US 7,096,487 B1 · Apparatus and method for combining realtime and non-realtime encoded content

Abstract

Methods for slice-based encoding of program guides and user interfaces. The program guides include multiple video streams for picture-in-picture and other applications. A method for encoding the program guide includes encoding a first set of slices for each of a plurality of graphics pages; and encoding a second set of slices for each of a plurality of video streams. The user interfaces are multi-functional and may be used for electronic commerce and other applications. A method of generating the user interface includes encoding a set of slices for each of a plurality of objects, each object being characterized by an identity, at least one attribute, and at least one operation. In one embodiment of this method, the plurality of objects include an electronic commerce object, where the electronic commerce object is attributed with a first hyper text markup language (HTML) page. A head-end centric system and apparatus for encoding and delivery of realtime and non-realtime content, including: a non-realtime content source for providing non-realtime content; a non-realtime encoder for encoding the non-realtime content into encoded non-realtime content; a realtime content source for providing realtime video and audio content; a realtime encoder for encoding the realtime video and audio content into encoded real-time video and audio; a remultiplexer for repacketizing the encoded non-realtime content and the encoded realtime video and audio into transport packets; and a re-timestamp unit coupled to the remultiplexer for providing timestamps to be applied to the transport packets in order to synchronize the realtime and non-realtime content therein.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for encoding realtime and non-realtime interactive program guide (IPG) content comprising a realtime video portion and non-realtime guide graphics portion, the apparatus comprising:

a non-realtime encoder configured to encode the non-realtime guide graphics portion into a plurality of encoded non-realtime graphics slices;
a realtime encoder configured to encode the realtime video portion into encoded realtime video slices;
means for assigning packet identifiers to the realtime video portio slices and the non-realtime guide graphics portion slices, wherein said assigning step assigns a different packet identifier to each guide graphics slice that is part of a different guide graphic, and assigns a common packet identifier to all common realtime video portion slices;
a remultiplexer configured to repacketize the encoded non-realtime guide graphics portion slices and the encoded realtime video portion slices into transport packets;
a slice combiner coupled to the realtime and non-realtime encoders and the remultiplexer, the slice combiner configured to combine slices of encoded realtime video portion with slices of encoded non-realtime guide graphics portion in a predetermined order;
and
a re-timestamp unit coupled to the remultiplexer and configured to provide timestamps to be applied to the transport packets in order to synchronize the realtime video portion and non-realtime guide graphics portion of said IPG.

4 more elements

A method for encoding realtime and non-realtime contents content of an interactive program guide (IPG) comprising:

encoding realtime content to generate encoded realtime content slices;
encoding non-realtime content to generate encoded non-realtime content slices;
combining slices of encoded realtime content with slices of encoded non-realtime content, wherein the encoded realtime content and non-realtime content are combined in a predetermined order;
repacketizing the combined encoded realtime content slices and the encoded non-realtime content slices into transport packets, wherein the repacketizing is based on the combined slices of encoded realtime and non-realtime contents;
and
re-timestamping the transport packets with new timestamps in order to synchronize the realtime and non-realtime content of the IPG,
Apparatus for an interactive program guide (IPG) having a realtime video portion and a non-realtime guide graphics portion, comprising:
means for encoding the realtime video portion by dividing the video portion into slices and encoding each video portion slice;
means for encoding the non-realtime guide graphics portion to produce a plurality of encoded non-realtime graphics slices by dividing the non-realtime guide graphics portion into slices and encoding each guide graphic portion slice;
means for assigning packet identifiers to the realtime video portion slices and non-realtime guide graphics portion slices, wherein said assigning step assigns a different packet identifier to each guide graphics slice that is part of a different guide graphic, and assigns a common packet identifier to all common realtime video portion slices;
means for combining encoded realtime video portion slices with encoded non-realtime guide graphics portion slices, wherein the encoded realtime video portion slices and non-realtime guide graphics portion slices are combined in a predetermined order;
means for repacketizing the combined encoded realtime video portion slices and the encoded non-realtime guide graphics portion slices into transport packets;
means for re-timestamping the transport packets with new timestamps in order to synchronize the realtime video portion and non-realtime guide graphics portion of the IPG;
and
means for placing the enclosed realtime video portion slices and non-realtime guide graphics portion slices into a bitstream for transmission.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for combining realtime and non-realtime encoded content

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for combining realtime and non-realtime encoded content

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19