WO2017220564A1 - Media streaming method, client application, media client and media server for validation of a preset control condition - Google Patents

Media streaming method, client application, media client and media server for validation of a preset control condition Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017220564A1
WO2017220564A1 PCT/EP2017/065064 EP2017065064W WO2017220564A1 WO 2017220564 A1 WO2017220564 A1 WO 2017220564A1 EP 2017065064 W EP2017065064 W EP 2017065064W WO 2017220564 A1 WO2017220564 A1 WO 2017220564A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
media
stream
client
content item
media content
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2017/065064
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Christian Barth
Original Assignee
Technology Sky Deutschland Fernsehen Gmbh & Co.Kg
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Application filed by Technology Sky Deutschland Fernsehen Gmbh & Co.Kg filed Critical Technology Sky Deutschland Fernsehen Gmbh & Co.Kg
Publication of WO2017220564A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017220564A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
    • H04N21/845—Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
    • H04N21/8456—Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/454—Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
    • H04N21/4542—Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/488—Data services, e.g. news ticker
    • H04N21/4884—Data services, e.g. news ticker for displaying subtitles
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
    • H04N21/854—Content authoring
    • H04N21/85406—Content authoring involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
    • H04N21/854—Content authoring
    • H04N21/8547—Content authoring involving timestamps for synchronizing content

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for identifying a media content item in a media stream according to the preamble of claim 1 , to a client application according to claim 13, to a media client according to claim 14 and to a media server according to claim 17.
  • the method for identifying a media content item in a media stream composed of a sequence of media stream portions, wherein each media stream portion comprises at least one media content item, in order to validate a preset control condition executes the following step.
  • a media client receives a first portion of the media stream and a first portion of a metadata stream, which is associated to the first portion of the media stream, through a communication network, wherein the metadata stream is composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions, and wherein the first portion of the media stream carries at least a first media content item and the first portion of the metadata stream carries at least a first identifier for the first media content item, and wherein the first identifier is used to identify the first media content item and to validate the preset control condition.
  • VOD Video On Demand
  • VOD streaming depends on either completely or at least progressively downloading a media file, wherein the downloaded data is stored in a buffer of a media client before the playback starts.
  • Each media file is identified individually and in the identification process a validation of a preset control condition, possibly a parental control condition, is already accommodated.
  • IPTV is another known streaming concept.
  • Traditional IPTV has already been widely de- ployed.
  • IPTV is delivered over a dedicated, operator-managed network that is used only for broadcasting TV.
  • the operator has full control over the network and can configure specific parameters, such as bandwidth consumption and jitter prevention to ensure a high level of service quality.
  • Traditional IPTV uses transport stream transmission technology which delivers content over UDP in datagram mode, which provides a connectionless datagram service that emphasizes reduced latency over reliability.
  • Over The Top (OTT) streaming transmits streams using HTTP, the protocol aimed to transport web pages over the Internet.
  • HTTP is based on TCP.
  • TCP provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of a stream over an IP network. It enables anyone with sufficient web hosting capacity to broadcast multi media content, like audio and video, to a worldwide audience over the open, non-managed Internet.
  • OTT methodology for live streaming has to face the problem of adaptive bitrate streaming via http. Contrary to IPTV, where the operator is able to provide a stable bitrate and assure that a media content arrives to a media client at a predetermined time, OTT streaming cannot assure such a strict time requirement. Thus, the exact instant of time when a media stream arrives to the media client cannot be predicted. Also the exact instant of time of transition from one media content to another media content at the media client is not known beforehand.
  • This issue is especially related to identify a media content item comprised in a media stream portion, wherein the media content item belongs to a new media content, for example to a new film, and wherein the preceding media content item, that is transmitted in the same media stream portion or in a preceding media stream portion, belongs to a dif- ferent media content, for example a preceding film, that was received by the media client before the new film.
  • the transition or shift from a preceding media content to a new media content inside the media stream can be located and a preset control condition, like a preset parental control condition, may be validated with respect to the new media content.
  • a preset control condition like a preset parental control condition
  • a stream of time accurate metadata could be additionally provided to the media client.
  • the media client has to associate a portion of a metadata stream to the appropriate portion of the media stream.
  • the first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for the first media content item and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be sent to the media client after a sequence of at least one first media content item has been sent to the media client.
  • chunk (of data) and block (of data) are synonyms to the term portion, which is used above. They all describe a data unit of bounded size, possibly but not necessarily with a fixed number of bits or bytes, that is treated as a means of transportation for user data and/or control data, without determining the underlying protocol.
  • a suitable means for associating a first portion of the metadata stream to a first portion of the media stream is provided by carrying the first portion of the metadata stream in a closed caption track of the first portion of the media stream, as mentioned above. By doing so, the first identifier for the first media content item is embedded in the closed caption track. This way, the result of the validation of a preset control condition for the first identifier relating to the first media content item can be kept in sync to the media stream.
  • An alternative means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream is given through an association identifier.
  • the association identifier is identically carried in the first portion of the metadata stream and in the first portion of the media stream.
  • the means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream ensure the synchronization of the first portion of the metadata stream with the first portion of the media stream by the media client. Accordingly, further association identifiers, which are mutually different, are used for associating a second portion of the metadata stream to a second portion of the media stream and any further portion of the metadata stream to an equally numbered portion of the media stream.
  • the method of identifying a media content item may further exhibit the following step.
  • the media client parses the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream.
  • the media client identifies the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream as associated through the identical association identifier carried in the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream.
  • the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream carry an identical timestamp as association identifier.
  • the second portion of the media stream and the second portion of the metadata stream carry an identical timestamp, which is different from the timestamp of the first portions.
  • any further portion of the media stream and any further associated portion of the metadata stream carry an identical timestamp, which is different from the timestamp of all preceding portions.
  • the timestamp of a particular portion may indicate the point in time, when the media portion appears inside the media content item.
  • the media client synchronizes the portions of the media stream and the portions of the metadata stream by means of the timestamp.
  • the result of the validation determines if the first media content item is implicitly shown on a media player
  • the method of identifying a media content item shows the following steps.
  • the media client sends the first identifier for the first media content item to a database to validate the preset control condition for the first media content item.
  • the preset control condition may be a parental control condition, which regulate media access subject to the age rating of the media item and/or the current time of the day.
  • the database returns a control action to the media client.
  • a fulfilled control condition means, that the access to the first media content item is protected by the control action.
  • a possible control action is a request for a PIN, for example a parental PIN, to unlock the media content.
  • the media client executes the control action and only if the control action is successfully accomplished, the media client activates a media player to show the first media content.
  • the database confirms permission of display of the first media content to the media client.
  • the media client activates a media player to show the first media content.
  • the method of identifying a media content item shows the following additional steps.
  • the first portion of the metadata stream carries addi- tionally to the first identifier, also a second identifier for a second media content item.
  • the second media content item is the content item that is scheduled to be sent to the media client after the transmission of the first media content composed of a sequence of first media content items.
  • the media client sends the second identifier to a database to validate the preset control condition for the second media content item. This way, the preset control condition for the prospective next received media content item can be validated already before its actual arrival to the media client.
  • the preset control condition may be a parental control condition, which regulates media access subject to the age rating of the media item and/or the current time of the day.
  • the database returns a control action to the media client.
  • a fulfilled control condition means, that the access to the second media content item is protected by the control action.
  • a possible control action is a request for a PIN, for example a parental PIN, to unlock the media content.
  • the media client buffers the control action until the media client receives a shift portion of the media stream which firstly carries a second media content item.
  • the media client When the media client firstly detects the receipt of a second media content item, the media client executes the control action and only if the control action is successfully accomplished, for example the user entered the right PIN, the media client activates a media player to show the second media content item.
  • the database confirms permission of display of the second media content item to the media client.
  • the media client buffers the permission for display until the media client receives a shift portion of the media stream which firstly carries a second media content item.
  • the media client detects the receipt of the second media content item, the media client activates a media player to show the second media content item.
  • control action may consist of another user authentication procedure, like requesting a smartcard or a token through a user interface.
  • the control action is successfully accomplished when the user enters the right PIN in case the PIN was requested or the appropriate smartcard in case a smartcard was requested or when the user enters the right token in case a token was requested.
  • the preset control condition may be a parental control condition which restricts the media access for minors.
  • Media access might be regulated subject to an age rating of the media item and/or the current time of the day.
  • the parental control condition may depend on an age rating of the media item like the German labels FSKO, FSK6, FSK12, FSK16 and FSK18, that are assigned to movies by the Voluntary Self Regulation of the Movie Industry (Freiwillige Alterkontrolle der Filmêt FSK). This indexing is meant as a means for youth protection.
