Video playback device with real-time on-line viewer feedback capability and method of operation

• US 20020174445A1
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Miller, Andrew T., Zimmerman, John
• Application Number:
  US09/858,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20020174445A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

There is disclosed for use in a video playback device containing a disk storage device, an apparatus for retrieving from remote data servers in an external network supplemental data files related to a first television program stored on the disk storage device. The apparatus comprises: 1) a recording controller capable of recording on the disk storage device the first television program and link data associated with the first television program; and 2) an update controller capable of identifying the link data associated with the first television program, wherein the update controller is further capable of using the link data to access the supplemental data files on the remote data servers and to retrieve the supplemental data files.

Claims

1. For use in a video playback device containing a disk storage device, an apparatus for retrieving from remote data servers in an external network supplemental data files related to a first television program stored on said disk storage device, said apparatus comprising:

a recording controller capable of recording on said disk storage device said first television program and link data associated with said first television program; and

an update controller capable of identifying said link data associated with said first television program, wherein said update controller is further capable of using said link data to access said supplemental data files on said remote data servers and to retrieve said supplemental data files.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said update controller is capable of accessing and retrieving said supplemental data files while said first television program is being recorded.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said update controller is capable of intermittently accessing and retrieving said supplemental data files after said first television program has been recorded on said disk storage device.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said update controller if further capable of displaying said supplemental data files on a display screen coupled to said video playback device.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said link data comprises Universal Resource Locator (URL) links.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said supplemental data files comprise web page data identified by said URL links.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said update controller comprises a processor capable of executing a browser application, wherein said update controller browses said external network in response to user commands received by said video playback device.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said browser application is stored on said disk storage device.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said link data comprises Electronic Program Guide (EPG) data associated with said first television program.

10. A video playback device comprising:

;

a disk storage device;

a recording controller capable of recording on said disk storage device a first television program and link data associated with said first television program; and

an apparatus for retrieving from remote data servers in an external network supplemental data files related to said first television program stored on said disk storage device, said apparatus comprising an update controller capable of identifying said link data associated with said first television program, wherein said update controller is further capable of using said link data to access said supplemental data files on said remote data servers and to retrieve said supplemental data files.

11. The video playback device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said update controller is capable of accessing and retrieving said supplemental data files while said first television program is being recorded.

12. The video playback device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said update controller is capable of intermittently accessing and retrieving said supplemental data files after said first television program has been recorded on said disk storage device.

13. The video playback device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said update controller if further capable of displaying said supplemental data files on a display screen coupled to said video playback device.

14. The video playback device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said link data comprises Universal Resource Locator (URL) links.

15. The video playback device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said supplemental data files comprise web page data identified by said URL links.

16. The video playback device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said update controller comprises a processor capable of executing a browser application, wherein said update controller browses said external network in response to user commands received by said video playback device.

17. The video playback device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said browser application is stored on said disk storage device.

18. The video playback device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said link data comprises Electronic Program Guide (EPG) data associated with said first television program.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the steps of accessing and retrieving are performed while the step of recording is being performed.

21. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the steps of accessing and retrieving are performed after the step of recording has been performed.

19. For use in a video playback device containing a disk storage device, a method for retrieving from remote data servers in an external network supplemental data files related to a first television program stored on the disk storage device, the method comprising the steps of:

recording on the disk storage device the first television program and link data associated with the first television program; and

identifying the link data associated with the first television program;

accessing the supplemental data files on the remote data servers using the link data;

retrieving the supplemental data files; and

storing the supplemental data files on the disk storage device.