System and method for alternate program experience in digital broadcasting

A system for alternate program experience in digital broadcasting comprises:

• a digital media broadcaster including a content multiplexer that multiplexes a main content data and special experience services content data generated as a single multiplexed signal that passes through a digital media signal generator, the digital media signal generator adding channel information and service information to the multiplexed signal that is sent through a transmitter antenna, wherein the special experience services content data include special experience versions of the main content based on different time durations, where the main content data and the special experience services content data are sent as different services within a same frequency, and wherein the special experience services are associated with hidden services and each of these hidden services is to transmit different versions of the main content data;
• digital media receiver system including a signal demodulator that demodulates the received modulated signal and obtains the channel information, the service information, and multiplexed media content where the multiplexed media content is passed through a content demultiplexer, the content demultiplexer producing a demultiplexed main content version and special experience services versions within the special experience services content data, wherein the digital media receiver system checks for a presence of a special experience service in the channel information, and if the special experience service is present, the digital media receiver system parses service information for getting a special experience version corresponding to the presented special experience service and presents it to the user, the special experience services versions include a first version having a first duration, a second version having a second duration that is longer than the first duration, and a third version having a third duration that is longer than the second duration, wherein the digital media receiver system switches between the main content data and at least one of the special experience services content data during broadcast.

A method for providing an alternate program experience in digital broadcasting, the method comprising:

• multiplexing main content and special experience services content using a content multiplexer of a digital media broadcaster;
• adding channel information and service information to a single multiplexed signal having special experience services content and the main content while passing through a digital media signal generator to generate a modulated signal, wherein the special experience services content include special experience versions of the main content based on different time durations, wherein the main content and the special experience services content are sent as different services within a same frequency, and wherein the special experience services are associated with hidden services and each of these hidden services is to transmit different versions of the main content data;
• sending the modulated signal through a transmitter antenna connected to the digital media signal generator;
• demodulating the modulated signal using a signal demodulator of digital media receiver system to obtain the channel information and the service information and multiplexed media content
• passing the multiplexed media content signal through a content demultiplexer;
• producing the main content and the special experience services content, wherein the special experience content includes special experience versions of the main content;
• and
• switching between the main content data and at least one of the special experiences services content data during broadcast,
• wherein the method further comprises checking if a special experience service is presented in the channel information, and getting a special experience version corresponding to the presented special experience service if the special experience service is presented, and presenting the special experience version to the user.