  • the parental control condition may also depend on a preset allowed viewing time. For example, a horror movie could be directly displayed by a media player, when it is received by the media client between midnight and 3 am. But a parental PIN is requested in case the horror movie is received by the media client at any other time of the day.
  • bitrates of the media stream and/or the metadata stream when received by the media client through a communication network are not necessarily fixed, but they may vary. That is to say, the media stream and/or the metadata stream may have flexible bitrates.
  • the communication network through which the media stream and/or the metadata stream is transmitted is an unmanaged internet protocol (IP) network.
  • IP internet protocol
  • Streams that are transmitted through an unmanaged IP network, like the open internet, are also called Over The Top (OTT) streams.
  • the media stream received by the media client may be a multimedia stream or a video stream or an audio stream.
  • the media stream may be a Http-Live-Streaming (HLS)-stream introduced by Apple for iOS devices like the iPhone, iPad and iPod.
  • HLS is based on OTT-streams and supports inclusion of timed metadata in ID3 format, which can be used for the parental control mechanisms disclosed herein.
  • Timed metadata may also be provided in Web Video Text Track format (WebVTT).
  • WebVTT Web Video Text Track format
  • the media stream may also be a Microsoft Smooth Streaming (MSS)-stream.
  • MSS is also based on OTT streams and is distributed from a streaming server over http.
  • MSS supports Digital Rights Management (DRM), which can be used for the parental control mechanisms disclosed herein.
  • Timed metadata may be provided in Timed Text Markup Language (TTML) format or in Web Video Text Track format (WebVTT).
  • TTML Timed Text Markup Language
  • WebVTT Web Video Text Track format
  • the media stream may also be based on Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG DASH).
  • Timed metadata may be provided in Timed Text Markup Language (TTML) format or in Web Video Text Track format (WebVTT).
  • TTML Timed Text Markup Language
  • WebVTT Web Video Text Track format
  • the invention comprises a client application, storable on a medium readable by a media client.
  • the client application executes the steps of the method disclosed beforehand.
  • the invention comprises a media client.
  • the media client may be provided and de- signed for receiving and processing a media stream composed of a sequence of media stream portions and a metadata stream composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions, wherein a first portion of the metadata stream is carried in a closed caption track of a first portion of the media stream, which allows to associate the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream.
  • the media client may be provided and designed for receiving and processing a media stream and a metadata stream, wherein a first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for a first media content item carried in a first portion of the media stream and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be carried in the media stream and sent to the media client after the first media content item, whereby suitable means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream are provided.
  • the media client is also provided and designed for identifying and controlling access to a media content item enclosed in the media stream (1 ) carrying out a method as disclosed beforehand.
  • the media client may be a media receiver or a computer or a tablet computer or a smart phone or a set top box.
  • the invention comprises a media server for providing media content to a media client.
  • the media server may be designed for assembling and sending a media stream com- posed of a sequence of media stream portions and a metadata stream composed of a stream of metadata stream portions through a communication network to the media client, such that a first portion of the metadata stream is carried in a closed caption track of a first portion of the media stream.
  • the media server may be designed for assembling and sending a media stream and a metadata stream through a communication network to the media client, such that a first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for a first media content item carried in a first portion of the media stream and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be carried in the media stream and sent to the media client after the first media content item, whereby suitable means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream are provided.
  • the media server is designed for assembling the media stream and the metadata stream and sending them through a communication network to a media client in such a way, that a media client, like disclosed before, may be able to receive and process the media stream and the metadata stream.
  • Figure 1 is a diagram showing the interplay between media server, media client and media database
  • Figure 2a shows a first forming of a media stream
  • Figure 2b shows a first forming of a metadata stream
  • Figure 2c shows a second forming of a media stream
  • Figure 2d shows a second forming of a metadata stream
  • Figure 3 is a flow chart diagram for validating a current and a future preset control condition
  • Figure 4 shows a first forming of a metadata portion
  • Figure 5 shows a second forming of a metadata portion
  • Figure 6 shows a media server.
  • a media server 8 provides remotely located media clients 3 with media contents 1 1 1 , 1 12.
  • a media client 3 can be arranged as a specific receiver or a set top box for receiving and processing media content from the media server 8.
  • the media client 3 can also be arranged as a fixed computer or a portable computer, like a laptop or a tablet computer, or as a smartphone, wherein specific applications may provide the features for a media client 3 as below specified.
  • the media server 8 When a media client 3 requests a specific media content 1 1 1 from the server 8, for example by choosing a specific channel of emission, the media server 8 provides the chosen media content 1 1 1 by a media stream 1 built of a sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 13, that are sent through a communication network 4, for example the open internet, to the media client 3, that posed the media request. Additionally to the media stream 1 , the media server 8 builds up a control stream or metadata stream 2, that provides the media client 3 with metadata information. The metadata information may be specified by the requested media content 1 1 1 . The metadata information may regulate the access to the requested media content 1 1 1 by the media client 3.
  • a media client 3 comprises a control logic unit 9, to control the processing of the media stream 1 by aid of the metadata stream 2, and a media player 7 to play back a media content 1 1 1 .
  • the control logic unit 9 collaborates with a media database 6 to conduct its control tasks.
  • the control logic unit 9 may request the media database 6 with the aid of the received metadata stream 2, if a preset control condition exists for the requested media content 1 1 1 , and in this case to validate the control condition.
  • Fig. 2a discloses a first forming of a media stream 1 .
  • the media stream 1 is composed of a sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 that are consecutively transmitted by the media server 8 to the media client 3.
  • Each media stream portion 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 may carry media content of a specific time length, for example 2 seconds.
  • Each media stream portion 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 comprises a media content item 101 , 102, for example a first media content item 101 or a second media content item 102.
  • a sequence of first media content items 101 that are carried in a sequence of consecutive media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, build up a first media content 1 1 1 .
  • a media content 1 1 1 , 1 12 may be a film or a audio music piece or any other media or multi media piece.
  • the media stream portion that follows the last portion 14 inside of the sequence of consecutive media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, that carry the first media content items 101 , which build up the first media content 1 1 1 is called shift media stream portion 15.
  • the shift media stream portion 15 is the first portion of a sequence of consecutive media stream portions 15, 16, that comprise second media content items 102, that build up a second media content 1 12.
  • the second media content 1 12 is transmitted by the media server 8 to the media client 3 consecutively after the first media content 1 1 1 .
  • the media client 3 may ask a media database 6 to validate a preset control condition, a so called present control condition, that is stored inside of the media database 6, and depending on the validation result the media client 3 may execute resultant control actions and only when the control actions are successfully accomplished, the media client 3 will activate the media player 7 to play back the first media content 1 1 1 .
  • a preset control condition a so called present control condition
  • the media client 3 may ask a media database 6 to validate a preset control condition and depending on the validation result the media client 3 may execute resultant control actions and only when the control actions are successfully accomplished, the media client 3 will activate der media player 7 to play back the second media content 1 12.
  • the media player 3, or more specifically the control logic unit 9 residing inside the media client 3, has to identify the respective media stream portion inside the media stream 1 , where a new media content starts.
  • the control logic unit 9 has to block the play back of a new media content until a preset control condition is validated and possible control actions are successfully accomplished.
  • the control logic unit 9 For the first media content 1 1 1 , that was firstly requested by the media client 3, the control logic unit 9 has to suspend the play back of the firstly received first media stream portion 1 1 until a control process is successfully accomplished.
  • the control process may be executed by the aid of metadata information residing inside a metadata stream 2, as shown in Fig. 2b.
  • the metadata stream 2 is composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions 21 , 22, 24, 25, wherein each metadata stream portion 21 , 22, 24, 25 is associated to a respective media stream portion 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 by a specific association means.
  • the association can be derived in different ways, for example by a one-to-one timestamp 5, that associates exactly one metadata stream portion to each media stream portion.
  • a first metadata stream portion 21 can be associated with the first media stream portion 1 1 , that was firstly received by the media client 3.
  • the first metadata stream portion 21 carries a first identifier 201 that identifies the first media content item 101 that is carried inside the associated first media stream portion 1 1 .
  • the first identifier 201 may be an identifier for the first media content 1 1 1 , that is transmitted in the sequence of consecutive first media content items 101 , which are currently received by the media client 3.
  • the first identifier 201 may be used for the execution of the control process.
  • the first identifier 201 may be used to formulate a control request to the media database 6.
