Video on demand methods and systems

• US 20050034162A1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mighdoll, Lee S., Goldman, Phillip Y., Bruck, Timo, White, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers'"'"' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

Claims

1. A method of presenting entertainment comprising:

receiving video signals;

displaying the received video signals;

receiving a request to pause display of the received video signals;

in response to the request, resumably interrupting display of the received video signals; and

during the interruption, displaying an indication of a message waiting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein after receiving the request to pause display of the received video signals, a data record is stored at a head-end indicating a point of interruption of the received video signals.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein after receiving the request to pause display of the received video signals, a data record is stored at a proxy server indicating a point of interruption of the received video signals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein after receiving the request to pause display of the received video signals, a data record is stored in memory indicating a point of interruption of the received video signals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the received video signals are recorded during the interruption.

6. The method of claim 1 which includes removing a control panel from a screen if a first on-screen control is actuated, and maintaining the control panel on the screen if a second on-screen control is actuated.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the second control is a PAUSE button.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the first control is a PLAY button.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

upon receiving an indication that a PAUSE button was selected, highlighting the PLAY button; and

upon receiving an indication that the highlighted PLAY button was selected, resuming display of the received video signals.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said resumed display of the received video signals is received on a different transmission channel.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a chat message.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is an electronic mail message.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a promotional message.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a commercial message.

15. A computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

16. A system for providing entertainment, the system comprising:

a display;

a remote control;

a digital processor;

volatile and non-volatile memory; and

digital processor executable instructions stored in memory for performing a method comprising,

displaying received video entertainment;

receiving a request to pause display of the received video entertainment;

in response to the request, resumably interrupting display of the received video entertainment; and

displaying an indication of waiting e-mail while the display of the received video entertainment is resumably interrupted.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein after receiving the request, a pause instruction is sent out on a network connection and a data record is stored at a head-end indicating a point of MPEG interruption.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein after receiving the request, a pause instruction is sent out on a network connection and a data record is stored at a proxy server indicating a point of MPEG interruption.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein after receiving the request, a data record is stored in memory indicating a point of display interruption.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising resuming display of the received video entertainment.

21. The system of claim 16 which includes removing a displayed user interface if a first control on the user interface is selected and maintaining the displayed user interface if a second control on the user interface is selected.

22. The system of claim 21 in which the second control is a PAUSE button.

23. The system of claim 21 in which the first control is a PLAY button.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein the displayed received video entertainment is received on a transmission channel demodulated from a composite signal.

25. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

receiving a composite signal comprising plural channels of programming;

displaying video programming;

receiving a request to delay video programming display;

resumably interrupting display of video programming responsive to the request; and

while the video programming display is resumably interrupted, displaying an indication of a waiting message.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the waiting message is an email message.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the waiting message is a promotional message.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein in response to the request to delay video programming, a data record is stored at a proxy server indicating a point of video programming interruption.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein in response to the request to delay video programming, a data record is stored in memory indicating a point of video programming interruption.