Methods and apparatus for delivering auxiliary data to device

摘要

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for delivering auxiliary data to a wireless or other device. Content, such as audio, video or textual content, can be hosted by a server for delivery to the device. The content can have associated resources, for example icons, barkers, intros, and outros that are associated with television programming or other media content. A metadata document can describe the set of resources or other auxiliary data associated with a service, channel or content by indicating a resource descriptor, and a URL or other associated resource locator information. The metadata document can be encoded in XML or other formats. The device can locate resources that are intended to be delivered with selected content, since links to the resources are integrated in the metadata document. From the resource descriptor, the device can also identify how a particular resource should be utilized for the service, channel or content.

主权项

1. A method of delivering auxiliary data resource associated with a service, channel or content to a device, the service, channel or content being delivered to the device by at least one of multicast and broadcast, the method comprising:
associating at least one auxiliary data resource with at least one of the service, channel and content via a metadata document, the association in the metadata document comprising at least a resource descriptor that identifies a usage of the at least one auxiliary data resource and a reference to resource locator information for acquiring the at least one auxiliary data resource; configuring a broadcast end time to indicate a termination time for the at least one service, channel and content to be broadcast to the device; transmitting, on a first flow, a signal indicating the association between the at least one auxiliary data resource and the at least one of the service, channel and content, to the device, the signal including a location specified in the resource locator information; determining whether the broadcast end time has elapsed; and transmitting, on a second flow different than the first flow, the at least one auxiliary data resource to the device from the location specified in the resource locator information as long as it is determined that the broadcast time has not elapsed, wherein the resource locator information comprises multiple alternative pathways to access the associated at least one auxiliary data resource.