System and process for creating a virtual stage and presenting enhanced content via the virtual stage

• US 20020112002A1
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Abato, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US10/076,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; 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 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• 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 21/4437 Implementing a Virtual Machine [VM] virtual machines in general G06F9/45533
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• 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 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• 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 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 system and process for creating a Virtual Stage on a client device and presenting Enhanced Content on the Virtual Stage is provided. The Virtual Stage is preferably implemented on a Browser or similarly equipped presentation device. The Virtual Stage enables any presentation device to receive Enhanced Content from any provider regardless of the capabilities of the Browser or client device, the data format of the Enhanced Content, and/or the communications medium utilized to communicate the Enhanced Content to the Browser or client device. The Virtual Stage suitably includes an abstracted Show Object which provides a framework for presenting the Enhanced Content and an abstracted Receiver Object which provides a receiver for communicating with the Enhanced Content provider and receiving the Enhanced Content. Alternative embodiments may also include multiple abstracted Receiver Objects and/or abstracted Subscribers, which facilitates communications with subscription service provider systems, including, but not limited to, chat service systems.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium providing program code segments for creating a Virtual Stage on a client device, wherein the Virtual Stage provides a platform by which at least one segment of Enhanced Content can be presented to a client via a presentation device, comprising:

a first program code segment providing an abstraction of a Receiver Object, wherein the Receiver Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to receive at least one segment of Enhanced Content from an Enhanced Content provider; and

a second program code segment providing an abstraction of a Show, wherein the Show Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to present the at least one segment of Enhanced Content;

whereupon establishment of a communications link between the client device and the Enhanced Content provider, the Receiver Object and Show Object configured client device receives the at least one segment of Enhanced Content and presents the received Enhanced Content segments via a presentation device.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the Virtual Stage further comprises a Virtual Classroom.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the Virtual Stage further comprises a Virtual Chat session.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the client device comprises at least one of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, a Web tablet, a wireless communications device, a computer workstation, a gaming console, a set-top box, an Internet equipped television, a digital television, a Browser, a cable box, and a device capable of presenting Enhanced Content to a client.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the presentation device further comprises at least of a television, a video display system, an audio system, a virtual reality system, a gaming system, slow motion video presentation system, a still-frame presentation system, a motion picture presentation system, and a home theater system.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first program code segment and the second program code segment provides at least one instruction to configure the client device to receive or present at least one segment of Enhanced Content received in at least one of a hyper-text mark-up language file format, a Flash file format, a dhtml file format, a Java file format, an xml file format, a text file format, a graphic file format, a video file format, and a sound file format.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

a third program code segment providing an abstraction of a Subscriber, wherein the Subscriber Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to subscribe to at least one subscription.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the at least one instruction configures the client device to subscribe to at least one chat message service.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium is located with at least one of a network server, the client device, the Enhanced Content provider, and a provider of a temporal signal to which the Enhanced Content relates.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth program code segment providing an abstraction of a Control Area, wherein the abstracted Control Area includes at least one Object utilized by the client device to establish interfaces between the client device and at least one Enhanced Content provider.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

a fifth program code segment providing a Stage Manager, wherein the Stage Manager controls the creation and operation of the Virtual Stage.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the Stage Manager further comprises at least one instruction for creating a Queue and a Register;

wherein the Queue includes a listing of at least one task utilized to configure the client device to present the at least one segment of Enhanced Content and the Register includes an identification of at least one Object and how each of the at least one Object can be contacted.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein at least one of the abstracted Show Object and the abstracted Receiver Object are identified as an Object on the Register.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the Register further comprises a table having an Object column and a key column, wherein the Object column identifies a particular Object, and the key column identifies where the particular Object is located.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the Object is located in a memory device that is co-located with at least one of a network server, an Enhanced Content provider, the client device and a provider of a Temporal Signal related to the Enhanced Content.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein at least one Object in the Register has a co-dependency with at least one additional Object in the Register.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, whereupon adding an Object to the Register, the Register announces the Object to the Queue, and whereupon receiving the announcement, the Queue surveys any listed tasks and directs the Stage Manager to perform those tasks which are awaiting the announcement prior to being executed.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the Stage Manager further comprises an instruction which provides that an Object which is announced last unannounces any other Object competing for a same resource on the client device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the client device further comprises at least one of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, a Web tablet, a wireless communications device, a computer workstation, a gaming console, a set-top box, an Internet equipped television, a digital television, a Browser, a cable box, and a device capable of presenting Enhanced Content to a client.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the presentation device further comprises at least of a television, a video display system, an audio system, a virtual reality system, a gaming system, slow motion video presentation system, a still-frame presentation system, a motion picture presentation system, and a home theater system.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first program code segment and the second program code segment provides at least one instruction to configure the client device to receive or present at least one segment of Enhanced Content received in at least one of a hyper-text mark-up language file format, a Flash file format, a dhtml file format, a Java file format, an xml file format, a text file format, a graphic file format, a video file format, and a sound file format.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the Subscriber Object further provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to subscribe to at least one chat message service.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

