Interest messaging entertainment system

• US 20030221198A1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sloo, David Hendler
• Granted Patent: US 8,006,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7844 using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Video signals broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network are received and there is extract therefrom a closed captioning stream of textual data that is searched for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters. A partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each of the occurrences of textual data that matches the one or more search parameters can be directed to a television receiver.

Claims

1. A client device system comprising:

means for receiving video signals broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network;

means for extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data;

means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

means for sequentially outputting to a television receiver a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

2. The client device system of claim 1, further comprising an integrated unit that includes:

the means for receiving video signals broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network;

the means for extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data;

the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

the means for sequentially outputting to a television receiver a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters are an integrated unit.

3. The client device system of claim 2, wherein the integrated unit further comprises television display means for receiving and displaying the output from the means for sequentially outputting to a television receiver.

4. The client device system as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises:

means for comparing the closed captioning stream of textual data to a primary list and a passive list, wherein;

the active list includes one or more predefined character strings; and

the passive list includes one or more character strings that have been extracted one or more times by the means for extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data.

5. The client device system as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the means for receiving video signals broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network further comprises;

means for simultaneously receiving a plurality of video signals broadcast on a respectively plurality of multiplexed channels of the broadcast network;

the means for extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data further comprises;

means, for each said channel, for extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data;

the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters further comprises;

means, for each said channel, for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

the means for sequentially outputting to a television receiver a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters further comprises;

means, for each said channel, for sequentially outputting to the television receiver a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

6. The client device system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for outputting to the television receiver the received video signals simultaneously with said sequential output to the television receiver of the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

7. The client device system as defined in claim 6, wherein the sequential output to the television receiver that is output to the television receiver uses at least one means selected from the group consisting of picture in picture, split screen, video text and selective picture.

8. The client device system as defined in claim 1, wherein the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters comprises:

a predetermined number of characters before and after each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

9. The client device system as defined in claim 1, wherein the output to the television receiver uses at least one means selected from the group consisting of picture in picture, split screen, video text and selective picture.

10. The client device system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving a first input to record the received video signals that corresponds to the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

means for storing the received video signals corresponding to the first input.

11. The client device system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving a second input to display the received video signals that corresponds to the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

means for outputting to the television receiver the received video signals that corresponds to the second input.

12. The client device system as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

means for receiving a second input to output to the television receiver previous sequentially output to the television receiver of the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

means for outputting to the television receiver said previous sequentially output corresponding to the second input.

13. The client device system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for accessing an interconnected network to transmit a notification message to an address on the interconnected network with which the means for accessing is in communication;

means for receiving from a viewer the address on the interconnected network;

means for forming the notification message addressed to the address on the interconnected network and containing data relative to the occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters;

means for transmitting, upon each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters, the formed notification message to the address on the interconnected network with the means for accessing.

14. The client device system as defined in claim 13, wherein the interconnected network and the address thereon are selected from the group consisting of:

a telephone network and a telephone number on the telephone network; and

an email server and an email address at the email sever.

15. A local client set-top box comprising:

a plurality of tuners to receive a respective plurality of multiplexed channels of a broadcast network each carrying video signals;

a closed caption decoder to extract, from each said channel, a closed captioning stream of textual data;

a processor executing an application to search, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

an signal output device to output to a television receiver;

the video signals carried on at least one said channel; and

a representation of each said channel corresponding to each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

16. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 15, wherein the application to search, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching the one or more search parameters further comprises:

comparing, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data to an active list that includes one or more predefined character strings.

17. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

a network access device to request and receive in response to the request character strings from a network resource, wherein the one or more predefined character strings of the active list includes one or more character strings received by the network access device.

18. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 15, wherein the application to search, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching the one or more search parameters further comprises:

comparing, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data to a passive list that includes one or more character strings that have been extracted one or more times by the closed caption decoder and have corresponding video signals that had been output by the signal output device.

19. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

a storage device to store the received video signals;

wherein the passive list further includes one or more character strings from one or more closed captioning streams of textual data corresponding to one or more of the received video signals that have been stored on the storage device.

20. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

an input device to receive input from a viewer of an indicator of a television program to be carried on one said multiplexed channel of the broadcast network; and

wherein the passive list further includes one or more character strings from a closed captioning stream of textual data corresponding to a received video signal of the television program corresponding to the indicator.

21. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

a storage device to store the received video signals;

wherein;

one said tuner receives one said multiplexed channel carrying a signal containing electronic programming guide (EPG) data that includes, for a plurality of television programs, the starting time and the stopping time thereof;

for each occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters, the processor executes a video record application to record on the storage device the corresponding video signals of a television program from the starting time and to the stopping time thereof as determined from the EPG data.

22. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

a storage device to store the received video signals;

wherein;

one said tuner receives one said multiplexed channel carrying a signal containing EPG data that includes, for a plurality of television program, a textual description of each said television program and the starting time and the stopping time thereof;

the processor executes an EPG application to search the textual description of each said television program received by the one said tuner for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters;

for each said occurrence of textual data matching one or more search parameters in the EPG application, the processor executes a video record application to record on the storage device the video signals of a television program received on one said multiplexed channel and corresponding to one of more of said matches of the EPG application.

23. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

an input device to receive input from a viewer of a first input whereby the output to the television receiver is replaced with a different output that includes, for each said channel, a sequential output of a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

24. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 15, wherein the signal output device that outputs to the television receiver further output to the television receiver, for each said channel, a sequential output of a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

25. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 24, wherein the partial portion of the respective closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters comprises:

a predetermined number of characters before and after each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

26. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 24, further comprising:

an input device to receive input from a viewer of a first input to record one said channel corresponding to the representation of the channel that is output to the television receiver by the signal output device;

a storage device to store the received video signals of the one said channel corresponding to the first input.

27. The local client set-top box as defined in claim 24, further comprising:

an input device to receive input from a viewer of a first input to display one said channel corresponding to the representation of the channel that is output to the television receiver by the signal output device, whereby the signal output device outputs to the television receiver the video signals carried on the one said channel corresponding to the representation of the channel.

28. A digital video recorder comprising:

one or more tuners to receive a respective plurality of multiplexed channels of a broadcast network each carrying video signals;

a decoder to extract a stream of textual data from each said channel;

a processor executing an application to search, for each said channel, the stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

a device to output to a display device a representation of each said channel corresponding to at least a portion of the occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

29. A client device system comprising:

means for receiving a steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network;

means for extracting a stream of textual data from the received stream of data, wherein the stream of textual data is synchronized with the received stream of data;

means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

means for sequentially outputting to a display device a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

30. The client device system of claim 29, further comprising an integrated unit that includes:

the means for receiving a steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network;

the means for extracting a stream of textual data from the received stream of data, wherein the stream of textual data is synchronized with the received stream of data;

the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

the means for sequentially outputting to a display device a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

31. The client device system of claim 30, wherein the integrated unit further comprises the display device.

32. The client device system as defined in claim 29, wherein the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises:

means for comparing the stream of textual data to a primary list and a passive list, wherein;

the active list includes one or more predefined character strings; and

the passive list includes one or more character strings that have been extracted one or more times by the means for extracting from the received steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network.

33. The client device system as defined in claim 29, wherein:

the means for receiving a steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network further comprises means for simultaneously receiving a plurality of signals broadcast on a respectively plurality of multiplexed channels of the broadcast network;

the means for extracting a stream of textual data from the received stream of data further comprises means, for each said channel, for extracting from the received signals a stream of textual data that is synchronized with the received stream of data for each respective channel;

the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises means, for each said channel, for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

the means for sequentially outputting to a display device a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters further comprises;

means, for each said channel, for sequentially outputting to the display device a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

34. An entertainment system comprising:

a broadcast network including a plurality of multiplexed channels each carrying video signals;

a content distribution system to broadcast television content in video signals carried over the broadcast network on the plurality of multiplexed channels, the video signals carried by each said channel including content programming and a closed captioning stream of textual data;

a plurality of client devices, each including one or more tuners for receiving the video signals carried on the multiplexed channels of the broadcast network; and

an interest assessment system including;

a closed caption decoder to extract, from each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data;

a processor executing an application to search, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

an output device to output a display signal that includes a representation of each said channel corresponding to each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

35. The entertainment system as defined in claim 34, wherein:

the interest assessment system is included in the content distribution system;

the display signal includes a video on demand (VOD) indicator of the channel corresponding to each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters;

the output device outputs the display signal to each said client device; and

each said client device can output a display to a display device, in response to the receipt of the VOD indicator, to display the content programming of the channel from which the corresponding closed captioning stream of textual data was extracted.

