srinivasan
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HOTV Inc
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HOTV Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by HOTV Inc filed Critical HOTV Inc
Priority to AU70890/00A priority Critical patent/AU7089000A/en
Publication of WO2001019078A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001019078A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/04—Synchronising
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
    • H04N21/235—Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
    • H04N21/4113—PC
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/4302—Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
    • H04N21/4307—Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen
    • H04N21/43072—Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen of multiple content streams on the same device
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/435—Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
    • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/472—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content
    • H04N21/4722—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content for requesting additional data associated with the content
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/478—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
    • H04N21/4782—Web browsing, e.g. WebTV
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/488—Data services, e.g. news ticker
    • H04N21/4884—Data services, e.g. news ticker for displaying subtitles
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
    • H04N21/858—Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
    • H04N21/8586—Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot by using a URL
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
    • H04N5/445—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards for displaying additional information
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/08—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division
    • H04N7/087—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only
    • H04N7/088—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only the inserted signal being digital
    • H04N7/0884—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only the inserted signal being digital for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
    • H04N7/0885—Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band, e.g. by time division with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval only the inserted signal being digital for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection for the transmission of subtitles

Definitions

  • the present invention is in the field of video broadcasting and editing, and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for synchronizing analog video with a control stream utilizing known analog closed-caption strings.
  • computer elements such as a CPU, memory, and the like, are built into the familiar chassis of a TV set.
  • the TV screen becomes the display monitor in the computer mode.
  • conventional TV elements and circuitry are incorporated along with the computer elements, and capability is provided for a user to switch modes, or to view recorded or broadcast video with added computer interaction.
  • One may thus, with a properly equipped system, select to view analog TV programs, digital TV programs, conventional cable TV, satellite TV, pay TV from various sources, and browse the WWW as well, displaying WEB pages and interacting with on-screen fields and relational systems for jumping to related information, databases, and other WEB pages.
  • the capabilities are often integrated into a single display, that is, one may view a broadcast presentation and also have a window on the display for WEB interaction.
  • Set-top box systems have an advantage for providers in that they may be connected to conventional television sets, so end users don't have to buy a new TV along with the computer elements.
  • buttons or other familiar pointer apparatus on the remote are also provided in the remote to perform the familiar function of such buttons on a pointer device, like a mouse or trackball more familiar to computer users.
  • Set-top boxes and computer-integrated TVs adapted as described above typically have inputs for such as a TV antenna (analog), cable TV (analog or digital), more recently direct-satellite TV (digital), and may also connect to video cassette recorders and to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and CD-ROM drives to provide a capability for uploading video data from such devices and presenting the dynamic result as a display on the TV screen.
  • a TV antenna analog
  • cable TV analog or digital
  • digital more recently direct-satellite TV
  • mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and CD-ROM drives
  • end users receive a single video stream that contains the video data and any added annotated data such as subtitling, sponsor logos, information blocks, and the like.
  • any added annotated data such as subtitling, sponsor logos, information blocks, and the like.
  • hyper-video authoring is possible wherein a wide variety of added, often interactive, content is made available to viewers having an active connection to an offered video and an Internet connection for facilitating delivery of interactive results.
  • Hyper-video authoring includes creating hot spots (interactive hyperlinks) in a video, providing interactive regions for tracked objects (method known to the inventors), inserting URL's for user interaction, providing interactive banner ads, providing interactive icons for launching instant replays of short video clips, and adding audio/text annotation, and so on.
  • Enhanced content may, in some instances, be delivered via alternate paths
  • Internet typically the Internet
  • added content is combined (possibly into the VBI of analog feeds, or suitably interleaved in digital feeds) at the provider end and delivered as one stream (typically cable or digital feed) to the viewer.
  • Internet capability is utilized as a backlink to a server and for the purpose of delivering stored information associated with the viewers interaction that may be viewed on the same display containing the offered video such as by a PIX on PLX method and so on.
  • users a viewer may elect to save and store Internet- delivered content to suitable data storage facilities associated with their home systems.
  • such material may be saved and stored on-line at a server adapted for the purpose. In this case, a viewer may at a later time retrieve the material at his or her discretion.
  • One of the capabilities of the authoring system is the ability to author live video feeds wherein a separate control stream containing the authoring is created and sent to viewers by an alternate route such as by the Internet.
  • the viewer is receiving an analog video on a suitable cable or satellite connection, and the authored metadata is streamed over a separate Internet connection.
  • synchronization software is applied to cause the main video and the control stream to play in sync on the viewer's display screen.