a fourth program code segment providing an abstraction of a Control Area, wherein the abstracted Control Area includes at least one Object utilized by the client device to establish interfaces between the Show Object and the at least one Enhanced Content provider.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer readable medium is located with at least one of a network server, the client device, the Enhanced Content provider, and a provider of a Temporal Signal to which the Enhanced Content relates.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the Stage Manager provides at least one instruction which controls an order in which an abstraction is created on the client device.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the Stage Manager further comprises at least one instruction for creating a Queue and a Register;

wherein the Queue includes a listing of at least one task utilized to configure the client device to present the at least one segment of Enhanced Content and the Register includes an identification of at least one Object and where the at least one Object is located.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, whereupon adding an Object to the Register, the Register announces the Object to the Queue, and whereupon receiving the announcement, the Queue surveys any listed tasks and directs the Stage Manager to perform those tasks which are awaiting the announcement prior to being executed.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the Stage Manager provides at least one instruction which controls an order in which the abstraction of the Show, the Control Area, and the Receiver Object are created on the client device.

19. A computer readable medium providing program code segments for creating a Virtual Stage on a client device, wherein the Virtual Stage provides a platform by which at least one segment of Enhanced Content can be presented to a client via a presentation device, comprising:

a first program code segment providing an abstraction of a Receiver Object, wherein the Receiver Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to receive at least one segment of Enhanced Content from an Enhanced Content provider;

a second program code segment providing an abstraction of a Show, wherein the Show Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to present the at least one segment of Enhanced Content; and

a third program code segment providing an abstraction of a Subscriber, wherein the Subscriber Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to subscribe to receive the at least one segment of Enhanced Content from the Enhanced Content provider;

whereupon establishment of a communications link between the client device and the Enhanced Content provider, the Receiver Object and Show Object configured client device receives the at least one segment of Enhanced Content, presents the received Enhanced Content segments in accordance with the configuration instructions specified by the Show, and subscribes to at least one of a subscription and a chat room in accordance with the instructions specified by the Subscriber.

26. A computer readable medium providing program code segments for creating a Virtual Stage on a client device, wherein the Virtual Stage provides a platform by which at least one segment of Enhanced Content can be presented to a client via a presentation device, comprising:

a first program code segment providing an abstraction of a Receiver Object, wherein the Receiver Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to receive at least one segment of Enhanced Content from an Enhanced Content provider;

a second program code segment providing an abstraction of a Show, wherein the Show Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to present the at least one segment of Enhanced Content;

a third program code segment providing an abstraction of a Subscriber, wherein the Subscriber Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to subscribe to at least one subscription service;

a fourth program code segment providing an abstraction of a Control Area, wherein the abstracted Control Area contains those elements utilized by the client device to establish interfaces between the client device and at least one Enhanced Content provider; and

a fifth program code segment providing a Stage Manager, wherein the Stage Manager provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to create and operate the Virtual Stage;

whereupon establishment of a communications link between the client device and the Enhanced Content provider, the Receiver Object, Show Object and Subscriber Object configured client device receives the at least one segment of Enhanced Content, presents the received Enhanced Content segments in accordance with the configuration instructions specified by the Show, and subscribes to at least one of a subscription and a chat room in accordance with the instructions specified by the Subscriber.

