Interactive TV contextual content surfing using inter-channel hyperlinking: systems, methods & program products
First Claim
1. An interactive TV contextual content surfing system comprising:
- a) creating apparatus, which creates program content for hyperlinking to other program content;
b) Broadcast apparatus which broadcast interactive TV program content with hyperlinks to other content;
c) receiver apparatus which receives and processes the interactive TV program content with hyperlinks for display to a viewer; and
d) enabling apparatus, which enables a viewer to hyperlink from a program being viewed to a related program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive TV contextual content surfing method, system and program product enables viewers to surf from one related program to another through hyperlinking. A TV broadcast station receives interactive TV program content generated by creators. The content is categorized by the creator and provided to the broadcast station in the MPEG or web-streaming video/audio formats. A broadcast server stores a dynamic table of correspondence between TV program categories and TV channel numbers. The hyperlinking information contains a list of channels that broadcast the same nature of programs by referencing the correspondence table. The server broadcasts the hyperlinking information to the list of channels. The broadcast network carries the TV programs and associated classification information in separate channels to the local TV station for retransmission to TV devices including set-top boxes. The set-top box stores program information by categories in classification tables; contents of a TV program guide section; and recorded programs.
38 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An interactive TV contextual content surfing system comprising:
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a) creating apparatus, which creates program content for hyperlinking to other program content;
b) Broadcast apparatus which broadcast interactive TV program content with hyperlinks to other content;
c) receiver apparatus which receives and processes the interactive TV program content with hyperlinks for display to a viewer; and
d) enabling apparatus, which enables a viewer to hyperlink from a program being viewed to a related program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An interactive TV contextual content surfing system using inter-channel hyperlinking, comprising:
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(a) a content creation station generating and transmitting interactive program information and classification information in a data streaming format;
(b) a TV broadcast station for receiving the streaming data;
(c) a broadcast server for processing classification categories in the streaming data and hyperlinking program information in related categories;
(d) a network coupled to the TV broadcast station for transmitting in separate channels the TV program information and classification information to a local TV station for retransmission to TV devices equipped with set-top boxes or directly transmitting the program information directly to the set-top boxes; and
e) viewer means including an interface enabling a viewer to view a program in a category and using a hyperlink to switch to a new program related to the one being viewed. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. A method for interactive TV contextual content surfing using inter-channel hyperlink, comprising the steps of:
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a) creating program content including a description of program type, producers, players, etc., for classification purposes;
b) transmitting the program content in a streaming data format to a broadcast station and a broadcast server;
c) generating a correspondence table between TV program categories and TV channel numbers in the broadcast server;
d) creating a hyperlink information of channels that are broadcasting the same nature of programs by referencing the correspondence table;
e) broadcasting the hyperlink information to the list of channels in the correspondence table;
f) transmitting the broadcast program information to a TV device including a set-top box via a first channel;
g) transmitting the hyperlinking information to the set-top box via a second channel; and
h) processing the broadcast hyperlinking information by the set-top box for display on a TV screen.
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22. A program medium, executable in a computer system for interactive TV contextual content surfing using inter-channel hyperlink, comprising:
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a) program instructions in the medium which creates program content including a description of program type, producers, players, etc., for classification purposes;
b) program instructions in the medium which transmit the program content in a streaming data format to a broadcast station and a broadcast server;
c) program instructions in the medium which generates a correspondence table between TV program categories and TV channel numbers in the broadcast server;
d) program instructions in the medium, which creates a hyperlink information of channels that are broadcasting the same nature of programs by referencing the correspondence table;
e) program instructions in the medium, which broadcasts the hyperlink information to the list of channels in the correspondence table;
f) program instructions in the medium, which transmits the broadcast, program information to a TV device including a set-top box via a first channel;
g) program instructions in the medium which transmits the hyperlinking information to the set-top box via a second channel; and
h) program instructions in the medium which processes the broadcast hyperlinking information by the set-top box for display on a TV screen. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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27. A program medium, executable in an interactive TV computer system for contextual content surfing, comprising:
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a) program instructions which create program content for hyperlinking to other program content;
b) program instructions which broadcast interactive TV program content with hyperlinks to other content;
c) program instructions which receives and processes the interactive TV program content with hyperlinks for display to a viewer; and
d) program instructions, which enables the viewer to hyperlink from a program being viewed to a related program.
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33. A method for contextual content surfing in an interactive TV computer system, comprising the steps of:
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a) creating program content for hyperlinking to other program content;
b) broadcasting interactive TV program content with hyperlinks to other content;
c) receiving and processing the interactive TV program content with hyperlinks for display to a viewer; and
d) enabling the viewer to hyperlink from a program being viewed to a related program. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A broadcast server in a TV system, comprising:
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a) a correspondence table storing means for a dynamic table of correspondence between TV program categories and TV channels number;
b) creation means for hyperlinking information which contains a list of channels broadcasting the same nature of program by referencing the correspondence table, and c) transmitting means for the hyperlinking information to TV devices whereby upon successfully processing the broadcast hyperlinking information for display on a TV screen a viewer surfs among the channels specified in the hyperlinking information.
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40. A method for surfing hyperlinked information in a TV system, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming dynamic correspondence information of TV program categories and TV channels number;
b) creating hyperlinking information which contains a list of channels broadcasting the same nature of program by referencing the correspondence table, and c) transmitting the hyperlinking information to TV devices whereby upon successfully processing the broadcast hyperlinking information for display on a TV screen a viewer surfs among the channels specified in the hyperlinking information.
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41. A receiver for surfing hyperlinked information in a TV system, comprising:
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a) storing apparatus, which receives program content including hyperlinks and related channels;
b) classification information in the storing apparatus which relates program content related to related channels; and
e) control apparatus, which enables a viewer to access the classification information and surf among related channels.
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42. A method for surfing hyperlinked information in a TV receiver, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving program content including hyperlinks;
b) classifying received program content in tables according to the same content; and
e) enabling a viewer to access the tables and surf among the related content.
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43. A broadcast server in a TV system, comprising:
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a) correspondence information between TV program categories and TV channels number;
b) creation apparatus which creates hyperlinking information of channels broadcasting the same nature of program categories by referencing the correspondence information, and c) transmitting apparatus which transmits the hyperlinking information to TV devices whereby upon successfully processing the broadcast hyperlinking information for display on a TV screen, a viewer surfs among the channels specified in the hyperlinking information.
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44. A receiver for surfing hyperlinked information in a TV system, comprising:
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a) storing apparatus, which receives program content including hyperlinks and related channels;
b) classification information of program content related to the same channels; and
e) control apparatus, which enables a viewer to access the classification information and surf among related channels.
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Specification