US 12,244,896 B2
Automated content identification for binge watching of digital media using auto-skip processing
Robert Drew Major, Orem, UT (US); and Steven Casagrande, Englewood, CO (US)
Assigned to DISH Network L.L.C., Englewood, CO (US)
Filed by DISH Network L.L.C., Englewood, CO (US)
Filed on Sep. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/477,318.
Application 18/477,318 is a continuation of application No. 16/732,042, filed on Dec. 31, 2019, granted, now 11,825,160.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/787,211, filed on Dec. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0048804 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/454 (2011.01); H04N 21/2343 (2011.01); H04N 21/44 (2011.01); H04N 21/442 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/4542 (2013.01) [H04N 21/234345 (2013.01); H04N 21/44008 (2013.01); H04N 21/44204 (2013.01); H04N 21/454 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated process executed by a playback device comprising a processor and a non-transitory data storage having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the process comprising:
receiving, by the playback device, digital skip data comprising a list of program portions repeated from a first program of a program series to a second program of the program series, wherein:
the first program is one episode of the program series and the second program is a different episode of the same program series; and
each of the repeated program portions is defined according to an offset time and an anchor point in a timed text of the second program that, when combined, indicate a start point of the repeated program portion in the second program, wherein each anchor point is defined by a portion of a dialog occurring at a specified time within the timed text of the second program;
rendering, by the playback device, the second program for a viewer of the playback device;
monitoring, during the rendering, the second program for an occurrence of at least one of the anchors in the digital skip data; and
upon finding at least one of the anchors, automatically skipping the repeated program portion corresponding to the found anchor.