Interactive alert for a viewable highlight

• US 10,715,875 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2017
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Depies, Michael Edward, Chauhan, Kirkosh Pal, Goldade, Mathew
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andramuno, Franklin S
• Application Number:
  US15/442,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20180249219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 725 38, 725 41, 725 42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

A set-top box can provide a program for display to a video device that can be provided to the set-top box using a first signal in a first format, which can be a satellite or cable feed. The set-top box can receive a highlight notification from a content server for a highlight available to be provided for viewing during the program and, in response, can provide an alert associated with the highlight to the video device for display. The set-top box can receive an indication that the alert has been selected and, in response, can access the highlight and provide the highlight to the video device for display. The highlight can be streamed to the set-top box using a second signal in a second format, which can be a video streamed as web content in an Internet video format, and can be removed from display upon completion of the highlight.

Claims

1. A set-top box comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first program via a first signal in a first format,

providing, to a video device, the first program for display by the video device, wherein the first program is displayed by the video device,

receiving, from a content server, a highlight notification for a highlight available to be provided for viewing while the first program is being provided to the video device, wherein the highlight comprises a portion of a second program identified by the content server as a highlight event, wherein the second program is different from the first program being displayed by the video device, wherein the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event based at least in part on the portion of the second program at least meeting a parameter, and wherein the parameter comprises a point value of a scoring event that occurs during the portion of the second program such that the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event when the scoring event that occurs during the portion of the second program is associated with a score that at least meets the point value;

in response to receiving the highlight notification,

creating an alert that is displayable by the video device, and

providing, to the video device while the video device is displaying the first program, the alert for display by the video device, wherein the alert is associated with the highlight available for viewing, and wherein the alert is displayed by the video device while the first program is also displayed by the video device,

receiving an indication that the alert has been selected, and

in response to receiving the indication that the alert has been selected,

receiving the highlight via a second signal in a second format, wherein the highlight is streamed to the set-top box, and

providing, to the video device, the highlight for display by the video device, wherein the highlight is removed from display on the video device upon completion of the highlight.

2. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the first program in the first format continues to be provided to the set-top box using the first signal while the highlight is streamed to the set-top box using the second signal.

3. The set-top box of claim 2, wherein the first program in the first format provided to the set-top box using the first signal is recorded while the highlight is streamed to the set-top box using the second signal in the second format.

4. The set-top box of claim 3, wherein the first program provided to the video device is paused while the highlight is provided to the video device.

5. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the first program provided to the set-top box using the first signal in the first format comprises a broadcast program provided using a satellite feed or a cable feed in a broadcast format, and the highlight streamed to the set-top box using the second signal in the second format comprises a video clip streamed as web content in an Internet video format.

6. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event based at least in part on program information associated with the second program at least meeting the parameter.

7. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the highlight notification comprises a program name associated with the second program from which the highlight was generated and an alert description associated with the highlight.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at a set-top box, a first program via a first signal in a first format;

providing, from the set-top box, to a video device, the first program for display by the video device, wherein the first program is displayed by the video device;

receiving, by the set-top box, from a content server, a highlight notification for a highlight available to be provided for viewing while the first program is being provided to the video device, wherein the highlight comprises a portion of a second program identified by the content server as a highlight event, wherein the second program is different from the first program being displayed by the video device, wherein the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event based at least in part on the portion of the second program at least meeting a parameter, and wherein the parameter comprises a point value of a scoring event that occurs during the portion of the second program such that the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event when the scoring event that occurs during the portion of the second program is associated with a score that at least meets the point value;

in response to receiving the highlight notification,

creating an alert that is displayable by the video device, and

providing, by the set-top box, to the video device while the video device is displaying the first program, the alert for display by the video device, wherein the alert is associated with the highlight available for viewing;

receiving, by the set-top box, an indication that the alert has been selected; and

in response to receiving the indication that the alert has been selected,

receiving, by the set-top box, the highlight via a second signal in a second format, wherein the highlight is streamed to the set-top box, and

providing, by the set-top box, to the video device, the highlight for display by the video device, wherein the highlight is removed from display on the video device upon completion of the highlight.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first program in the first format continues to be provided to the set-top box using the first signal while the highlight is streamed to the set-top box using the second signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first program in the first format provided to the set-top box using the first signal is recorded while the highlight is streamed to the set-top box using the second signal in the second format.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first program provided to the video device is paused while the highlight is provided to the video device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first program provided to the set-top box using the first signal in the first format comprises a broadcast program using a satellite feed or a cable feed in a broadcast format, and the highlight streamed to the set-top box using the second signal in the second format comprises a video clip streamed as web content in an Internet video format.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event based at least in part on program information associated with the second program at least meeting the parameter.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the highlight notification comprises a program name associated with the second program from which the highlight was generated and an alert description associated with the highlight.

15. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a set-top box, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first program via a first signal in a first format;

providing, to a video device, the first program for display by the video device, wherein the first program is displayed by the video device;

receiving, from a content server, a highlight notification for a highlight available to be provided for viewing while the first program is being provided to the video device, wherein the highlight comprises a portion of a second program identified by the content server as a highlight event, wherein the second program is different from the first program being displayed by the video device, wherein the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event based at least in part on the portion of the second program at least meeting a parameter, and wherein the parameter comprises a point value of a scoring event that occurs during the portion of the second program such that the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event when the scoring event that occurs during the portion of the second program is associated with a score that at least meets the point value;

in response to receiving the highlight notification,

creating an alert that is displayable by the video device, and

providing, to the video device while the video device is displaying the first program, the alert for display by the video device, wherein the alert is associated with the highlight available for viewing, and wherein the alert is displayed by the video device while the first program is also displayed by the video device;

receiving an indication that the alert has been selected; and

in response to receiving the indication that the alert has been selected,

receiving the highlight via a second signal in a second format, wherein the highlight is streamed to the set-top box, and

providing, to the video device, the highlight for display by the video device, wherein the highlight is removed from display on the video device upon completion of the highlight.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first program in the first format continues to be provided to the set-top box using the first signal while the highlight is streamed to the set-top box using the second signal.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first program in the first format provided to the set-top box using the first signal is recorded while the highlight is streamed to the set-top box using the second signal in the second format.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first program provided to the video device is paused while the highlight is provided to the video device.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first program provided to the set-top box using the first signal in the first format comprises a broadcast program using a satellite feed or a cable feed in a broadcast format, and the highlight streamed to the set-top box using the second signal in the second format comprises a video clip streamed as web content in an Internet video format.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the portion of the second program is identified by the content server as a highlight event based at least in part on program information associated with the second program at least meeting the parameter.