Remote re-creation of data in a television system

• US 20030093806A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OpenTV Corp. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV Corp. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Kim, Patty, Collette, Michael, Dureau, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US09/991,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093806A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/107
• 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 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and mechanism for recreating particular data at a remote location within a television system. While watching television, a viewer tags a particular television program which is deemed of interest. The viewer then generates a message including an edit list which identifies the tagged program material and conveys the message to a remote location. The message is received at the remote location by a receiving device. The receiving device is configured to then capture and record the identified program material in response to processing the message. Capture of the identified program material may begin immediately, or may be scheduled for a later time. The receiving device is configured to either determine when the identified program material will next be broadcast, or may be configured to generate a request for the program material from a remote content server. The message may identify a single program, or multiple program selections taken from one or more programs. Also, a television operator may generate different edit lists targeted to different groups within a viewing audience. The edit lists may correspond to profiles based on audience data gathered by the operator. These edit lists are then conveyed to members of the viewing audience. The operator then conveys a broadcast signal including a variety of program material. Audience member'"'"'s receiving devices then capture particular portions of the broadcast signal based on the prior received edit lists.

Claims

1. A method for recreating data at a remote location in a television system comprising:

generating a message at a first location, wherein the message identifies a first data;

conveying the message;

processing the message at the remote location; and

recreating the first data at the remote location in response to processing the message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an edit list which identifies the first data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message further comprises a target identifier which identifies the remote location, and wherein conveying the message comprises sending the message to the remote location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the message is generated by an individual viewer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the message comprises a viewer tagging program material.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first data comprises two or more selected portions of the program material.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the program material is tagged as it is received via a programming signal.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the program material is stored in a mass storage device at the first location.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the message is generated by an operator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operator determines which members of a viewing audience are to receive the message, and conveys the message to those members.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the operator makes the message available for access by members of a viewing audience, and wherein individual audience members determine whether or not to access the message.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the message is received by a member of a viewing audience, and wherein the edit list is utilized to generate a virtual programming channel at the member'"'"'s location.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the operator generates additional messages, each of which are configured to recreate particular programming, and wherein each of the messages are conveyed to particular audience members identified by the operator as fitting a profile corresponding the message conveyed to the particular audience member.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein recreating the first data comprises:

receiving a programming signal;

capturing the detected first data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first data is captured in response to detecting said programming signal corresponds to a predetermined time.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said first data is captured in response to detecting a first signal in said programming signal, wherein said first signal indicates said first data is included in said programming signal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the first data comprises:

generating a request for the first data; and

conveying the request to a remote content server.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein recreating the first data comprises receiving the first data in response to the request.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the message is conveyed for storage in a location accessible by a plurality of viewers.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising searching an edit list catalog, identifying the message, and accessing the message.

21. A client for use in a television system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a programming signal;

an I/O interface; and

a message processing engine configured to;

receive a first data identifying a data item;

receive a second data corresponding to user input; and

generate a message identifying the data item in response to detecting the second data, wherein the message is configured to enable recreation of the data item at a remote location in response to being processed.

22. The client of claim 21, wherein the message comprises an edit list.

23. The client of claim 22, wherein the message processing engine is further configured to generate the message with a target identifier which identifies the remote location, and wherein the client is configured to convey the message to the remote location.

24. The client of claim 21, wherein the second data corresponds to a tag generated by the user.

25. The client of claim 22, wherein the message identifies multiple data items which correspond to two or more selected portions of programming material.

26. The client of claim 21, wherein the message processing engine is configured to access a mass storage device coupled to the client, and wherein the message processing engine is configured to recreate the data item from data which is stored on the mass storage device.

27. The client of claim 25, wherein the client is configured to utilize the message processing engine in order to generate a virtual channel with programming based on the edit list.

28. The client of claim 21, wherein the message processing engine is further configured to access a remote location, search for a desired edit list, and access the desired edit list.

29. The client of claim 22, wherein the message processing engine is further configured to:

receive a second edit list;

receive a signal;

detect data within the signal which is identified by the second edit list; and

capture the detected data.

30. The client of claim 22, wherein the message processing engine is further configured to:

generate a request for the signal;

convey the request to a remote location; and

receive the signal in response to the request.

31. A system for recreating data at a remote location in a television system comprising:

a first device configured to generate a message in response to viewer input, wherein the message identifies a first data;

a second device configured to;

receive and process the message;

receive second data including the first data; and

capture the first data responsive to processing the message and detecting the first data within the received second data.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the message includes a target identifier which identifies the second device, and wherein the first device is configured to convey the message to the second device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the first data corresponds to television programming material.

34. The system of claim 31, further comprising a remote content server coupled to the second device, and wherein the second device is further configured to generate a request for the second data, and wherein the second data is conveyed from the remote content server to the second device in response to the request.

35. A system for recreating data at a remote location in a television system comprising:

an operator configured to convey a plurality of edit lists and a broadcast signal; and

a plurality of receiving devices coupled to receive the edit lists and the broadcast signal;

wherein the edit lists identify programming material, and wherein each of the receiving devices are configured to process a received edit list and receive programming material identified by the processed edit list.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the operator is configured to identify particular viewing audience members corresponding to each of the receiving devices which conform to a particular profile, and wherein the operator is configured to generate an edit list corresponding to that profile and convey that edit list to those particular viewing audience members.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the operator is configured to generate a plurality of edit lists, each of which identify a different collection of programming material, and wherein the operator is configured to make the generated edit lists available for access by members of a viewing audience.

38. A method for recreating data in a television system comprising:

generating a message at a first location, wherein the message identifies a first data;

conveying the message to a remote database;

storing the message in the database;

searching the database;

recreating the first data at a second location in response to identifying and accessing the message.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the first data, and wherein recreating the first data includes receiving the first data in response to a request.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first data is received from a third location.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first data is received via television broadcast signal.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein generating the message comprises a viewer tagging program material.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the first data comprises two or more selected portions of the program material.