31. A system for presenting Enhanced Content related to a Temporal Signal to a client via a client device on a Virtual Stage comprising:

a receiver for receiving a Temporal Signal, wherein the Temporal Signal includes at least one URI embedded into the Temporal Signal, the URI providing an address for a Site providing Enhanced Content related to the Temporal Signal;

a decoder, connected to the receiver, for extracting the URI from the Temporal Signal and outputting the URI;

a client device, connected to the decoder, the client device further comprising;

a Browser; and

a storage device;

whereupon receipt of the URI from the decoder, the Browser establishes a connection with the Site and receives from the site a program code which configures the client device as a Virtual Stage by initializing and saving, in the storage device, cross-dependent abstractions of a Show Object and a Receiver Object, wherein the Receiver Object and the Show Object collectively enable the Browser to receive and present the Enhanced Content from any source and via any communications link utilized to communicate the Enhanced Content to the client device.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the client device further comprises at least one of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, a Web tablet, a wireless communications device, a computer workstation, a gaming console, a set-top box, an Internet equipped television, a digital television, a Browser, a cable box, and a device capable of presenting Enhanced Content to a client.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the client device further comprises a presentation device, the presentation device further comprising at least of a television, a video display system, an audio system, a virtual reality system, a gaming system, slow motion video presentation system, a still-frame presentation system, a motion picture presentation system, and a home theater system.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the client device includes at least one instruction to configure the Browser to present at least one segment of Enhanced Content received in at least one of a hyper-text mark-up language file format, a Flash file format, a dhtml file format, a Java file format, an xml file format, a text file format, a graphic file format, a video file format, and a sound file format.

37. The memory of claim 36, wherein the first data structure includes instructions for configuring the presentation space as a Browser.

38. The memory of claim 36, wherein the memory is co-located with at least one of the client device, a network server, a provider of the Enhanced Content, and a provider of a Temporal Signal to which the Enhanced Content relates.

39. The memory of claim 36, wherein at least one of the plurality of abstracted Objects includes an abstracted Receiver Object, wherein the abstracted Receiver Object provides at least one instruction which configures the Browser to receive at least one segment of Enhanced Content.

40. The memory of claim 36, wherein at least one of the plurality of abstracted Objects includes an abstracted Show, wherein the abstracted Show Object provides at least one instruction which configures the Browser to present at least one segment of Enhanced Content.

41. The memory of claim 36, wherein at least one of the plurality of abstracted Objects includes an abstracted Subscriber, wherein the abstracted Subscriber Object provides at least one instruction which configures the Browser to subscribe to at least one subscription service.

42. The memory of claim 41, wherein the at least one subscription service include a chat message service.

35. A Virtual Stage provided in at least one of a computer readable medium and a propagated signal, for enabling a client device to receive and present at least one segment of Enhanced Content related to a Temporal Signal irrespective of a communications medium utilized to transmit the at least one segment of Enhanced Content from an Enhanced Content provider to the client device, comprising:

a Show Object providing an abstraction of a presentation area in which the Enhanced Content is presented; and

a Receiver Object providing an abstraction of a device capable of receiving the Enhanced Content and providing the received Enhanced Content to the Show Object for presentation to a client via the client device.

36. A memory for storing instructions utilized to configure a presentation space on a client device as a Virtual Stage upon which at least one segment of Enhanced Content may be presented, comprising:

a first data structure stored in a memory, the first data structure including instructions for controlling a presentation space on a client device; and

a second data structure stored in a memory, the second data structure including instructions for configuring the presentation space as a Virtual Stage, further comprising;

an abstracted Stage Manager data Object, wherein the abstracted Stage Manager controls the creation and operation of the Virtual Stage;

a plurality of abstracted Objects, each of said abstracted Objects being utilized to create the Virtual Stage;

an abstracted Queue, in communication with the abstracted Stage Manager, wherein the abstracted Queue comprises a list of tasks to be accomplished and Objects to be abstracted, under the direction of the Stage Manager, in creating and operating the Virtual Stage;

an abstracted Register, in communication with the abstracted Stage Manager and the abstracted Queue, wherein the abstracted Register includes an identification of at least one of the plurality of abstracted Objects and where each abstracted Object is located.

43. A process for creating a Virtual Stage on a client device comprising:

abstracting a Show Object, wherein the Show Object provides an abstraction of a platform upon which at least one segment of Enhanced Content provided by a Site may be presented; and

abstracting at least one Receiver Object, in communication with the Show Object, wherein the at least one Receiver Object provides an abstraction of a receiver for receiving from the Site at least one segment of Enhanced Content and providing the received Enhanced Content to the Show Object for presentation on the client device.

44. The process of claim 43, further comprising:

abstracting at least one Subscriber Object, in communication with the Receiver Object, wherein the at least one Subscriber Object provides at least one instruction with configures the client device to subscribe to at least one subscription.

45. The process of claim 44, wherein the at least one subscription includes a subscription to at least one chat message service.

47. The process of claim 46, further comprising:

establishing a Queue in a computer readable medium, wherein the Queue provides an indication of a condition and an event that is to be performed when the condition is satisfied;

establishing a Register in a computer readable medium, wherein the Register provides an indication of at least one Object and where each of the at least one Object is located.

