SELECTIVE DISPLAY OF OVERLAY VIDEO STREAMS VIA INTERACTIVE ALERT ICONS

• US 20080059995A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thompson, Matthew, Purpura, Richard, Feldstein, David, Shanks, David
• Application Number:
  US11/843,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059995A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows

Abstract

An interactive alert system displayed on a video monitor. The system comprises a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel, and an overlay video stream, displayed simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video stream provides information on a second video stream.

Claims

1. An alert system displayed on a video monitor, comprising

a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel;

and

an overlay video stream, displayed simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video stream provides information on a second video stream.

2. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the overlay video stream provides for interaction with a viewer of the overlay video stream.

3. The alert system of claim 2, wherein display of the overlay video stream is controlled by an IRD coupled to a video monitor.

4. The alert system of claim 3, wherein the IRD displays the overlay video stream on a select set of viewer channels.

5. The alert system of claim 3, wherein the IRD displays the overlay video stream based on a time of day.

6. The alert system of claim 2, wherein the overlay video stream provides additional information on the second video stream, the additional information comprising at least a type of program shown on the second video stream.

7. The alert system of claim 2, wherein the interaction comprises directly tuning to the second video stream.

8. The alert system of claim 2, wherein the interaction comprises removing the overlay video stream from display on the video monitor.

9. A system for displaying a plurality of individual video feeds at a given time, comprising:

a broadcast delivery system, comprising a transmitter and a receiver;

a monitor, coupled to the receiver, for displaying a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel; and

an overlay video stream, displayed simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video stream provides information on a second video stream.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the broadcast delivery system is a satellite television delivery system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the overlay video stream provides interactive services to a viewer of the overlay video stream.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the overlay video stream is separate from the video information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the overlay video stream is selectively viewable on a first viewer channel and a second viewer channel.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the overlay video stream is viewed on the first viewer channel and the second viewer channel during a change in viewer channel from the first viewer channel to the second viewer channel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the overlay video stream is selectively viewed on the first viewer channel and the second viewer channel during a change in viewer channel from the first viewer channel to the second viewer channel based on at least a characteristic of the second viewer channel.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the selective viewing of the overlay video stream is based on a characteristic of the receiver.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the receiver prevents viewing of the overlay video stream.

18. A system for displaying a plurality of individual video feeds at a given time, comprising:

means for transmitting the plurality of individual video feeds;

means for displaying a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel; and

means for displaying an overlay video stream simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video stream provides information on a second video stream.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for controlling the overlay video stream.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for controlling the overlay video stream is a receiver located proximate to the means for displaying.