Providing content interruptions

• US 20040216170A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BlackArrow Inc.
• Original Assignee: BlackArrow Inc.
• Inventors: Shendar, Noam A., Rashkovskiy, Oleg B.
• Application Number:
  US10/848,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Content which users may wish to receive may be distributed with interrupting content such that the use of the content on the user'"'"'s receiver may be interrupted and replaced with the interrupting content. The content which the user wishes to receive may be software, audio, video, graphics or other material and the interrupting content in one embodiment of the prevent invention may be advertisements. In this way, the user'"'"'s receiver may be utilized to determine when it is appropriate to interrupt the interruptible content with the interrupting content. This may provide a convenient mechanism for reduced price or free distribution of a wide variety of media currently provided only in physical form or only for free without any compensation to the content provider.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

allowing the use of a first content on a content receiver;

automatically interrupting the use of the first content; and

causing the receiver to temporarily replace the first content with second content.

2. The method of claim 1 including receiving said first and second content over a broadband distribution system.

3. The method of claim 2 including receiving television programming.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein temporarily replacing the first content with the second content includes periodically replacing the first content with the second content.

5. The method of claim 4 including replacing said first content with advertising content.

6. The method of claim 1 including receiving digital content and demodulating said content.

7. The method of claim 6 including parsing content and control information.

8. The method claim 7 wherein parsing content from control information includes parsing from said content, instructions for determining when said content may be interrupted.

9. The method of claim 7 including receiving instructions from a back channel for controlling the interruption of said content.

10. The method of claim 1 including receiving encrypted content and controlling the decryption of said content to prevent theft of said content.

11. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to:

allow the use of a first content on the system;

automatically interrupt the use of the first content; and

cause the system to temporarily replace the first content with second content.

12. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based to receive said first and second content over a broadband distribution system.

13. The article of claim 12 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to receive television programming.

14. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to periodically replace the first content with the second content.

15. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to receive digital content and to demodulate said content.

16. The article of claim 15 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to parse content from control information.

17. The article of claim 16 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to parse from said content, instructions for determining when said first content may be interrupted.

18. The article of claim 16 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to receive instructions from a back channel for controlling the interruption of said content.

19. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to receive encrypted content and control the decryption of said content to prevent theft of said content.

20-30. -30. (Canceled)