A method and apparatus for an adaptive Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming service using metadata of media content are provided. The media content may include a sequence of one or more periods. Each of the periods may include one or more representations. The metadata may include information used to describe a relationship between the representations, and include information for terminals having different display bit depth.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission method for enabling transmission of content using a broadcast wave and a communication channel includes: transmitting auxiliary information using at least the broadcast wave, the auxiliary information being information for synchronizing content transmission using the broadcast wave and content transmission using the communication channel when the content is transmitted using the broadcast wave and the communication channel, and the auxiliary information causing a reception side to perform the syncronization when the reception side receives the auxiliary information. Therefore, even if timing of starting reception of the content through the communication is delayed, the reception side can play back the content by a combination of the broadcasting and the communication.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission method for enabling transmission of content using a broadcast wave and a communication channel includes: transmitting auxiliary information using at least the broadcast wave, the auxiliary information being information for synchronizing content transmission using the broadcast wave and content transmission using the communication channel when the content is transmitted using the broadcast wave and the communication channel, and the auxiliary information causing a reception side to perform the syncronization when the reception side receives the auxiliary information. Therefore, even if timing of starting reception of the content through the communication is delayed, the reception side can play back the content by a combination of the broadcasting and the communication.

The present invention provides a digital broadcast receiver capable of executing functions having higher added values. The broadcast receiver receives a broadcast wave of a digital broadcast service, controls an operation including activation and end of an application that is in cooperation with a broadcast program based on application-related information, and selects control relating to reactivation of the application based on a user's operation. If activation of the application is requested after the end of the application, the broadcast receiver controls the reactivation or non-reactivation of the application in accordance with the selection of control by the user.

The present invention provides a digital broadcast receiver capable of executing functions having higher added values. The broadcast receiver receives a broadcast wave of a digital broadcast service, controls an operation including activation and end of an application that is in cooperation with a broadcast program based on application-related information, and selects control relating to reactivation of the application based on a user's operation. If activation of the application is requested after the end of the application, the broadcast receiver controls the reactivation or non-reactivation of the application in accordance with the selection of control by the user.

Systems, devices, and methods are described herein for distributing syndicated content or content with one or more distribution restrictions. In one aspect, a method may include assigning a unique ID to a plurality of content items, where the unique ID of at least one of the content items is associated with one or more property distribution restrictions. The method may further include streaming in a video stream the content items to at least two properties and monitoring the unique IDs of the plurality of content items streamed in the video stream to detect least one content item associated with the one or more property distribution restrictions. The distribution of the least one content item associated with the one or more property distribution restrictions may be blocked from the one or more properties concurrently with streaming the video stream, based on the one or more property distribution restrictions.

Systems, devices, and methods are described herein for distributing syndicated content or content with one or more distribution restrictions. In one aspect, a method may include assigning a unique ID to a plurality of content items, where the unique ID of at least one of the content items is associated with one or more property distribution restrictions. The method may further include streaming in a video stream the content items to at least two properties and monitoring the unique IDs of the plurality of content items streamed in the video stream to detect least one content item associated with the one or more property distribution restrictions. The distribution of the least one content item associated with the one or more property distribution restrictions may be blocked from the one or more properties concurrently with streaming the video stream, based on the one or more property distribution restrictions.

Provided are an apparatus and a method that are capable of performing reliable display control with no caption display interruption of the TTML caption data. Specifically, when a set value of the caption display end time specification attribute of the TTML caption data is the continuous display instruction value, memory storing and display processing of caption data currently displayed are continued even after reproduction end timing of an image file, and switching processing of TTML caption data files is performed. When a set value of the caption display start time specification attribute of the TTML caption data is the continuous display instruction value, whether or not there is a text string, display processing of the text string is continued, is determined, and when there is the text string, the displayed text is continuously displayed. With the processing, it is possible to achieve display control with no caption display interruption of the TTML caption data.

Provided are an apparatus and a method that are capable of performing reliable display control with no caption display interruption of the TTML caption data. Specifically, when a set value of the caption display end time specification attribute of the TTML caption data is the continuous display instruction value, memory storing and display processing of caption data currently displayed are continued even after reproduction end timing of an image file, and switching processing of TTML caption data files is performed. When a set value of the caption display start time specification attribute of the TTML caption data is the continuous display instruction value, whether or not there is a text string, display processing of the text string is continued, is determined, and when there is the text string, the displayed text is continuously displayed. With the processing, it is possible to achieve display control with no caption display interruption of the TTML caption data.

Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for placing secondary content into a break of unknown duration in a stream of primary content. In one aspect, the described techniques may include streaming a segment of primary content, for example, by a reduce capability client device, such as a mobile device or tablet. The device may receive information indicative of a break in the streaming of the primary content. The device may play secondary content based on receiving the information indicative of the break. The device may determine when a next segment of the primary content is available, and begin streaming the next segment of the primary content upon detecting that the second segment of the primary content is available.