US 11,770,568 B2Granted

Control based stream interruptions

AssigneeSyncbak, Inc.

InventorsJack F. Perry, II, Steven C. Maher

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Systems and methods are configured to provide alternate content during video streaming. Content made up of a plurality of blocks is streamed over a first video stream to a user computing device via a first URI. While streaming, a determination is made that alternate content is available. In response, a signaling mechanism is provided indicating such and a request for the alternate content is received. As a result, a particular block that is currently being provided over the first video stream is suspended and the alternate content is streamed to the user computing entity over a second video stream. Depending on the embodiment, the second video stream may be accessed by re-activating the first URI or by activating a second URI. Upon completion of the alternate content, the particular block that was suspended can be resumed to facilitate continued streaming of the content over the first or second video stream.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for providing alternate content, the computer-implemented method comprising:

streaming content via a first video stream to a user computing entity, wherein the first video stream is accessed by the user computing entity via a first uniform resource indicator (URI), and a plurality of segments are provided via the first video stream to facilitate streaming of the content;
and
while streaming the content via the first video stream:
(1) determining that alternate content is available to be provided to the user computing entity;
and
(2) responsive to determining that alternate content is available to be provided to the user computing entity:
(a) providing a signaling mechanism to the user computing entity indicating that alternate content is available;
and
(b) responsive to receiving a request for the alternate content originating from the user computing entity:
(i) suspending a current segment of the plurality of segments that is currently being provided via the first video stream;
(ii) streaming the alternate content to the user computing entity via a second video stream accessed by the user computing entity via the first URI;
and
(iii) responsive to receiving an indication of completion of streaming the alternate content via the second video stream, resuming the current segment of the plurality of segments to facilitate continued streaming of the content via the first URI.

10 more elements

A system for providing alternate content, the system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to:

stream content via a first video stream to a user computing entity, wherein the first video stream is accessed by the user computing entity via a first uniform resource indicator (URI), and a plurality of segments are provided via the first video stream to facilitate streaming of the content;
and
while streaming the content via the first video stream:
(1) determine that alternate content is available to be provided to the user computing entity;
and
(2) responsive to determining that alternate content is available to be provided to the user computing entity:
(a) provide a signaling mechanism to the user computing entity indicating that alternate content is available;
and
(b) responsive to receiving a request for the alternate content originating from the user computing entity:
(i) suspend a current segment of the plurality of segments that is currently being provided via the first video stream;
(ii) stream the alternate content to the user computing entity via a second video stream accessed by the user computing entity via the first URI;
and
(iii) responsive to receiving an indication of completion of streaming the alternate content via the second video stream, resume the current segment of the plurality of segments to facilitate continued streaming of the content via the first URI.

10 more elements

A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions for providing alternate content, the instructions being configured to cause one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:

stream content via a first video stream to a user computing entity, wherein the first video stream is accessed by the user computing entity via a first uniform resource indicator (URI), and a plurality of segments are provided via the first video stream to facilitate streaming of the content;
and
while streaming the content via the first video stream:
(1) determine that alternate content is available to be provided to the user computing entity;
and
(2) responsive to determining that alternate content is available to be provided to the user computing entity:
(a) provide a signaling mechanism to the user computing entity indicating that alternate content is available;
and
(b) responsive to receiving a request for the alternate content originating from the user computing entity:
(i) suspend a current segment of the plurality of segments that is currently being provided via the first video stream;
(ii) stream the alternate content to the user computing entity via a second video stream accessed by the user computing entity via the first URI;
and
(iii) responsive to receiving an indication of completion of streaming the alternate content via the second video stream, resume the current segment of the plurality of segments to facilitate continued streaming of the content via the first URI.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/646,912Filed 4 Jan 2022 · continuation
Priority: 4 Jun 2019
Published: US 2022/0132188 A128 Apr 2022
Granted: 26 Sep 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04N 21/23424
Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs: involving splicing one…
H04N 21/4333
Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations: processing operations in response to a pause…
H04N 21/2365
Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL…:…
H04N 21/44016
Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering…

Family

Application62/856,798Us provisional application · filed 4 Jun 2019
Application16/891,180Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Jun 2020
US 2022/0132188 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Apr 2022
US 11,252,448 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2020/0389679 A1Published application
US 11,770,568 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.