System for ingesting alternative video and/or audio media synchronized with the display of video and audio content of linear origin, and related implementation method

A system for ingesting alternative video and audio media content, synchronized with a display of video and audio content of linear origin, and replacing parts of the video and audio content of linear origin with the alternative video and audio media content, the system comprising:

• a smart digital TV receiver connected to a conventional television broadcast network and a broadband network enabling access to the Internet, said smart digital TV receiver supporting reproduction of conventional broadcast television content through connection of the smart digital TV receiver to the television broadcast network and, through connection of the smart digital TV receiver to the broadband network, also supporting delivery of on-demand online content such as streaming services, over-the-top (OTT) content or video on-demand (VOD);
• an over-the-top (OTT) application, configured to receive the alternative video and audio (AVA) content, through the connection to the broadband network;
• and
• a content replacement and injection module configured to receive the original main video and audio (MVA) content through the connection to the television broadcast network, wherein all the MVA content broadcasts linearly (or live), said content replacement and injection module comprising:
• a digital TV receiver tuner configured to receive the MVA content coming from the connection to the television broadcast network;
• a decision-making center configured to decide and perform replacement of said MVA content with the AVA content based on a regular evaluation of environmental parameters of the smart digital TV receiver, the environmental parameters reflecting capacity and performance conditions of the smart digital TV receiver, as well as connection of the smart digital TV receiver to the Internet, which vary in time, the environmental parameters being relevant for reproduction of an entirety of the AVA content, without interruptions, drops, or shifts in quality;
• a synchronizer configured to send an alternative content injection command, and to command selection of the AVA content;
• a streaming module, configured to receive the AVA content from the OTT application and to inject said AVA content into a content selector;
• the content selector configured to receive a selection command from the synchronizer and perform replacement of the MVA content with the AVA content;
• and
• a decoder configured to allow the smart digital TV receiver to access the MVA content or the AVA content downloaded or broadcasted to said smart digital TV receiver and, after its decoding, to display the AVA content on a screen of the smart digital TV receiver,
• wherein the content replacement and injection module is configured to:
• interpret requests/signals from a broadcaster,
• inform the smart digital TV receiver about a structure and nature of the MVA content,
• receive, by the digital TV receiver tuner, a MVA content descriptor sent by the broadcaster for MVA content that will be displayed at any time in the future,
• analyze the MVA content descriptor by the decision-making center to detect if any specific part of the MVA content can be replaced by the AVA content, through a specific marking in the MVA content descriptor,
• assess, by the decision-making center, whether the OTT application associated with a tuned channel is installed on the smart digital TV receiver and whether a consumer/viewer is exclusively identified,
• select by the digital TV receiver tuner, and request the display of the AVA content, at a correct time and in accordance with criteria of the broadcaster, for the consumer/viewer,
• estimate, through a data collection module, a content exchange time (CET) required to perform the replacement of the MVA content with the AVA content, a maximum quality (Qmax), and a maximum duration (Dmax) of the AVA content that can be reproduced in its entirety without interruptions, drops, or shifts in quality,
• verify, by the data collection module, whether the smart digital TV receiver is registered in an exclusively identified receiver database, wherein the registered receiver is characterized as having an active restriction on the reproduction of the AVA content based on previous failure data, and is actively restricted from performing the replacement of the MVA content,
• analyze, by the decision-making center, the MVA content descriptor searching for a specific part of the MVA content compatible with the CET, Qmax and Dmax estimated by the data collection module,
• provide information, by the decision-making center, to the OTT application about the nature of the MVA content that will be replaced, and about the estimated maximum quality for the AVA content, ensuring the AVA content meets the requirements for Qmax and Dmax,
• provide, by the decision-making center, the necessary resources for the reproduction of the AVA content, checking that the conditions for its reproduction of the AVA content are met,
• assess, by the decision-making center, whether the smart digital TV receiver has sufficient conditions to perform a replacement of the MVA content with the AVA content without impairing consumer/viewer experience, by performing an evaluation of the relevant parameters of the environment and the broadband connection of the smart digital TV receiver,
• request, by the decision-making center, to the OTT application that the AVA content be preloaded into a streaming module,
• send a start command from the decision-making center to the synchronizer,
• detect, by the synchronizer, an exact moment for the reproduction of the AVA content to start by monitoring synchronization events sent by the broadcaster,
• send, by the synchronizer, the alternative content injection command to ingest the AVA content to the streaming module, and a content switching command to the content selector,
• switch, by the content selector, the source of the AVA content that will be injected into the decoder, effectively transitioning from the MVA content to the AVA content,
• monitor, by the synchronizer, the synchronization events sent by the broadcaster, ensuring synchronism in the transition from the MVA content to the AVA content and synchronism in the transition from the AVA content back to the MVA content,
• determine, by the synchronizer, an end time of the AVA content by reaching the scheduled end of the reproduction of the AVA content or by receiving an early end signal in the monitored synchronization events,
• promptly switch, by the content selector, the source of the AVA content back to the digital TV signal broadcast network, effectively transitioning from the AVA content back to the MVA content,
• wherein if the decision-making center reaches a decision that sufficient conditions for the reproduction of the AVA content are not met, then the decision-making center notifies the broadcaster by sending information such as failure data, the parameters collected from the smart digital TV receiver's environment at the time of failure, the characteristic of the AVA content, and the identification of the consumer/viewer, and
• collect, by the OTT application, information relevant to the broadcaster.