Television programming with variable ancillary information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising:
- presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming, the second window containing a second segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for presenting variable pop-up windows of ancillary information in television programming. Multiple instances of ancillary information is transmitted to a set-top box in association with segments of programming content. The set-top box selects a different set of ancillary information for display in a pop-up window whenever the content is presented. In one embodiment, a different set of ancillary information is presented according to the number of times the programming is presented. In another embodiment, ancillary information is selected using a randomizing algorithm.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising:
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presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming, the second window containing a second segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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24. A method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising the unordered process of:
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presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having no second window overlaying the segment of programming.
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25. A method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising:
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presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a static window overlaying the segment of programming, the static window containing a static segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming, the second window containing a variable segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming.
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26. A television set-top box, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving signals representing segments of programming and signals representing a plurality of segments of ancillary information, and delivering the signals representing segments of programming to a display interface;
a central processor;
program means operating on the programmed processor for;
delivering a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming to the display interface, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
delivering a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming to the display interface, the second window containing a second segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming.
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37. A television set-top box, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving signals representing segments of programming and signals representing a plurality of segments of ancillary information, and delivering the signals representing segments of programming to a display interface;
a central processor;
program means operating on the programmed processor for;
delivering a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming to the display interface, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
delivering a second presentation of the segment of programming having no second window overlaying the segment of programming to the display interface.
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38. A television set-top box, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving signals representing segments of programming and signals representing a plurality of segments of ancillary information, and delivering the signals representing segments of programming to a display interface;
a central processor;
program means operating on the programmed processor for;
delivering a first presentation of a segment of programming having a static window overlaying the segment of programming to the display interface, the static window containing a static segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
delivering a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming to the display interface, the second window containing a variable segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming.
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39. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising:
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presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming, the second window containing a second segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming.
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40. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising the unordered process of:
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presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a first window overlaying the segment of programming, the first window containing a first segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having no second window overlaying the segment of programming.
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41. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a method of presenting entertainment program material, comprising:
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presenting a first presentation of a segment of programming having a static window overlaying the segment of programming, the static window containing a static segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming; and
presenting a second presentation of the segment of programming having a second window overlaying the segment of programming, the second window containing a variable segment of ancillary information relevant to the segment of programming.
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Specification