Method for watermarking a video display based on viewing mode

Abstract

A format to be used with the MPEG-4 standard alters the way video content is displayed on a screen based on whether the content is played in a normal playback mode or a fast playback mode by “watermarking” different or additional visual content onto the original video data stream. Metadata is included in the format to instruct a server to change the video display during fast playback by, for example, adding advertising information, closed captioning, scene summaries, help data, or station identification to the original image, either in a separate section of the screen or superimposed on the original image.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A encoding format for displaying varying visual content on a screen based on a viewing mode, comprising: 
 a main video portion having primary content data to be displayed during a normal viewing mode; and    a metadata portion having watermark data corresponding to the primary content data and instructions for displaying the watermark data during a modified playback viewing mode.    
     
     
         2 . The format of  claim 1 , wherein the format is an MPEG-4 format.  
     
     
         3 . The format of  claim 2 , wherein during the modified playback viewing mode, the primary content data is removed from the screen and the watermark data is displayed on the screen.  
     
     
         4 . The format of  claim 2 , wherein during the modified playback viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on a first portion of the screen and the watermark data is displayed on a second portion of the screen.  
     
     
         5 . The format of  claim 2 , wherein during the modified playback viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on the screen and the watermark data is superimposed on the primary content data.  
     
     
         6 . The format of  claim 2 , wherein the watermark data is at least one of text data and graphic data.  
     
     
         7 . The format of  claim 2 , wherein the secondary data includes instructions for displaying at least one of text data and graphic data stored in a remote location.  
     
     
         8 . The format of  claim 7 , wherein the remote location is a set-top box.  
     
     
         9 . The format of  claim 1 , wherein the modified playback viewing mode is a fast playback mode.  
     
     
         10 . A method for displaying varying visual content from a video stream on a screen based on a viewing mode, comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a main video portion that includes primary content data during a normal viewing mode;    detecting a modified playback viewing mode; and    displaying a watermark corresponding to the primary content data during a modified playback viewing mode, wherein the watermark and instructions for displaying the watermark are stored in metadata in the video stream.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the video stream complies with an MPEG-4 standard.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein during the modified playback viewing mode, the primary content data is removed from the screen and the watermark data is displayed on the screen.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein during the modified playback viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on a first portion of the screen and the watermark data is displayed on a second portion of the screen.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein during the modified playback viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on the screen and the watermark data is superimposed on the primary content data.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the watermark data is at least one of text data and graphic data.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the secondary data includes instructions for displaying at least one of text data and graphic data stored in a remote location.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the remote location is a set-top box.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the modified playback viewing mode is a fast playback mode.