System and method for interaction with television content

• US 20050132420A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quadrock Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quadrock Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Langford, James B. Jr., Howard, Alix T., Howard, Daniel H., Harrell, James R., Haynie, Paul D.
• Application Number:
  US11/009,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132420A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/24 Speech recognition using non-acoustical features
• 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 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4622 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for interaction with television programming uses either existing analog television programming with interactive content transmitted via separate communications channel or digital television with embedded interactive content in conjunction with a powerful viewer interface to provide a fully interactive television experience that is dynamic and personalized to each viewer.

Claims

1. A method for interacting with current analog or digital television programming comprising:

a natural viewer interface to command the system;

a natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system;

an advanced remote control system that extends the natural interface of the system to the viewer remotely in a manner which is either dependent or independent of the television programming being viewed on the main television screen;

an embedded two-way communication capability that allows viewers to communicate with other viewers and/or content providers and/or product vendors during interactive television viewing;

a method of customizing the interactive television display such that content from sources other than the television programming being viewed can be combined with the television programming;

a method of altering the television programming being viewed so that segments may be rearranged, deleted, enhanced, or replaced;

a method of dynamically augmenting the television program such that subsequent viewings contain new content based on viewer feedback and/or content provider additions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the natural interface to command the system includes speech recognition of the viewer'"'"'s spoken commands and recognition of the viewer'"'"'s non-speech audio, and a portion of the recognition processing is located in a centralized server that all viewers can access, and a portion is located in an interactive TV integrator located in the customer premises.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the natural interface to command the system includes speech recognition of the viewer'"'"'s spoken commands and recognition of the viewer'"'"'s non-speech audio, and a portion of the recognition processing is located in a centralized server that all viewers can access, and a portion is located in an interactive TV integrator located in the customer premises, and a further portion is located in an advanced remote control located in the customer premises.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of a video camera and infrared (IR) motion detector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes automatic display of personalized interactive content or options for interactive content whenever the system is paused or played in interactive mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes automatic pausing of the system when events such as viewers standing up and leaving the room are detected.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications, and the outlines of objects are created partially in a central server and sent to the interactive TV integrator via a packet switched network, and partially in an interactive TV integrator located in the customer premises.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes the use of the television program as a navigator for interactive content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes the ability to continue playing the television program unaltered on the main television screen while a paused or time-shifted version of the program is displayed with interactive selections on an advanced remote control device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes the ability to view the television program in either real time or time-shifted on the remote control using a wireless communication system between the interactive TV integrator and the remote control.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes the ability of the viewer to select a personalized interface when using the system of the present invention in his or her premises or in another premises with the system of the present invention.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said viewer interface of the system includes the ability to embed two-way communications into the interactive experience between viewers and other viewers, content providers, advertisers, or product vendors using a combination of voice over IP technology, text chat technology and instant messaging protocols.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said viewer interface of the system includes the ability to customize the interactive television display such that content from multiple TV channels and interactive content received via separate communications channel can be simultaneously displayed.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said viewer interface of the system includes the ability to customize the interactive television display such that content from TV channels can be stored and subsequently replayed with some segments shifted in time, altered, augmented, or replaced according to the viewer'"'"'s commands, and/or the goals of content providers and/or advertisers and/or product vendors.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content, and further permits the television program to be paused either on the main screen only, the remote control only, or both when going into interactive mode.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content, and further permits the television program to be paused either on the main screen only, the remote control only, or both when going into interactive mode, and the television program can be played in real time or delayed on either screen independently of the other.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content, and further permits the television program to be paused either on the main screen only, the remote control only, or both when going into interactive mode, and the television program can be played in real time or delayed on either screen independently of the other, and further the television program itself is used to navigate through the interactive content and a two-way, real time or non-real time communication system between viewers, content providers, and/or product vendors is embedded within the system for use during viewing of television programming, using either voice over IP or chat technology such as text messaging or instant messaging, or any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content, and further permits the television program to be paused either on the main screen only, the remote control only, or both when going into interactive mode, and the television program can be played in real time or delayed on either screen independently of the other, and further the television program itself is used to navigate through the interactive content and a two-way, real time or non-real time communication system between viewers, content providers, and/or product vendors is embedded within the system for use during viewing of television programming, using either voice over IP or chat technology, or any combination thereof, and further permits the viewer to customize the interactive television display such that content from multiple television channels can be combined and simultaneously displayed.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content, and further permits the television program to be paused either on the main screen only, the remote control only, or both when going into interactive mode, and the television program can be played in real time or delayed on either screen independently of the other, and further the television program itself is used to navigate through the interactive content and a two-way, real time or non-real time communication system between viewers, content providers, and/or product vendors is embedded within the system for use during viewing of television programming, using either voice over IP or chat technology, or any combination thereof, and further permits the viewer to customize the interactive television display such that content from multiple television channels can be combined with interactive content received via separate communications channel and simultaneously displayed, and further that the television programming can be stored and segmented and subsequent playing of the programming can be done so with some segments shifted in time, altered, or replaced according to the viewer'"'"'s commands and the goals of content providers and product vendors.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said natural interface to command the system includes processing a combination of speech recognition, recognition of non speech audio information, image recognition of the viewer'"'"'s hand and body gestures via a combination of video camera, IR motion detector, and radio frequency (RF) identification tags or sensors and further wherein said natural viewer interface to view interactive content of the system includes integration of the interactive content selections within the television program video, for example by outlining objects in the video image that provide launch points for interactive applications and the outlines of objects are created via a combination of data sent to the interactive TV integrator via packet switched network and data created locally by the interactive TV integrator and further uses the television program as a navigator for the interactive content, and further permits the television program to be paused either on the main screen only, the remote control only, or both when going into interactive mode, and the television program can be played in real time or delayed on either screen independently of the other, and further the television program itself is used to navigate through the interactive content and a two-way, real time or non-real time communication system between viewers, content providers, and/or product vendors is embedded within the system for use during viewing of television programming, using either voice over IP or chat technology, or any combination thereof, and further permits the viewer to customize the interactive television display such that content from multiple television channels can be combined with interactive content received via separate communications channel and simultaneously displayed, and further that the television programming can be stored and segmented and subsequent playing of the programming can be done so with some segments shifted in time, altered, or replaced according to the viewer'"'"'s commands and the goals of content providers and product vendors, and further that new interactive content augments the television program based on viewers'"'"' feedback, viewer'"'"'s commands, and the goals of content providers and product vendors.