  • the software in some cases known to the inventor uses a presentation time stamp (PTS) method for synchronizing the separate steams at the viewer's end.
  • PTS presentation time stamp
  • the PTS system assumes that the delay times associated with the delivery of a main video and the separate control stream are near zero which would allow a soft ramping technique to be used with markers in the streams to synchronize both streams within a reasonable amount of time so as to be largely transparent to the viewer.
  • delays in receiving the main video or in receiving the metadata may be such that significant time is expended in stream synchronization and is noticeable to a viewer. This is due in part to much varied geographic relationships that may exist between the locations of the source feed, authoring stations and viewers. In a large geographic region, adverse delays may be experienced.
  • the system known to the inventor wherein an authored stream may be delivered to a viewer and synchronized to play alongside the main video, uses an Internet path and cable modem capability that is separate from the TV cable for receiving videos.
  • the set-top box and the TV must, in combination, contain suitable software for communication with the Internet including channel notification and requesting capability to the Internet authoring source.
  • the set-top box has a bi- directional communication link to the TV capable of providing input from the TV cable and the Internet as well as output from the TV for initiating requests to the Internet authoring source.
  • an interactive video display system comprising a computerized video display unit (PC/VDU) having a first port for receiving a primary analog video stream having multiple instances of closed caption (CC) text strings and a second port for receiving a digital annotation data stream; a broadcast station delivering a primary analog video stream to the first port of the PC/VDU; and an authoring station delivering a digital annotation data stream to the second port of the PC/VDU.
  • the broadcast station delivers the primary analog stream to both the PC/VDU and to the authoring station, wherein the authoring station copies the CC text strings into the digital annotation data stream, and wherein the PC/VDU uses the CC text strings in the two data streams to synchronize the two streams in display.
  • the system is particularly adaptable to the Internet.
  • occurrences of CC text are tabled at both the server and at the PC/VDU, and table entries are used in synchronization.
  • the PC/VDU blocks display of annotation data stream received after a threshold delay.
  • the PC/VDU is in an architecture wherein the VDU is tuned to a constant channel, channel selection is made in a separate PC unit, and the CC text strings in a primary video stream are used in conjunction with stored data at a server to determine the channel.
  • annotation streams are stored at a server associated with the authoring station, and the PC/VDU and the server negotiate based on the CC text strings to associate an annotation stream with a primary video stream.
  • a computerized video display unit comprising a first port for receiving a primary analog video stream having multiple instances of closed caption (CC) text strings, and a second port for receiving a digital annotation data stream over an Internet port, the digital annotation data stream having the multiple instances of CC text strings.
  • the PC/VDU synchronizes the two data streams for display using the CC text strings.
  • the PC/VDU tables data regarding the CC text strings, and uses the tabled data in synchronization, and the PC/VDU may block display of certain material from the annotation data stream received for display beyond a programmable threshold delay time.
  • the CC text strings in a primary video stream may be used in conjunction with stored data at a server accessed via the Internet port to determine the channel. Also in some embodiments the PC/VDU negotiates with an Internet server based on the CC text strings to associate an annotation stream with a primary video stream.
  • a method for synchronizing, in a computerized video display unit (PC/VDU), a primary analog video stream having multiple instances of closed- captioning text and a digital annotation data stream produced at an authoring station comprising steps of (a) broadcasting the analog data stream to both the PC/VDU and the authoring station; (b) copying the CC strings into the annotation stream at the authoring station with the same timing as in the analog stream; (c) sending the annotation data stream to the PC/VDU; and (d) using the CC strings in the two streams at the PC/VDU to synchronize the two streams in display.
  • PC/VDU computerized video display unit
  • step (c) the authoring station delivers the annotation data stream on the Internet to the PC/VDU. Also in some cases occurrences of CC text are tabled at both the authoring station and at the PC/VDU, and table entries are used in synchronization.
  • the PC/VDU may block display of annotation data stream received after a threshold delay.
  • the PC/VDU is in an architecture wherein the VDU is tuned to a constant channel and channel selection is made in a separate PC unit.
  • the CC text strings in a primary video stream may be used in conjunction with stored data at a server accessible to the authoring station to determine the channel
  • annotation streams may be stored at a server associated with the authoring station
  • the PC/VDU and the server negotiate based on the CC text strings to associate an annotation stream with a primary video stream.
  • Fig. 1 is a basic overview of a video authoring and delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a chart diagram illustrating closed-caption (CC) detection, tabling and time comparison according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 3A is a block diagram illustrating a typical CPE scenario wherein CC detection for channel notification is not needed.
  • Fig. 3B is a block diagram illustrating an enhanced CPE scenario using CC detection for channel notification. Description of the Preferred Embodiments
  • a system known to the inventor provides a capability for authoring video streams for the purpose of creating separate control streams that are delivered to viewers by an alternate route to the route used to deliver the main video stream.
  • that system has broad commercial viability, there are applications wherein the system lacks capability to satisfactorily provide complete synchronization of control streams to analog video streams at the user's end.
  • the known system fails to provide a capability to notify entities responsible for delivering the control streams of the channel to which a viewer may be tuned. Therefore, it is impossible, in those applications, for the sender of the control streams to identify and deliver the appropriate streams that properly associate with the video content being viewed.
  • the inventors disclose herein a new method and apparatus that will allow accurate synchronization of separate streams regardless of stream format and provide channel notification capability in virtually all conceived applications of interactive TV viewing.