  • the media database 6 validates a preset control condition, that is determined by the first identifier 201 and stored inside of the media database 6.
  • the further validation process will be explained with regard to Fig. 3.
  • the first metadata stream portion 21 may also carry a second identifier 202 that identifies a second media content item 102 that is carried inside the shift portion 15 of a media stream 1 , as explained above.
  • the shift portion 15 labels the first portion inside of the sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15, ... that carries a second media content item 102. that belongs to a new media content, the second media content 1 12.
  • the advanced transmission of the second identifier 202 already in the first metadata stream portion 21 establishes the foundation for a validation of a preset control condition with respect to the second identifier 202, a so called future control condition, ahead of time, i.e. before the actual receipt of the shift portion 15 that carries firstly a second media content item 102 of the second media content 1 12. Further explanations will be given with regard to Fig. 3.
  • the association means may be given by an association identifier 5.
  • Each portion of the media stream carries an association identifier 5, that is different from any other association identifier 5 carried in any other portion of the media stream.
  • the media stream 1 and the metadata stream 2 are formed in such a way, that any media stream por- tion carries the same association identifier as a metadata stream portion, that carries metadata information for this specific media stream portion.
  • the media stream portion and the metadata stream portion, that is associated to this media stream portion carry the same association identifier.
  • the association identifier 5 can be given by a time stamp. The time stamp may specify the point in time when the particular me- dia stream portion was formed in the media server 8.
  • the time stamp may specify the sum of the time lengths for all media content items already sent to the media client 3 inside of the media stream 1 before a particular media stream portion.
  • a metadata stream portion that is associated to a specific media stream portion, is carried in a closed caption track of this specific portion of the media stream.
  • Possible media stream formats that provide closed caption tracks are Http-Live- Streaming (HLS), Microsoft Smooth Streaming (MSS), MPEG DASH, Adobe Flash Life streaming and Adobe HTTP Dynamic Streaming (HDS).
  • the first media stream portion 21 that is associated to the first media stream portion 1 1 is carried in a closed caption track of the first media stream portion 1 1 .
  • the closed caption track is usually used to transport additional text information to a media content 1 1 1 , 1 12.
  • a media content 1 1 1 , 1 12 is a music piece
  • the title and interpret of the piece could be transported in the closed caption track in order to be displayed, when the music piece is played back on a music player 7.
  • the media content is a film
  • subtitles representing the spoken words in the spoken or a different language could be transported in the closed caption track to be displayed, when the film is played back on a media player 7.
  • Fig. 2a that discloses a first forming of a media stream 1
  • the shift from a first media content 1 1 1 to a second media content 1 12 is conducted between two media stream portions, such that the shift media stream portion 15 contains only a second media content item 102, but does not contain any first media content item 101 belonging to the first media content 1 1 1 .
  • Fig. 2c shows a second forming of a media stream 1 , wherein the shift from the first media content 1 1 1 to a second media content 1 12 is conducted inside of the shift media stream portion 15.
  • the shift media stream portion 15 comprises two media content items 101 , 102, a first media content item 101 , that still belongs to a first media content 1 1 1 , and a second media content item 101 , that belongs to a second media content 1 12.
  • the first media content item 101 inside of the shift media stream portion 15 is the last content item of a sequence of consecutive first media content items 101 , that build up the first media content 1 1 1 .
  • the second media content item 102 inside of the shift media stream portion 15 is the first content item of a sequence of consecutive media content items 102, that build up a second media content 1 12.
  • the media client 3, or more specifically the control logic unit 9 has to block the play back of the media player 7 when a second media content item 102 is firstly received by the media client 3 in order to execute a control process that involves a preset control condition for the second media content item 102. And only when the control process is successfully accomplished, the control logic unit 9 may reactivate the media player 7 in order to play back the second media content 1 12. The point in time after the first media content 1 1 1 has been completely transferred to the media player 7 for play back and before the transfer of a second media content 1 12 has started to the media player 7 for play back is called the shift time.
  • the shift time from a first media content 1 1 1 to a second media content 1 12 can be determined by an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) time that is determined in advance.
  • EPG Electronic Program Guide
  • a shift portion 25 of the metadata stream 2 that is associated to the shift portion 15 of media stream 1 , has to carry time accurate metadata in order to perform the control mechanisms in the right moment, that is at a shift time from the first media content 1 1 1 to the second media content 1 12.
  • this can be done by specifying time offsets inside of the shift metadata stream portion 25.
  • a first end time offset 212 specifies the time length of the play back time of the shift media stream portion 15 until the end of the first media content item 101 .
  • a second start time offset 221 specifies the time length of the play back time of the shift media stream portion 15 until the start of the second media content item 102.
  • the shift time may be calculated by adding to the point in time, when the transfer of the shift media stream portion 15 to the media player 7 for play back has started, an offset time which can be chosen between the first end time offset 212 and the second start time offset 221 .
  • Fig. 3 shows a flow chart diagram, that is separated in three rows and three columns. The rows may be matched to streams 1 ,2 in a first row, a media client 3 in a second row and a media database 6 in a third row. The columns may be matched to different time intervals.
  • a first time interval t1 specifies the time before the playback of a first media content 1 1 1
  • a second time interval t2 specifies the time of the playback of the first media content 1 1 1
  • the third time interval t3 specifies the time of the playback of the second media content 1 12.
  • the first row shows a first media stream 1 , which may be an audio data stream or a video data stream or any other multimedia data stream, and a metadata stream 2 associated to the media stream. Both streams 1 , 2 are composed of stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15, 16, 21 , 22, 24, 25 as specified with respect to Fig. 2a to 2d.
  • the second row specifies the steps that have to be performed by the media client 3.
  • the third row specifies the steps that have to be performed by the media database 6.
  • the media database 6 is located in a knot of the communication network 4 that is accessible to all media clients 3.
  • the media database 6 may be located on a cloud computer.
  • Step S1 executed during time interval t1 :
  • the media client 3 receives a sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15,.. and a sequence of metadata stream portions 21 , 22, 24, 25,.. through a communication network 4.
  • the media stream portions and the metadata stream portions are consecutively parsed.
  • the media stream portions 1 1 , 12, .., 14, 15,.. may be kept synchronized with metadata stream portions 21 , 22, .., 24, 25,.. by an association means as described above.
  • a first metadata stream portion 21 is associated and kept synchronized to a first media stream portion 1 1 .
  • the parsing process retrieves a first identifier 201 and a second identifier 202 in the first metadata stream portion 21 .
  • the first identifier 201 specifies a first media con- tent item 101 inside of the first media content portion 1 1 .
  • the second identifier 202 specifies a second media content item 102 that will be transmitted in the media stream 1 after a sequence of at least one first media content item 101 is transmitted in the media stream 1 . Further with Step S2 and Step S6. Step S2 executed during time interval t1 :
  • the media database 6 is requested by the media client 3 to retrieve and validate a preset control condition with respect to the first identifier 201 .
  • the preset control condition may be a parental control condition, wherein the media database 6 retrieves the age rating with respect to the first identifier 201 and validates it.
  • the media database 6 may validate the pa- rental control condition based on the retrieved age rating and the current time of day. For example the media database 6 may retrieve the age rating for the media content with respect to the first identifier as FSK16, which means released for audiences as of 16 years of age. For media content which is labeled as FSK16 the parental control condition is fulfilled, in case the media content is emitted between 6 am and 10 pm. Further with Decision point S3.
  • the media database 6 requests the media client 3 to execute a parental control action.
  • the parental control action may be to request a parental control PIN through the user interface from a user. Further with Step S4.
  • Step S4 executed during time interval t1 :
  • the media client 3 executes the parental control action. For example the media client 3 requests a parental control PIN through the user interface from a user. Only after the user entered the correct parental control PIN, the control action is successfully accomplished. Further with Step S5.
  • the media client 3 activates a media player 7 to play back the first media content item 101 from the first media stream portion 1 1 and further first media content items 101 from further media stream portions. End of the first branch.
  • Step S2 an analogous task like specified in Step S2 is performed with respect to the second identifier 202. Further with Decision Point S7.
  • the media database 6 requests the media client 3 to execute a parental control action.
  • the parental control action may be to request a parental control PIN through the user interface from a user. Further with Step S8.
  • a preset parental control condition is not fulfilled, that is the requested media content 1 12 is approved to be shown without any restriction at the current time of day, the media database 6 gives a permission to play back a second media content item 102, which will be transmitted in the media stream 1 after a sequence of at least one first media content item
  • Step S8 during time interval t2 The media client 3 buffers the parental control action until the shift or transition to the second media content 1 12 takes place as described with respect to Fig. 2a - 2d. Further with Step S9. Step S9 during time interval t2:
  • the media client 3 When the shift to the second media content 1 12 takes place, the media client 3 does not need to send an evaluation request to the database 6, because this was already done in advance in Step S6. Instead the media client 3 may directly execute the buffered parental control action analogous to Step S4. Further with Step S1 1 .
