# US 10,122,779 B2 · Switching media streams in a client system based on environmental changes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,779 B2 - Document ID: US10122779B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/637,122 - Filed: 2017-06-29 - Published: 2017-10-19 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2008-03-12 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Jeffrey D. Amsterdam; Christopher E. Holladay; Ryan L. Whitman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122779B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/42202: {environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes} - H04L 65/70: Media network packetisation - H04N 21/23424: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement} - H04N 21/44016: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip} - H04N 21/44218: {Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV programme (methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and system for switching media streams of a video in a client system. A first media stream of the video is played in a SHOW mode in the client system as the first media stream is received. During play of the first media stream, an environmental change is detected within or adjacent to the client system and in response, a switch is made from playing the first media stream to playing a second media stream of the video in the SHOW mode as the second media stream is being received. The switch preserves video content continuity of the video and includes pausing play of the first media stream. A pausing rank is associated with each timecode in the first and second media streams. The pausing occurs at a timecode in the first media stream at which the associated pausing rank is not less than a predesignated threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system, comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable hardware storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code executable by the processor via the memory to implement a method for switching media streams of a video in a client system, said method comprising: said processor playing a first media stream of the video in a SHOW mode in the client system as the first media stream is being received from a content providing system; during said playing the first media stream, said processor detecting an environmental change in an environment within or adjacent to the client system, wherein the environmental change is selected from the group consisting of a change in a screen saver of the client system in use, a change in a sound level adjacent to the client system that exceeds a pre-specified change in sound level, a change in lighting level adjacent to the client system that exceeds a pre-specified change in lighting level, and a hardware overload in the client system; responsive to said detecting the environmental change, said processor switching from playing the first media stream to playing a second media stream of the video in the SHOW mode as the second media stream is being received from the content providing system, said switching preserving video content continuity of the video, said second media stream differing from the first media stream with respect to a differentiating characteristic, said switching comprising pausing said playing the first media stream, wherein timecodes identifying relative time within the video are distributed in the first media stream and the second media stream, and wherein a pausing rank is associated with each timecode in the first and second media streams and denotes a relative rank to pausing said playing the first media stream; and constraining said pausing to occur at a timecode in the first media stream at which the associated pausing rank is not less than a predesignated pausing rank threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: after said pausing and at a real time corresponding to having determined a matching timecode of said timecodes within a specified tolerance, in the first and second media stream, transitioning from playing the second media stream in a HIDE mode to playing the second media stream in the SHOW mode and stopping the first media stream from being paused and being played. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer system of claim 2, wherein said switching comprises: before said transitioning, playing the second media stream in the HIDE mode in the client system while the second media stream is being received from the content providing system, wherein the second media stream is lagging the first media stream with respect to their respective content. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer system of claim 3, wherein said pausing occurs before or during said playing the second media stream in the HIDE mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the differentiating characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a content modality, a color scheme, and a media stream bandwidth. ### Claim 6 A computer system, comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable hardware storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code executable by the processor via the memory to implement a method for switching media streams of a video in a client system, said method comprising: said processor playing a first media stream in a SHOW mode in the client system as the first media stream is being received from a content providing system; during said playing the first media stream, said processor switching from playing the first media stream to playing a second media stream in the SHOW mode as the second media stream is being received from the content providing system, said switching preserving video content continuity of the video, said second media stream differing from the first media stream with respect to a differentiating characteristic, wherein timecodes identifying relative time within the video are distributed in the first media stream and the second media stream, and wherein said switching comprises: pausing said playing the first media stream; and after said pausing and at a real time corresponding to having determined a matching timecode of said timecodes within a specified tolerance, in the first and second media stream, transitioning from playing the second media stream in a HIDE mode to playing the second media stream in the SHOW mode and stopping the first media stream from being paused and being played, wherein a pausing rank is associated with each timecode in the first and second media streams and denotes a relative rank to pausing said playing the first media stream, wherein the method comprises constraining said pausing to occur at a timecode in the first media stream at which the associated pausing rank is not less than a predesignated pausing rank threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer system of claim 6, wherein said switching comprises: before said transitioning, playing the second media stream in the HIDE mode in the client system while the second media stream is being received from the content providing system, wherein the second media stream is lagging the first media stream with respect to their respective content, wherein said pausing occurs before or during said playing the second media stream in the HIDE mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The computer system of claim 6, said method further comprising: during said playing the first media stream and prior to said switching, said processor detecting an environmental change in an environment within or adjacent to the client system, wherein said switching is performed in response to said detecting the environmental change. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The computer system of claim 6, wherein the differentiating characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a content modality, a color scheme, and a media stream bandwidth. ### Claim 10 A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code containing instructions executable by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for switching media streams of a video in a client system, said method comprising: said processor playing a first media stream in a SHOW mode in the client system as the first media stream is being received from a content providing system; during said playing the first media stream, said processor switching from playing the first media stream to playing a second media stream in the SHOW mode as the second media stream is being received from the content providing system, said switching preserving video content continuity of the video, said second media stream differing from the first media stream with respect to a differentiating characteristic, wherein timecodes identifying relative time within the video are distributed in the first media stream and the second media stream, and wherein said switching comprises: pausing said playing the first media stream; and after said pausing and at a real time corresponding to having determined a matching timecode of said timecodes within a specified tolerance, in the first and second media stream, transitioning from playing the second media stream in a HIDE mode to playing the second media stream in the SHOW mode and stopping the first media stream from being paused and being played, wherein a pausing rank is associated with each timecode in the first and second media streams and denotes a relative rank to pausing said playing the first media stream, wherein the method comprises constraining said pausing to occur at a timecode in the first media stream at which the associated pausing rank is not less than a predesignated pausing rank threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said switching comprises: before said transitioning, playing the second media stream in the HIDE mode in the client system while the second media stream is being received from the content providing system, wherein the second media stream is lagging the first media stream with respect to their respective content, wherein said pausing occurs before or during said playing the second media stream in the HIDE mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, said method further comprising: during said playing the first media stream and prior to said switching, said processor detecting an environmental change in an environment within or adjacent to the client system, wherein said switching is performed in response to said detecting the environmental change. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the differentiating characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a content modality, a color scheme, and a media stream bandwidth.