49. The process of claim 48, wherein the communications link between the client device and the online information provider is established over at least one of an Internet connection, a wireless link, an intranet connection, a satellite link, a cable link, a dial-up network, a regional network, a broadcast network, a multi-cast network, a simulcast network, and a wired link.

50. The process of claim 49, wherein the client device further comprises at least one of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, a Web tablet, a wireless communications device, a computer workstation, a gaming console, a set-top box, an Internet equipped television, a digital television, a Browser, a cable box, and a device capable of presenting Enhanced Content to a client.

46. A process for creating a Virtual Stage on a client device comprising:

identifying a main frame in the Register, wherein the main frame provides an abstracted framework upon which at least one segment of Enhanced Content may be presented;

identifying a control frame in the Register, wherein the control frame provides an abstracted framework for at least one Object used to control a presentation of Enhanced Content;

abstracting a Show Object, hosted by the main frame, wherein the Show Object provides an abstraction of a platform, upon the abstracted main frame, on which at least one segment of Enhanced Content provided by a Site may be presented; and

abstracting at least one Receiver Object, hosted by the control frame and in communication with the Show Object, wherein the at least one Receiver Object provides an abstraction of a receiver for receiving from the Site at least one segment of Enhanced Content and providing the received Enhanced Content to the Show Object.

48. A process for identifying to an online information provider a type of Enhanced Content to present upon a Virtual Stage comprising:

establishing a communications link between a client device, upon which a Virtual Stage is to present Enhanced Content, and an online information provider; and

communicating a Skin from the client device to the online information provider;

wherein the Skin communicates information indicative of which Enhanced Content the Virtual Stage is to present and an identity of the client device upon which the Virtual Stage is to be established such that the Enhanced Content is compatible with and may be presented on the Virtual Stage hosted by the client device.

51. An apparatus for executing an application program and being in communication with a database used by the application program to render a Virtual Stage in order to present at least one segment of Enhanced Content on the Virtual Stage comprising:

a processor for processing an application program which configures a presentation space, on a presentation device connected to the processor, for presenting at least one segment of Enhanced Content; and

a memory for storing at least one instruction utilized by the application program to configure the presentation space as a Virtual Stage and further comprising;

an abstracted Stage Manager, wherein the abstracted Stage Manager controls the creation and operation of the Virtual Stage;

a plurality of abstracted Objects, each of said abstracted Objects being utilized to create the Virtual Stage;

an abstracted Queue, in communication with the abstracted Stage Manager, wherein the abstracted Queue comprises a list of tasks to be accomplished and Objects to be abstracted, under the direction of the Stage Manager, in creating and operating the Virtual Stage;

an abstracted Register, in communication with the abstracted Stage Manager and the abstracted Queue, wherein the abstracted Register includes an identification of at least one Object and where the abstracted Object is located;

an abstracted Receiver Object providing at least one instruction which configures the presentation space to receive at least one segment of Enhanced Content;

an abstracted Show Object providing at least one instruction which configures the presentation space to present at least one segment of Enhanced Content.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the presentation space is controlled by a Browser.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the memory is co-located with the processor.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the memory is remotely located with respect to the processor.

55. A signal embodied in a transmission medium for rendering a client device as a Virtual Stage upon which at least one segment of Enhanced Content may be presented to a client, comprising:

a first program code segment providing an abstraction of a Receiver Object, wherein the Receiver Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to receive at least one segment of Enhanced Content from an Enhanced Content provider;

a second program code segment providing an abstraction of a Show, wherein the Show Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to present the at least one segment of Enhanced Content;

a third program code segment providing an abstraction of a Subscriber, wherein the Subscriber Object provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to subscribe to at least one subscription service;

a fourth program code segment providing an abstraction of a Control Area, wherein the abstracted Control Area contains those elements utilized by the client device to establish interfaces between the client device and at least one Enhanced Content provider; and

a fifth program code segment providing an abstracted Stage Manager, wherein the abstracted Stage Manager provides at least one instruction which configures the client device to create and operate the Virtual Stage;

whereupon establishment of a communications link between the client device and the Enhanced Content provider, the Receiver Object, Show Object and Subscriber Object configured client device receives the at least one segment of Enhanced Content, presents the received Enhanced Content segments in accordance with the configuration instructions specified by the Show, and subscribes to at least one of a subscription and a chat room in accordance with the instructions specified by the Subscriber.