  • Step S10 during time interval t2
  • the media client 3 buffers the permission to play back a second media content item 102 until the shift or transition to the second media content 1 12 takes place as described with respect to Fig. 2a - 2d.
  • the media client 3 does not need to send an evaluation request to the media database 6, because this was already done in advance in Step S6. Further with Step S1 1 .
  • the media client 3 activates a media player 7 to play back second media content items 102 analogous to Step S 5.
  • Fig. 4 shows a first forming of a metadata stream portion in XML syntax.
  • This first forming specifies a metadata representation for a metadata stream portion without a shift between media contents inside of the portion.
  • This forming can be seen as a possible embodiment of a shift metadata stream portion 25 as disclosed in Fig. 2b.
  • the metadata comprises the following values:
  • • f.id specifies a second identifier 202 or future identifier for a successively received second media content item
  • ⁇ cup specifies a value that counts up for monitoring reasons.
  • Fig. 5 shows a second forming of a metadata stream portion also in XML-syntax.
  • the second forming specifies a metadata representation for a metadata stream portion with a shift of media contents inside of the portion.
  • the second forming can be seen as a possible embodi- ment of a shift metadata stream portion 25 as disclosed in Fig. 2d.
  • the metadata comprises the same values as specified for Fig. 4.
  • Two strings are given that specify a pair p.id, f.id representing a first and second identifier 201 , 202 respectively.
  • the first string specifies a first start time offset 21 1 from 0 and a first end time offset 212 from 1 .360 seconds.
  • the first string identifies a first media content item 101 inside of a shift media stream portion 15, where the shift metadata stream portion 25 is associated to.
  • the time offsets 21 1 , 212 locate the start and the end of first media content item 101 inside of the shift media stream portion 15.
  • the f.id identifies a second media content 1 12 that will be transmitted after the first media content 1 1 1 .
  • the shift from the first to the second media content 1 1 1 , 1 12 is conducted inside of the shift media stream portion 15.
  • the second string specifies a second start time offset 221 from 1 ,640 seconds and no second end time offset 222.
  • the second string identifies a second media content item 102 inside of the same shift media stream portion 15.
  • the time offset 221 locate the starting time of a second media content item 102 inside of the shift media stream portion 15.
  • the new p.id is identical to the previous f.id, because a formerly future id will transform to the new present id after the shift from a first media content to a second media content.
  • the new f.id specifies a future identifier for a successively after the second media content 1 12 received third media content 1 13.
  • a media stream portion with three or more different media content items belonging to different media contents can be handled by an associated metadata stream portion that specify one string for each media content item inside the media stream portion.
  • the p.id in the string identifies the media content item and the time offsets locate the media content item inside of the media stream portion.
  • Fig. 6 shows a media server 8.
  • the media server 8 comprises an inserter 81 and an encoder 82.
  • the inserter 81 is designed for inserting metadata information, as for example parental control metadata, into media stream 1 , like an audio or video stream.
  • the media stream 1 may be provided the inserter 81 by a High Definition Serial Digital Interface (HD-SDI).
  • the inserter 81 can be a teletext inserter.
  • the inserter 81 may insert metadata portions to closed caption tracks of media stream portions.
  • the metadata enriched media stream 1 is transferred to the encoder 82.
  • the encoder 82 encodes the metadata enriched media stream 1 .
  • the metadata enriched media stream 1 may be encoded as Http-Live-Streaming (HLS)- stream containing metadata in WebVTT or ID3 format.
  • HLS Http-Live-Streaming
  • the metadata enriched media stream 1 may also be encoded as Microsoft Smooth Streaming (MSS)-stream containing metadata in WebVTT or TTML format. Furthermore, the metadata enriched media stream 1 may be encoded as MPEG DASH containing metadata in WebVTT or TTML format.
  • the encoded media stream 1 is transferred to the packager 83.
  • the packager 83 packages the encoded media stream inside of packets to transmit them through a communication network 4, for example an open IP network.
  • the packets might be TCP-packets according to the TCP protocol.

Abstract

Method for identifying a media content item in a media stream composed of a sequence of media stream portions, wherein each media stream portion comprises at least one media content item, in order to validate a preset control condition, by executing at least the following step. A first portion of the media stream and a first portion of a metadata stream, which is associated to the first portion of the media stream, are received by a media client through a communication network. The metadata stream is composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions. The first portion of the media stream carries at least a first media content item and the first portion of the metadata stream carries at least a first identifier for the first media content item. The first identifier is used to identify the first media content item and to validate the preset control condition. The first portion of the metadata stream is carried in a closed caption track of the first portion of the media stream and/or the first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for the first media content item and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be sent to the media client after a sequence of at least one first media content item has been sent to the media client.

Description

Media streaming method, client application, media client and media server for validation of a preset control condition
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for identifying a media content item in a media stream according to the preamble of claim 1 , to a client application according to claim 13, to a media client according to claim 14 and to a media server according to claim 17.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
According to the preamble of claim 1 , the method for identifying a media content item in a media stream composed of a sequence of media stream portions, wherein each media stream portion comprises at least one media content item, in order to validate a preset control condition executes the following step. A media client receives a first portion of the media stream and a first portion of a metadata stream, which is associated to the first portion of the media stream, through a communication network, wherein the metadata stream is composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions, and wherein the first portion of the media stream carries at least a first media content item and the first portion of the metadata stream carries at least a first identifier for the first media content item, and wherein the first identifier is used to identify the first media content item and to validate the preset control condition. Video On Demand (VOD) streaming is a known streaming concept. VOD streaming does not stream in real time. Instead, previously stored media on a backend is offered to media clients. Usually a direct connection between the backend and the media client is used. VOD streaming depends on either completely or at least progressively downloading a media file, wherein the downloaded data is stored in a buffer of a media client before the playback starts. Each media file is identified individually and in the identification process a validation of a preset control condition, possibly a parental control condition, is already accommodated.
IPTV is another known streaming concept. Traditional IPTV has already been widely de- ployed. IPTV is delivered over a dedicated, operator-managed network that is used only for broadcasting TV. The operator has full control over the network and can configure specific parameters, such as bandwidth consumption and jitter prevention to ensure a high level of service quality. Traditional IPTV uses transport stream transmission technology which delivers content over UDP in datagram mode, which provides a connectionless datagram service that emphasizes reduced latency over reliability.
In contrast, Over The Top (OTT) streaming transmits streams using HTTP, the protocol aimed to transport web pages over the Internet. HTTP is based on TCP. TCP provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of a stream over an IP network. It enables anyone with sufficient web hosting capacity to broadcast multi media content, like audio and video, to a worldwide audience over the open, non-managed Internet.
Until recently, live broadcasting was restricted to operator-managed IPTV networks using the UDP multicast protocol. The arrival of OTT streaming, however, has brought a new approach and it is now possible to achieve levels of streaming quality over HTTP that allow live content to be broadcast over the Internet.
Though, the use of OTT methodology for live streaming has to face the problem of adaptive bitrate streaming via http. Contrary to IPTV, where the operator is able to provide a stable bitrate and assure that a media content arrives to a media client at a predetermined time, OTT streaming cannot assure such a strict time requirement. Thus, the exact instant of time when a media stream arrives to the media client cannot be predicted. Also the exact instant of time of transition from one media content to another media content at the media client is not known beforehand.
This raises the issue of identifying a media content item inside of a media stream, in order to validate a preset control condition for the identified media control item, possibly a parental control condition. This issue is especially related to identify a media content item comprised in a media stream portion, wherein the media content item belongs to a new media content, for example to a new film, and wherein the preceding media content item, that is transmitted in the same media stream portion or in a preceding media stream portion, belongs to a dif- ferent media content, for example a preceding film, that was received by the media client before the new film. Through such an identification process the transition or shift from a preceding media content to a new media content inside the media stream can be located and a preset control condition, like a preset parental control condition, may be validated with respect to the new media content. This is essential, since in OTT streaming the predetermined EPG time cannot be used by the media client to localise the shift from one media content to another one inside of the media stream.
To overcome the mentioned time shakiness, a stream of time accurate metadata could be additionally provided to the media client.
