SYNCHRONIZATION OF DIGITAL TELEVISION PROGRAMS WITH INTERNET WEB APPLICATION

• US 20080244640A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Belleguie, Loys
• Application Number:
  US11/691,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244640A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• 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 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

An architecture is presented that synchronizes digital television content with IP network content. A content management system is provided that comprises a computing system that includes an input component and an application component. The input component of the computing system receives digital television content of a broadcast network. The application component receives IP network content of an IP network. The application component then synchronizes the IP network content and the digital television content via DSM-CC stream events. The DSM-CC stream events are markers that comprise an event identifier and a time reference. Based on the event identifier and the time reference, the broadcasted digital television content can be synchronized with the IP network content to deliver additional content media and commercials tailored to specific groups of viewers based on demographics, geography and/or individual profiles.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for content management, comprising:

an input component of a computing system that receives digital television content of a broadcast network; and

an application component that receives IP content from an IP network and synchronizes the IP content to the television content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application component utilizes digital storage media command and control (DSM-CC) stream events to synchronize the IP content and the television content.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the DSM-CC stream events contain an event identifier and a time reference, the event identifier allows each stream event to be uniquely identified and the time reference indicates at what point in the stream the event should be triggered.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the DSM-CC stream events are used to launch a specific process in relation with broadcasted commercial content.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the DSM-CC stream events are used to launch additional documentary applications tailored to a viewer'"'"'s interests based on a specific news program, sports program, drama program or cultural program.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the DSM-CC stream events contain an event identifier and multiple time references, the multiple time references trigger events at several times in future.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein only a specific group of viewers are allowed to watch a re-transmission of the digital television content based on specific viewer characteristics.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the viewer characteristics comprise at least one of viewer demographics, viewer geography, or individual viewer profiles.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is equipped with a convergence platform.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital television content comprises at least one of commercial spots, sports events, news stories, or live events.

11. A method of synchronizing digital television content with IP network content, comprising:

broadcasting digital television content over a broadcast channel;

sending metadata stream event ID and content information to a server for delivery on an IP channel;

adding content;

synchronizing the broadcasted digital television content with the IP channel contents to deliver the additional content;

re-directing viewers to an e-commerce site to view the additional content; and

sharing revenues among sponsors and vendors of the additional content.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing DSM-CC stream events to synchronize the broadcasted digital television content with the IP channel contents.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the DSM-CC stream event contain an event identifier and at least one time reference, the event identifier allows each stream event to be uniquely identified and the at least one time reference indicates at what point or points in the stream the event should be triggered.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

broadcasting a commercial during the digital television content broadcast;

sending a metadata stream event and content information over the DSM-CC channel for delivery on an IP channel;

using the stream event to launch a specific process in relation with the broadcasted commercial; and

linking the specific process and the digital broadcast content in a timely manner.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

broadcasting a news program during the digital television content broadcast;

sending a metadata stream event and content information over the DSM-CC channel for delivery on an IP channel;

using the stream event to launch additional documentary applications in relation with the broadcasted news program; and

linking the additional documentary applications and the digital broadcast content in a timely manner.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

broadcasting a sports program during the digital television content broadcast;

sending a metadata stream event and content information over the DSM-CC channel for delivery on an IP channel;

using the stream event to launch additional sports events applications in relation with the broadcasted sports program; and

linking the additional sports events applications and the digital broadcast content in a timely manner.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

broadcasting digital television content over a broadcast channel;

sending a metadata stream event identification and content information over the DSM-CC channel for delivery on an IP channel;

using the stream event to assign event firing at several times in the future; and

allowing a broadcaster to schedule events on the viewer platform in advance.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising notifying viewers of the broadcast even if the viewers are not watching television on the IP channel at a particular time.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising tailoring transmission of the broadcast to certain timing intervals or groups of users.

20. A system of synchronizing digital television content with IP network content, comprising:

means for broadcasting digital television content over a broadcast channel;

means for sending metadata stream event ID and content information to a server for delivery on an IP channel;

means for adding content;

means for synchronizing the broadcasted digital television content with the IP channel contents to deliver the additional content;

means for utilizing DSM-CC stream events to synchronize the IP channel contents and the broadcasted digital television content;

means for re-directing viewers to an e-commerce site to view the additional content; and

means for sharing revenues among sponsors and vendors of the additional content.