  • Fig. 1 is an overview of a video authoring and delivery system 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • System 9 comprises an original source 13 of a video stream, which may be a stored or a live feed, an editing and broadcast station
  • Source 13 may be any video source, including stored or live broadcast.
  • a presentation from source 13 is acquired by an agent or affiliate of broadcast station 15.
  • acquisition of an event at source 13 is being performed with analog equipment and viewers will receive an analog video stream, together with a digital annotation data stream to be coordinated with the primary video at the viewer's premise.
  • the primary video raw is delivered to station 15 for formatting and some editing before being sent to viewers.
  • editing is generally limited to managing insertion of commercials and other material into the video stream.
  • the managed version of the video stream is delivered, in this example, as an analog stream (available from a cable TV provider) over an analog cable 19 to representative viewer premise 33.
  • a viewer at premise 33 knowing the scheduled time of broadcast and the cable channel carrying the broadcast may tune in to the channel and commence watching the presentation.
  • the primary video stream delivered to user premise 33 is also delivered to authoring station 11 over cable 19.
  • Authoring station 11 comprises substations and servers to enable it to perform different authoring functions simultaneously, multiplex the data and deliver it as a single annotation digital control stream to viewers.
  • substations substation 27 (A 1) and 29 (A2) are provided and adapted to perform authoring.
  • Substation 27 may provided interactive elements (hyperlinks) such as interactive regions or graphics while substation 29 provides additional audio content and so on.
  • There may be more than the two authoring substations such as those illustrated herein provided and adapted to perform assigned authoring functions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and, although not specifically shown in Fig. 1, the stream is digitized in the process of authoring.
  • a server 23 is provided and adapted to receive separately authored control streams from substations such as 27 and 29 and to multiplex them into one control stream that may be delivered to viewer's such as at premise 33.
  • Server 23 is an Internet server in this example, however, such a server may be maintained on a private WAN instead of the Internet.
  • Substations 25, 27 and 29 are preferably on-line modules with a constant connection to server 23.
  • analog programming whether live or prerecorded typically has closed-caption (CC) text included for the hearing impaired, which, in this case would be inserted at station 15.
  • CC text-strings are typically included in line 21 of the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of each analog video frame where CC is needed.
  • VBI vertical blanking interval
  • a substation 25 is provided and adapted to play the analog primary video stream and to note all occurrences of closed-captioning.
  • a unique software application 21 is provided and executable from substation 21 for the purpose. As the primary video is played, software 21 detects CC strings as they occur in real-time, and provides this data to server 23, which prepares a table associated with server time, which is consistent with other time stamps the server may use for other purposes. In this example, software 21 is resident on substation 21 , however, it may be resident on a connected server and made accessible to substation 21.
  • the data regarding CC text including time of occurrences of each string is digitized and forwarded to server 23, where software 21 tables the text according to a pre-defined format.
  • Substations 27 and 29 feed their digital streams to server 23 in real time.
  • Server 23 includes the CC text data and timing data received from substation 25 to thee annotation data stream during multiplexing performed to combine separate authoring streams. In this way, a consistent and accurate signature is created in the digital control stream that may be used to synchronize the stream with the appropriate analog video being viewed at premise 33.
  • the basis of the subsequent synchronization is the CC text strings.
  • server 23 delivers the finished control stream via, in this case, Internet connection 31.
  • Premise 33 comprises in this embodiment a set-top box 37 enhanced with an Internet capability along with a cable port for receiving the analog video.
  • a connected PC/TV is provided and adapted to display video content as well as Internet data including control streams.
  • a client software application 35 detects and tables each occurrence of CC text in the primary analog video and associates each occurrence with a local time as it is playing.
  • Enhancement stream server 23 the tables are used in comparison to synchronize the control stream to the analog video. More detail regarding this unique method is described below.
  • Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating closed-caption (CC) detection, tabling and time comparison according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • CC closed-caption
  • a viewer at premise 33 Fig. 1
  • the actual start time of the selected program actual time of display
  • occurrences of closed captioning are monitored and tabled both at authoring station 11 and at the viewer's premise, and comparison of the logged text and times can then be used in comparison to synchronize the primary video stream with the annotation data stream sent, in this case, via the Internet as a digital stream.
  • the closed captioning of the analog primary video is also copied into the digital annotation data stream at the authoring station.
  • Time-line 45 represents the first 20 seconds of the analog program in this example.
  • a table 47 illustrates one example of the compiled data. Each separate occurrence represents a timed sequence in the video during which dialog is being spoken.
  • an Internet delay associated with delivery of the resulting control stream has added an additional .25 seconds of delay before the viewer receives the control stream, in this case, by separate Internet path.
  • the arrival of control stream at the viewer's end is 1 :00.00.75 PM, or .75 seconds after the viewer has engaged in watching the - 12 - program. This may be considered a significant time delay in view of the nature (time sensitivity) of some authored data.
  • the video source is a live source, and authoring is live
  • the CC text is still copied into the digital annotation stream from station 11 to the viewer's premise 33.
  • the table is, after all, being developed as the analog video plays at station 11.
  • the viewer's station synchronizes the two streams by comparing the actual CC strings in the two streams.
  • an annotation data stream may be authored and saved, and recalled and sent on request along with a CC table, and the viewing station can synchronize using the tables and the CC strings.
  • Software 35 at premise 33 includes a capability for comparing tabled CC text dialogs and times associated with both the analog stream and the digital control feed. By comparing tables the software notes the delay time of the digital stream and can begin synchronizing the streams by buffering until the CC dialog matches.
