Media streaming enhancements

• US 20070094705A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kansal, Sachin, Finkelstein, Jeffrey, Crowley, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/136
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for configuring a device for receipt of data corresponding to broadcast media signal. The system and method include selecting a metadata preference for use in a search of metadata associated with the broadcast media signals and selecting a notification preference for a notification format. The selected metadata preference and the selected notification preference are transmitted to a hosting system. The device can then receive, in the selected notification format, data corresponding to a broadcast media signal, the broadcast signal corresponding to the metadata preference. In one embodiment, the broadcast media signal is an analog or digital video signal. The metadata can be in a non-video portion of the broadcast television signal, for example, a vertical blanking interval or header field.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a user device for receipt of data corresponding to broadcast media signals, the method comprising:

selecting a metadata preference for use in a search of a metadata associated with the broadcast media signals;

selecting a notification preference for a notification format;

transmitting the selected metadata preference to a hosting system;

transmitting the selected notification preference to the hosting system; and

receiving, in the notification format, data corresponding to a broadcast media signal, the broadcast signal corresponding to the metadata preference.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to launch an application associated with the received data; and

executing the application in response to receiving an execution signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast media signal is a television signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises a vertical blanking signal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the television signal comprises a digital television signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital television signal includes a raw video stream and a user data field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the metadata is stored in the user data field.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification format is one of an electronic mail and a text message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification format is one of a SMS message and a MMS message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata preference comprises an event notification.

11. A computer readable medium adapted to store instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor perform steps comprising:

selecting a condition for use in a search of metadata associated with the broadcast media signals;

selecting a notification preference for a notification format;

transmitting the selected condition to a hosting system;

transmitting the selected notification preference to the hosting system; and

receiving, in a notification format corresponding to the selected notification preference, data corresponding to a broadcast media signal, the broadcast signal corresponding to the condition.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the notification format is one of an electronic mail and a text message.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the notification format is one of a short message service (SMS) message and a multimedia message service (MMS) message.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the condition further comprises selecting an event.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising executing an application in response to receiving the data in the notification format.

16. A handheld device comprising:

a data input mechanism adapted to receive a selection corresponding to a condition for use in a search of a metadata associated with the broadcast media signals and to receive a selection corresponding to a notification preference for a notification format;

a transmitter adapted to transmit the selected metadata preference to a hosting system and to transmit the selected notification preference to the hosting system; and

a receiver adapted to receive, in a selected notification format corresponding to the selected notification preference, data corresponding to a broadcast media signal, the broadcast signal corresponding to the condition.

17. The handheld device of claim 16, further comprising a processor adapted to determine whether to launch an application associated with the received data and to execute the application in response to receiving an execution signal.

18. The handheld device of claim 16, wherein the broadcast media signal is a television signal.

19. The handheld device of claim 18, wherein the metadata comprises a vertical blanking signal.

20. The handheld device of claim 18, wherein the wherein the notification format is one of a short message service (SMS) message and a multimedia message service (MMS) message.