Navigation in an interactive television ticker

• US 20030226152A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Markman, Michael J., Billmaier, David P.
• Application Number:
  US10/091,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20030226152A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The ticker for an interactive television system has navigational features, including a feature to lock elements of the ticker topics dynamically from the display screen while the ticker is being presented and without the need to navigate to a static preferences screen. This allows the user to view only ticker elements of interest, where the ticker loops through a specific category, subcategory, or item only. Locked ticker elements are readily re-included without the use of a static preferences screen by performing additional navigation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

navigating to an element of a ticker capable to present moving text items on a display screen concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen, wherein navigating is performed through a same screen interface that is configured to present the moving text items of the ticker;

receiving data, corresponding to the moving text items, from an interactive video casting system; and

repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element, on the display screen, as the moving text items of the ticker in response to a received user command.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is presented as the moving text items on the display screen in response to a first user activation of a button on a user input device, and wherein a second user activation of a button on the user input device removes the moving text items from the display screen.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting graphics along with the moving text items.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a current time along with the moving text items.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating an amount of available data capable of being presented in the ticker.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ticker element comprises one of a plurality of categories and subcategories, and wherein repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element comprises:

navigating to one of the categories;

presenting only moving text items organized under the navigated category; and

limiting presentation of moving text items organized under other categories.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the ticker element comprises one of a plurality of categories and subcategories, and wherein repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element comprises:

navigating to one of the categories;

navigating to one of the subcategories under that category;

presenting only moving text items organized under the navigated subcategory; and

limiting presentation of moving text items organized under other subcategories.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the ticker element comprises one of a plurality of categories and subcategories, and wherein repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element comprises:

navigating to one of the categories;

navigating to one of the subcategories under that category;

navigating to one of the moving text items under that subcategory;

presenting only that moving text item and updates thereof; and

limiting presentation of other moving text items organized under that subcategory and under other subcategories.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a category or subcategory corresponding to limited-presentation moving text items in a manner different than a category or subcategory corresponding to presented moving text items.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising fully presenting the limited-presentation moving text items by selecting the category or subcategory displayed in a different manner.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying the category or subcategory corresponding to excluded moving text items in a different manner comprises graying out the category or subcategory corresponding to the limited-presentation moving text item.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a setting corresponding to the second received user command related to presentation of the moving text items corresponding to the navigated element.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing presentation of other moving text items in response to a navigation operation.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing presentation of other moving text items in response to a second received user command.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing presentation of other moving text items in response to a period of inactivity of navigation.

16. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to;

navigate to an element of a ticker capable to present moving text items on a display screen, wherein navigating is performed through a same screen interface that is configured to present the moving text items of the ticker and concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen; and

repeatedly present only data corresponding to the navigated element and received from an interactive video casting system, on the display screen as the moving text items in response to a received user command.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the instructions to repeatedly present only data corresponding to the navigated element include instructions to limit presentation of other moving text items on the display screen.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to display the limited-presentation moving text items in response to a navigation operation.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the instructions to navigate to the element of a ticker include instructions to navigate through subcategories of categories and items of subcategories.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a means for navigating to an element of a ticker capable to present moving text items on a display screen, wherein navigating is performed through a same screen interface that is configured to present the moving text items of the ticker and concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen;

a means for receiving data, corresponding to the moving text items, from an interactive video casting system; and

a means for repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element, on the display screen, as the moving text items of the ticker in response to a received user command.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the means for repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element is located at a client terminal in communication with the interactive video casting system.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the means for repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element is located at a server in the interactive video casting system.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a means for presenting moving text items, which were previously limited in presentation, corresponding to other elements, in response to a navigation operation.

24. A ticker for a video casting system, the ticker comprising:

a screen interface to present a plurality of movable text items of a ticker, corresponding to data received from the video casting system, along with a video program; and

a navigation control integrated with the ticker, capable of activation via the screen interface that presents the ticker, to allow selection via navigation of movable text items to be repeatedly and exclusively presented in the ticker.

25. The ticker of claim 24 wherein the navigation control comprises a stationary focus region where elements of the ticker can be moved into.

26. The ticker of claim 24, further comprising:

a plurality of categories and subcategories, wherein the plurality of movable text items are organized under the subcategories, and

wherein the navigation control is configured to navigate among the categories, subcategories, and movable text items, wherein activation of a first set of keys on a user input device causes navigation between categories, wherein activation of a second set of keys on the user input device causes navigation through movable text items in one of the subcategories, and wherein activation of a button on the user input device selects at least one movable text item for repeated presentation and limits presentation of other movable text items.

27. The ticker of claim 26 wherein one of the categories, if selected via the navigation control, moves to a specific location of a display screen that provides the screen interface.

28. The ticker of claim 26 wherein one of the subcategories, if selected via the navigation control and via activation of one of the first set of keys on the user input device, moves to a specific location of the screen interface, without need for selection of one of the categories.

29. The ticker of claim 26, further comprising a default mode, wherein the default mode is entered from a customized mode in response to navigation from a category or subcategory corresponding to an limited-presentation movable text item to a category or subcategory corresponding to a repeatedly presented movable text item.

30. The ticker of claim 26, further comprising a default mode, wherein the default mode is entered from a customized mode in response to user interactivity with the screen interface.

