System and method for coordinating interactive television programs

• US 20030189668A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MK Systems USA Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoldPocket Interactive, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Neumann, Douglas T., Newnam, Scott G., Fraanje, Izet
• Granted Patent: US 8,555,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• 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 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• 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 synchronization system and method coordinates the provision of interactive content provided in a broadcast signal and independently of a broadcast signal.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing enhanced content with a broadcast signal provided from a broadcast system that has the ability to insert content and/or triggers into the broadcast signal, and has a playlist with broadcast event and timing information, the method comprising:

receiving timing information from the playlist and using the timing information to generate synchronization triggers;

providing a synchronization trigger to a content server to push content to a first type of end user device over a channel separate from the broadcast signal; and

providing a corresponding content trigger to a broadcast system to cause content to be inserted into the broadcast signal for broadcast to a second type of end user device, thereby synchronizing enhanced content for end user devices that pull content from the server system based on the content trigger inserted in the broadcast video signal and devices that receive pushed content from the server system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of end user device includes computer with a monitor for displaying the content separate from the broadcast signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second type of end user device includes a set-top box for causing the content to be displayed on the same monitor with the broadcast signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second type of end user device includes a set-top box for causing the content to be displayed on the same monitor with the broadcast signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is created separate from the broadcast system and in real time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is provided to a character generator that uses the content to populate fields within graphics.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the content provided to the character generator is content that has been processed from responses to other content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content is processed and provided to the character generator in an automated manner.

9. A system for synchronizing enhanced content with a broadcast signal provided from a broadcast system that has the ability to insert content and/or triggers into the broadcast signal, and has a playlist with broadcast event and timing information, the system comprising:

a synchronization application receiving timing information from the playlist and using that timing information to generate synchronization triggers;

a content server, responsive to the synchronization trigger, for pushing content to a first end user device over a channel separate from the broadcast signal; and

a trigger insertion application, responsive to the synchronization trigger, for causing the broadcast system to insert a trigger that allows an end user device to pull content from a server using the trigger.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the broadcast system includes a character generator, the content server creating content and providing the content to the character generator in an automated manner for insertion into the broadcast signal.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the broadcast system includes an encoder, wherein the trigger insertion application provides a trigger to the encoder for insertion.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a remote content authority for creating content, the content authority receiving trigger information from the synchronization application and providing trigger information to the trigger insertion application.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the synchronization application provides trigger information directly to the trigger insertion application.

14. A method for providing enhanced content with a broadcast comprising:

generating content remotely from a broadcast device during a broadcast;

storing the content with identification information on a server;

inserting a content trigger with the identification information in a broadcast signal to cause an end user device to pull and display the content during the broadcast.

15. A method comprising:

providing content that invites user responses;

receiving and processing the user responses to created processed content; and

providing the processed content to a character generator that has one or more graphics for displaying the processed content with a broadcast signal;

the receiving, processing, and displaying of processed content being performed in an automated manner.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing content includes providing a poll.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein providing content includes providing a trivia question.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing processed content includes providing content indicating correct answers to the trivia question.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing processed content includes providing a leader board of participants in a game.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the content is identified in advance as one for which processed content will be provided in an automated manner.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the user responses are received from personal computers to a server.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising checking and revising the processed content in an automated manner before causing the processed content to be displayed.

17. The method of claim 17, wherein the processed content includes poll results.