  • Whether to display annotations or not will be a matter of the nature of the delay. That is, some data may be displayable within a very broad window of time, and other material may have to be displayed very close to perfect sync time. In some cases the author may tag certain material to be displayed or not depending on the delay. For example, in some cases a threshold time, such as .75 seconds of delay time, may be tagged to annotated material, such that no annotated material may be displayed if later than the threshold.
  • a threshold time such as .75 seconds of delay time
  • An example might be an annotated score- display associated with a basket made in a game of basketball. If too much time passes after a basket has been made before the scorebox appears, another basket may have occurred in the meantime resulting in a false display of the score.
  • threshold may be adjustable at the viewer's premise. Display of the control stream in sync with the analog stream commences with continued tabling and comparison being performed. Further delays that may occur due to jitter or other bandwidth issues may usually be handled by buffering once streams are in sync. If there is a subsequent delay in the control stream that exceeds threshold values applied to the data blocks then that data is simply discarded or not displayed as previously described. If for some reason the digital stream arrives before the analog video, then the digital stream may be cache buffered. Moreover, the digital stream may be stored in server 23 of Fig. 1 and re-streamed if the analog program is replayed. In one embodiment of the present invention, CC detection is also used to determine what channel is being viewed, allowing selectivity as to annotation stream.
  • Fig. 3A is a block diagram illustrating a typical user's station architecture wherein CC detection for channel notification is not needed.
  • a PC/TV 53 is provided and contains all of the software and components needed for interactive TV. Note that a set-top box such as set- top box 37 of Fig. 1 is not used in this example.
  • an analog cable 55 provides a source for analog video to PC/TV 53.
  • a cable modem 57 is provided and connected to analog cable 55 for the purpose of enabling Internet interaction and control stream delivery over a channel provided in cable 55. Internet sourced data arrives at PC/TV 53 through modem 57 and over a short Internet cable 59.
  • PC/TV 53 Software 35, illustrated resident on PC/TV 53, is used to synchronize a digital control stream arriving through modem 57, over cable 59, to an analog stream arriving over cable 55 as described in Fig.'s 1 and 2.
  • PC/TV 53 is illustrated as being tuned to a cable channel 103 and it is assumed that a viewer is receiving an analog video over that channel. Since the PC/TV selects channels it may negotiate with an Internet server, such as server 23, and request appropriate annotation streams for selected channels.
  • Fig. 3B is a block diagram illustrating an enhanced user station architecture wherein the PC/TV cannot deduce the channel, so CC detection for channel notification may be needed.
  • PC/TV 53 is connected to a set-top box 61.
  • Analog cable 55 is connected to set-top box 61 and delivers video according to channel selection. In this case, however, channel selection is performed in set-top box 61.
  • Box 61 is illustrated as tuned to cable channel 103 while PC/TV remains on channel 3 as is known in the art for set-up procedures when connecting cable boxes or VCR's to TVs.
  • the provision of set-top box 61 is the only difference in set-up from Fig. 3 A in this example.
  • PC/TV 53 cannot, without the aid of software 35, determine which channel is being viewed because channel selection is now performed in set-top box 61. However, with the aid of software 35, channel detection is still possible. It is known that CC strings will be unique to each and every primary video stream. If, as is done in embodiments of the present invention, the CC strings are tabled and also copied into annotation streams, the CC strings can be matched to select correct annotation streams for primary video streams.
  • a source of digital control streams such as server 23 of Fig. 1 may receive proper notification of the proper channel when the viewer selects a channel and content arrives.
  • a slight delay in delivery of Internet sourced data will occur in this embodiment due to the fact that a request for a proper control stream may not be made until the analog program begins streaming. However, such delays will still be less than those experienced with a separate Internet connection.
  • the method and apparatus of the present invention may be used to synchronize any digital enhancement stream authored from any associated analog video to the analog video at the viewer's premise. It will also be apparent to one with skill in the art that now digital enhancement streams may be stored and latter synchronized with a re-telecast of a same analog presentation such that re-authoring of a pre-authored video need not be performed.
  • the channel detection option may or may not be required depending on CPE equipment and set-up parameters.
  • a PC/TV is adapted to contain all of the channels available by section from the PC/TV
  • no channel detection is required.
  • CC text detection is used in every instance wherein a digital control stream needs to synchronize to an analog main video at the viewer's end. Therefore the spirit and scope of the present invention should be afforded the broadest scope. The spirit and scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'affichage vidéo interactif, qui comporte un terminal de visualisation (PC/VDU) (33) doté d'un premier port conçu pour recevoir un flux vidéo analogique principal (PAVS) ayant de multiples occurences de chaînes de texte à sous-titres codés (CC), et d'un second port conçu pour recevoir un flux de données d'annotations nu mériques (DADS), une station de diffusion (15) acheminant le PAVS au premier port du PC/VDU, et une station de création (11) acheminant le DADS au second port du PC/VDU. La station de diffusion (15) achemine le PAVS au PC/VDU (33) et à la station de création (11), et cette dernière copie des chaînes de texte à CC dans le DADS. Le PC/VDU utilise les chaînes de texte à CC dans les deux flux de données afin de synchroniser les deux flux à l'affichage. Le système est particulièrement adapté aux systèmes ayant un port câble ou satellite et une connexion Internet. Dans certains modes de réalisation, les chaînes de texte à CC sont tablées avec des données de synchronisation, et les tables sont utilisées à des fins de comparaison et de synchronisation. Les chaînes de texte à CC peuvent également être utilisées dans la syntonisation de canaux.
PCT/US2000/023780 1999-09-03 2000-08-29 Synchronisation de flux video analogiques et numeriques distincts a un site spectateur au moyen de sous-titres codes Ceased WO2001019078A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU70890/00A AU7089000A (en) 1999-09-03 2000-08-29 Method and apparatus for synchronization of separate digital and analog video streams at a viewer's premise using closed captioning

