US6038000A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information stream syntax for indicating the presence of a splice point
Assignee: Invidi Technologies Corp
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Filing: 1997-12-23
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Granted: 2000-03-14
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Expires: 2017-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for splicing a first compressed digital information stream into a second compressed digital information stream. The first information stream includes at least one entrance indicium identifying an appropriate stream entrance point, the second information stream includes at least one exit indicium identifying an appropriate stream exit point. A controller monitors the two streams until the appropriate points are found and, in response to a control signal, splices the first stream into the second stream.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Norman Hurst, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/845; H04N21/8455; G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/10; H04N19/00; H04N19/10; H04N19/134; H04N19/142; H04N19/169; H04N19/179; H04N19/85; H04N19/87; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/234; H04N21/23424; H04N21/236; H04N21/23608; H04N21/23614; H04N21/25; H04N21/266; H04N21/2662; H04N5/00; H04N5/222; H04N5/262; H04N5/265; H04N7/00; H04N7/24; H04N7/52
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A method for identifying one of entrance indicium and exit indicium in an MPEG-like transport packet, said entrance indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a first packet in a splicing segment, said exit indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a last packet in a splicing segment, said method comprising the steps of: examining a valid splice -- countdown field within a portion of a transport packet; wherein: said entrance indicium is identified by said splice countdown field being equal to a first value; and said exit indicium is identified by splice countdown field being equal to a second value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A method for identifying one of entrance indicium and exit indicium in an MPEG-like transport packet, said entrance indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a first packet in a splicing segment, said exit indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a last packet in a splicing segment, said method comprising the steps of: examining a valid splice -- countdown field within a portion of a transport packet; wherein: said entrance indicium is identified by said splice countdown field being equal to a first value; and said exit indicium is identified by splice countdown field being equal to a second value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first value is negative one and said second value is zero.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said splice countdown field is only valid if a splice point flag within said portion of said transport packet is equal to a third value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said third value is one.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for identifying one of entrance indicium and exit indicium in an MPEG-like transport packet, said entrance indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a first packet in a splicing segment, said exit indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a last packet in a splicing segment, said method comprising the steps of: examining a splice point flag within a header portion of said transport packet; and in the case of said splice point flag being set to a first value, examining a splice countdown field in said header portion of said transport packet; wherein: said entrance indicium comprises said splice countdown field being equal to a second value; and said exit indicium comprises said splice countdown field being equal to a third value.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for identifying one of entrance indicium and exit indicium in an MPEG-like transport packet, said entrance indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a first packet in a splicing segment, said exit indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a last packet in a splicing segment, said method comprising the steps of: examining a splice point flag within a header portion of said transport packet; and in the case of said splice point flag being set to a first value, examining a splice countdown field in said header portion of said transport packet; wherein: said entrance indicium comprises said splice countdown field being equal to a second value; and said exit indicium comprises said splice countdown field being equal to a third value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said first value is one, said second value is negative one, and said third value is zero.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a system for generating an MPEG-like transport bitstream in response to one or more elementary streams, a method for including one of an entrance indicium and exit indicium in one or more MPEG-like transport packets, said entrance indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a first packet in a splicing segment, said exit indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a last packet in a splicing segment, said method comprising the steps of: identifying packets suitable for use as first or last packets in a splicing segment; and setting to a first value a splice point flag within a header portion of each of said identified packets to include said entrance or exit indicium; and setting to a second value a splice countdown field within said header portion of said identified packets to include said entrance indicium, and setting to a third value said splice countdown field within said header portion of identified packets to include said exit indicium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a system for generating an MPEG-like transport bitstream in response to one or more elementary streams, a method for including one of an entrance indicium and exit indicium in one or more MPEG-like transport packets, said entrance indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a first packet in a splicing segment, said exit indicium being associated with a transport packet suitable for use as a last packet in a splicing segment, said method comprising the steps of: identifying packets suitable for use as first or last packets in a splicing segment; and setting to a first value a splice point flag within a header portion of each of said identified packets to include said entrance or exit indicium; and setting to a second value a splice countdown field within said header portion of said identified packets to include said entrance indicium, and setting to a third value said splice countdown field within said header portion of identified packets to include said exit indicium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said first value is one, said second value is negative one, and said third value is zero.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said entrance indicium is associated with a packet the precedes a sequence header that immediately precedes, in the case of a video stream, an I-frame.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said entrance indicium is associated with a packet the precedes a sequence header that immediately precedes, in the case of a video stream, an I-frame.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for splicing bitstreams, said bitstreams comprising a plurality of information segments representative of a sequence of information frames, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring a first bitstream to detect an exit indicium, said first bitstream being coupled to an output and including at least one of said exit indicium, said exit indicium indicative of an appropriate last information segment of a splicing segment; providing a second bitstream, said second bitstream including at least one entrance indicium, said entrance indicium indicative of an appropriate first information segment of a splicing segment; and coupling said second bitstream to said output in response to a control signal, a detection of said exit indicium in said first bitstream and a detection of said entrance indicium in said second bitstream; wherein said exit indicium comprises a valid splice countdown field in said header portion of said information segment being set to a first value.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for splicing bitstreams, said bitstreams comprising a plurality of information segments representative of a sequence of information frames, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring a first bitstream to detect an exit indicium, said first bitstream being coupled to an output and including at least one of said exit indicium, said exit indicium indicative of an appropriate last information segment of a splicing segment; providing a second bitstream, said second bitstream including at least one entrance indicium, said entrance indicium indicative of an appropriate first information segment of a splicing segment; and coupling said second bitstream to said output in response to a control signal, a detection of said exit indicium in said first bitstream and a detection of said entrance indicium in said second bitstream; wherein said exit indicium comprises a valid splice countdown field in said header portion of said information segment being set to a first value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said first value is zero.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said entrance indicium comprises a valid splice countdown field in said header portion of said transport packe being set to a second value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said second value is negative one.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said step of monitoring said first bitstream comprises the steps of: examining a splice point flag within a header portion of each information segment; and in the case of said splice point flag being set to a third value, examining said splice countdown field in said header portion of said information segment, said entrance indicium comprising said splice countdown field being equal to a second value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said second value is negative one.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-14 | 2003-09-13 | 2004-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-14 | 2007-09-13 | 2008-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-14 | 2011-09-13 | 2012-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |