COMMUNICATING SCRIPTS IN A DATA SERVICE CHANNEL OF A VIDEO SIGNAL

• US 20030204854A1
• Filed: 04/07/1999
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: ZIGMOND, DANIEL J., BLACKKETTER, DEAN J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,938,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/113
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• 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 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

Described are methods and apparatus for enhancing an information resource, such as a Web page, simultaneously residing in memory on a number of remote receivers. A content creator, (e.g., a program producer, broadcaster, affiliate, cable company or satellite provider), embeds a trigger in a data service channel of a broadcast signal. The trigger includes a resource identifier unique to the information resource and a script capable of modifying the information resource. The script might be a script or a segment of a script written in a conventional scripting language. Each receiver that includes the targeted information resource monitors the data service channel of the broadcast video signal for script-bearing triggers directed to that resource. If a receiver receives a script-bearing trigger directed to the resident resource, the receiver executes the script contained within the trigger to alter the resource and/or the displayed video defined by the resource.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a. storing, in a receiver, an information resource identified by a first resource identifier;

b. monitoring a data service channel of a broadcast signal for a script trigger, wherein the script trigger includes a second resource identifier and a script; and

c. executing the script on the receiver, upon receipt of the script trigger, if the second resource identifier matches the first resource identifier of the information resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the information resource stored in memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information resource is a Web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information resource comprises tags that define a context of the resource, and wherein the script modifies the context.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the Web page further includes a second script.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the script is a fragment of a second script resident on the information resource.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the script fragment comprises a command to the second script.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a video portion of the broadcast signal, wherein the script trigger synchronizes the information resource with the video portion of the broadcast signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast signal comprises video data, and wherein the script trigger induces an enhancement of the information resource.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second resource identifiers are URLs.

11. A method for synchronizing a broadcast signal and an information resource simultaneously residing on a plurality of remote receivers, the method comprising:

a. embedding a script trigger in a data service channel of the signal, the script trigger including;

i. a resource identifier unique to the information resource; and

ii. a script for updating the information resource; and

b. broadcasting the signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal is broadcast to a second plurality of receivers in addition to the first-mentioned plurality of receivers, and wherein the information resource does not reside on the second plurality of receivers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the data service channel is a captioning service channel.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the information resource includes a second script, and wherein the first-mentioned script passes a value to the second script.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the broadcast signal is a National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) video signal including a text or data-service channel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data service channel is line 21 of the NTSC video signal.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the broadcast video signal is selected from a group consisting of Phase Alternate Lines (PAL), Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM), High Definition Television (HDTV), a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) signal, or an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) signal.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a checksum for the resource identifier and the script and inserting the checksum into the script trigger.

19. A method comprising:

a. embedding a script trigger in a data service channel of a video signal, the data service channel selected from a captioning service channel or a text service channel, the script trigger complying with a predetermined syntax and including a resource identifier and a script; and

b. broadcasting the video signal.

20. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

a. embed a script trigger in a data service channel of a signal, the script trigger including;

i. a resource identifier unique to an information resource; and

ii. a script for updating the content of the information resource; and

b. broadcast the signal.

21. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

a. display an information resource identified by a first resource identifier;

b. monitor a data service channel of a broadcast video signal for a script trigger, wherein the script trigger includes a second resource identifier and a script; and

c. execute the script, upon receipt of the script trigger, if the second resource identifier matches the first resource identifier of the information resource.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the information resource is a Web page.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the process to display a video portion of the broadcast video signal, and wherein executing the script trigger synchronizes the information resource with the video portion of the broadcast video signal.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first and second resource identifiers are URLs.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the information resource includes a second script, and wherein the instructions cause the process to pass a value to the second script upon receipt of the script trigger.

26. An appliance comprising:

a. a video display adapted to display a video image and an information resource identified by a first resource identifier;

b. means for monitoring a data service channel of a broadcast video signal for a script trigger, wherein the script trigger includes a second resource identifier and a script; and

c. means for executing the script, upon receipt of the script trigger, if the second resource identifier matches the first resource identifier.