Hence, the task of synchronization between a media stream and an associated metadata stream is posed. The media client has to associate a portion of a metadata stream to the appropriate portion of the media stream. The present considerations are made in light of the described circumstances and may make it possible to ensure identification of a media content item inside of a media stream in order to validate a preset control condition.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for identifying a media content item in a media stream, a media client, a client application and a media server that overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.
This is achieved by means of the features of patent claim 1 . In particular, a method for identifying a media content item in a media stream in order to validate a preset control condition is proposed, wherein
(a) the first portion of the metadata stream is carried in a closed caption track of the first portion of the media stream,
and/or
(b) the first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for the first media content item and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be sent to the media client after a sequence of at least one first media content item has been sent to the media client. Advantageous refinements of the invention can be found in the sub claims, the ancillary claims and in the description below. The terms chunk (of data) and block (of data) are synonyms to the term portion, which is used above. They all describe a data unit of bounded size, possibly but not necessarily with a fixed number of bits or bytes, that is treated as a means of transportation for user data and/or control data, without determining the underlying protocol. A suitable means for associating a first portion of the metadata stream to a first portion of the media stream is provided by carrying the first portion of the metadata stream in a closed caption track of the first portion of the media stream, as mentioned above. By doing so, the first identifier for the first media content item is embedded in the closed caption track. This way, the result of the validation of a preset control condition for the first identifier relating to the first media content item can be kept in sync to the media stream.
An alternative means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream is given through an association identifier. The association identifier is identically carried in the first portion of the metadata stream and in the first portion of the media stream. The means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream ensure the synchronization of the first portion of the metadata stream with the first portion of the media stream by the media client. Accordingly, further association identifiers, which are mutually different, are used for associating a second portion of the metadata stream to a second portion of the media stream and any further portion of the metadata stream to an equally numbered portion of the media stream. Particularly, the method of identifying a media content item may further exhibit the following step. The media client parses the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream. The media client identifies the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream as associated through the identical association identifier carried in the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream.
In a specific forming the first portion of the media stream and the first portion of the metadata stream carry an identical timestamp as association identifier. Likewise, the second portion of the media stream and the second portion of the metadata stream carry an identical timestamp, which is different from the timestamp of the first portions. Equally, any further portion of the media stream and any further associated portion of the metadata stream carry an identical timestamp, which is different from the timestamp of all preceding portions. The timestamp of a particular portion may indicate the point in time, when the media portion appears inside the media content item. The media client synchronizes the portions of the media stream and the portions of the metadata stream by means of the timestamp. Particularly, in the method for identifying a media content item in order to validate a preset control condition, the result of the validation determines if the first media content item is implicitly shown on a media player
Moreover, the method of identifying a media content item shows the following steps. The media client sends the first identifier for the first media content item to a database to validate the preset control condition for the first media content item. The preset control condition may be a parental control condition, which regulate media access subject to the age rating of the media item and/or the current time of the day. In case the control condition is fulfilled, the database returns a control action to the media client. A fulfilled control condition means, that the access to the first media content item is protected by the control action. A possible control action is a request for a PIN, for example a parental PIN, to unlock the media content. The media client executes the control action and only if the control action is successfully accomplished, the media client activates a media player to show the first media content. In case the control condition is not fulfilled, the database confirms permission of display of the first media content to the media client. The media client activates a media player to show the first media content.
In a possible embodiment, the method of identifying a media content item shows the following additional steps. In this embodiment the first portion of the metadata stream carries addi- tionally to the first identifier, also a second identifier for a second media content item. The second media content item is the content item that is scheduled to be sent to the media client after the transmission of the first media content composed of a sequence of first media content items. The media client sends the second identifier to a database to validate the preset control condition for the second media content item. This way, the preset control condition for the prospective next received media content item can be validated already before its actual arrival to the media client. The preset control condition may be a parental control condition, which regulates media access subject to the age rating of the media item and/or the current time of the day. In case the control condition is fulfilled, the database returns a control action to the media client. A fulfilled control condition means, that the access to the second media content item is protected by the control action. A possible control action is a request for a PIN, for example a parental PIN, to unlock the media content. The media client buffers the control action until the media client receives a shift portion of the media stream which firstly carries a second media content item. When the media client firstly detects the receipt of a second media content item, the media client executes the control action and only if the control action is successfully accomplished, for example the user entered the right PIN, the media client activates a media player to show the second media content item. In case the con- trol condition is not fulfilled, the database confirms permission of display of the second media content item to the media client. The media client buffers the permission for display until the media client receives a shift portion of the media stream which firstly carries a second media content item. When the media client detects the receipt of the second media content item, the media client activates a media player to show the second media content item.
Besides requesting a PIN the control action may consist of another user authentication procedure, like requesting a smartcard or a token through a user interface. The control action is successfully accomplished when the user enters the right PIN in case the PIN was requested or the appropriate smartcard in case a smartcard was requested or when the user enters the right token in case a token was requested.
Like mentioned before, the preset control condition may be a parental control condition which restricts the media access for minors. Media access might be regulated subject to an age rating of the media item and/or the current time of the day. For instance, the parental control condition may depend on an age rating of the media item like the German labels FSKO, FSK6, FSK12, FSK16 and FSK18, that are assigned to movies by the Voluntary Self Regulation of the Movie Industry (Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft FSK). This indexing is meant as a means for youth protection. The parental control condition may also depend on a preset allowed viewing time. For example, a horror movie could be directly displayed by a media player, when it is received by the media client between midnight and 3 am. But a parental PIN is requested in case the horror movie is received by the media client at any other time of the day.
The bitrates of the media stream and/or the metadata stream when received by the media client through a communication network are not necessarily fixed, but they may vary. That is to say, the media stream and/or the metadata stream may have flexible bitrates.
Moreover, the communication network through which the media stream and/or the metadata stream is transmitted is an unmanaged internet protocol (IP) network. Streams that are transmitted through an unmanaged IP network, like the open internet, are also called Over The Top (OTT) streams. The media stream received by the media client may be a multimedia stream or a video stream or an audio stream.
Particularly, the media stream may be a Http-Live-Streaming (HLS)-stream introduced by Apple for iOS devices like the iPhone, iPad and iPod. HLS is based on OTT-streams and supports inclusion of timed metadata in ID3 format, which can be used for the parental control mechanisms disclosed herein. Timed metadata may also be provided in Web Video Text Track format (WebVTT). Technical details can be found in the publication "Timed Metadata for HTTP Live Streaming" in the iOS developer library.
The media stream may also be a Microsoft Smooth Streaming (MSS)-stream. MSS is also based on OTT streams and is distributed from a streaming server over http. MSS supports Digital Rights Management (DRM), which can be used for the parental control mechanisms disclosed herein. Timed metadata may be provided in Timed Text Markup Language (TTML) format or in Web Video Text Track format (WebVTT).
The media stream may also be based on Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG DASH). Timed metadata may be provided in Timed Text Markup Language (TTML) format or in Web Video Text Track format (WebVTT).
Moreover, the invention comprises a client application, storable on a medium readable by a media client. The client application executes the steps of the method disclosed beforehand.
Likewise, the invention comprises a media client. The media client may be provided and de- signed for receiving and processing a media stream composed of a sequence of media stream portions and a metadata stream composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions, wherein a first portion of the metadata stream is carried in a closed caption track of a first portion of the media stream, which allows to associate the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream. In addition, the media client may be provided and designed for receiving and processing a media stream and a metadata stream, wherein a first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for a first media content item carried in a first portion of the media stream and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be carried in the media stream and sent to the media client after the first media content item, whereby suitable means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream are provided. The media client is also provided and designed for identifying and controlling access to a media content item enclosed in the media stream (1 ) carrying out a method as disclosed beforehand. The media client may be a media receiver or a computer or a tablet computer or a smart phone or a set top box.
Furthermore, the invention comprises a media server for providing media content to a media client. The media server may be designed for assembling and sending a media stream com- posed of a sequence of media stream portions and a metadata stream composed of a stream of metadata stream portions through a communication network to the media client, such that a first portion of the metadata stream is carried in a closed caption track of a first portion of the media stream. In addition, the media server may be designed for assembling and sending a media stream and a metadata stream through a communication network to the media client, such that a first portion of the metadata stream carries a first identifier for a first media content item carried in a first portion of the media stream and a second identifier for a second media content item that is scheduled to be carried in the media stream and sent to the media client after the first media content item, whereby suitable means for associating the first portion of the metadata stream to the first portion of the media stream are provided.
The media server is designed for assembling the media stream and the metadata stream and sending them through a communication network to a media client in such a way, that a media client, like disclosed before, may be able to receive and process the media stream and the metadata stream.
