Interactive audio/video system

• US 20050055725A1
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/765,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055725A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17363 at or near the user terminal

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interactive entertainment system and method comprising: a system server (110), said system server (110) residing at a communication center (100); a system database (120), said system database (120) residing at the communication center (100) and accessible by the system server (110); a plurality of entertainment files stored on the database (120), where the system server (110) retrieves the plurality of entertainment files for transmission over a first communication network; a reception device (30), where the reception device (30) includes an integrated receiver decoder (IRD), where the IRD selectively retrieves the plurality of entertainment files via the first communication network from the system server based a user'"'"'s preferences; a user input device (35), where said user input device (35) enables a user to interact with the system server (110) and system database (120) via the reception device (30), where the user provides real time feedback regarding said entertainment files; and a user output device (34), where said output device (34) plays selected entertainment files.

Claims

1. An interactive entertainment system comprising:

a system server, said system server residing at a communication center;

a system database, said system database residing at the communication center and accessible by the system server;

a plurality of entertainment files stored on the database, where the system server retrieves the plurality of entertainment files for transmission over a first communication network;

a receiver, where the receiver selectively retrieves the plurality of entertainment files via the first communication network from the system server based on a user'"'"'s preferences;

a user input device, where said user input device enables a user to interact with the system server and system database via the receiver, where the user provides real time feedback regarding said entertainment files; and

a user output device, where said output device plays selected entertainment files.

2. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where said plurality of entertainment files contain audio content.

3. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where said plurality of entertainment files contain video content.

4. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where said plurality of entertainment files contain both video and audio content.

5. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 2, where said audio content includes songs.

6. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 5, where said songs include a plurality of music genres.

7. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 6, where said plurality of music genres are categorized and streamed for listening through the user output device.

8. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 4, where said video and audio content includes televised programming.

9. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where said reception device provides two way communications between the user and the system server via the first communication network.

10. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where said real time feedback is transmitted to the communication center via a second communication network.

11. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where the first communication network is a satellite broadcasting system.

12. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 10, where the second communication network is an internet connection.

13. The interactive entertainment system according to claim 1, where said reception device includes a user database.

14. A method of interactive entertainment comprising the steps of:

a. streaming a plurality of entertainment files over a communications network;

b. retrieving a current play entertainment file from the plurality of entertainment files;

c. retrieving a user rating associated with the current play entertainment file;

d. if the user rating is not equal to a predetermined value, then performing the following steps f-h;

e. if the user rating is equal to a predetermined value, then go to step l;

f. retrieving user ratings associated with other entertainment files within the plurality of entertainment files;

g. comparing the user ratings associated with the other entertainment files with the user rating for the current play entertainment file;

h. if any other entertainment files have a rating higher than the rating of the current play entertainment file, then performing the steps j-m

i. if the higher rated entertainment has a user block designation, then go to step l;

j. retrieving the higher rated entertainment file;

k. substituting the higher rated entertainment file for the current play entertainment file;

l. transmitting the current play entertainment file until complete; and

m. repeating steps a-e until a user executes a termination command.

15. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying audio content with each of the entertainment files.

16. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying audio and video content with each of the entertainment files.

17. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying video content with each of the entertainment files.

18. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 15, where said audio content includes songs.

19. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 18, where said songs include a plurality of music genres.

20. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 19, further comprising the step of:

a. categorizing the plurality of music genres.

21. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 16, where said audio and video content includes televised programming.

22. A method of interactive entertainment comprising the steps of:

a. streaming a plurality of entertainment files over a communications network;

b. retrieving a current play entertainment file from the plurality of entertainment files;

c. if a user inputs a recognized rating, then performing steps f-h;

d. if a user inputs a rejection rating, then performing steps i-l;

e. if a user does not input any rating, then go to step k;

f. storing the recognized rating;

g. transmitting the current play entertainment file until complete; and

h. repeating step b until a user executes a termination command.

i. retrieving a next entertainment file;

j. substituting the next entertainment file for the current play entertainment file;

k. transmitting the current play entertainment file until complete; and

l. repeating steps a-e until a user executes a termination command.

23. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 22, where said plurality of entertainment files contain audio content.

24. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 22, where said plurality of entertainment files contain video content.

25. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 22, where said plurality of entertainment files contains audio and video content.

26. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 23, where said audio content includes songs.

27. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 26, where said songs include a plurality of music genres.

28. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:

a. categorizing the plurality of music genres.

29. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 25, where said audio and video content includes televised programming.

30. A method of interactive entertainment comprising the steps of:

a. streaming a plurality of entertainment files over a communications network;

b. retrieving a current play entertainment file from the plurality of entertainment files;

c. retrieving a user rating associated with the current play entertainment file;

d. if the user rating is not equal to a predetermined value, then performing the following steps f-h;

e. if the user rating is equal to a predetermined value, then go to step m;

f. retrieving user ratings associated with other entertainment files within the plurality of entertainment files;

g. comparing the user ratings associated with the other entertainment files with the predetermined value;

h. if any other entertainment files have a rating equal to the predetermined value, designating a selected entertainment file, where the selected entertainment file has a rating equal to the predetermined value;

i. retrieving the selected entertainment file;

j. substituting the selected entertainment file for the current play entertainment file;

k. transmitting the selected entertainment file until complete; and

l. repeating steps a-e until a user executes a termination command.

m. transmitting the current play entertainment file until complete; and

n. repeating steps a-e until a user executes a termination command.

31. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 30, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying audio content with each of the entertainment files.

32. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 30, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying audio and video content with each of the entertainment files.

33. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 30, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying video content with each of the entertainment files.

34. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 31, where said audio content includes songs.

35. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 34, where said songs include a plurality of music genres.

36. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 35, further comprising the step of:

a. categorizing the plurality of music genres.

37. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 32, where said audio and video content includes televised programming.

38. An entertainment system that enables the selective transfer of entertainment files comprising:

a system server, said system server residing at a communication center;

a system database, said system database residing at the communication center and accessible by the system server;

a plurality of entertainment files stored on the database, where the system server retrieves the plurality of entertainment files for transmission over a first communication network;

a receiver, where the receiver selectively retrieves the plurality of entertainment files via the first communication network from the system server based a user'"'"'s preferences;

a user input device; and

a user output device, where the user utilizes the input device to initiate the transfer of selected entertainment files to said output device.

39. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 38, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying audio content with each of the entertainment files.

40. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 38, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying audio and video content with each of the entertainment files.

41. The method of interactive entertainment according to claim 38, further comprising the step of:

a. supplying video content with each of the entertainment files.

42. A receiver for the reception of entertainment files comprising:

a data input, said data input capable of receiving entertainment files via a first communications network;

a data output, said data output capable of transmitting entertainment files via a second communications network;

a database, said database storing entertainment files received through the data input;

a processor, said processor performing selective filtering based upon instructions provide by software residing on said database, where said instructions include functional instructions related to the data input, data output and data transfer from the database and functional instructions capable of selectively filtering entertainment files received through the data input; and

a user command input, said user command input capable of receiving commands from a user input device.

43. The receiver for the reception of entertainment files according to claim 42, wherein said processor selectively filters the entertainment files based upon a user'"'"'s preferences.

44. The receiver for the reception of entertainment files according to claim 42 where each entertainment file includes a user rating, said processor determines if the user rating for each entertainment file is equal to a predetermined value, if so then processor enables the continued output of said entertainment file, if not the processor triggers the retrieval of a second entertainment file which is equal to the predetermined value and substitutes the second entertainment file for transmission through the data output.

45. The receiver for the reception of entertainment files according to claim 42, the processor may receive a rejection indication from a user via the user command input, if so the processor associates the rejection indication with the entertainment file and stores the rejection—

entertainment file association in the database, then the processor retrieves a subsequent entertainment file for transmission through the data output.

46. The receiver for the reception of entertainment files according to claim 43, wherein the entertainment files include at least one of audio files, video files and audio/video files.

47. The receiver for the reception of entertainment files according to claim 44, wherein the entertainment files include at least one of audio files, video files and audio/video files.

48. The receiver for the reception of entertainment files according to claim 45, wherein the entertainment files include at least one of audio files, video files and audio/video files.

49. A method of transmitting entertainment files through a receiver comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting a plurality of entertainment files to the receiver via a first communications network;

b. receiving the plurality of entertainment files through a data input;

c. storing the plurality of entertainment files in a database residing within the receiver;

d. selectively filtering the output of the entertainment files through a data output, where the selective filtering is based upon filtering instructions with a software residing in the database;

e. executing the filtering instructions via a processor; and

f. receiving user commands via a user command input from a user input device.

50. The method of transmitting entertainment files through a receiver according to claim 49, wherein the plurality of entertainment files includes at least one of audio files, video files and audio/video files.