Interactive television reception and transmitting processes and associated devices

• US 20060156371A1
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Maetz, Yves, Schaefer, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 7,971,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/132
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications

Abstract

The invention relates to an interactive television process applicable to a system where one or more transmitting stations transmit programmes to receivers. This process provides for: a) reception in one of the receivers, of a startup application and of a normal application; b) testing for the presence in a memory of the receiver of at least one file of additional data; c) in the absence of this file or of these files in this memory, starting up of the normal application; d) if the files of additional data are present, starting up of an improved application using the files of additional data.

Claims

1. ) Interactive television process applicable to a system where at least one transmitting station transmits programmes to receivers, the process comprising:

a) reception in one of said receivers, of a startup application and of a first application and triggering of said startup application causing execution of steps b) to d);

b) testing for a presence in a memory of said receiver of at least one file of additional data;

c) in the absence of said file of additional data in said memory, starting up of the first application;

d) if said file of additional data is present in said memory, starting up of an second application using said file of additional data.

2. ) Interactive television process according to claim 1, wherein, with said transmitting station comprises at least one link for bilateral communication with said receivers, said process comprises the following prior steps:

e) reception of a message proposing loading of said file of additional data into said receiver;

f) acceptance or refusal by a user of said receiver, of the proposed loading;

g) in case of refusal, exiting from the present process;

h) in case of acceptance, automatic downloading of said file of additional data which is usable subsequently by said startup application into said receiver, via said bilateral communication link;

i) recording in said memory of said receiver, of said file of additional data.

3. ) Interactive television process according to claim 2, comprising, before step f), the reception, by said receiver, of at least one cue regarding the contents of said file of additional data, said cue preferably being chosen from among a size, a subsequent date of use, a date of expiry or of validity of the additional data, a date on which the additional data will be used, a broadcasting channel which will use the additional data, and a downloading address.

4. ) Interactive television process according to claim 2, comprising, before step h), a step in the course of which the user indicates a choice of immediate downloading or of deferred downloading of said file of additional data.

5. ) Interactive television process according to claim 2, wherein during step e), the reception of the proposal message is effected upon the reception of an application of the same type as the second application.

6. ) Interactive television process according to claim 1, wherein said file of additional data contains an additional application.

7. ) Interactive television process according to claim 1, wherein during step a), said receiver also receives said second application.

8. ) Interactive television process according to claim 1, comprising a step of automatic erasing of the contents of said memory.

9. ) Interactive television process according to claim 8, wherein a date of erasure is associated with said file of additional data and in that the erasure step comprises a periodic operation of reading this date and an erasure operation when this date is reached.

10. ) Interactive television process according to claim 1, wherein said file of additional data contains data chosen from among at least a piece of software, video data, pictures, sound and a combination of these types of data.

11. ) Interactive television receiver comprising means for testing for the presence in a memory of said receiver, of at least one file of additional data,

comprising:

means of reception of a startup application and of a first application,

and means of starting up the first application in the absence of said file of additional data in said memory and of starting up an second application if said file of additional data is present in said memory,

said receiver preferably being designed to implement an interactive television process in accordance with claim 1.

12. ) Digital television terminal, comprising an interactive television receiver according to claim 11.

13. ) Process for transmitting applications by a broadcasting station to interactive television receivers, wherein said applications comprise a startup application and a first application, said startup application being intended to cause a test for the presence in a memory of at least one of said receivers, of at least one file of additional data, as well as to start up the first application in the absence of said file of additional data and to start up an second application using said file of additional data if said file is present, said transmitting process preferably being intended to implement said interactive television process in accordance with claim 1.

14. ) Station for transmitting programmes to interactive television receivers, comprising means of production and of transmission of at least one message comprising a startup application and a first application, said startup application being intended to cause a test for the presence in a memory of at least one of said receivers of at least one file of additional data, as well as to start up the first application in the absence of said file of additional data and to start up an second application using said additional file if said file is present, said transmitting station preferably being intended to implement the transmitting process according to claim 13.

15. ) Computer program product comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the process according to claim 1 when said program is executed on a computer.