Mpeg-4 remote communication device

• US 20040246372A1
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Megeid, Magdy
• Application Number:
  US10/485,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246372A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/384.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• 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 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

An MPEG-4 based multimedia system in connection with a service provider therefore, and a remote communication device therefore, is presented. The interactive content based remote communication unit simplifies and reduces the number of steps and buttons required for receiving interactive service by the use of MPEG-4 encoded data. Additionally, new ways are disclosed for the data processing at the service provider side. Further, an improved way of exchanging data between the service provider (broadcaster, cable provider) and the customer (viewer) is presented. Still further, there is disclosed how digital equipment (server, set-top box, remote control unit and display) involved in the data processing can be optimized for the task of controlling the available channel bandwidth and displaying the data.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

means for receiving from a multimedia device via a first communications medium a first data signal comprising data encoded in a first format for representing information associated with an event, the multimedia device processing a second data signal comprising data encoded in a second format for representing the event;

means for processing the first data signal encoded in the first format for providing the information associated with the event to a user; and

means for transmitting information from the user to the multimedia device via a second communications medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data included in the first data signal encoded in the first data format comprises data encoded in MPEG-4 format.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and/or second communication medium comprises a wireless communication channel utilizing RF and/or infrared signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display, and wherein the first data signal received from the multimedia device includes data representing an object related to the event, and the means for processing the first data signal comprises means for displaying the object on the display.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for processing the first data signal received from the multimedia device comprises an MPEG-4 decoder and the displayable object is encoded in MPEG-4 format when received and is decoded by the MPEG-4 decoder.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means for transmitting information from a user to the multimedia device comprises means for receiving information from a user in response to the display of the object.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for receiving information from a user comprises means for detecting a touch by the user of an area of the display corresponding to the display of the object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the data included in the first data signal and encoded in the first format comprises data encoded in MPEG-4 format;

the means for processing the first data signal comprises an MPEG-4 decoder;

the means for transmitting information from the user comprises a touch-screen display for displaying an object decoded from the first data signal by the MPEG-4 decoder; and

the means for transmitting information from a user transmits to the multimedia device a request for additional information regarding the displayed object in response to activation of an area of the touch screen display corresponding to the displayed object.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for receiving information receives the additional information regarding the displayed object in response to the transmitted request for additional information and displays the additional information on the display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first data signal includes data representing a plurality of objects encoded in MPEG-4 format and a number of the objects become invalid with the passage of time, wherein the means for processing comprises means for deleting an invalid object in response to user activation of a portion of the touch-screen display corresponding to the invalid object.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving, means for processing, and means for transmitting comprise a first remote communications unit and the first remote communications unit communicates bidirectionally with both the multimedia device and with a second remote communications unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second remote communications units comprise respective memory means for storing a respective identification code for enabling the multimedia device to individually address each remote communication unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second remote communication units transmits information to the multimedia device, and each of the first and second remote communication units communicates with the other one of the first and second remote communication units for preventing simultaneous data transmission from the first and second remote communications units to the multimedia device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the communications between the first and second remote communications units and between the remote communications units and the multimedia device occur via a wireless communications medium comprising one of RF and infrared.

15. The apparatus o claim 14 wherein each of the first and second remote communication units include respective first and second displays for displaying respective first and second objects on the respective first and second displays, the first and second remote communications units transmit respective first and second requests for additional information in response to selection of the displayed first and second objects by respective first and second users, the first and second remote communications units each receive the same additional information and display the additional information on the respective displays at different times, thereby providing a time-shifted display of the additional information between the first and second remote communication units.