Patent Application
20100054327
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to media conversion, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for transcoding data from a first format to a second format.
2. Background Discussion
For many years, televisions have been the primary means for receiving and reviewing audiovisual content such as programs and movies. With the advent of relatively inexpensive, portable electronic content players, such as portable audio and video players, the review of content is rapidly becoming decoupled from the delivery of content. Modern content consumers desire the ability to review content at any time, from any place. To some extent, the Internet facilitates this model.
However, existing content distribution systems are both mature and robust. For example, millions of Americans have access to content via a satellite or cable distribution system; their primary programming is received in such a manner. Further, most satellite/cable operators may provide vastly more traditional audiovisual content than is available across the Internet; at least some of this content is exclusive an unavailable across any other distribution system.
Traditionally, content delivered across satellite/cable/broadcast distribution systems is viewed on a television and is not especially portable. This directly clashes with the aforementioned desire to view programs at different times (e.g., time-shifting) and/or in different places (e.g., place-shifting). As people become busier, time- and place-shifting becomes more important. Without such shifting, the market for content transmitted across the aforementioned distribution networks may have a diminished audience.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method and system permitting a user to shift content received across a “traditional” distribution network.
One embodiment of the present invention may take the form of a system for transcoding data, such as an audiovisual program, audio data or video data, from a first format to a second format. Thus, certain embodiments may accept a first data file and transcode it to create a second data file in a different format.
Such transcoding may occur, for example, in a set-top box of a satellite distribution system. The set-top box may transcode the file in accordance with one or more user-specified parameters or may employ default parameters. For example, the set-top box may transcode the file only at a certain time or upon turning off the set-top box. Through transcoding, the file may be rendered into a format suitable for transfer to and review on a portable electronic device such as a handheld gaming system, digital audio/video player, mobile telephone and so forth. Transcoding may likewise allow a user to time-shift or place-shift viewing of content.
Another embodiment takes the form of a method for transcoding a file, comprising the operations of: receiving a file; storing the file on a storage device associated with a set-top box; receiving an indication from a user that the file is to be transcoded at a selected time; in response to the indication, transcoding the file at the selected time to produce a transcoded file; and storing the transcoded file.
Still another embodiment takes the form of a transcoding apparatus, comprising: at least one tuner operative to receive a signal; a decoder connected to the tuner and operative to decode the signal into a data set; a storage device connected to the decoder and operative to digitally store the data set; and a processor operative to transcode the data set, thereby creating a transcoded data set.
Yet another embodiment takes the form of an electronic menu for an electronic program guide, comprising: a listing showing at least one program; a transcoding field displayed on the listing and corresponding to the at least one program, the transcoding field in a first state in the event the listing is not selected by a user; wherein the transcoding field is in a second state in the event the listing is selected by the user for transcoding; the transcoding field is in a third state in the event the corresponding at least one program is transcoded to produce a transcoded file; and the electronic menu is operative to be displayed on a display.
One embodiment of the present invention may take the form of a system for transcoding data, such as an audiovisual program, audio data or video data, from a first format to a second format. Thus, certain embodiments may accept a first data file and transcode it to create a second data file in a different format. Alternatively, certain embodiments may transcode the first data file without creating a second data file, thus changing the initial file instead of creating another one. Accordingly, in such embodiments, a single file exists prior to the embodiment's transcoding operation and a single file exists afterward.
Through transcoding, the file may be rendered into a format suitable for transfer to and review on a portable electronic device such as a handheld gaming system, digital audio/video player, mobile telephone and so forth. Transcoding may likewise allow a user to time-shift or place-shift viewing of content.
“Transcoding,” as used herein, generally refers to digital-to-digital conversion of a file from one format to another. A “format,” as used herein, may refer to a bit rate, encoding or compression scheme (e.g., MP3, MP4, AAC and so forth), file size, picture or video size (e.g., 640×480 pixels), and so on. The transcoded file need not be encoded with a codec different than the one used to create the first file. Likewise, the term “file,” as used herein, refers to any packet, set or aggregate of digital data or information, particularly including digital media such as audiovisual programs, audio or video.
