Method and system for displaying related components of a media stream that has been transmitted over a computer network

• US 20020171760A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dyer, Thomas Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 6,903,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0885 for the transmission of subtitles

Abstract

A system and method for displaying related components of a media stream that has been transmitted over a computer network includes at least one storage device that communicates with a television decoder and with the video display. Information from one or more components of the media stream is extracted from the media stream and delivered to one or more storage devices. This stored component is subsequently transmitted to the video display in response to an information release signal that is embedded in the information. The invention can be used to display closed caption and other information with associated audio and video signals using an audio-visual media player.

Claims

1. An apparatus for simultaneously displaying text information with corresponding video information, comprising:

a buffer configured to communicate with a decoder and with an information display system, said buffer being capable of receiving at least a portion of the text information from said decoder, and said buffer being capable of transmitting said at received text information portion to said information display system in response to an information release signal contained in the text information.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a display configured to simultaneously present said text information portion and said corresponding video information.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said buffer is further configured to transmit said text information portion to said information display system as a text script command.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said information display system comprises an audio-visual media player.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said video information comprises at least a portion of a video broadcast.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said information stream comprises closed caption information.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said information release signal comprises a line feed character.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said display is a video monitor.

9. An apparatus for simultaneously displaying multiple components of a composite information stream, comprising:

a storage device configured to communicate with an information extractor and with an information display system, said storage device being capable of receiving at least one component of the composite information stream from said information extractor, said storage device also being capable of transmitting said at least one composite information stream component to said information display system in response to an information release signal contained in said at least one composite information stream component.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a display configured to receive a plurality of said composite information stream components, wherein at least one of said plurality of composite information stream components corresponds to one other of said plurality of composite information stream components, and wherein said display is configured to simultaneously present two or more of said corresponding composite information stream components.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one of said composite information stream components comprises video information.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one of said composite information stream components comprises text information.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said storage device is further configured to transmit at least one of said received single information type components to said information display system as a text script command.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said information display system comprises an audio-visual media player.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said audio-visual media player comprises an audio-visual media player.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said information release signal comprises a line feed character.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said information display comprises a video monitor.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said information stream comprises at least a portion of a television broadcast.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein said at least one of said composite information stream components comprises closed caption information.

20. A system for simultaneously displaying multiple types of information on a video display, comprising:

an information source that is capable of providing multiple types of information;

a buffer configured to communicate with said information source and with an information display system, said buffer being capable of receiving at least one of said multiple types of information, said buffer also being capable of transmitting said at least one of said multiple types of information to said information display system in response to an information release signal contained said at least one of said multiple types of information; and

an information delivery system connected to said information source, to said buffer and to said information display device to receive at least two of said plurality of multiple types of information and to deliver at least two of said multiple types of information for simultaneous display on said information display device.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said buffer is further configured to transmit at least one of said multiple information type components to said information display system as a text script command.

22. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said information display system comprises an audio-visual media player.

23. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said information source delivers a television broadcast.

24. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said information source delivers closed caption information.

25. A system as claimed in claim 24 wherein said information release signal comprises a line feed character.

26. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said information display device is a video monitor.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 further comprising transferring said information storage device content to said information display system as a text script command.

29. A method as claimed in claim 27 further simultaneously comprising forwarding one or more of said extracted components and one or more of said unextracted components to an audio-visual media player.

30. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein at least one of said unextracted components comprises video information.

31. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein at least one of said extracted components comprises text information.

32. A method as claimed in claim 27 further comprising transmitting at least one of said extracted components to said information display system as a text script command.

33. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said information storage device content is transferred to said information display system by an audio-visual media player.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein said audio-visual media player comprises an audio-visual media player.

35. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said information release signal comprises a line feed character.

36. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said information display system comprises a video monitor.

37. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said information stream comprises at least a portion of a television broadcast.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37 wherein said at least one of said composite information stream components comprises closed caption information.

27. A method of simultaneously displaying multiple types of information, comprising:

receiving multiple types of corresponding information;

extracting at least one component of said received information;

collecting at least one of said extracted components in an information storage device, wherein at least one of said extracted components comprises an information release signal;

transferring a content of said information storage device to an information display system in response to collection of said information release signal; and

delivering said information storage device content and at least one unextracted component of said received information to an information display.