Method for concurrently presenting multiple content types in a tv platform

• US 20060010476A1
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Newton, Philip Steven, Kelly, Declan Patrick
• Application Number:
  US10/535,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• 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 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A first content is received and presented to a user on a television (TV) platform (16). A second content is also received and presented concurrently to the user. In an interactive TV platform (16), a user selects the second content. In one aspect, the first content is advertising content (40) and the second content is information content (46), electronic mail content (42), downloadable file content (44), or program content (32, 34, 36, 38). In another aspect, the first content is program content (32, 34, 36, 38) and the second content is one of information content (46), electronic mail content (42), advertising content (40), and downloadable file content (44).

Claims

1. A method for concurrently presenting multiple content types on a video platform comprising:

a) receiving a first content associated with a first content type;

b) receiving a second content associated with a second content type; and

c) concurrently presenting the first content and the second content to the user via the video platform.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the video platform is an interactive television platform.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further including:

before step b), receiving a user command to select the second content.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the first content and the second content are combined to form a composite screen.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first content is advertisement content.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the second content is selected from the group consisting of information content, electronic mail content, downloadable file content, and program content.

7. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first content is program content.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the second content is selected from the group consisting of information content, electronic mail content, downloadable file content, and advertisement content.

9. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the second content includes text with a transparent background and overlays at least a portion of the first content.

10. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the second content includes at least one graphics object and overlays at least a portion of the first content.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the second content is translucent.

12. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the second content includes at least one video object and overlays at least a portion of the first content.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the second content is translucent.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first content is program content.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the second content is audio advertisement content.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the first content includes an audio portion and a video portion, which audio portion is not required to understand the video portion.

17. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the first content does not include an audio portion.

18. A video platform for concurrently presenting multiple content types, comprising:

a means for receiving a first content associated with a first content type;

a means for receiving a second content associated with a second content type; and

a means for concurrently presenting the first content and the second content in a human viewable display.

19. The television platform as set forth in claim 18, further including:

a means for receiving a user command to select the second content.

20. The television platform as set forth in claim 18, further including:

a means for combining the first content and the second content in a composite screen,

the human viewable display of the second content including a transparent background and overlaying at least a portion of the human viewable display of the first content.