Transcoding may occur at a variety of times and may, in some embodiments, be user-scheduled. Alternatively, the embodiment may transcode one or more files while the embodiment is not otherwise in use or at non-peak times as determined by the embodiment or as specified by preset instruction. As one example, by monitoring usage patterns, the embodiment may determine that it typically is not otherwise in use during a specific period, such as 2:00 AM to 3:30 AM. The embodiment may thus schedule file transcoding to occur in this interval.
In addition, and as discussed in more detail below, the option to transcode a file may be selected from a menu provided by an electronic device, such as a set-top box. A user may, for example, interact with the set-top box (or other device) to select a file for transcoding. In response, the set-top box may mark or otherwise indicate the file is to be transcoded. The set-top box may, for example, display an icon next to the file name to signal to the user that the file has been selected for transcoding. The set-top box may also transcode the file at the appropriate time.
Generally, a file to be transcoded may be received from a satellite 110, as shown in
The receiver dish 120 may incorporate a low-noise block converter or feedhorn that relays the signal to a tuner in a set-top box 100 located within a user's home. The set-top box generally demodulates the data (via a decoder) into a baseband signal, which may be processed as necessary to provide an output signal to a television for display.
Data, such as a file transmitted in or on the aforementioned signal, may be stored on a storage device 130 for later viewing or use. The data may be stored after being decoded and simultaneously with the provision of the data as an output signal. The storage device 130 may be any type of magnetic, optical, solid state or memory-based storage and is often (although not necessarily) integrated into the set-top box 100. Alternatively, the storage device 130 may communicate with the set-top box via a universal serial bus (USB) port 140 and cable or other computing interface or standard. Certain embodiments may include both a first storage device 130 integrated into the set-top box 100 and a second storage device 150 connected to the set-top box via an interface.
The operations of the satellite 110, receiver dish 120, storage devices 130, 150 and set-top box 100, except as provided elsewhere herein, are generally known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A processor or other control electronics may generally control the operation of the set-top box, including coordinating the transcoding, decoding, storage, playback and providing of an output signal for any given file, program or other data set.
It should be understood that the foregoing discussion of a file transmitted via satellite 110 and processed by a set-top box 100 is intended as an example only. The file may be transmitted from a cable headend across a wired connection to a cable box, received and transcoded by a computing device, transmitted across a network such as the Internet, an intranet, an internet, a wide-area network, a local-area network and so forth. Further, any electronic device capable of receiving and transcoding the file may operate in the manners generally described herein. As yet another non-limiting example, a television or audiovisual receiver may be configured to receive and transcode a file, often when coupled with an appropriate digital storage medium to store the first file and/or the transcoded second file.
Certain embodiments may transcode or convert a file, for example a file stored on the storage device 130 of the set-top box 100, from a first format to a second format. A user may select or otherwise indicate the file which he desires to be transcoded and, in some embodiments, may also specify one or more parameters for the output (e.g., transcoded) file. An example of selecting a file for transcoding, as well as the transcoding procedure itself, will now be discussed with respect to
The user may highlight, select or otherwise indicate a program for transcoding (collectively referred to herein as “selecting” a program). Such selection may be made, for example, by use of an appropriately configured remote control communicating with a receiver or transceiver within the set-top box 100. Such a transceiver may be operationally connected to the processor to pass user commands to the processor for execution. A single button or selection mechanism of the remote control may be dedicated to activating the transcoding function or the transcoding function may be selected from a menu or sub-menu shown in response to selecting the program. It should be understood that the terms “program” and “file” are generally used synonymously herein.
Continuing the example,
The user may specify a transcoding time 310 from the transcoding sub-menu 300. By specifying a time, the user may control when the transcoding operation takes place. In certain embodiments, transcoding of files may employ processor power that would otherwise be used to provide user functionality or control of the set-top box 100. Additionally, in certain embodiments it may not be possible to write to the storage device 130, 130′ during a transcoding operation. Accordingly, it may be advantageous for a user to specify the time at which the transcoding takes place, thereby avoiding resource conflicts.
A user may also specify an output file size field 320 value. The output file size may be the maximum size for a transcoded file. This may be useful, for example, when the user desires to store the transcoded file on a storage device 130, 130′ that has limited capacity, such as a flash drive, portable drive, music playing device (e.g., an IPOD), and so forth. The output file size field 320 is not necessarily the final size of the transcoded file but instead may be a maximum file size, such that a transcoded program will not exceed this value.
