Interactive entertainment system for presenting supplemental interactive content together with continuous video programs

• US 20050015815A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Matthews, Joseph H. III, Shoff, Daniel J., Bronson, Valerie L., Lawler, Frank A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,254 B2
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

An interactive entertainment system enables presentation of supplemental interactive content along side traditional broadcast video programs, such as television shows and movies. The programs are broadcast in a conventional manner. The supplemental content is supplied as part of the same program signal over the broadcast network, or separately over another distribution network. A viewer computing unit is located at the viewer'"'"'s home to present the program and supplemental content to a viewer. When the viewer tunes to a particular channel, the viewer computing unit consults an electronic programming guide (EPG) to determine if the present program carried on the channel is interactive. If it is, the viewer computing unit launches a browser. The browser uses a target specification stored in the EPG to activate a target resource containing the supplemental content for enhancing the broadcast program. The target resource contains display layout instructions prescribing how the supplemental content and the video content program are to appear in relation to one another when displayed. When the data from the target resource is downloaded, the viewer computing unit is responsive to the layout instructions obtained from the target resource to display the supplemental content concurrently with the video content program. Embedding the layout instructions in the supplemental content advantageously places control of the presentation to the content developers. The developers are free to arrange the data and video in any manner they choose.

Claims

1. A method for presenting an interactive program, comprising the following steps:

receiving a program as a continuous stream of video data;

receiving digital data for supporting interactive functionality in relation to the program;

displaying the program within a program boundary on a visual display screen;

presenting supplemental content from the digital data in a presentation format on the visual display screen which enables the interactive functionality;

dynamically controlling location and shape of the program boundary and the presentation format of the supplemental content relative to the program boundary on the visual display screen; and

presenting the supplemental content outside of the program boundary.

2. A method for presenting an interactive program, comprising the following steps:

receiving a program from a first source as a continuous stream of video data;

receiving digital data from a second source that is different than the first source for supporting interactive functionality in relation to the program;

displaying the program within a program boundary on a visual display screen;

presenting supplemental content from the digital data in a presentation format on the visual display screen which enables the interactive functionality; and

synchronizing presentation of the supplemental content to corresponding points in the program.

3. A computer programmed to perform the following steps:

receiving a program from a first source as a continuous stream of video data;

receiving digital data from a second source that is different than the first source for supporting interactive functionality in relation to the program;

displaying the program within a program boundary on a visual display screen;

presenting supplemental content from the digital data in a presentation format on the visual display screen which enables the interactive functionality; and

dynamically controlling location and shape of the program boundary and the presentation format of the supplemental content relative to the program boundary on the visual display screen.

4. A method for authoring an interactive entertainment program, comprising the following steps:

constructing digital data to support interactive functionality with a video content program, the digital data being configured to permit a viewer to interactively control display of supplemental content along with the video content program;

defining a display layout of how the supplemental content and the video content program are displayed in relation to one another;

developing timing information to synchronize presentation of the supplemental content in conjunction with the video content program; and

encoding the digital data with instructions to dynamically change the display layout of the supplemental content and the video content program and to alter the display layout of the supplemental content and the video content program in response to the timing information.

5. A method for authoring an interactive entertainment program, comprising the following steps:

constructing digital data to support interactive functionality with a video content program, the digital data being configured to permit a viewer to interactively control display of supplemental content along with the video content program;

defining a display layout of how the supplemental content and the video content program are displayed in relation to one another;

encoding the digital data with instructions to dynamically change the display layout of the supplemental content and the video content program; and

storing the digital data with instructions as a target resource in a storage medium.

6. A target resource stored in a storage medium which is constructed according to the steps recited in claim 5.

7. A computer programmed to perform the following steps:

constructing digital data to support interactive functionality with a video content program, the digital data being configured to permit a viewer to interactively control display of supplemental content along with the video content program;

defining a display layout of how the supplemental content and the video content program are displayed in relation to one another; and

encoding the digital data with instructions to dynamically change the display layout of the supplemental content and the video content program.