Further details and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description below of exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures, in which:
Figure 1 is a diagram showing the interplay between media server, media client and media database,
Figure 2a shows a first forming of a media stream,
Figure 2b shows a first forming of a metadata stream,
Figure 2c shows a second forming of a media stream, Figure 2d shows a second forming of a metadata stream,
Figure 3 is a flow chart diagram for validating a current and a future preset control condition,
Figure 4 shows a first forming of a metadata portion,
Figure 5 shows a second forming of a metadata portion, Figure 6 shows a media server.
As shown in Fig. 1 , a media server 8 provides remotely located media clients 3 with media contents 1 1 1 , 1 12. A media client 3 can be arranged as a specific receiver or a set top box for receiving and processing media content from the media server 8. The media client 3 can also be arranged as a fixed computer or a portable computer, like a laptop or a tablet computer, or as a smartphone, wherein specific applications may provide the features for a media client 3 as below specified. When a media client 3 requests a specific media content 1 1 1 from the server 8, for example by choosing a specific channel of emission, the media server 8 provides the chosen media content 1 1 1 by a media stream 1 built of a sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 13, that are sent through a communication network 4, for example the open internet, to the media client 3, that posed the media request. Additionally to the media stream 1 , the media server 8 builds up a control stream or metadata stream 2, that provides the media client 3 with metadata information. The metadata information may be specified by the requested media content 1 1 1 . The metadata information may regulate the access to the requested media content 1 1 1 by the media client 3. A media client 3 comprises a control logic unit 9, to control the processing of the media stream 1 by aid of the metadata stream 2, and a media player 7 to play back a media content 1 1 1 . The control logic unit 9 collaborates with a media database 6 to conduct its control tasks. The control logic unit 9 may request the media database 6 with the aid of the received metadata stream 2, if a preset control condition exists for the requested media content 1 1 1 , and in this case to validate the control condition.
Fig. 2a discloses a first forming of a media stream 1 . The media stream 1 is composed of a sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 that are consecutively transmitted by the media server 8 to the media client 3. Each media stream portion 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 may carry media content of a specific time length, for example 2 seconds. Each media stream portion 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 comprises a media content item 101 , 102, for example a first media content item 101 or a second media content item 102. A sequence of first media content items 101 , that are carried in a sequence of consecutive media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, build up a first media content 1 1 1 . A media content 1 1 1 , 1 12 may be a film or a audio music piece or any other media or multi media piece. The media stream portion that follows the last portion 14 inside of the sequence of consecutive media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, that carry the first media content items 101 , which build up the first media content 1 1 1 , is called shift media stream portion 15. The shift media stream portion 15 is the first portion of a sequence of consecutive media stream portions 15, 16, that comprise second media content items 102, that build up a second media content 1 12. The second media content 1 12 is transmitted by the media server 8 to the media client 3 consecutively after the first media content 1 1 1 .
Before activating the media player 7 to play back the first media content 1 1 1 the media client 3 may ask a media database 6 to validate a preset control condition, a so called present control condition, that is stored inside of the media database 6, and depending on the validation result the media client 3 may execute resultant control actions and only when the control actions are successfully accomplished, the media client 3 will activate the media player 7 to play back the first media content 1 1 1 .
The same situation arises for the second media content 1 12. That is to say, before activating the media player 7 to play back the second media content 1 12 the media client 3 may ask a media database 6 to validate a preset control condition and depending on the validation result the media client 3 may execute resultant control actions and only when the control actions are successfully accomplished, the media client 3 will activate der media player 7 to play back the second media content 1 12.
Therefore, the media player 3, or more specifically the control logic unit 9 residing inside the media client 3, has to identify the respective media stream portion inside the media stream 1 , where a new media content starts. The control logic unit 9 has to block the play back of a new media content until a preset control condition is validated and possible control actions are successfully accomplished.
For the first media content 1 1 1 , that was firstly requested by the media client 3, the control logic unit 9 has to suspend the play back of the firstly received first media stream portion 1 1 until a control process is successfully accomplished. The control process may be executed by the aid of metadata information residing inside a metadata stream 2, as shown in Fig. 2b. The metadata stream 2 is composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions 21 , 22, 24, 25, wherein each metadata stream portion 21 , 22, 24, 25 is associated to a respective media stream portion 1 1 , 12, 14, 15 by a specific association means. The association can be derived in different ways, for example by a one-to-one timestamp 5, that associates exactly one metadata stream portion to each media stream portion. This way, a first metadata stream portion 21 can be associated with the first media stream portion 1 1 , that was firstly received by the media client 3. The first metadata stream portion 21 carries a first identifier 201 that identifies the first media content item 101 that is carried inside the associated first media stream portion 1 1 . More specifically, the first identifier 201 may be an identifier for the first media content 1 1 1 , that is transmitted in the sequence of consecutive first media content items 101 , which are currently received by the media client 3. The first identifier 201 may be used for the execution of the control process. Particularly, the first identifier 201 may be used to formulate a control request to the media database 6. The media database 6 validates a preset control condition, that is determined by the first identifier 201 and stored inside of the media database 6. The further validation process will be explained with regard to Fig. 3. The first metadata stream portion 21 may also carry a second identifier 202 that identifies a second media content item 102 that is carried inside the shift portion 15 of a media stream 1 , as explained above. The shift portion 15 labels the first portion inside of the sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15, ... that carries a second media content item 102. that belongs to a new media content, the second media content 1 12. The advanced transmission of the second identifier 202 already in the first metadata stream portion 21 establishes the foundation for a validation of a preset control condition with respect to the second identifier 202, a so called future control condition, ahead of time, i.e. before the actual receipt of the shift portion 15 that carries firstly a second media content item 102 of the second media content 1 12. Further explanations will be given with regard to Fig. 3.
In a first embodiment, the association means may be given by an association identifier 5. Each portion of the media stream carries an association identifier 5, that is different from any other association identifier 5 carried in any other portion of the media stream. The media stream 1 and the metadata stream 2 are formed in such a way, that any media stream por- tion carries the same association identifier as a metadata stream portion, that carries metadata information for this specific media stream portion. Differently said, the media stream portion and the metadata stream portion, that is associated to this media stream portion, carry the same association identifier. For example, the association identifier 5 can be given by a time stamp. The time stamp may specify the point in time when the particular me- dia stream portion was formed in the media server 8. Alternatively, the time stamp may specify the sum of the time lengths for all media content items already sent to the media client 3 inside of the media stream 1 before a particular media stream portion. In a second embodiment a metadata stream portion, that is associated to a specific media stream portion, is carried in a closed caption track of this specific portion of the media stream. Possible media stream formats that provide closed caption tracks are Http-Live- Streaming (HLS), Microsoft Smooth Streaming (MSS), MPEG DASH, Adobe Flash Life streaming and Adobe HTTP Dynamic Streaming (HDS). In particular, the first media stream portion 21 that is associated to the first media stream portion 1 1 is carried in a closed caption track of the first media stream portion 1 1 . The closed caption track is usually used to transport additional text information to a media content 1 1 1 , 1 12. For example, in case the media content 1 1 1 , 1 12 is a music piece, the title and interpret of the piece could be transported in the closed caption track in order to be displayed, when the music piece is played back on a music player 7. In case the media content is a film, subtitles representing the spoken words in the spoken or a different language could be transported in the closed caption track to be displayed, when the film is played back on a media player 7.
In Fig. 2a, that discloses a first forming of a media stream 1 , the shift from a first media content 1 1 1 to a second media content 1 12 is conducted between two media stream portions, such that the shift media stream portion 15 contains only a second media content item 102, but does not contain any first media content item 101 belonging to the first media content 1 1 1 . In contrast to that, Fig. 2c shows a second forming of a media stream 1 , wherein the shift from the first media content 1 1 1 to a second media content 1 12 is conducted inside of the shift media stream portion 15. In such a forming the shift media stream portion 15 comprises two media content items 101 , 102, a first media content item 101 , that still belongs to a first media content 1 1 1 , and a second media content item 101 , that belongs to a second media content 1 12. In other words, the first media content item 101 inside of the shift media stream portion 15 is the last content item of a sequence of consecutive first media content items 101 , that build up the first media content 1 1 1 . And the second media content item 102 inside of the shift media stream portion 15 is the first content item of a sequence of consecutive media content items 102, that build up a second media content 1 12.
