Method and apparatus for encoding and formatting data representing a video program to provide multiple overlapping presentations of the video program
US5612742A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 1994 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/4348
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Virtually random and on-demand access is provided to a virtually unlimited number of subscribers by partitioning the video program into an ordered sequence of n segments and providing the subscribers concurrent access to each of the n subsequences. A data stream representative of the video program is partitioned into n subsequences, each representative of one of the n segments. The data of each of the n subsequences is organized as an ordered sequence of elements. The elements of each of the n subsequences are interleaved and the interleaved data stream is continuously transmitted over a video program distribution medium at a rate which renders the data representing each segment concurrently available to any subscriber having a receiver capable of selecting, assembling, and displaying the data of a particular segment. The data stream can be compressed prior to interleaving using one of many known video data compression standards and techniques. Data compression can be performed in real time, or iteratively using software. The interleaved data stream can be transmitted in real time, or it can be stored on a storage device such as a hard disk or optical disk for later retrieval and t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.