Methods and systems for synchronizing delivery of media content streams having different resolutions

摘要

An exemplary method includes processing a first program stream representative of media content having a first resolution and a second program stream representative of the media content having a second resolution, generating a single advertisement stream representative of advertisement content having a third resolution, detecting a transmission lag between the first and second program streams, dynamically synchronizing the first and second program streams to substantially remove the detected transmission lag, transmitting the synchronized first program stream by way of a first content channel, the synchronized second program stream by way of a second content channel, and the advertisement stream by way of an advertisement channel, and directing a media content access device to switch from being tuned to the second content channel to being tuned to the advertisement channel during an advertising break in the media content. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
processing, by a media content delivery subsystem, a first program stream representative of media content having a first resolution and a second program stream representative of the media content having a second resolution; generating, by the media content delivery subsystem, a single advertisement stream containing advertisement content having the first resolution, the advertisement content intended for presentation to a user of a media content access device during an advertising break included in the media content; automatically detecting, by the media content delivery subsystem, a transmission lag between the first and second program streams by detecting an in-band message included in the first program stream and an in-band message in the second program stream and comparing a relative temporal position of the detected in-band messages; dynamically synchronizing, by the media content delivery subsystem, the first and second program streams to substantially remove the detected transmission lag; transmitting, by the media content delivery subsystem, the synchronized first program stream by way of a first content channel, the synchronized second program stream by way of a second content channel, and the single advertisement stream by way of a television-based advertisement channel; and directing, by the media content delivery subsystem, the media content access device to switch from being tuned to the first content channel or the second content channel to being tuned to the television-based advertisement channel during the advertising break and to convert the advertisement content from the first resolution to the second resolution.