How Digital Media Streams Are Automatically Tagged and Organized

A method for embedding standardized labels directly into digital video or audio streams so that devices can automatically identify and extract specific segments of content.

What it covers

This patent describes a way to divide a long, continuous stream of media—like a live broadcast or a long video file—into logical parts called macro segments. Before the viewer even sees the content, the system embeds a standardized tag directly into the video data, specifically within the picture user data or Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI). This tag acts like a digital signpost, carrying a data set that describes what that specific segment contains. When a receiving device, like a set-top box or smart TV, encounters these tags, it uses them to automatically identify and extract the relevant segments for the user, such as separating a show from its commercials.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover methods that identify segments based on visual analysis or pixel-level image recognition.
• —Does not cover systems that rely on external metadata files or sidecar files that are separate from the media stream itself.
• —Does not cover post-processing methods that analyze the stream after it has already been presented to the user.
• —Does not cover non-standardized or proprietary tagging formats not contained within the specified picture user data or SEI fields.

The clever bit

The innovation lies in embedding the metadata directly into the picture user data of the stream itself, ensuring that the 'instructions' for the content are physically bound to the media and processed in real-time before the content is even displayed.

Why it matters

This technology is essential for modern digital television and streaming services that need to handle dynamic ad insertion or content skipping automatically. By embedding the metadata directly into the stream, it ensures that the instructions for how to handle a segment travel with the video, preventing synchronization errors that often occur when metadata is sent through a separate, slower channel.

Real-world examples

• 1.Dynamic ad insertion in live streaming broadcasts
• 2.Smart TV automatic chapter marking for recorded programs
• 3.Automated content filtering in set-top boxes