# US 11,451,849 B2 · Methods and systems for content control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,849 B2 - Document ID: US11451849B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/913,912 - Filed: 2020-06-26 - Published: 2021-02-25 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-12 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Eric Scott Rosenfeld; Gregory Allen Broome - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451849B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/2668: Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} - H04N 21/222: Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end {(provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56)} - H04N 21/23892: {involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level} - H04N 21/4345: {Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Methods and system for providing content based on an embedded signal are disclosed. A method can comprise generating a placement signal based on an event, repeatedly embedding the placement signal into a data stream, and transmitting the data stream comprising the repeatedly embedded placement signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: receive a data stream; determine an event associated with the data stream, wherein the event is associated with a time duration; generate, based on the event, a placement signal that comprises an instruction to modify the data stream; determine, based on the time duration, a time interval for repeatedly embedding the placement signal into a portion of the data stream; and embed, based on the time interval, the placement signal into the portion of the data stream. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instruction causes a user device to modify the data stream based on the event. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to embed the placement signal into the portion of the data stream causes the apparatus to embed, based on the time interval, the placement signal into the portion of the data stream repeatedly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the time duration is equal to a time slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the placement signal comprises data indicative of the time duration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of: an available advertising time slot or an alternate content time slot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the placement signal comprises a sparse data track. ### Claim 8 An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: receive a data stream comprising a placement signal repeatedly embedded into a portion of the data stream at a time interval based on a time duration of an event associated with the data stream, wherein the placement signal comprises an instruction to modify the data stream based on the time duration; process the placement signal to select a source of content; and receive content from the source of content, wherein the content has a content time duration equal to a time slot. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data stream is a fragmented data stream. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the time duration of the event is equal to the time slot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the placement signal comprises data indicative of the time duration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the event comprises at least one of: an available advertising time slot or an alternate content time slot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the placement signal comprises a sparse data track. ### Claim 14 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive a data stream; determine an event associated with the data stream, wherein the event is associated with a time duration; generate, based on the event, a placement signal that comprises an instruction to modify the data stream; determine, based on the time duration, a time interval for repeatedly embedding the placement signal into a portion of the data stream; and embed, based on the time interval, the placement signal into the portion of the data stream. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instruction causes a user device to modify the data stream based on the event. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to embed the placement signal into the portion of the data stream causes the at least one processor to embed, based on the time interval, the placement signal into the portion of the data stream repeatedly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the time duration is equal to a time slot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the placement signal comprises data indicative of the time duration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the event comprises at least one of: an available advertising time slot or an alternate content time slot. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the placement signal comprises a sparse data track. ### Claim 21 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive a data stream comprising a placement signal repeatedly embedded into a portion of the data stream at a time interval based on a time duration of an event associated with the data stream, wherein the placement signal comprises an instruction to modify the data stream based on the time duration; process the placement signal to select a source of content; and receive content from the source of content, wherein the content has a content time duration equal to a time slot. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the data stream is a fragmented data stream. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the time duration of the event is equal to the time slot. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the placement signal comprises data indicative of the time duration. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the event comprises at least one of: an available advertising time slot or an alternate content time slot. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the placement signal comprises a sparse data track.