As yet another option, a user may specify an output device on which a transcoded program will be viewed or reviewed in the output device field 330. Certain output devices may have particular screen resolutions, video processing capabilities, and/or audio output capabilities that limit the fidelity of video and/or audio regardless of the format of the transcoded file. As an example, SONY's PSP portable device has a maximum screen resolution of 480 by 272 pixels. Thus, if a first transcoded file is formatted for a 1900 by 1200 pixel resolution, the file would likely show no better picture quality on playback than a similar second transcoded file formatted for 480 by 272 pixel resolution. The first transcoded file, however, would likely be significantly larger than the second transcoded file and thus take up more space on a storage device 130, 130′. (It should be noted that a portable storage device 130′ may be incorporated into another electronic device such as the aforementioned PSP portable or an MP3 player.) As yet another example, not all portable devices can play back audiovisual files encoded with DIVX or OGG compression schemes. Accordingly, by specifying a particular output device, the embodiment may select corresponding formats (resolution, playback rate, audio encoding, video encoding and so forth) to complement the capabilities of the output device, potentially including storage capacity. To facilitate such a selection, the embodiment may present a list of output devices from which the user may choose.
As an alternative to the foregoing, a user may select the “use defaults” field 340 (represented by a checkbox in
The transcoding sub-menu 300 may be displayed as an overlay on the first menu 200 or may replace the first menu 200. Likewise, the method of navigating between the first menu and transcoding sub-menu may vary between embodiments.
Transcoded files may be stored on an storage device 130 internal to the set-top box 100 or on an external storage device 130′. Further, the embodiment may facilitate the transfer of a file from internal storage to external storage. The option to transfer files (transcoded or otherwise) to external storage may appear when any external storage device 130′ is connected to the set-top box 100 or may be selected from an appropriate menu.
It should be noted that transcoding may also be selected by a user when the user designates that the program should be recorded, from example from an electronic program guide. That is, in certain embodiments the user may select a program to be recorded and transcoded from a single menu prior to the actual recording of the program. The embodiment may either transcode the program according to default or user-selected parameters, or may transcode the program as it is being recorded.
Certain embodiments may omit the selection of transcoding parameters and instead perform transcoding operations when the embodiment is idle, turned off or otherwise inactive. Alternatively, an embodiment may have a default time at which all transcoding is performed, possibly presuming the embodiment is not in operation at that time.
In the event a storage device 130 to which a transcoded file is written is full, the embodiment may discard other stored files to make room for the transcoded file. Certain embodiments may also discard the original, non-transcoded file upon completion of a transcoding operation.
If transcoding parameters are specified, the embodiment proceeds to operation 510 and applies these one or more default parameters to the transcoding operation. If no such parameters are specified, however, the embodiment applies default values in operation 515. It should be noted that, following the application of specified parameters in operation 510, the embodiment generally proceeds to operation 515 to employ default parameters for any unspecified values. If all parameters are specified, operation 515 may be omitted.
In operation 520, the embodiment determines if the transcode time has been reached. If not, operation 520 is repeated until the proper time is at hand. Once the time is reached (whether default or specified), operation 525 is executed.
In operation 525, the embodiment transcodes the file according to the parameters set forth in operations 510-515. Following transcoding, the embodiment determines in operation 530 if storage space is available on the storage device 130, 130′ on which the transcoded file is to be stored. (It should be noted that a user may specify on which storage device a transcoded file is to be stored as a transcoding parameter.)
If no space is available, the embodiment executes operation 535 and frees up space on the storage device 130′. After operation 535, or in the event the embodiment determines space is available in operation 530, the embodiment executes operation 540 and writes the transcoded file to the storage device.
The method ends in end state 540.
It should be noted that certain operations may be omitted or added in various embodiments of the invention. For example, some embodiments may not permit user specification of transcoding parameters and thus may omit operations 505 and 510. Likewise, other embodiments may execute operations out of order; some embodiments may perform operations 530-540 prior to operation 525. Accordingly, it should be understood that the method of
The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the invention. Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous systems, arrangements and methods which, although not explicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of the invention and are thus within the spirit and scope of the present invention. From the above description and drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the particular embodiments shown and described are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. References to details of particular embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
