METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION

• US 20070271589A1
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Espial Group Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Espial Group Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Doan, Dat, Yogaratnam, Kumanan
• Application Number:
  US11/419,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271589A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/113
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• 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 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method for interactive Internet protocol television in which program channels and an announcement channel are received over the IP medium. Triggers contained in the announcement channel can be used to alter a viewer'"'"'s viewing experience. The bandwidth required for the announcement channel is not fixed, rather it is a function of the triggers contained therein. The program channels and the announcement channel can be provided by independent sources. The method can provide for efficient use of the bandwidth in the IP medium and can provide greater flexibility to the viewer with regard to the source of program and announcement channels.

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive television over an internet protocol (IP) medium, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, over the IP medium, one or more program channels for presentation to a television viewer;

receiving, over the IP medium, at least one announcement channel containing one or more triggers, wherein the bandwidth required for the announcement channel is a function of the one or more triggers; and

altering the television viewer'"'"'s viewing experience responsive to the one or more triggers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at lease one announcement channel also contains one or more target applications each associated with one of the one or more triggers, and wherein the bandwidth required for the announcement channel is a function of the one or more triggers and the one or more target applications.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving one or more data channels having content associated with the one or more triggers;

wherein data channel content can be utilized in the step of altering the televisions viewer'"'"'s viewing experience.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the content of the data channels includes one or more target applications each associated with one of the one or more triggers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a content provider of the announcement channel is independent of a program provider of the one or more program channels.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein an announcement content provider of the announcement channel is independent of a program content provider of the one or more program channels and a data content provider of each of one or more data channels is independent of the program content provider.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the data content provider is independent of the program content provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one announcement channel is received asynchronously.

9. The method of claim 1, the at least one announcement channel further containing one or more target applications each corresponding to one of the triggers, wherein the bandwidth required for the announcement channel is a function of the one or more triggers and the one or more target applications.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein any of the one or more announcement channels being provided over a multicast IP connection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein any of the one or more announcement channels being provided over a non-multicast IP connection from a single source to multiple receivers.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the one or more triggers is contained in a single packet in accordance with the User Datagram Protocol (UPD).

13. The method of claim 3, each of the one or more triggers containing a session payload that identifies one or more of the data channels, wherein content of the identified data channels can be utilized in the step of altering the televisions viewer'"'"'s viewing experience.

14. The method of claim 3, each of the one or more triggers containing a session payload having references to a data source that identifies one or more of the data channels, wherein content of the identified data channels can be utilized in the step of altering the televisions viewer'"'"'s viewing experience.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data source is a web server accessible over the IP medium.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more data channels can multiplexed in a data carousel received over a multicast channel.

17. The method of claim 1, each of the one or more triggers further containing meta-data;

and wherein the meta-data can be used in determining to which of the one or more triggers altering of the viewing experience is responsive.