System for insertion of locally cached information into a received broadcast stream

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for receiving a broadcast comprising a plurality of program channels and generating a playback stream using at least one of a buffered program channel and stored indexed content (e.g., commercials, programs, songs) for insertion. Control data controls which receivers insert which indexed content and when the indexed content is inserted into a received program channel, allowing for playback of songs from playlists, tiered subscription services, and sponsorship of broadcast program channels to provide market-directed content to selected receivers and listeners. Buffer management operations prevent uncontrolled buffer growth and commercial content avoidance through rapid channel changes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of inserting content into a received content stream for playback comprising:
 receiving a content stream comprising at least one program channel for playback and processing the received content stream for playback at a user's receiver in a playback stream;   determining changes between program channel content segments in the program channel;   receiving indexed content segments that can be inserted into the playback stream at potential insertion points between selected ones of the program channel content segments;   receiving control data indicating which of the indexed content segments to store at the receiver and insert into the playback stream;   storing selected ones of the received indexed content segments at the receiver in accordance with the received control data;   generating the playback stream using the program channel;   determining which of the stored indexed content segments are to be inserted into the playback stream;   pausing the program channel at a selected one of the potential insertion points during playback of the playback stream, and inserting a selected one of the stored indexed content segments into the playback stream in accordance with the control data;   buffering the program channel; and   determining at the receiver which of the buffered program content segments to playback when resuming the playback of the program channel after the inserting, the buffered program channel being time delayed relative to the received content stream during playback due to the inserted indexed content segment.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving indexed content segments comprises receiving the indexed content segments via a delivery method different from the content stream. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the delivery method is via a physical programming interface, a portable memory device, a wired or wireless transport link different from a link used to deliver the content stream, a WiFi link, and a Bluetooth® link. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving indexed content segments comprises receiving them as part of the content stream, the content stream being deceived via a wired or wireless link. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the potential insertion points are content indent pointers corresponding to at least one of changes or breaks between content segments in the received content stream, changes or breaks between content segments in a stream decoded from the received content stream, a point in time in the received content stream, a point in a packetized stream, a point in a transport layer stream comprising the content stream, and a point in a service layer stream corresponding to the received content stream.