Interactive content system and method

• US 20080034392A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McClenny, John, Noll, Roland, McCarthy, Mary, Pettit, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• 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 21/4622 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/8166 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 21/8545 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing interactive content. The method can include receiving a video signal from a first source of a television system, where the video signal includes video content but does not include data relating to an interactive application. The method can also include retrieving an interactive application from a second source of the television system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal from a first source of a television system, wherein the video signal includes video content but does not include data relating to an interactive application;

providing the video content to a display device; and

retrieving an interactive application from a second source of the television system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the television system is an internet protocol television (IPTV) system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content includes a television program associated with a channel, and further comprising:

receiving a first request from a user of the display device for an indication of available interactive applications related to the video content; and

sending a second request to the IPTV system for an identification of available interactive applications related to at least one of the television program and the channel in response to receiving the first request.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a first identification of a first available interactive application from the IPTV system in response to the second request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a second identification of a second available interactive application retrievable from a local memory device in response to the first request.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing a first indication of the first available interactive application and a second indication of the second available interactive application to the display device concurrently with the video content.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the first available interactive application and the second available interactive application from the user; and

executing the selected one of the first available interactive application and the second available interactive application.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication of the first available interactive application and the second available interactive application are displayed in a prioritized menu.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first available interactive application is associated with the television program, and wherein the second available interactive application is not associated with the television program, and wherein the first indication is displayed above the second indication.

10. A user interface, comprising:

a first display region to display video content received from a television system via a television channel; and

a second display region to display a prioritized menu of available interactive applications.

11. The user interface of claim 10, wherein the video content comprises a television program, and wherein a priority of at least a first available interactive application of the prioritized menu is determined in accordance with an association of the first available interactive application with the television program.

12. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the video content further comprises a television channel associated with the television program, and wherein a priority of at least a second available interactive application of the prioritized menu is determined in accordance with an association of the second available interactive application with the television channel.

13. The user interface of claim 10, wherein a priority of a first available interactive application is determined by a first source of the television system.

14. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the first source is a set top box.

15. The user interface of claim 13, wherein a priority of a second available interactive application is determined by a second source of the television system.

16. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the television system is an internet protocol television system.

17. The user interface of claim 10, wherein the video content comprises a television program, and wherein at least one available interactive application of the prioritized menu is a default application that is available when a first television program received via a first channel is displayed in the first display region and is also available when a second television program received via a second channel is displayed in the first display region.

18. A set top box device, comprising:

a memory device accessible to a processor;

a network interface to communicate with a source of content;

a display interface to communicate with a display device;

a buffer to receive video content from the source of content via the network interface; and

an interactive application module to provide an indication of available interactive applications via the display interface in response to receiving a first user request.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the interactive application module is further operable to send a second request for an identification of an available interactive application associated with the video content to the source of content in response to receiving the first request.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising a default interactive application, and wherein an availability of the default interactive application is independent of the video content.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the default interactive application is executed in response to the first user request when only the default interactive application is available.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the indication of the default interactive application is retrieved from the memory device, wherein an indication of a first available interactive application is retrieved from a first source of a television system, and wherein an indication of a second available interactive application is retrieved from a second source of the television system.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the interactive application module is further operable to update an indication of the default interactive application when a replacement default interactive application is received from the source of content.