Similar to the situation described with respect to Fig. 2a, the media client 3, or more specifically the control logic unit 9, has to block the play back of the media player 7 when a second media content item 102 is firstly received by the media client 3 in order to execute a control process that involves a preset control condition for the second media content item 102. And only when the control process is successfully accomplished, the control logic unit 9 may reactivate the media player 7 in order to play back the second media content 1 12. The point in time after the first media content 1 1 1 has been completely transferred to the media player 7 for play back and before the transfer of a second media content 1 12 has started to the media player 7 for play back is called the shift time. In a dedicated, operator-managed network, like IPTV, where stable bitrates for stream transmission can be warranted, the shift time from a first media content 1 1 1 to a second media content 1 12 can be determined by an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) time that is determined in advance. But when it comes to adaptive bitrate streaming, which cannot be omitted in an OTT network like the open internet via http, the exact point in time, when the shift or transition from one media content to another media content at the media client 3 occurs, cannot be predicted. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2d, a shift portion 25 of the metadata stream 2, that is associated to the shift portion 15 of media stream 1 , has to carry time accurate metadata in order to perform the control mechanisms in the right moment, that is at a shift time from the first media content 1 1 1 to the second media content 1 12. In a possible embodiment this can be done by specifying time offsets inside of the shift metadata stream portion 25. A first end time offset 212 specifies the time length of the play back time of the shift media stream portion 15 until the end of the first media content item 101 . And a second start time offset 221 specifies the time length of the play back time of the shift media stream portion 15 until the start of the second media content item 102. The shift time may be calculated by adding to the point in time, when the transfer of the shift media stream portion 15 to the media player 7 for play back has started, an offset time which can be chosen between the first end time offset 212 and the second start time offset 221 .
The process of validating a present and a future control condition and possibly executing a present and a future control action will be explained in detail with respect to Fig. 3. As explained below, by validating a future control condition in advance, time can be saved, such that the shift from the playback of a first media content 1 1 1 to the playback of a second me- dia content 1 12, being transmitted successively after the first media content 1 1 1 , can be processed faster. Fig. 3 shows a flow chart diagram, that is separated in three rows and three columns. The rows may be matched to streams 1 ,2 in a first row, a media client 3 in a second row and a media database 6 in a third row. The columns may be matched to different time intervals. A first time interval t1 specifies the time before the playback of a first media content 1 1 1 , a second time interval t2 specifies the time of the playback of the first media content 1 1 1 , and the third time interval t3 specifies the time of the playback of the second media content 1 12.
The first row shows a first media stream 1 , which may be an audio data stream or a video data stream or any other multimedia data stream, and a metadata stream 2 associated to the media stream. Both streams 1 , 2 are composed of stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15, 16, 21 , 22, 24, 25 as specified with respect to Fig. 2a to 2d. The second row specifies the steps that have to be performed by the media client 3. And the third row specifies the steps that have to be performed by the media database 6. The media database 6 is located in a knot of the communication network 4 that is accessible to all media clients 3. For example, the media database 6 may be located on a cloud computer.
Step S1 executed during time interval t1 :
The media client 3 receives a sequence of media stream portions 1 1 , 12, 14, 15,.. and a sequence of metadata stream portions 21 , 22, 24, 25,.. through a communication network 4. The media stream portions and the metadata stream portions are consecutively parsed. The media stream portions 1 1 , 12, .., 14, 15,.. may be kept synchronized with metadata stream portions 21 , 22, .., 24, 25,.. by an association means as described above. Particularly, a first metadata stream portion 21 is associated and kept synchronized to a first media stream portion 1 1 . The parsing process retrieves a first identifier 201 and a second identifier 202 in the first metadata stream portion 21 . The first identifier 201 specifies a first media con- tent item 101 inside of the first media content portion 1 1 . The second identifier 202 specifies a second media content item 102 that will be transmitted in the media stream 1 after a sequence of at least one first media content item 101 is transmitted in the media stream 1 . Further with Step S2 and Step S6. Step S2 executed during time interval t1 :
The media database 6 is requested by the media client 3 to retrieve and validate a preset control condition with respect to the first identifier 201 . The preset control condition may be a parental control condition, wherein the media database 6 retrieves the age rating with respect to the first identifier 201 and validates it. The media database 6 may validate the pa- rental control condition based on the retrieved age rating and the current time of day. For example the media database 6 may retrieve the age rating for the media content with respect to the first identifier as FSK16, which means released for audiences as of 16 years of age. For media content which is labeled as FSK16 the parental control condition is fulfilled, in case the media content is emitted between 6 am and 10 pm. Further with Decision point S3.
Decision point S3 executed during time interval t1 :
In case a parental control condition is fulfilled, that is the requested media content 1 1 1 has to be protected against playback to minors, the media database 6 requests the media client 3 to execute a parental control action. The parental control action may be to request a parental control PIN through the user interface from a user. Further with Step S4.
In case a parental control condition is not fulfilled, that is the requested media content 1 1 1 is approved to be shown without any restriction at the current time of day, the database 6 gives a permission to play back the first media content item 101 which is carried inside the first media stream portion 1 1 and further first media content items 101 in further media stream portions 12, ..,14 to the media client 3. Further with Step S5. Step S4 executed during time interval t1 :
The media client 3 executes the parental control action. For example the media client 3 requests a parental control PIN through the user interface from a user. Only after the user entered the correct parental control PIN, the control action is successfully accomplished. Further with Step S5.
Step S5 executed during time interval t2:
The media client 3 activates a media player 7 to play back the first media content item 101 from the first media stream portion 1 1 and further first media content items 101 from further media stream portions. End of the first branch.
Step S6 executed during time interval t2:
During the time interval t2, when the first media content items 101 are played back by the media player 7, an analogous task like specified in Step S2 is performed with respect to the second identifier 202. Further with Decision Point S7.
Decision point S7 executed during time interval t2:
The same evaluations like in Decision Point S3 have to be executed with respect to the second media content item 102.
Concretely, in case a preset parental control condition is fulfilled, that is the requested media content 1 12 has to be protected against playback to minors, the media database 6 requests the media client 3 to execute a parental control action. The parental control action may be to request a parental control PIN through the user interface from a user. Further with Step S8. In case a preset parental control condition is not fulfilled, that is the requested media content 1 12 is approved to be shown without any restriction at the current time of day, the media database 6 gives a permission to play back a second media content item 102, which will be transmitted in the media stream 1 after a sequence of at least one first media content item
101 has been transmitted in the media stream 1 , and further second media content items
102 in further media stream portions to the media client 3. Further with Step S10.
Step S8 during time interval t2: The media client 3 buffers the parental control action until the shift or transition to the second media content 1 12 takes place as described with respect to Fig. 2a - 2d. Further with Step S9. Step S9 during time interval t2:
When the shift to the second media content 1 12 takes place, the media client 3 does not need to send an evaluation request to the database 6, because this was already done in advance in Step S6. Instead the media client 3 may directly execute the buffered parental control action analogous to Step S4. Further with Step S1 1 .
Step S10 during time interval t2:
The media client 3 buffers the permission to play back a second media content item 102 until the shift or transition to the second media content 1 12 takes place as described with respect to Fig. 2a - 2d. When the shift to the second media content 1 12 takes place, the media client 3 does not need to send an evaluation request to the media database 6, because this was already done in advance in Step S6. Further with Step S1 1 .
Step S1 1 during time interval t3:
The media client 3 activates a media player 7 to play back second media content items 102 analogous to Step S 5.
Fig. 4 shows a first forming of a metadata stream portion in XML syntax. This first forming specifies a metadata representation for a metadata stream portion without a shift between media contents inside of the portion. This forming can be seen as a possible embodiment of a shift metadata stream portion 25 as disclosed in Fig. 2b. The metadata comprises the following values:
• p. id specifies a first identifier 201 or present identifier for a first media content item,
• f.id specifies a second identifier 202 or future identifier for a successively received second media content item,
· cup specifies a value that counts up for monitoring reasons.
In the example an offset timing with value zero is specified.
Fig. 5 shows a second forming of a metadata stream portion also in XML-syntax. The second forming specifies a metadata representation for a metadata stream portion with a shift of media contents inside of the portion. The second forming can be seen as a possible embodi- ment of a shift metadata stream portion 25 as disclosed in Fig. 2d. The metadata comprises the same values as specified for Fig. 4.
