Systems and methods for supplementing on-demand media

• US 20020042920A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Berezowski, David M., Thomas, William L., Easterbrook, Kevin B., Baumgartner, Joseph P.
• Application Number:
  US09/974,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20020042920A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing supplemental content with on-demand media in an interactive television application are described.

Claims

1. A method for providing on-demand media with supplemental content in an interactive television application, comprising:

receiving a request for on-demand media from a user;

retrieving supplemental content related to the on-demand media with the interactive television application;

providing the on-demand media in response to the request; and

providing supplemental content to the user while the user is viewing the on-demand media.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the on-demand media is audio-on-demand media, video-on-demand media, electronic publications, software applications, or third-party applications.

3. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising indicating the availability of supplemental content to the user.

4. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising providing a visual indicator of the availability of supplemental content.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, audio, video, and animation.

6. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising receiving a request for supplemental content from the user.

7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content comprises providing supplemental content concurrently with the on-demand media.

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing supplemental content separately from the on-demand media.

9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein retrieving supplemental content further comprises retrieving supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media.

10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein retrieving supplemental content further comprises retrieving supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media using a carousel approach.

11. The method defined in claim 1 wherein retrieving supplemental content further comprises storing supplemental content.

12. The method defined in claim 1 wherein retrieving supplemental content further comprises locally caching the supplemental content associated with the on-demand media.

13. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the supplemental content is synchronous metadata.

14. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

providing the user with at least one option related to supplemental content; and

receiving an indication of the at least one option from the user.

15. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing an actor interview of an actor in the on-demand media.

16. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing an actor interview related to an actor the user is currently watching.

17. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing information related to an actor the user is currently watching.

18. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing interactive media related to the on-demand media.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the interactive media is a survey.

20. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the interactive media is an interactive game.

21. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing information related an audio portion of the on-demand media.

22. The method defined in claim 21 wherein providing information further comprises providing links related to the audio portion of the on-demand media.

23. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the supplemental content further comprises providing links to supplemental content related to the on-demand media.

24. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing the on-demand media in response to the request further comprises:

providing the user with at least one option related to the on-demand media; and

receiving an indication of the at least one option from the user.

25. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing supplemental content to the user while the user is viewing the on-demand media further comprises providing supplemental content to the user in response to receiving a request from the user.

27. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the on-demand media is audio-on-demand media, video-on-demand media, electronic publications, software applications, or third-party applications.

28. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising means for indicating the availability of supplemental content to the user.

29. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising means for providing a visual indicator of the availability of supplemental content.

30. The system defined in claim 29 wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, audio, video, and animation.

31. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising means for receiving a request for supplemental content from the user.

32. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content comprises means for providing supplemental content concurrently with the on-demand media.

33. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing supplemental content separately from the on-demand media.

34. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for retrieving supplemental content further comprises means for retrieving supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media.

35. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for retrieving supplemental content further comprises means for retrieving supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media using a carousel approach.

36. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for retrieving supplemental content further comprises means for storing supplemental content.

37. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for retrieving supplemental content further comprises means for locally caching the supplemental content associated with the on-demand media.

38. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the supplemental content is synchronous metadata.

39. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising:

means for providing the user with at least one option related to supplemental content; and

means for receiving an indication of the at least one option from the user.

40. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing an actor interview of an actor in the on-demand media.

41. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing an actor interview related to an actor the user is currently watching.

42. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing information related to an actor the user is currently watching.

43. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing interactive media related to the on-demand media.

44. The system defined in claim 43 wherein the interactive media is a survey.

45. The system defined in claim 43 wherein the interactive media is an interactive game.

46. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing information related an audio portion of the on-demand media.

47. The system defined in claim 46 wherein the means for providing information further comprises means for providing links related to the audio portion of the on-demand media.

48. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the supplemental content further comprises means for providing links to supplemental content related to the on-demand media.

49. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing the on-demand media in response to the request further comprises:

means for providing the user with at least one option related to the on-demand media; and

means for receiving an indication of the at least one option from the user.

50. The system defined in claim 26 wherein the means for providing supplemental content to the user while the user is viewing the on-demand media further comprises means for providing supplemental content to the user in response to receiving a request from the user.

