Delivery of navigation data for playback of audio and video content
First Claim
1. In a server system linked to a consumer system through a communication link, wherein the consumer system includes a processor, a memory, a decoder, and an output device for playing multimedia content, and wherein the server system enables the consumer system to filter multimedia content that is comprised of video content, audio content, or both, a method of assisting the consumer system to automatically identify portions of the multimedia content that are to be filtered and to thereafter automatically filter the identified portions, the method comprising the server system performing the acts of:
- obtaining a plurality of navigation objects which can be loaded into a memory of the consumer system, each navigation object defining a portion of the multimedia content that is to be filtered by defining a start position, a stop position, and a specific filtering action to be performed on the portion of the multimedia content defined by the start and stop positions for that portion;
receiving a request for one or more navigation objects from the consumer system, the request identifying the multimedia content to be played at the consumer system;
in response to the request, retrieving one or more navigation objects;
sending the one or more navigation objects to the consumer system for processing;
whereby the consumer system is adapted to filter the multimedia content by activating the filtering action for each portion of the multimedia content defined by the start and stop positions of each navigation object; and
whereby the consumer system is adapted to disable at least one of the plurality of navigation objects such that the filtering action specified by the at least one of the plurality of navigation objects is ignored.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention a filtering process is based on the output side of a multimedia decoder. A navigator, located at a server system, monitors the current play position of multimedia content at a consumer system and compares that position with navigation objects. Each navigation object defines a start position, a stop position, and a filtering action to perform on the portion of the multimedia content that begins at the start position and ends at the stop position. When the current play position falls within the portion of multimedia content defined by a particular navigation object, the navigator sends the filtering action to the consumer system for processing. Filtering actions include skipping, muting, reframing, etc., the portion of multimedia content defined by a navigation object. Alternatively, the navigator may be located at a consumer system and the server system may provide access to the navigation objects (e.g. download) so that the consumer system monitors and filters the multimedia content based on the received navigation objects. A variety of systems may be used to implement the present invention, such as computer systems (consumer and server), television systems, and audio systems.
54 Citations
1 Claim
-
1. In a server system linked to a consumer system through a communication link, wherein the consumer system includes a processor, a memory, a decoder, and an output device for playing multimedia content, and wherein the server system enables the consumer system to filter multimedia content that is comprised of video content, audio content, or both, a method of assisting the consumer system to automatically identify portions of the multimedia content that are to be filtered and to thereafter automatically filter the identified portions, the method comprising the server system performing the acts of:
-
obtaining a plurality of navigation objects which can be loaded into a memory of the consumer system, each navigation object defining a portion of the multimedia content that is to be filtered by defining a start position, a stop position, and a specific filtering action to be performed on the portion of the multimedia content defined by the start and stop positions for that portion;
receiving a request for one or more navigation objects from the consumer system, the request identifying the multimedia content to be played at the consumer system;
in response to the request, retrieving one or more navigation objects;
sending the one or more navigation objects to the consumer system for processing;
whereby the consumer system is adapted to filter the multimedia content by activating the filtering action for each portion of the multimedia content defined by the start and stop positions of each navigation object; and
whereby the consumer system is adapted to disable at least one of the plurality of navigation objects such that the filtering action specified by the at least one of the plurality of navigation objects is ignored.
-
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeClearplay Incorporated
-
Original AssigneeClearplay Incorporated
-
InventorsJarman, Matthew
-
Granted Patent
-
Time in Patent OfficeDays
-
Field of Search
-
US Class Current1/1
-
CPC Class CodesG11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile dis...G11B 27/105 of operating discsH04N 21/4135 external recorder interface...H04N 21/4318 by altering the content in ...H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signalH04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage...H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions...