31. The ticker of claim 26, further comprising a default mode, wherein the screen interface is configured to present, while in the default mode, all movable text items or all movable text items in a particular subcategory.

32. The ticker of claim 26 wherein activation of the button on the user input device in conjunction with navigation to one of the subcategories via the second set of keys causes presentation of movable text items associated with that subcategory, and wherein activation of the button on the user input device in conjunction with navigation to one of the movable text items under any one of the subcategories results in continued repeated presentation of that movable text item and limited presentation of all other movable text items.

33. The ticker of claim 24 wherein activation of a button on a user input device renders the screen interface on a display screen.

34. An apparatus for a video casting system, the apparatus comprising:

an interface to receive data sent from the video casting system;

a storage medium coupled to the interface to store a software program;

a processor, coupled to the storage medium and to the interface, to cooperate with the software program to format the received data as a corresponding plurality of movable text items; and

an output section to provide the plurality of movable text items to a display screen configured to present the plurality of movable text items through a screen interface, the software program including code to allow user navigation, via the screen interface and concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen, to control repeated presentation of only some of the movable text items.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the software program further includes code to repeatedly present at least some of the movable text items that were previously limited in presentation, in response to navigation through the screen interface.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the software program includes code to repeatedly present at least some of the movable text items that were previously limited in presentation, in response to user activation of a button on a user input device.

37. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the software program includes code to repeatedly present at least some of the movable text items that were previously limited in presentation, in response to user inactivity with the screen interface.

38. A video casting system, comprising:

a source of data; and

an apparatus coupled to the source, the apparatus including;

an interface to receive data sent from the video casting system;

a storage medium couple d to the interface to store a software program;

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a processor, coupled to the storage medium and to the interface, to cooperate with the software program to format the received data as a corresponding plurality of movable text items; and

an output section to provide the plurality of movable text items to a display screen configured to present the plurality of movable text items through a screen interface, the software program including code to allow user navigation, via the screen interface and concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen, to control repeated presentation of only some of the movable text items.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the apparatus comprises a server.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the apparatus comprises a client terminal.

41. The system of claim 38 wherein the software program includes code to repeatedly present at least some of the movable text items that were previously limited in presentation, in response to user activation of a button on a user input device.

42. The system of claim 38 wherein the source of the data comprises:

a feed server to receive a plurality of feeds of data and having a feed engine to manipulate the data received from the feeds;

a production server coupled to the feed server to receive the data manipulated by the feed engine, and coupled to a database having tables for the manipulated data received from the feed server, the production server being capable to change a format of the manipulated data to a format compatible with client terminals configured to present the movable text items on the display screen; and

a distribution server to send the manipulated data having the format compatible with the client terminals, the movable text items displayed on the display screen corresponding to that manipulated data.

43. A method usable in a video casting system, the method comprising:

navigating to an element of a ticker capable to present a plurality of moving text items on a display screen, wherein navigating is performed through a same screen interface that is configured to present the moving text items of the ticker and concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen;

receiving data, corresponding to the plurality of moving text items, from an interactive video casting system,

wherein a client terminal for a television for the video casting system is coupled to present the received data, through the screen interface on a display screen of the television, as the corresponding plurality of moving text items,

wherein the video casting system includes a plurality of sources, which provide the data, communicatively coupled to a plurality of broadcast centers,

wherein the broadcast centers are coupled to a server capable to provide the data from the sources to the client terminal, and

wherein the interactive video casting system is capable to provide the data to the client terminal via different communication channels, including at least one of a plurality of television broadcast channels, an out-of-band channel, and a communication channel with a communication network; and

repeatedly presenting only the received data corresponding to the navigated element, on the display screen, as the moving text items of the ticker in response to a received user command.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the broadcast center comprises part of a satellite television delivery system.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the video casting system comprises an interactive television system.

46. A video casting system, comprising:

a source of data including;

a feed server to receive a plurality of feeds of data and having a feed engine to manipulate the data received from the feeds;

a production server coupled to the feed server to receive the data manipulated by the feed engine, and coupled to a database having tables for the manipulated data received from the feed server, the production server being capable to change a format of the manipulated data to a format compatible with client terminals configured to present the movable text items on a display screen; and

a distribution server to send the manipulated data having the format compatible with the client terminals, the movable text items displayed on the display screen corresponding to that manipulated data; and

an apparatus coupled to the distribution server of the source, the apparatus including;

an interface to receive data sent from the video casting system;

a storage medium coupled to the interface to store a software program;

a processor, coupled to the storage medium and to the interface, to cooperate with the software program to format the received data as a corresponding plurality of movable text items; and

an output section to provide the plurality of movable text items to a display screen configured to present the plurality of movable text items through a screen interface, the software program including code to allow user navigation, via the screen interface and concurrently with presentation of a video image on the display screen, to control repeated presentation of only some of the movable text items.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the apparatus comprises one of the client terminals.

48. The system of claim 46 wherein the apparatus comprises a server remote from the client terminals.

49. The system of claim 46 wherein the software program includes code to repeatedly present at least some of the movable text items that were previously limited in presentation, in response to user activation of a button on a user input device.

50. The system of claim 46 wherein the video casting system includes a plurality of channels capable to present video images, wherein the processor is capable to cooperate with the software program to maintain presentation of the screen interface having the moving text items on the display screen if a channel change occurs.