Method and system to provide information alerts via an interactive video casting system

• US 20020124252A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Scott R., Decker, Bernard D.
• Application Number:
  US09/798,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for providing information alerts via interactive video casting based on user configurable profile data is disclosed. While a user is watching a television program, such as professional football game, the viewer may be presented with an alert on a recent information event. The user may configure the user'"'"'s profile so that alerts are only provided on certain information items, or during certain times, or only when the user is watching certain types of channels or programming. Alternatively or in addition, the information alert may be sent to a cellular telephone or pager. The cellular telephone or pager may be given the option to receive the broadcast on the cellular telephone or pager. In such a case, the interactive video casting system can broadcast the program to the cellular telephone or pager for viewing, listening, or reading.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining if an information alert should be provided to a user based upon a user profile;

if said information alert should be provided to said user, providing the same information alert as part of an interactive video casting transmission to said user in one or more different channels; and

processing a command sent from a user input device in response to the provided information alert to present detailed information related to the information alert.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing said information alert depends upon a type of information associated with said information alert.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said information alert is capable of being presented only if in accordance with a set of rules in said user profile.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said information alert is capable of being provided to a remote wireless device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein remote wireless device comprises a cellular telephone or a pager, the method further comprising subsequent to providing the information alert, receiving a response from the cellular telephone or pager instructing a presentation or storage of said detailed information.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein remote wireless device comprises a cellular telephone or a pager, the method further comprising subsequent to providing the information alert, receiving a response from the cellular telephone or pager instructing termination of reception of a program.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing said information alert from said interactive video casting transmission after a period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising subsequent to processing the command sent from the user input device, storing in a storage unit said detailed information corresponding to said information alert.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said information alert is embedded into the interactive video casting transmission independent upon a particular channel that is being viewed by said user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting data associated with said information alert as a trigger in the interactive video casting transmission.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing said user to modify said user profile to delineate the circumstances of which type of information alert should be transmitted, including allowing the user to decline information alerts.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive video casting transmission comprises an interactive television transmission.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said information alerts are only transmitted to said user if said user is a subscriber to an information alert service.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising pausing said interactive video casting transmission if said detailed information is being displayed.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein, in response to said command sent from said user input device, said detailed information is presented via one of linking to a web page, tuning to a channel, or scrolling of said detailed information.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said detailed information is presented concurrently as said information alert.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said information alert is capable of being provided without use of a user-installed application in a unit that receives the interactive video casting transmission.

19. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to insert a trigger that corresponds to the information alert into the interactive video casting transmission.

20. The article of claim 19 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to insert triggers in each interactive video casting transmission sent on every channel.

21. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon instructions to remove said information alert from said interactive video casting transmission after a period of time.

22. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to, subsequent to processing the command sent from the user input device, store in a storage unit said detailed information corresponding to said information alert.

23. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to embed said information alert into the interactive video casting transmission independent upon a particular channel that is being viewed by said user.

24. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to, subsequent to processing the command sent from the user input device, cause one of a linking to a web page that presents the detailed information, tune to a channel presents the detailed information, or scroll the detailed information.

25. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon instructions to allow said user to modify said user profile to delineate circumstances of which type of information alert should be transmitted.

26. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to provide the information alert without first requiring user-installation of an application in a unit that receives the interactive video casting transmission.

27. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to transmit said information alerts to said user only if said user is a subscriber to an information alert service.

28. The article of claim 18 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to pause said interactive video casting transmission if said detailed information is being displayed.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the interactive video casting network comprises an interactive television network.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein said processor inserts said information alert if in accordance with a set of rules in said user profile.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein said communication interface communicatively coupled to the processor sends said information alert to a remote wireless device.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said wireless device comprises a cellular telephone or a pager, and wherein said communication interface is adapted to receive a response from said cellular telephone or pager to said information alert.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein said processor is capable of removing said information alert from said interactive video casting transmission after a period of time.

35. The system of claim 29, further comprising a user input device that interfaces with said client terminal to allow a user to modify said user profile to delineate the circumstances of which type of information alert should be transmitted.

18. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions to;

determine if an information alert should be provided to a user based upon a user profile;

if said information alert should be provided to said user, provide the same information alert as part of an interactive video casting transmission to said user in one or more different channels; and

process a command sent from a user input device in response to the displayed information alert to present detailed information related to the information alert.

29. A system, comprising:

an interactive video casting network coupleable to a communication network to provide a program as part of an interactive video display transmission; and

a server coupleable to the interactive video casting network, the server including;

a storage unit having a user profile stored therein;

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage unit, the processor capable to compare said user profile to an information alert and to selectively control insertion of the information alert into the program; and

a communication interface communicatively coupled to the processor to provide the program having the information alert to a client terminal.