Closed caption tagging system

Abstract

A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. Program material from the broadcast stream is played back to the viewer from the storage device. Tags indicate the start and end points of a program segment. Program segments such as commercials are automatically replaced by the receiver with new program segments that are selected based on various criteria.

1 . A method comprising:
 presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream, the portion including a specific video frame;   receiving input from the operator that identifies at least a graphic element and a position at which to display the graphic element within the specific video frame;   responsive to the input, generating at least one tag that specifies the graphic element and the position;   inserting the at least one tag into the media stream in association with the specific video frame, the media stream being provided for later transmission to a plurality of media playback devices with the at least one tag having been inserted therein.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending the media stream to one or more of a satellite provider, cable provider, or broadcaster. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tag is data that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to display the graphic element at the position in the specific video frame. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tag is not understandable by a second media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, wherein the second media playback device is capable of playing the media stream. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in addition to displaying the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by the first media playback device, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in response to receiving specific user input while displaying the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 pausing playback of the media stream at the specific video frame while the operator provides the input;   resuming playback upon the operator providing the input.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream and receiving the input from the operator occur at one of a non-linear video editing application or a web interface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tag includes data specifying a duration for which to display the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the at least one tag into the media stream comprises inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream comprises inserting the tag in a private data channel. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 a tag generation subsystem that presents an operator with at least a portion of a media stream, receives input from the operator that identifies at least a graphic element and a position at which to display the graphic element within a specific video frame of the media stream, and, responsive to the input, generates at least one tag that specifies the graphic element and the position;   a tag insertion subsystem that inserts the at least one tag into the media stream in association with the specific video frame;   a plurality of media playback devices that receive a transmission of at least the portion of the media stream with the at least one tag having been inserted therein, detect the at least one tag inserted into the media stream, and display the graphic element over the specific video frame at the position during playback of the portion of the media stream to a user.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of media playback devices receive the transmission of at least the portion of the media stream from one or more of a satellite provider, cable provider, or broadcaster. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one tag is not understandable by a second set of media playback devices, wherein the second set of media playback devices is capable of playing the media stream. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in addition to displaying the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by the first media playback device, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in response to receiving specific user input while displaying the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one tag generation subsystem further pauses playback of the media stream at the specific video frame while the operator provides the input and resumes playback upon the operator providing the input. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , the at least one tag generation subsystem includes one of a non-linear video editing application or a web interface for presenting the media stream. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one tag includes data specifying a duration for which to display the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein inserting the at least one tag into the media stream comprises inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream comprises inserting the tag in a private data channel. 
     
     
         22 . One or more storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:
 presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream, the portion including a specific video frame;   receiving input from the operator that identifies at least a graphic element and a position at which to display the graphic element within the specific video frame;   responsive to the input, generating at least one tag that specifies the graphic element and the position;   inserting the at least one tag into the media stream in association with the specific video frame, the media stream being provided for later transmission to a plurality of media playback devices with the at least one tag having been inserted therein.   
     
     
         23 . The or more storage media of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of sending the media stream to one or more of a satellite provider, cable provider, or broadcaster. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one tag is data that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to display the graphic element at the position in the specific video frame. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one tag is not understandable by a second media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, wherein the second media playback device is capable of playing the media stream. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by a first media playback device of the plurality of media playback devices, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in addition to displaying the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one tag comprises command and control information that, when interpreted by the first media playback device, causes the first media playback device to perform one or more actions in response to receiving specific user input while displaying the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:
 pausing playback of the media stream at the specific video frame while the operator provides the input;   resuming playback upon the operator providing the input.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein presenting an operator with at least a portion of a media stream and receiving the input from the operator occur at one of a non-linear video editing application or a web interface. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one tag includes data specifying a duration for which to display the graphic element at the position. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein inserting the at least one tag into the media stream comprises inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein inserting the at least one tag in-band with the media stream comprises inserting the tag in a private data channel.