Two strings are given that specify a pair p.id, f.id representing a first and second identifier 201 , 202 respectively. The first string specifies a first start time offset 21 1 from 0 and a first end time offset 212 from 1 .360 seconds. The first string identifies a first media content item 101 inside of a shift media stream portion 15, where the shift metadata stream portion 25 is associated to. The time offsets 21 1 , 212 locate the start and the end of first media content item 101 inside of the shift media stream portion 15. The p.id=82164700 identifies the first media content item 101 and the first media content 1 1 1 . The f.id identifies a second media content 1 12 that will be transmitted after the first media content 1 1 1 . The shift from the first to the second media content 1 1 1 , 1 12 is conducted inside of the shift media stream portion 15. Thus, the second string specifies a second start time offset 221 from 1 ,640 seconds and no second end time offset 222. The second string identifies a second media content item 102 inside of the same shift media stream portion 15. The time offset 221 locate the starting time of a second media content item 102 inside of the shift media stream portion 15. The new p.id is identical to the previous f.id, because a formerly future id will transform to the new present id after the shift from a first media content to a second media content. The new f.id specifies a future identifier for a successively after the second media content 1 12 received third media content 1 13.
Similarly, a media stream portion with three or more different media content items belonging to different media contents can be handled by an associated metadata stream portion that specify one string for each media content item inside the media stream portion. Like above, the p.id in the string identifies the media content item and the time offsets locate the media content item inside of the media stream portion.
Fig. 6 shows a media server 8. The media server 8 comprises an inserter 81 and an encoder 82. The inserter 81 is designed for inserting metadata information, as for example parental control metadata, into media stream 1 , like an audio or video stream. The media stream 1 may be provided the inserter 81 by a High Definition Serial Digital Interface (HD-SDI). The inserter 81 can be a teletext inserter. The inserter 81 may insert metadata portions to closed caption tracks of media stream portions. The metadata enriched media stream 1 is transferred to the encoder 82. The encoder 82 encodes the metadata enriched media stream 1 . The metadata enriched media stream 1 may be encoded as Http-Live-Streaming (HLS)- stream containing metadata in WebVTT or ID3 format. The metadata enriched media stream 1 may also be encoded as Microsoft Smooth Streaming (MSS)-stream containing metadata in WebVTT or TTML format. Furthermore, the metadata enriched media stream 1 may be encoded as MPEG DASH containing metadata in WebVTT or TTML format. The encoded media stream 1 is transferred to the packager 83. The packager 83 packages the encoded media stream inside of packets to transmit them through a communication network 4, for example an open IP network. The packets might be TCP-packets according to the TCP protocol.

Claims

Claims
1 . Method for identifying a media content item (101 , 102) in a media stream (1 ) composed of a sequence of media stream portions, wherein each media stream portion (1 1 , 12, 14, 15) comprises at least one media content item (101 , 102), in order to validate a preset control condition, by executing at least the following step: a first portion of the media stream (1 1 ) and a first portion (21 ) of a metadata stream (2), which is associated to the first portion (1 1 ) of the media stream (1 ), are received by a media client (3) through a communication network (4), wherein
- the metadata stream (2) is composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions, and
- the first portion of the media stream (1 1 ) carries at least a first media content item (101 ) and the first portion of the metadata stream (12) carries at least a first identifier (201 ) for the first media content item (101 ), and
- the first identifier (201 ) is used to identify the first media content item (101 ) and to validate the preset control condition, characterized in that
(a) the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) is carried in a closed caption track of the first portion of the media stream (1 1 ), and/or
(b) the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) carries a first identifier (201 ) for the first media content item (101 ) and a second identifier (202) for a second media content item (102) that is scheduled to be sent to the media client (3) after a sequence of at least one first media content item (101 ) has been sent to the media client (3).
2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the method further comprises the following step: the media client (3) parses the first portion of the media stream (1 1 ) and the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) and identifies them as associated, in case an association identifier (5) for associating the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) to the first portion of the media stream (1 1 ) is identically carried in the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) and in the first portion of the media stream (1 1 ).
Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the first portion of the media stream (1 1 ) and the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) carry an identical timestamp (51 ) as association identifier (5).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the result of the validation of the preset control condition determines if the first media content item is implicitly shown on a media player (7).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method further comprises the following step: the media client (3) sends the first identifier (201 ) for the first media content item (101 ) to a database (6) to validate the preset control condition for the first media content item (101 ), and
- in case the preset control condition is fulfilled,
- the media client (3) retrieves a control action from the database (6), and
- the media client (3) executes the control action and only if the control action is successfully accomplished, the media client (3) activates a media player (7) to play back the first media content item (101 ),
or
- in case the preset control condition is not fulfilled,
- the media client (3) retrieves a permission to display the first media content item (101 ) from the database (6), and
- the media client (3) activates a media player (7) to play back the first media content item (101 ).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method further comprises the following step: the media client (3) sends a second identifier (202) for a second media content item (102), that is scheduled to be sent to the media client (3) after a sequence of at least one first media content item (101 ) has been sent to the media client (3), the second identifier (202) being carried in the first portion of the metadata stream (21 ), to a database (6) to validate a preset control condition for the second media content item, and
- in case the preset control condition is fulfilled,
- the media client (3) retrieves a control action from the database (6), and
- the media client (3) buffers the control action until the media client (3) receives a shift portion of the media stream (15) from the sequence of media stream portions which carries a second media content item (102) for the first time, and
- the media client (3) executes the control action and only if the control action is successfully accomplished, the media client (3) activates a media player (7) to play back the second media content item (102),
or
- in case the preset control condition is not fulfilled,
- the media client (3) retrieves a permission to display the second media content item (102) from the database (6), and
- the media client (3) buffers the permission for display until the media client (3) receives a shift portion of the media stream (15) from the sequence of media stream portions which carries a second media content item (102) for the first time, and
- the media client (3) activates the media player (7) to play back the second media content item (102).
7. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the control action consists in re- questing a PIN (90) or a smartcard (91 ) or a token (92) from a user through a user interface, wherein the control action is successfully accomplished when the user enters the right PIN (90) or the appropriate smartcard (91 ) or token (92).
8. Method according to claim 5 to 7, characterized in that the preset control condition is a parental control condition depending on an age rating of the media content and/or a preset allowed viewing time.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the media stream (1 ) is a multimedia stream or a video stream or an audio stream.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the media stream (1 ) and/or the metadata stream (2) are received by the media client (3) with possibly flexible bitrates.
1 1 . Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communication network (4) through which the media stream (1 ) and/or the metadata stream (2) is transmitted to the media client (3) is an unmanaged internet protocol (IP) network.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the media stream (1 ) is a HLS-stream or MSS-stream or MPEG DASH-stream.
13. Client application, storable on a medium readable by a media client, characterized in that the client application executes the steps of a method as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 12.
14. Media client (3), characterized in that
the media client is provided and designed for receiving and processing a media stream (1 ) composed of a sequence of media stream portions and a metadata stream (2) composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions, wherein
(a) a first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) is carried in a closed caption track of a first portion of the media stream (1 1 ), and/or
(b) a first portion of the metadata stream (21 ), which is associated to a first portion of the media stream (1 1 ), carries a first identifier (201 ) for a first media content item (101 ) carried in a first portion of the media stream (1 ), and a second identifier (202) for a second media content item (102) that is scheduled to be carried in the media stream (1 ) and sent to the media client (3) after a sequence of at least one first media content item (101 ) has been sent to the client (3).
15. Media client (3) according to claim 14, characterized in that the media client is also provided and designed for identifying and controlling access to a media content item en- closed in the media stream (1 ) by carrying out a method as claimed in one of the claims
1 to 12.
16. Media client (3) according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the media client is a media receiver or a computer or a tablet computer or a smart phone or a set top box.
17. Media server (8) for providing media content to a media client (3), characterized in that the media server is designed for assembling and sending a media stream (1 ) composed of a sequence of media stream portions and a metadata stream (2) composed of a sequence of metadata stream portions through a communication network to the media client (3), such that (a) a first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) is carried in a closed caption track of a first portion of the media stream (1 1 ), and/or (b) a first portion of the metadata stream (21 ) carries a first identifier (201 ) for a first media content item (101 ) carried in a first portion of the media stream (1 ) and a second identifier (202) for a second media content item (102) that is scheduled to be carried in the media stream (1 ) and sent to the media client (3) after a sequence of at least one first media content item (101 ) has been sent to the media client (3).
18. Media server (8) according to claim 17, characterized in that the media server is designed for assembling the media stream (1 ) and the metadata stream (2) and sending them through a communication network to a media client (3) in such a way, that a media client (3) as claimed in one of the claims 14 to 16 is able to receive and process the me- dia stream (1 ) and the metadata stream (2).
PCT/EP2017/065064 2016-06-21 2017-06-20 Media streaming method, client application, media client and media server for validation of a preset control condition WO2017220564A1 (en)

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