# US 10,771,861 B2 · Digital channel integration system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,861 B2 - Document ID: US10771861B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/829,867 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2018-03-29 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-28 - Assignees: CBS Interactive Inc. - Applicants: CBS Interactive Inc. - Inventors: Ashutosh Nayak; Cristyan Nevers; Robert Accettura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771861B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/8133: {specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video programme} - H04N 21/23424: {involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04N 21/84: Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} - H04N 21/8455: {involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream} - H04N 21/8586: {by using a URL (processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Systems and methods are disclosed for generating links to points in a video stream corresponding to actual programming events of a show playing, played, or about to be played in the live video stream, improving the utility of streaming by enabling viewers to view information specifically related to a story and easily navigate to the start of the story within the video stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for automatically providing metadata related to a currently playing segment of a television program, the method comprising: receiving, at a digital channel integration system, production content metadata of the television program from a production system, the production content metadata including rundown information specifying how the television program is time-encoded; parsing, by a processor of the digital channel integration system, the production content metadata to obtain segment data for a plurality of segments of the television program, wherein the segment data for each segment includes a segment identifier, at least one time code, and a story slug indicating an identifier for a story associated with each of the plurality of segments; grouping, based on the time codes and the story slugs, adjacent segments having matching story slugs into one or more stories; receiving, at the digital channel integration system, during streaming of a video stream corresponding to the television program, real-time status information from an automation system that includes an identifier of a playing segment of the television program; associating, based on the real-time status information provided by the automation system and the segment data obtained from the production content metadata, a story with the playing segment of the television program; determining that the playing segment of the television program corresponds to a beginning of a new story having a different story slug than a previously played segment immediately before the playing segment of the television program; responsive to determining that the playing segment of the television program corresponds to the beginning of the new story, transmitting information to cause an encoding system to insert a cue point marker for the story in the video stream; storing in association with the cue point marker, story metadata corresponding to the story, the story metadata derived from the rundown information; and responsive to receiving a request from a client device currently streaming the video stream for the story metadata associated with the cue point marker, providing the story metadata to the client device to enable the client device to present information about the story. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the story metadata comprises providing a link with a pointer that when selected causes the client device to play the video stream from the beginning of the story. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the story metadata comprises transmitting a story name, a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) link to the story in the video stream, and a thumbnail image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the story metadata comprises transmitting a link to a stored asset associated with the story. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the stored asset is a related video clip. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the production content metadata comprises label metadata of the television program for assigning the story to a story category; and wherein providing the story metadata includes transmitting the story category. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the real-time status information comprises receiving clip playback data including a segment start time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the playing segment is an advertisement block, such that: determining the story associated with the playing segment comprises identifying a commercial break; and wherein the cue point marker indicates a start of a commercial break. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the information comprises transmitting a message identifying an advertisement insertion opportunity including a start point and a duration or end point. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the production content metadata comprises sponsor metadata of the television program; and wherein transmitting the information comprises transmitting information designating one or more advertisements as required or disallowed during the commercial break, based on the sponsor metadata. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the sponsor metadata comprises sponsorship for a particular segment. ### Claim 12 A system for automatically providing metadata related to a currently playing segment of a television program, the system comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to: receive, at a digital channel integration system, production content metadata of the television program from a production system, the production content metadata including rundown information specifying how the television program is time-encoded; parse, by a processor of the digital channel integration system, the production content metadata to obtain segment data for a plurality of segments of the television program, wherein the segment data for each segment includes a segment identifier, at least one time code, and a story slug indicating an identifier for a story associated with each of the plurality of segments; group, based on the time codes and the story slugs, adjacent segments having matching story slugs into one or more stories; encode, by an encoding system, video content of the television program to generate a video stream for streaming to a client device over a network; receive, at the digital channel integration system, during streaming of a video stream corresponding to the television program, real-time status information from an automation system that includes an identifier of a playing segment of the television program; associated, based on the real-time status information provided by the automation system and the segment data obtained from the production content metadata, a story with the playing segment of the television program; determine that the playing segment of the television program corresponds to a beginning of a new story having a different story slug than a previously played segment immediately before the playing segment of the television program; responsive to determining that the playing segment of the television program corresponds to the beginning of the new story, transmit information to cause an encoding system to insert a cue point marker for the story in the video stream; store in association with the cue point marker, story metadata corresponding to the story, the story metadata derived from the rundown information; and responsive to receiving a request from a client device currently streaming the video stream for the story metadata associated with the cue point marker, provide the story metadata to the client device to enable the client device to present information about the story. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein providing the story metadata comprises providing a link with a pointer that when selected causes the client device to play the video stream from the beginning of the story. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automatically providing metadata related to a currently playing segment of a television program, the instructions when executed by the processor causing the processor to: receive, at a digital channel integration system, production content metadata of the television program from a production system, the production content metadata including rundown information specifying how the television program is time-encoded; parse, by a processor of the digital channel integration system, the production content metadata to obtain segment data for a plurality of segments of the television program, wherein the segment data for each segment includes a segment identifier, at least one time code, and a story slug indicating an identifier for a story associated with each of the plurality of segments; group, based on the time codes and the story slugs, adjacent segments having matching story slugs into one or more stories; receive, at the digital channel integration system, during streaming of a video stream corresponding to the television program, real-time status information from an automation system that includes an identifier of a playing segment of the television program; associate, based on the real-time status information provided by the automation system and the segment data obtained from the production content metadata, a story with the playing segment of the television program; determine that the playing segment of the television program corresponds to a beginning of a new story having a different story slug than a previously played segment immediately before the playing segment of the television program; responsive to determining that the playing segment of the television program corresponds to the beginning of the new story, transmit information to cause an encoding system to insert a cue point marker for the story in the video stream; store in association with the cue point marker, story metadata corresponding to the story, the story metadata derived from the rundown information; and responsive to receiving a request from a client device currently streaming the video stream for the story metadata associated with the cue point marker, provide the story metadata to the client device to enable the client device to present information about the story. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein providing the story metadata comprises providing a link with a pointer that when selected causes the client device to play the video stream from the beginning of the story. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein providing the story metadata comprises transmitting a story name, a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) link to the story in the video stream, and a thumbnail image.