Method and apparatus for replacement of audio data in a recorded audio/video stream

Abstract

A method for replacing audio data within a recorded audio/video stream is presented. In the method, a first audio/video stream including audio data, video data, and supplemental data is stored. Location information is received which references the supplemental data to identify a location within the first audio/video stream. The location information is received in a data file separately from the first audio/video stream. Also received is an audio data segment. At least a portion of the audio data of the first audio/video stream is replaced at the identified location with the audio data segment to produce a second audio/video stream. At least a portion of the second audio/video stream is then transferred for presentation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for replacing audio data within a recorded audio/video stream, the method comprising:
 storing a first audio/video stream, wherein the first audio/video stream comprises audio data, video data, and closed captioning text data associated with the audio data;   receiving a first audio data segment;   receiving location information data separately from the first audio/video stream, wherein the location information data conveys multiple unique text strings, each of the unique text strings selected from the closed captioning text data, and wherein each of the unique text strings is accompanied, in the location information data, with a corresponding offset value relative to a beginning location of the unique text string, and wherein each of the unique text strings is used to identify a different location within the first audio/video stream that is offset by the corresponding offset value to indicate an identified location in the first audio/video stream, such that each unique text string and its accompanying offset value redundantly indicates the same identified location;   replacing, based on the location information data, at least a portion of the audio data of the first audio/video stream at the identified location with the first audio data segment to produce a second audio/video stream; and   transferring at least a portion of the second audio/video stream for presentation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 before transferring the portion of the second audio/video stream, storing the second audio/video stream.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information data is received after completing reception of the first audio/video stream. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second audio data segment; and   receiving a selection of one of the first audio data segment and the second audio data segment;   wherein replacing the portion of the audio data of the first audio/video stream is performed with either the first audio data segment or the second audio data segment according to the selection.   
     
     
         5 . A method for replacing audio data within a contiguous block of audio/video data, comprising:
 transmitting a contiguous block of audio/video data over a communication network to a receiving device, wherein the contiguous block comprises audio data, video data, and closed captioning text data associated with the audio data;   storing the contiguous block at the receiving device;   transmitting an audio data segment over the communication network to the receiving device;   transmitting multiple sets of location information over the communication network to the receiving device separately from the contiguous block, wherein each set of location information includes a respective text string associated with the closed captioning text data for one or more video data frames of the contiguous block and also includes a corresponding offset value relative to a beginning location of the respective text string, and wherein the respective text string is used to indicate a unique location within the contiguous block, and wherein the unique location is offset by the corresponding offset value to indicate an identified location within the contiguous block, such that each text string and its accompanying offset value redundantly indicates the same identified location;   replacing at least a portion of the audio data of the contiguous block at the identified location with the audio data segment to yield a second contiguous block; and   transferring at least a portion of the second contiguous block from the receiving device to a display device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the receiving device comprises one of a terrestrial television receiver, a cable television receiver, a satellite television receiver, and a computer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a terrestrial television network, a cable television network, a satellite television network, a wide area network, and a local area network. 
     
     
         8 . A receiving device for replacing audio data within a recorded audio/video stream, the receiving device comprising:
 a communication interface configured to receive a first audio/video stream, an audio data segment, and multiple sets of location information, wherein:
 the first audio/video stream comprises audio data, video data, and closed captioning text data; 
 each set of the location information is received in a different data file and separate from the first audio/video stream; 
 each set of location information includes a different unique text string associated with the closed captioning text data for one or more video frames of the first audio/video stream, and includes an offset value that accompanies the respective unique text string and that defines an offset relative to a beginning location of the respective unique text string; 
 each unique text string is used to identify a different location within the first audio/video stream, the different location being offset by the offset value to indicate an identified location in the first audio/video stream such that each unique text string and its accompanying offset value redundantly indicates the same identified location; 
   a storage unit configured to store the first audio/video stream and the audio data segment;   an audio/video interface configured to transmit audio/video streams to a display device; and   control logic configured to replace at least a portion of the audio data of the first audio/video stream at the identified location with the audio data segment to produce a second audio/video stream, and transfer at least a portion of the second audio/video stream to the audio/video interface.   
     
     
         9 . The receiving device of  claim 8 , wherein the control logic is configured to store the second audio/video stream in the storage unit. 
     
     
         10 . The receiving device of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive a user input;   wherein the control logic is configured to transfer the second audio/video stream to the audio/video interface based on the user input.   
     
     
         11 . The receiving device of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive a user input;   wherein the communication interface is configured to receive a second audio data segment;   wherein the storage unit is configured to store the second audio data segment; and   wherein the control logic is configured to replace the portion of the audio data of the first audio/video stream at the identified location plus the offset with either the first audio data segment or the second audio data segment based on the user input.   
     
     
         12 . The receiving device of  claim 8 , further comprising the display device.