Method a system to provide interactivity using an interactive channel bug

• US 20010047518A1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TVWorks LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Carney, John, Sahota, Ranjit
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed to provided interactivity using an interactive channel bug. The interactive channel bug (e.g., an “interactive broadcast channel branding logo”) allows a television user to access a variety of interactive services. The interactive broadcast channel branding logo may be configured to launch a functionality determined by a broadcaster. This functionality may change over time. The form of the interactive broadcast channel branding logo may also change over time in which the availability of new interactive services is indicated.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a display; and

a receiver to receive a broadcast and an interactive channel bug, the interactive channel bug to facilitate interactivity, and to provide the broadcast and the interactive channel bug to the display.

2. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the interactive channel bug is a graphical object.

3. The system of

claim 2

, wherein the graphical object includes an interactive broadcast channel branding logo.

4. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the receiver selectively causes the interactive channel bug to appear or morph.

5. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the interactive channel bug is a launching point for interactive services.

6. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the interactive channel bug launches a functionality determined by a broadcaster or network operator, the functionality capable of changing over time.

7. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the form of the interactive channel bug is to change to indicate the availability of new interactive services.

8. The system of

claim 7

, wherein a changed form of the interactive channel bug indicates the availability of interactive services associated with the broadcast.

9. The system of

claim 7

, wherein a changed form of the interactive channel bug indicates the availability of interactive services associated with a purchase of products or services.

10. A method for a display system comprising:

receiving a broadcast and an interactive channel bug or interactive channel bug trigger, or interactive channel bug trigger, the interactive channel bug to facilitate interactivity; and

providing the broadcast and interactive channel bug to the display system.

11. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the providing of the broadcast and interactive channel bug includes providing the interactive channel bug as a graphical object.

12. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the graphical object includes an interactive broadcast channel branding logo.

13. The method of

claim 10

, further comprising selectively causing the interactive channel bug to appear.

14. The method of

claim 10

, further comprising launching a functionality determined by a broadcaster, the functionality capable of changing over time.

15. The method of

claim 10

, further comprising indicating an availability of new interactive services by changing a form of the interactive channel bug.

16. The method of

claim 15

, further comprising indicating an availability of interactive services associated with the broadcast by the changed form of the interactive channel bug.

17. The method of

claim 15

, further comprising indicating an availability of interactive services associated with a purchase of products or services by the changed form of the interactive channel bug.

21. The machine-readable medium of

claim 17

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

selectively causing the interactive channel bug to appear.

22. The machine-readable medium of

claim 17

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

launching a functionality determined by a broadcast, the functionality capable of changing over time.

23. The machine-readable medium of

claim 17

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

indicating an availability of new interactive services by changing a form of the interactive channel bug.

24. The machine-readable medium of

claim 23

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

indicating an availability of interactive services associated with the broadcast by the changed form of the interactive channel bug.

25. The machine-readable medium of

claim 23

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

indicating an availability of interactive services associated with a purchase of products or services by the changed form of the interactive channel bug.

18. A machine-readable medium providing instructions, which if executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

receiving a broadcast and an interactive channel bug or interactive channel bug trigger, the interactive channel bug or trigger to facilitate interactivity; and

providing the broadcast and interactive channel bug to the display system.

19. The machine-readable medium of

claim 18

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

providing the interactive channel bug as a graphical object.

20. The machine-readable medium of

claim 19

, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

;

providing the graphical object as an interactive broadcast channel branding logo.

26. A method for providing interactive content comprising:

capturing and analyzing a video stream to locate a broadcast bug;

determining a position of the standard non-interactive broadcast bug;

aligning an interactive bug over the broadcast bug; and

displaying the interactive bug over the broadcast bug within the video stream.

27. The method of

claim 26

, further comprising:

interacting with content using the interactive bug.

28. The method of

claim 26

, wherein the content is enhanced, interactive television (TV) content.