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US39041999A 1999-09-03 1999-09-03
US09/390,419 1999-09-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001019078A1 true WO2001019078A1 (fr) 2001-03-15

Family

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PCT/US2000/023780 Ceased WO2001019078A1 (fr) 1999-09-03 2000-08-29 Synchronisation de flux video analogiques et numeriques distincts a un site spectateur au moyen de sous-titres codes

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU7089000A (fr)
WO (1) WO2001019078A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2012015875A (ja) * 2010-07-02 2012-01-19 Nippon Hoso Kyokai <Nhk> 送信装置及び送信プログラム

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5486872A (en) * 1993-02-26 1996-01-23 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for covering and revealing the display of captions
US5781245A (en) * 1995-02-02 1998-07-14 U.S. Philips Corporation Merging of video mosaic with teletext
US5805153A (en) * 1995-11-28 1998-09-08 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Method and system for resizing the subtitles of a video

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5486872A (en) * 1993-02-26 1996-01-23 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for covering and revealing the display of captions
US5781245A (en) * 1995-02-02 1998-07-14 U.S. Philips Corporation Merging of video mosaic with teletext
US5805153A (en) * 1995-11-28 1998-09-08 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Method and system for resizing the subtitles of a video

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2012015875A (ja) * 2010-07-02 2012-01-19 Nippon Hoso Kyokai <Nhk> 送信装置及び送信プログラム

Also Published As

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