System and method for content based on-demand video media overlay

• US 20040064835A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ruano, Julio Eloy, Rutkowski, Matthew Francis, Sterling, Merle Douglas, Bellwood, Thomas Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/255,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20040064835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• 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 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for content based on-demand video media overlay is presented. A user uses a media manager, such as a set-top box, to register for an event. The media manager retrieves information from an event data packet, which includes a detection identifier, to register the event. After registration, the media manager matches event identifiers provided by a content provider with the registered event'"'"'s detection identifier. When the media manager determines a match, the media manager retrieves an identified event corresponding to the matched event identifier, formats the identified event using user-defined preferences, and displays the formatted identified event on a media device, such as a television. The user may also configure the media manager to store formatted identified events in a nonvolatile storage area for later viewing.

Claims

1. A method of handling media events that occur at non-predetermined times, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of event identifiers from an external source, wherein each event identifier corresponds to an identified event;

retrieving one or more detection identifiers from a storage area, the detection identifiers corresponding to desired events; and

providing the identified events in response to matching the detection identifiers to the event identifiers.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at a first tuner, primary channel content from the external source;

displaying the primary channel content on a display screen;

monitoring a plurality of detection identifiers corresponding to a plurality of secondary channels, each of the secondary channels corresponding to a secondary tuner; and

displaying the identified events from the plurality of secondary channels on secondary windows within the display screen, wherein each of the secondary windows corresponds with one of the secondary tuners.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the providing further comprises:

combining one of the identified events with existing content, the combining resulting in composite media; and

displaying the composite media.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

formatting one of the identified events using one or more display mode preferences, wherein the formatting results in a formatted event; and

displaying the formatted event on a display device.

5. The method as described in claim 4 further comprising:

retrieving an audio preference corresponding to one of the matched detection identifiers;

determining whether to include an audio signal corresponding to the identified event in the formatted event based upon the audio preference; and

including the audio signal with the formatted event in response to the determination.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a new desired event;

assigning a new detection identifier and one or more registered event preferences to the new desired event; and

storing the new detection identifier and the registered event preferences on a nonvolatile storage device.

7. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

registering an event at a website;

detecting one or more matched event identifiers from the website, wherein the website specified the matched event identifiers by matching event identifiers with the registered website event; and

performing the providing in response to the detecting.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a display device accessible from one or more processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors;

a network interface for receiving television media; and

an event handling tool to handle events that occur at non-predetermined times, the event handling tool including;

means for receiving a plurality of event identifiers from an external source through the network interface, wherein each event identifier corresponds to an identified event;

means for retrieving one or more detection identifiers from one of the nonvolatile storage devices, the detection identifiers corresponding to desired events; and

means for displaying the identified events in response to matching the detection identifiers to the event identifiers on the display device.

9. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for combining one of the identified events with existing content, the combining resulting in composite media; and

means for displaying the composite media on the display device.

10. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

a primary tuner and a plurality of secondary tuners accessible from the processors;

means for receiving, at the primary tuner, primary channel content from the external source through the network interface;

means for displaying the primary channel content on the display device;

means for monitoring a plurality of detection identifiers received through the network interface, the detection identifiers corresponding to a plurality of secondary channels, each of the secondary channels corresponding to one of the secondary tuners; and

means for displaying the identified events from the plurality of secondary channels on secondary windows on the display device'"'"'s screen, wherein each of the secondary windows corresponds with one of the secondary tuners.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for formatting one of the identified events using one or more display mode preferences, wherein the formatting results in a formatted event; and

means for displaying the formatted event on the display device.

12. The information handling system as described in claim 11 further comprising:

means for retrieving an audio preference from one of the nonvolatile storage devices corresponding to one of the matched detection identifiers;

means for determining whether to include an audio signal corresponding to the identified event in the formatted event based upon the audio preference; and

means for including the audio signal with the formatted event in response to the determination.

13. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

means for selecting a new desired event;

means for assigning a new detection identifier and one or more registered event preferences to the new desired event; and

means for storing the new detection identifier and the registered event preferences on one of the nonvolatile storage devices.

14. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for handling events that occur at non-predetermined times, said computer program product comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of event identifiers from an external source, wherein each event identifier corresponds to an identified event;

means for retrieving one or more detection identifiers from a storage area, the detection identifiers corresponding to desired events; and

means for providing the identified events in response to matching the detection identifiers to the event identifiers.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

means for receiving, at a first tuner, primary channel content from the external source;

means for displaying the primary channel content on a display screen;

means for monitoring a plurality of detection identifiers corresponding to a plurality of secondary channels, each of the secondary channels corresponding to a secondary tuner; and

means for displaying the identified events from the plurality of secondary channels on secondary windows within the display screen, wherein each of the secondary windows corresponds with one of the secondary tuners.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 14 wherein the means for providing further comprises:

means for combining one of the identified events with existing content, the combining resulting in composite media; and

means for displaying the composite media.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

means for formatting one of the identified events using one or more display mode preferences, wherein the formatting results in a formatted event; and

means for displaying the formatted event on a display device.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising:

means for retrieving an audio preference corresponding to one of the matched detection identifiers;

means for determining whether to include an audio signal corresponding to the identified event in the formatted event based upon the audio preference; and

means for including the audio signal with the formatted event in response to the determination.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

means for selecting a new desired event;

means for assigning a new detection identifier and one or more registered event preferences to the new desired event; and

means for storing the new detection identifier and the registered event preferences on a nonvolatile storage device.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

means for registering an event at a website;

means for detecting one or more matched event identifiers from the website, wherein the website specified the matched event identifiers by matching event identifiers with the registered website event; and

means for performing the providing in response to the detecting.