Method for controlling display of audio-visual programmes, and receiver for displaying same

• US 20040181808A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Ralf, Champel, Mary-Luc
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of control of the displaying of audiovisual transmissions by a receiver furnished with means of receiving and of recording audiovisual transmissions. The method comprises a step of recording a first transmission selected by the user; and following an action by the user to display the recorded transmission, a step of reading a transmission of a second type prerecorded in the recording means (this transmission being for example of advertising type), and a step of displaying the transmission of the second type before the end of the displaying of the first transmission for a duration stored in the receiver, the displaying of the transmission of the second type being a condition for displaying the first transmission.

According to an improvement, the receiver meters the duration of the display of the transmissions of the second type and unconditionally authorizes the displaying of the transmissions onwards of a certain duration.

The invention also relates to the receiver suitable for displaying the transmissions according to the method.

Claims

1. Method of control of the displaying of audiovisual transmissions by a receiver furnished with a means of recording audiovisual transmissions, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

recording of at least one first transmission selected by the user;

and following an action by the user to display the first recorded transmission;

reading of one at least second transmission prerecorded in the recording means;

displaying of said second transmission before the end of the displaying of the first transmission for a duration stored in the receiver, the displaying of the second transmission being a condition for displaying the first transmission.

2. The method of control of claim 1, characterized in that the displaying of the first transmissions is performed in the course of successive periods, and in that the specified duration of display of the second transmission depends on the aggregated duration of display of the second transmissions already displayed in the course of the previous period.

3. The method of control of claim 1, characterized in that the displaying of the first transmissions is performed in the course of successive periods, and in that the specified duration of display of the second transmission depends on the aggregated duration of display of the second transmissions already displayed in the course of the current period.

4. The method of control of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of counting the displayings of one at least second transmission, and a step of erasing said second transmission in memory of the receiver when the counter reaches a certain value.

5. The method of control of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of unrestricted display of the first recorded transmissions, said step of unrestricted display intervenes after a specified time of usage, this time being specified when the receiver is brought into service by the user.

6. The method of control of claim 5, characterized in that the specified time of usage is calculated from the aggregate of the durations of display of second transmissions.

7. The method of control of claim 6, characterized in that the duration of display of a second transmission taken into account in the calculation of the aggregate increases when the second transmission is interactive.

8. The method of control of claim 6 or 7, characterized in that if furthermore comprises a step of detecting the presence of a user, the duration of display of second transmissions in the course of which an absence of user is detected is not taken into account in the calculation of the aggregate.

9. The method of control of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a step of entering a profile of the user, said profile filtering in the course of the step of reading the second transmissions a part at least of the second transmissions.

10. The method of control of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second prerecorded transmissions are adverts and in that the purchase price of said receiver drops as a function of the stored duration of display of the second transmissions.

11. A receiver (1) of audiovisual transmissions comprising a means of receiving first audiovisual transmissions (4, 5), a means of display (10) and a means of storage (9) for displaying and recording first audiovisual transmissions, said first transmissions being recorded subsequent to a command from the user, characterized in that it comprises a means of control (EE) associated with the means of storage (9), second transmissions being recorded by the means of control (EE) without intervention from the user, the means of control (EE) authorizing the reading and the displaying of the first transmissions if second transmissions are read and displayed before the end of the display of the first transmissions for a duration stored in the receiver.

12. The receiver of claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a counter of time of actual display of second transmissions in the course of successive periods, the specified duration of display of second transmissions depends on the duration of actual display in the course of the previous period.

13. The receiver of claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a counter of time of actual display of second transmissions in the course of successive periods, the specified duration of display of second transmissions depends on the duration of display of second transmissions, already performed in the course of the current period.

14. The receiver of claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of display counters associated with the second transmissions, and a means of erasing the second transmission when the associated counter reaches a predetermined value.

15. The receiver of any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a clock making it possible to calculate the duration of usage of the receiver since the receiver was brought into service, the means of control authorizing the reading and the displaying of the first transmissions without instructing displaying of second transmissions when the duration of usage indicates that a specified time has elapsed.

16. The receiver of claim 15, characterized in that the clock meters the duration of display of the second transmissions since the receiver was brought into service.

17. The receiver of any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a detector of the presence of the user in proximity to his receiver, the metering of the duration of actual display of second transmissions being halted when said detector does not detect the presence of the user.

18. The receiver of any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a means of entering the profile of the user, the means of control selecting the second transmissions stored as a function of said profile.

19. The receiver of any one of claims 11 to 18, characterized in that it comprises a means of mixing the visual signals of the first and second transmissions read from the means of storage, in such a way that the visual content of the transmissions appears at the same time on a means of display.