Digital video recorder broadcast overlays

Abstract

Displaying a secondary media stream within a primary media stream. In response to receiving a first user selection of two media streams for simultaneous viewing on a display device, a second user selection of a primary media stream and a secondary media stream from the two media streams selected for simultaneous viewing is received. A set of inset definitions is extracted from metadata in the secondary media stream. A third user selection of an inset definition from the set of inset definitions is received. A user input is received to crop the primary media stream to accommodate a size of the inset definition selected. The primary media stream is cropped to create an inset area for displaying the secondary media stream within the primary media stream based on the user input. The secondary media stream is displayed within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream for user viewing.

1 . A computer implemented method in a data processing system for displaying a secondary media stream within a primary media stream, the computer implemented method comprising:
 responsive to receiving a first user selection of two media streams from a plurality of multiplexed channels for simultaneous user viewing on a display device, receiving a second user selection of a primary media stream and a secondary media stream from the two media streams selected for simultaneous user viewing;   extracting a set of inset definitions from metadata in the secondary media stream;   receiving a third user selection of an inset definition from the set of inset definitions included in the metadata of the secondary media stream;   receiving a user input to crop the primary media stream to accommodate a size of the inset definition selected;   cropping the primary media stream to create an inset area for displaying the secondary media stream within the primary media stream based on the user input; and   displaying the secondary media stream within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream for simultaneous user viewing on the display device.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the first user selection, the second user selection, the third user selection, and the user input as user preferences within a user preference file in a storage device for future reference.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the inset definition lists a name of the secondary media stream to be included in the inset area within the primary media stream, specifies a specific location of a content within a secondary media stream to be used as an inset within the inset area of the primary media stream, sets a priority value for the inset for positioning the inset within a particular inset area within the primary media stream, and provides a description of the inset. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the inset is one of a plurality of insets to be placed within the primary media stream, and wherein each of the plurality of insets are taken from a different secondary media stream. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the inset area is one of a plurality of inset areas within the primary media stream, and wherein each of the plurality of insets are placed separately within each of the plurality of inset areas based on the priority value set for each of the plurality of insets. 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the user preferences define how a user wishes to simultaneously view one or more secondary media streams within the primary media stream on the display device. 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary media stream within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream is displayed with varying degrees of transparency set by a user. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a media stream supplier defines one or more inset areas within media stream content on particular television channels. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the media stream supplier limits delivery of a particular television channel to only those portions of the particular television channel's media stream actually being viewed by users to reduce network bandwidth use. 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the media stream supplier defines target age groups for inset advertisement areas; and wherein a target age group definition is related to a content of the primary media stream. 
     
     
         11 . A data processing system for displaying a secondary media stream within a primary media stream, comprising:
 a bus system;   a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device includes a set of instructions; and   a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a second user selection of a primary media stream and a secondary media stream in response to receiving a first user selection of two media streams from a plurality of multiplexed channels for simultaneous user viewing on a display device; extract a set of inset definitions from metadata in the secondary media stream; receive a third user selection of an inset definition from the set of inset definitions included in the metadata of the secondary media stream; receive a user input to crop the primary media stream to accommodate a size of the inset definition selected; crop the primary media stream to create an inset area for displaying the secondary media stream within the primary media stream based on the user input; and display the secondary media stream within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream for simultaneous user viewing on the display device.   
     
     
         12 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit executes a further set of instructions to store the first user selection, the second user selection, the third user selection, and the user input as user preferences within a user preference file in a storage device for future reference. 
     
     
         13 . The data processing system of  claim 12 , wherein the user preferences define how a user wishes to simultaneously view one or more secondary media streams within the primary media stream on the display device. 
     
     
         14 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the secondary media stream within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream is displayed with varying degrees of transparency set by a user. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product stored on a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied thereon for displaying a secondary media stream within a primary media stream, the computer program product comprising:
 computer usable program code configured to receive a second user selection of a primary media stream and a secondary media stream in response to receiving a first user selection of two media streams from a plurality of multiplexed channels for simultaneous user viewing on a display device;   computer usable program code configured to extract a set of inset definitions from metadata in the secondary media stream;   computer usable program code configured to receive a third user selection of an inset definition from the set of inset definitions included in the metadata of the secondary media stream;   computer usable program code configured to receive a user input to crop the primary media stream to accommodate a size of the inset definition selected;   computer usable program code configured to crop the primary media stream to create an inset area for displaying the secondary media stream within the primary media stream based on the user input; and   computer usable program code configured to display the secondary media stream within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream for simultaneous user viewing on the display device.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable program code configured to store the first user selection, the second user selection, the third user selection, and the user input as user preferences within a user preference file in a storage device for future reference.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the inset definition lists a name of the secondary media stream to be included in the inset area within the primary media stream, specifies a specific location of a content within a secondary media stream to be used as an inset within the inset area of the primary media stream, sets a priority value for the inset for positioning the inset within a particular inset area within the primary media stream, and provides a description of the inset. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the inset is one of a plurality of insets to be placed within the primary media stream, and wherein each of the plurality of insets are taken from a different secondary media stream. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the inset area is one of a plurality of inset areas within the primary media stream, and wherein each of the plurality of insets are placed separately within each of the plurality of inset areas based on the priority value set for each of the plurality of insets. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the user preferences define how a user wishes to simultaneously view one or more secondary media streams within the primary media stream on the display device. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the secondary media stream within the inset area of the cropped primary media stream is displayed with varying degrees of transparency set by a user. 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein a media stream supplier defines one or more inset areas within media stream content on particular television channels. 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the media stream supplier limits delivery of a particular television channel to only those portions of the particular television channel's media stream actually being viewed by users to reduce network bandwidth use. 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the media stream supplier defines target age groups for inset advertisement areas; and wherein a target age group definition is related to a content of the primary media stream. 
     
     
         25 . A computer implemented method in a data processing system for displaying a secondary media stream within a primary media stream, the computer implemented method comprising:
 receiving a first user input to select a portion of a primary media stream in a video output to be used as an inset area for simultaneously viewing a secondary media stream within the primary media stream by a user on a display device;   creating the inset area within the primary media stream based on the first user input;   receiving a second user input to crop the secondary media stream to fit the inset area within the primary media stream;   cropping the secondary media stream to fit the inset area based on the second user input;   displaying the cropped secondary media stream within the inset area of the primary media stream for simultaneous user viewing on the display device; and   storing the first user input and the second user input as user preferences in a user preference file in a storage device for future reference.