Transmitting timing information for content in a data stream
AssigneeTVWorks, LLC
InventorsBrian Bulkowski, Carolyn Wales, Sam Hsu, James Helman, Joseph Decker, Brock Wagenaar, Mark Vickers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- receiving at a computer server a plurality of data substreams, each data substream indicating a timing state of a respective set of content presentable by one or more client devices, the timing state of each respective set of content being relative to a respective virtual time base of a plurality of virtual time bases;
- and
- multiplexing timing information and the plurality of data substreams into a data stream, wherein the timing information includes instructions for advancing one virtual time base of said plurality of virtual time bases independent of one or more other virtual time bases of said plurality of virtual time bases.
A system comprising one or more computers storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more computers cause the system to:
- receive a plurality of data substreams, each data substream indicating a timing state of a respective set of content presentable by one or more client devices, the timing state of each respective set of content being relative to a respective virtual time base of a plurality of virtual time bases;
- and
- multiplex timing information and the plurality of data substreams into a data stream, wherein the timing information includes instructions for advancing one virtual time base of said plurality of virtual time bases independent of one or more other virtual time bases of said plurality of virtual time bases.
One or more non-transitory computer readable memory having one or more programs stored thereon, that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
- multiplex timing information and a plurality of data substreams into a data stream;
- and
- transmit the data stream to one or more client devices,
- wherein each data substream indicates a timing state of a respective set of content presentable by the one or more client devices, the timing state of each respective set of content being relative to a respective virtual time base of a plurality of virtual time bases, and
- wherein the timing information advances one virtual time base of the plurality of virtual time bases independent of one or more other virtual time bases of the plurality of time bases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.