26. A system for providing on-demand media with supplemental content in an interactive television application, comprising:

means for receiving a request for on-demand media from a user;

means for retrieving supplemental content related to the on-demand media with the interactive television application;

means for providing the on-demand media in response to the request; and

means for providing supplemental content to the user while the user is viewing the on-demand media.

51. A system for providing on-demand media with supplemental content in an interactive television application, comprising:

a user input device;

a display device;

the interactive television application implemented at least partially on control circuitry and programmed to;

receive a request for on-demand media from a user;

retrieve supplemental content related to the on-demand media with the interactive television application;

provide the on-demand media in response to the request; and

provide supplemental content to the user while the user is viewing the on-demand media.

52. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the on-demand media is audio-on-demand media, video-on-demand media, electronic publications, software applications, or third-party applications.

53. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to indicate the availability of supplemental content to the user.

54. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide a visual indicator of the availability of supplemental content.

55. The system defined in claim 54 wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, audio, video, and animation.

56. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to receive a request for supplemental content from the user.

57. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide supplemental content concurrently with the on-demand media.

58. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide supplemental content separately from the on-demand media.

59. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to retrieve supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media.

60. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to retrieve supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media using a carousel approach.

61. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to store supplemental content.

62. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to locally cache the supplemental content associated with the on-demand media.

63. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the supplemental content is synchronous metadata.

64. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to:

provide the user with at least one option related to supplemental content; and

receive an indication of the at least one option from the user.

65. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide an actor interview of an actor in the on-demand media.

66. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide an actor interview related to an actor the user is currently watching.

67. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide information related to an actor the user is currently watching.

68. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide interactive media related to the on-demand media.

69. The system defined in claim 68 wherein the interactive media is a survey.

70. The system defined in claim 68 wherein the interactive media is an interactive game.

71. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide information related an audio portion of the on-demand media.

72. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide links related to the audio portion of the on-demand media.

73. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide links to supplemental content related to the on-demand media.

74. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to:

provide the user with at least one option related to the on-demand media; and

receive an indication of the at least one option from the user.

75. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the interactive television application is further programmed to provide supplemental content to the user in response to receiving a request from the user.

76. A processor readable medium encoded with machine-readable instructions for providing on-demand media with supplemental content in an interactive television application, the machine-readable instructions comprising:

receiving a request for on-demand media from a user;

retrieving supplemental content related to the on-demand media with the interactive television application;

providing the on-demand media in response to the request; and

providing supplemental content to the user while the user is viewing the on-demand media.

77. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the on-demand media is audio-on-demand media, video-on-demand media, electronic publications, software applications, or third-party applications.

78. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also indicate the availability of supplemental content to the user.

79. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide a visual indicator of the availability of supplemental content.

80. The processor readable medium defined in claim 79 wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, audio, video, and animation.

81. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also receive a request for supplemental content from the user.

82. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide supplemental content concurrently with the on-demand media.

83. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide supplemental content separately from the on-demand media.

84. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also retrieve supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media.

85. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also retrieve supplemental content prior to viewing the on-demand media using a carousel approach.

86. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also store supplemental content.

87. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also locally cache the supplemental content associated with the on-demand media.

88. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the supplemental content is synchronous metadata.

89. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also:

provide the user with at least one option related to supplemental content; and

receive an indication of the at least one option from the user.

90. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide an actor interview of an actor in the on-demand media.

91. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide an actor interview related to an actor the user is currently watching.

92. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide information related to an actor the user is currently watching.

93. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide interactive media related to the on-demand media.

94. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the interactive media is a survey.

95. The processor readable medium defined in claim 94 wherein the interactive media is an interactive game.

96. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide information related an audio portion of the on-demand media.

97. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide links related to the audio portion of the on-demand media.

98. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide links to supplemental content related to the on-demand media.

99. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also:

provide the user with at least one option related to the on-demand media; and

receive an indication of the at least one option from the user.

100. The processor readable medium defined in claim 76 wherein the machine-readable instructions also provide supplemental content to the user in response to receiving a request from the user.