36. The entertainment system as defined in claim 34, wherein:

the interest assessment system is included in each said client device;

each said client device outputs the display signal for receipt by a television receiver; and

in response to the receipt of the input thereto, a selecting one of said client devices outputs a display to a display device for displaying the content programming of the channel from which the corresponding closed captioning stream of textual data was extracted.

37. The entertainment system as defined in claim 36, wherein the selecting one of said client devices, in response to the receipt of an input thereto, sequentially outputs to a television receiver a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

38. The entertainment system as defined in claim 34, wherein the application to search, for each said channel, the closed captioning stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises a component for comparing the closed captioning stream of textual data to a primary list and a passive list, wherein:

the active list includes one or more predefined character strings; and

the passive list includes one or more character strings that have been extracted one or more times by the closed caption decoder.

39. A method of selecting content programming in video data, the method comprising:

receiving video signals broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network;

extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data;

searching the stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

sequentially outputting a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

40. The method as defined in claim 39, wherein the means for searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises:

means for comparing the closed captioning stream of textual data to a primary list and a passive list, wherein;

the active list includes one or more predefined character strings; and

the passive list includes one or more character strings that have been extracted one or more times by the means for extracting from the received video signals a closed captioning stream of textual data.

41. The method as defined in claim 39, wherein:

the receiving the video signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network further comprises;

simultaneously receiving a plurality of video signals broadcast on a respectively plurality of multiplexed channels of the broadcast network;

the extracting from the received video signals the closed captioning stream of textual data further comprises;

extracting from the received video signals, for each said channel, a closed captioning stream of textual data;

the searching the stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters further comprises;

searching, for each said channel, the stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

the sequentially outputting a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters further comprises;

sequentially outputting, for each said channel, for a partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

42. The method as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

outputting the received video signals simultaneously with said sequential output of the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

43. The method as defined in claim 42, wherein the sequential output uses at least one process performed on a television receiver that is selected from the group consisting of picture in picture, split screen, video text and selective picture.

44. The method as defined in claim 39, wherein the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters comprises:

a predetermined number of characters before and after each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

45. The method as defined in claim 39, wherein the output uses at least one process performed on a television receiver that is selected from the group consisting of picture in picture, split screen, video text and selective picture.

46. The method as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a first input to record the received video signals that corresponds to the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

storing the received video signals corresponding to the first input.

47. The method as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a second input to display the received video signals that corresponds to the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

outputting to the television receiver the received video signals that corresponds to the second input.

48. The method as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a second input to output previous sequentially output of the partial portion of the closed captioning stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

outputting said previous sequentially output corresponding to the second input.

49. The method as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

accessing an interconnected network to transmit a notification message to an address thereon;

receiving input including the address on the interconnected network;

forming the notification message addressed to the address on the interconnected network and containing data relative to the occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters;

transmitting, upon each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters, the formed notification message to the address on the interconnected network.

50. The method as defined in claim 43, wherein the interconnected network and the address thereon are selected from the group consisting of:

a telephone network and a telephone number on the telephone network; and

an email server and an email address at the email sever.

51. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed on a processor, direct a computer to perform the method of claim 39.

52. A method comprising:

receiving a steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network;

extracting a stream of textual data from the received stream of data, wherein the stream of textual data is synchronized with the received stream of data;

searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters; and

sequentially outputting to a display device a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises:

comparing the stream of textual data to a primary list and a passive list, wherein;

the active list includes one or more predefined character strings; and

the passive list includes one or more character strings that have been extracted one or more times by said extracting from the received steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network.

54. The method as defined in claim 52, wherein:

the receiving a steam of data contained in signals that are broadcast on a multiplexed channel of a broadcast network further comprises simultaneously receiving a plurality of signals broadcast on a respectively plurality of multiplexed channels of the broadcast network;

the extracting a stream of textual data from the received stream of data further comprises extracting from the received signals, for each said channel, a stream of textual data that is synchronized with the received stream of data for each respective channel;

the searching said stream of textual data for occurrences of textual data matching one or more search parameters further comprises searching said stream of textual data, for each said channel, for occurrences of textual data matching said one or more search parameters; and

the sequentially outputting to a display device a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters further comprises;

sequentially outputting to the display device, for each said channel, a partial portion of the stream of textual data that includes each said occurrence of textual data matching said one or more search parameters.

55. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed on a processor, direct a computer to perform the method of claim 52.