Interactive video programming methods

• US 20030189587A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bruck, Timo, White, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers'"'"' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

Claims

1. A method of presenting video entertainment, comprising:

defining plural viewing channels;

on certain of said channels, presenting television programs;

on at least one of said channels, presenting an interactive jukebox, the jukebox comprising a user interface for user selection of particular music;

transmitting, from a server, data corresponding to the particular music selected by the user, and presenting same to the user;

storing data related to the particular music selected by the user; and

using said stored data to pre-select said particular music when the user next visits said channel.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the particular music is selected by reference to one or more of the following categories:

musical genre, artist, and title.

3. The method of claim 1, including presenting additional data relating to a particular music selected by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, including providing a user interface through which the user can order a CD containing a requested musical selection.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the viewing channel presenting the interactive jukebox is listed as a channel in an electronic programming guide.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the viewing channel presenting the interactive jukebox is presented in a seamless context with the certain channels presenting television programming.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising playing the particular music selected by the user over high fidelity speakers.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising presenting a video while playing the particular music.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the presented video is at least one of a music video, an artist biography, a critics review, an artists upcoming performance schedule, or a music sale offering.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring music selections by the user and presenting music selections according to the user'"'"'s monitored selections.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the monitored music selections are stored in at least one of a client terminal, a proxy server, or a head-end.

12. A memory containing digital processor executable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a composite signal comprising plural channels modulated onto separate carrier frequencies;

on certain of said channels, receiving television programs;

on at least one of said channels, receiving a interactive jukebox channel;

displaying hyper-text language based music selections on the interactive jukebox channel;

altering the displayed music selections in response to receiving input via a remote control;

receiving a music selection via the remote control;

transmitting an indication of the music selection;

receiving the music selection on the composite signal; and

playing the music selection.

13. The memory of claim 12 further comprising instructions for interrupting said played music selection in response to receiving a channel switching indication via the remote control, and playing said music selection where interrupted upon a return to the interactive jukebox channel.

14. The memory of claim 12 further comprising instructions for monitoring music selections and altering the displayed music selections based on the monitored music selections.

15. The memory of claim 12 wherein the memory is located in a home video entertainment system.

16. The memory of claim 12 wherein the memory is distributed among at least two of a home video entertainment system, a head-end, or a proxy server.

17. The memory of claim 16 wherein the instructions for monitoring music selections is located at the proxy server.

18. The memory of claim 12, including instructions for listing the channels in an electronic program guide.

19. The memory of claim 18, further comprising instructions for receiving input via the remote control, browsing through the electronic program guide, and switching to the channel presenting the music selections.

20. The memory of claim 12, further comprising instructions for switching categories of music selections.

21. The memory of claim 12 wherein the received music selection is a music video and the music video is displayed and played.

22. The memory of claim 12 further comprising instructions for receiving and displaying a video while the music selection is displayed.