Combining real-time and batch mode logical address links

• US 20060010471A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zigmond, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,165,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4508 Management of client data or end-user data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• 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 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying Internet content associated with television programming. Content associated with a program included in the television programming is automatically displayed by a set top box. Before the broadcast of a program, listing information or EPG data is stored at the set top box. The listing information includes batch mode logical addresses or links. During the program, a viewer is notified about the link, and the content may be accessed and displayed concurrently with the program. In addition, real-time logical addresses or links, which are embedded in the program, may be extracted and the viewer is notified of these links. If both the real time and batch links are available, a determination is made according to pre-defined rules regarding which link is brought to the attention of the viewer.

Claims

1. A computer program product for use in a system that includes a set top box capable of receiving content and television programming, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for integrating the content concurrently with the television programming, wherein the method comprises:

retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links associated with the television programming;

extracting real time links from the television programming, wherein the real time links are associated with the television programming;

during a display of a program included in the television programming, identifying at least one link from the batch links and the real-time links;

providing notification that the at least one link is identified; and

displaying content accessed through the identified at least one link, wherein the content is displayed concurrently with the program.

2. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein retrieving electronic program guide data occurs before the program included in the television programming begins.

3. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying at least one link further comprises an act of selecting the at least one link according to rules.

4. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein the real-time links have a priority over the batch links.

5. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein the batch links are URLs and wherein the real time links are URLs.

6. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying at least one link further comprises an act of excluding batch links that have expired from being identified.

7. A computer program product as defined in claim 1, wherein providing notification further comprises an act of either providing an audible notification or a visual notification.

8. A computer program product for use in a system that includes a set top box that has access to television programming and content, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, wherein the method comprises:

retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data for the program from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links through which content related to the program is accessed;

determining which batch links are active, wherein the batch links are active from a start time of the program to an end time of the program;

retrieving embedded real-time links from the program, wherein content relating to the program is accessed through the real-time links;

selecting at least one link from the real-time links and the active batch links, wherein a user is notified of the selection; and

displaying content accessed through the selected at least one link concurrently with the program.

9. A computer program product as defined in claim 8, wherein retrieving EPG data further occurs before the start time of the program.

10. A computer program product as defined in claim 8, wherein selecting at least one link further comprises an act of not selecting batch links that are not active.

11. A computer program product as defined in claim 8, wherein selecting at least one link further comprising an act of providing priority to the real time links with respect to the batch links.

12. A computer program product as defined in claim 8, wherein displaying the content further comprises an act of the user providing input such that the selected at least one link is followed.

13. A computing system that is capable of receiving content and television programming, the computing system comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, wherein the method comprises:

receiving electronic program guide (EPG) data from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links associated with the television programming;

prior to display of the program, pre-fetching content associated with one or more of the batch links;

during display of the program, extracting real-time links from the television programming, wherein the real-time links are embedded in the television programming;

identifying a program link from a list of links, the list of links including the real time links and the batch links;

notifying a viewer that the program link, through which content associated with the program may be accessed, is available;

receiving input from the viewer such that the program link is selected; and

displaying the content associated with the link concurrently with the program.

14. A computing system as defined in claim 13, wherein extracting real-time links further comprises an act of ensuring that the real-time links are encoded in accordance with a predetermined syntax and has not been corrupted.

15. A computing system as defined in claim 13, further comprising an act of retrieving batch links from a server, wherein the batch links are associated with the program and stored at the set top box.

16. A computing system as defined in claim 13, wherein the act of notifying a viewer that a program link is available further comprises an act of providing either a visual notification or an audible notification.

17. A computing system that is capable of receiving content and television programming, the computing system comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for integrating the content concurrently with the television programming, wherein the method comprises:

retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links associated with the television programming;

extracting real time links from the television programming, wherein the real time links are associated with the television programming;

during a display of a program included in the television programming, identifying at least one link from the batch links and the real-time links;

providing notification that the at least one link is identified; and

displaying content accessed through the identified at least one link, wherein the content is displayed concurrently with the program.

18. A computing system as recited in claim 17, wherein the real-time links have a priority over the batch links.

19. A computing system that is capable of receiving content and television programming, the computing system comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, wherein the method comprises:

retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data for the program from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links through which content related to the program is accessed;

determining which batch links are active, wherein the batch links are active from a start time of the program to an end time of the program;

retrieving embedded real-time links from the program, wherein content relating to the program is accessed through the real-time links;

selecting at least one link from the real-time links and the active batch links, wherein a user is notified of the selection; and

displaying content accessed through the selected at least one link concurrently with the program.

20. A computing system as recited in claim 19, wherein displaying the content further comprises displaying the content in response to user input selecting the at least one link.