Remote Media Stream Censorship Using Networked Delay Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional profanity delay devices for audio broadcasts require a local operator and do not allow remote decision-making, limiting the ability to control and censor objectionable content in real-time across multiple locations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling media stream processing using packet-based networks to transmit, process, and distribute audio or video streams, enabling remote operators to make decisions on content censorship and transmit processed streams to users, allowing for real-time censorship and distribution of control signals across different locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If profanity delay hardware resides in the broadcast facility and is controlled locally, then the operator can respond quickly to objectionable material, but the operator must be physically present near the equipment and cannot make decisions remotely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network communication system as an intermediary between the remote operator and the profanity delay hardware. The control system includes a user interface that communicates with the delay hardware through packet-based networks, allowing operators to send control signals remotely without being physically present at the broadcast facility. This intermediary enables remote operation while maintaining system functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single operator controls the profanity delay unit locally, then the control process is simple, but the decision-making cannot be distributed among multiple locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control functionality by allowing multiple operators at different locations to access and control the profanity delay system independently. Each operator has their own user interface and can make decisions autonomously. The system divides the control authority across multiple networked terminals, enabling distributed decision-making while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed with universal functionality that allows any networked operator terminal to control the profanity delay hardware. The system can serve multiple operators with the same control capabilities, making the control function universal across different locations and users, thereby enabling distributed decision-making without complicating the operational interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the operator must be physically present at the broadcast facility, then the control response time is minimized, but the system lacks flexibility for remote operation and distribution of control
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-buffering audio content in the profanity delay hardware before it is broadcast. This buffering creates a time window that accommodates network transmission delays, allowing operators to remotely analyze and make decisions about objectionable material without causing immediate broadcast interruptions. The preliminary buffering action compensates for the time lost in network communication.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling media stream processing comprises: (a) transmitting a media stream, via a first packet-based network, to an operator; (b) receiving from the operator, via a second packet-based network, a control signal for processing the media stream; (c) processing the media stream based on the control signal; and (d) transmitting the processed media stream to one or more users other than the operator. In another embodiment, an apparatus for controlling media stream processing comprises a server adapted to effect transmission of a media stream, via a first packet-based network, to an operator. The apparatus further comprises a processor adapted (i) to effect processing of the media stream based on a control signal received from the operator via a second packet-based network, and (ii) to provide the processed media stream to a transmitter for transmission to one or more users other than the operator.