US 11,812,116 B2Granted

Apparatus and methods for enhanced content control, consumption and delivery in a content distribution network

AssigneeCharter Communications Operating, LLC

InventorsSami S. Makinen, Yassine Maalej

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Abstract

Apparatus and methods for providing an aggregated and interactive content service over a network. In one embodiment, extant high-bandwidth capabilities of a managed network are leveraged for delivering content downstream to network users or subscribers, and standards-compliant ultra-low latency and high data rate services (e.g., 5G NR based) are leveraged for (i) uploading content, and (ii) enabling interaction with the content based on user input. In one embodiment, the exemplary apparatus and methods are implemented to aggregate content from various third-party sources at a managed content delivery network (CDN) and deliver it as a combined or fused single stream (versus multiple distinct content streams), and allow interaction with the aggregated content stream via the low-latency connection to the aggregation processing entity. Additional enhancements enable user participation individually, or with other subscribers, in live or recorded content-based activities (such as via gesture recognition and learned “skills”).

Claims21

Dependent claims

A computerized network server apparatus configured to aggregate and distribute digitally rendered content via a fused or single content stream to one or more users of a content delivery network, said computerized network server apparatus comprising:

a storage entity;
at least one network interface;
and
a digital processor apparatus in data communication with the storage entity and the at least one network interface, the digital processor apparatus configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:
receive first digital content via a first transport mechanism;
receive second digital content via a second transport mechanism;
generate the fused or single content stream, the fused or single content stream comprising at least the first and second digital content;
cause provision of the fused or single content stream to the one or more users;
transmit one or more control signals to a first computerized client device associated with the one or more users, the first computerized client device configured to transmit the one or more control signals to a second computerized client device associated with the one or more users;
receive, from the second computerized client device and based on receipt of the one or more control signals thereat, control signaling relating to the fused or single content stream;
wherein (i) the transmission of the one or more control signals to the first computerized client device, (ii) the transmission of the one or more control signals to the second computerized client device, and (iii) the receipt of the control signaling, create a feedback loop for the computerized network server apparatus to dynamically estimate a delay factor;
cause modification of the fused or single content stream, in accordance with the delay factor, so as to generate a modified fused or single content stream;
and
cause provision of the modified fused or single content stream to the one or more users of the content delivery network.

11 more elements

Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a digital processing apparatus, cause a computerized controller apparatus to:

receive first control data comprising gesture command data indicative of a gesture made by a user with respect to at least a portion of a plurality of digitally rendered content, the plurality of digitally rendered content originating from respective ones of a plurality of sources;
generate a composite media stream based at least on the first control data, the generation comprising:
(i) a determination, based at least one the gesture command data, of at least one of a shape or motion of the gesture and (ii) an adjustment of the at least the portion of the plurality of digitally rendered content in accordance with the shape or motion of the gesture, the adjustment comprising a temporal synchronization of at least one of the plurality of digitally rendered content with at least one other one of the plurality of digitally rendered content;
and
stream, via a streaming protocol, the generated composite media stream to a computerized client device associated with a user of a content distribution network.

2 more elements

A computerized method of operating a content delivery network, the computerized method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of digital content streams;
causing generation of an aggregated content stream, the aggregated content stream comprising at least two of the plurality of digital content streams;
causing transmission of the aggregated content stream to a computerized device associated with a user of the content delivery network;
receiving gesture command data with respect to the aggregated content stream, the gesture command data received from at least one of the computerized device or another computerized device associated with the user;
identifying a prescribed skill or command associated with the gesture command data;
and
causing implementation of the prescribed skill or command with respect to the aggregated content stream, the implementation of the prescribed skill or command comprising implementation of a temporal synchronization of the at least two of the plurality of digital content streams.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/654,662Filed 16 Oct 2019
Published: US 2021/0120315 A122 Apr 2021
Granted: 7 Nov 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H04N 21/64753
Control signals issued by the network directed to the server or the client: directed to the client
G06F 3/017
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a…
H04N 21/23106
Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion:…
H04N 21/236
Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware: assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport…