Personalization of mass-duplicated media

Abstract

A process and facility supports recipient-specific customization of mass-duplicated tapes. Video from a master tape is passed through a VBI encoder whose output feeds two or more overlay units, each associated with a tape recorder. Recipient-specific watermarking instructions and address information for each tape are fed to the VBI encoder where they are encoded into the VBI of the video. Each overlay unit reads the VBI and decodes the address, and if relevant for that unit, applies the overlays to the video, which is recorded by its associated recording deck. Optionally, each tape and overlay unit includes a barcode that is scanned into a database where associations between tapes and the overlays are stored. Alternatively, high-density barcode labels that include the overlay instructions are printed and applied to tapes. The barcodes are scanned into the overlay units and applied following the receipt of a timecode or other trigger.

1 . A method for processing a content stream comprising one or more of audio content and video content, the method comprising: 
 encoding two or more different sets of customization data into the content stream to generate an encoded content stream, wherein: 
 each set of customization data includes an identifier for a different set of one or more customization devices and modification information associated with the identifier; and  
 each different customization device is adapted to modify the content stream based on the modification information in the corresponding set of customization data to generate a customized content stream.  
   
   
   
       2 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising distributing the encoded content stream to a plurality of different customization devices, wherein each customization device: 
 extracts, from its received copy of the encoded content stream, modification information from the corresponding set of customization data; and    modifies the content stream based on the modification information to generate the corresponding customized content stream.    
   
   
       3 . The invention of  claim 2 , wherein at least two of the plurality of customization devices simultaneously generate different customized content streams.  
   
   
       4 . The invention of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the content stream comprises video content;    each set of customization data is encoded into vertical blanking intervals (VBIs) of the video content; and    each customization device is an overlay unit that modifies the stream's video content.    
   
   
       5 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the content stream comprises video content; and    each set of customization data is encoded into vertical blanking intervals (VBIs) of the video content.    
   
   
       6 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising storing associations in a database, wherein at least one association directly or indirectly links at least one of the sets of customization data to the identifier for the customization device.  
   
   
       7 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising storing associations in a database, wherein at least one association directly or indirectly links at least one of the sets of customization data to an identifier for an intended recipient for the customized content stream corresponding to the set of customization data.  
   
   
       8 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a label affixed to a storage medium includes an identifier for the storage medium and a mailing address for an intended destination of the storage medium;    a tag is uniquely associated with a first customization device of the customization devices;    the identifier of the storage medium and the information from the tag are used to determine the identifier for the first customization device, which is included in a first set of customization data, from the sets of customization data;    the content stream is modified by the first customization device according to the first set of customization data to produce a first customized content stream; and    the first customized content stream is recorded onto the storage medium.    
   
   
       9 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein location of the mailing address included in the label of the storage medium corresponds with a window in a mailing envelope to be used to send the storage medium to the intended destination.  
   
   
       10 . A customization device for generating a customized content stream, wherein: 
 the customization device is assigned an address specific to a set of one or more customization devices to which the customization device belongs; and    the customization device comprises: 
 at least one input port adapted to receive an encoded content stream comprising two or more different sets of customization data and one or more of audio content and video content, wherein, each set of customization data includes an identifier specific to a set of one or more customization devices; and  
 at least one processor adapted to determine whether the identifier in the customization data corresponds to the address specific to the customization device, wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to, when the address and the identifier correspond: 
 extract, from the received encoded content stream, information from the set of customization data corresponding to the customization device; and  
 modify the content stream based on information in the corresponding set of customization data to generate the customized content stream.  
 
   
   
   
       11 . The invention of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the content stream comprises video content;    each set of customization data is encoded into vertical blanking intervals (VBIs) of the video content; and    the customization device is an overlay unit that modifies the stream's video content.    
   
   
       12 . The invention of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the at least one input port is further adapted to receive identification information from a label associated with a recording medium for the customized content stream corresponding to the customization apparatus; and    the at least one processor is further adapted to derive the address from the identification information received.    
   
   
       13 . The invention of  claim 12 , wherein the label is a barcode label and the at least one input port is operatively coupled to a barcode reader.  
   
   
       14 . A method for distributing individualized content, the method comprising: 
 broadcasting a content stream comprising one or more of audio content and video content to a plurality of sets of customization devices;    delivering a unique set of customization data to each set of customization devices, wherein: 
 each different customization device is adapted to: 
 receive the broadcast content stream; and  
 modify the broadcast content stream based on modification information in the corresponding set of customization data to generate a customized content stream.  
 
   
   
   
       15 . The invention of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 recording each customized content stream to a storage medium, wherein: 
 the storage medium is labeled with a mailing address for an intended recipient for the storage medium; and  
 the set of customization data is associated with the intended recipient.  
   
   
   
       16 . The invention of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the content stream comprises video content;    delivering customization data comprises encoding the customization data into vertical blanking intervals (VBIs) of the video content; and    the customization device is an overlay unit that modifies the stream's video content.    
   
   
       17 . A method for generating a customized content stream from a content stream comprising one or more of audio content and video content, the method comprising: 
 combining a set of customization data with a storage medium to create a combined storage medium adapted to store the customized content stream, wherein:    the set of customization data contains information to be used by a customization device for modifying the content stream to generate the customized content stream to be stored into the combined storage medium.    
   
   
       18 . The invention of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 retrieving the set of customization data from the combined storage medium;    receiving the content stream;    modifying the content stream to generate the customized content stream based on the set of customization data; and    storing the customized content stream into the combined storage medium.    
   
   
       19 . The invention of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the combined storage medium has a label that encodes the set of customization data; and    the set of customization data is retrieved from the combined storage medium using a label reader; and    the customization device receives the set of customization data from the label reader, receives the content stream, and modifies the content stream to generate the customized content stream; and    a recording device stores the customized content stream into the combined storage medium.    
   
   
       20 . The invention of  claim 17 , wherein the combined storage medium includes a visible address of an intended destination for the combined storage medium having the customized content stream, wherein the location of the visible address on the combined storage medium corresponds with a window in a mailing envelope to be used to send the combined storage medium having the customized content stream to the intended destination.