Displaying an Information Ticker in Association with a Personalized Video Mosaic in a Television Services Network

• US 20090037966A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Watkins, Steven M., Rolls, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts

Abstract

A video source associated with an information ticker may be captured, and the associated information ticker may be broadcast and displayed below or near an array of simultaneously broadcast video sources being broadcast in a mosaic of video sources. The displayed information ticker may be broadcast in association with one or more of a plurality of simultaneously broadcast video sources in the mosaic of video sources.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an information ticker in association with a personalized video mosaic, comprising:

receiving, in a television services system, a subscriber selection of multiple video sources from a plurality of video sources broadcast in the cable television services system;

generating, in the television services system, a personalized video mosaic, the personalized video mosaic comprising the subscriber selection of the multiple video sources;

transmitting the personalized video mosaic to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the selected multiple video sources on a broadcast channel in the television services system;

capturing a video source associated with a desired information content;

transmitting the video source associated with the desired information content to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the desired information content with the multiple video sources on the broadcast channel in the television services system; and

displaying the desired information content in an information ticker in a viewing screen containing the multiple video sources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired information content is associated with one of the multiple video sources.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein capturing the video source associated with the desired content is in response to receiving a selection of one of the multiple video sources for displaying the desired information content in the information ticker.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the desired information content includes a displayed printed version of an audio feed associated with the selected one of the multiple video sources.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a selection of one of the selected multiple video sources includes receiving an electronic focus on a displayed one of the multiple video sources.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying a highlighting around the focused-on displayed one of the multiple video sources to alert a subscriber as to the multiple video source with which the desired information content displayed in the information ticker is associated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired information content is selected from the group comprising:

news information, entertainment information, sports information, business information, stock quotes, weather information, advertising, and printed form of audio presentation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the personalized video mosaic comprises:

de-multiplexing an input video stream comprising the plurality of video sources;

selecting the multiple video sources comprising the personalized video mosaic from among the plurality of video sources in the input video stream; and

multiplexing the multiple video sources into an output video stream to generate the personalized video mosaic.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein de-multiplexing an input video stream comprising the plurality of video sources comprises de-multiplexing an input video stream including a plurality of video sources compressed into a configurable bit stream corresponding to a configurable bit rate, wherein each of the plurality of compressed video sources is scaled down from an initial format size into a configurable video window.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the personalized video mosaic to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the selected multiple video sources on a broadcast channel in the cable television services system comprises transmitting program audio associated with each of the subscriber selected video sources.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, in a cable television services head end, a subscriber selection of multiple video sources from a plurality of video sources broadcast in the cable television services system comprises receiving subscriber profile data including the subscriber selection of multiple video sources.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, in a cable television services head end, a subscriber selection of multiple video sources from a plurality of video sources broadcast in the cable television services system comprises receiving a subscriber selection via one or more of an interactive television (ITV) session enabled via an ITV interface, a web services session wherein a subscriber profile containing one or more subscriber video source selections may be updated, or via a subscriber profile update session via a television services system client application operated on a television services receiver device.

13. A system for displaying an information ticker in association with a personalized video mosaic, comprising a head end operative

to receive a subscriber selection of multiple video sources from a plurality of video sources broadcast in a cable television services system, generate a personalized video mosaic, the personalized video mosaic comprising the subscriber selection of the multiple video sources,

to transmit the personalized video mosaic to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the multiple video sources on a broadcast channel in the cable television services system;

to capture a video source associated with a desired information content;

to transmit the video source associated with the desired information content to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the desired information content with the multiple video sources on the broadcast channel in the cable television services system; and

to display the desired information content in an information ticker or banner positioned in a viewing screen containing a display of the multiple video sources.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a receiver device operative to receive the personalized video mosaic from the head end and further operative to execute an application program enabling the subscriber to select the multiple video sources comprising the personalized video mosaic for transmission to the head end and display the personalized video mosaic on the broadcast channel.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the head end in generating a personalized video mosaic, is operative to:

de-multiplex an input video stream comprising the plurality of video sources;

select the multiple video sources comprising the personalized video mosaic from among the plurality of video sources in the input video stream; and

multiplex the multiple video sources into an output video stream to generate the personalized video mosaic.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the head end in de-multiplexing an input video stream, is operative to de-multiplex an input video stream including a plurality of video sources compressed into a configurable bit stream corresponding to a configurable bit rate, wherein each of the plurality of compressed video sources is scaled down from an initial format size into a configurable video window.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the head end in multiplexing the multiple video sources into an output video stream to generate the personalized video mosaic, is operative to multiplex the plurality of compressed video sources into an output video stream.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the head end is further operative to retransmit the personalized video mosaic in response to receiving a selection of the multiple video sources from multiple subscribers.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the head end in receiving a subscriber selection of multiple video sources from a plurality of video sources broadcast in the cable television services system, is operative to receive subscriber profile data including the subscriber selection of multiple video sources.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the head end in receiving the subscriber selection of multiple video sources from a plurality of video sources, is operative to receive a selection via one or more of an interactive television (ITV) session enabled via an ITV interface, a web services session wherein a subscriber profile containing one or more subscriber video source selections may be updated, or via a subscriber profile update session via a cable television services system client application operated on a television services receiver device.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the head end in transmitting the personalized video mosaic to the subscriber for simultaneous viewing of the selected multiple video sources on a broadcast channel in the cable television services system, is operative to transmit program audio associated with each of the subscriber selected video sources.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the head end is further operative to transmit a position of the personalized video mosaic for viewing the personalized video mosaic on the broadcast channel.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the set-top box application program is further operative to receive a selection of one of the subscriber selected video sources and tune to a broadcast channel for displaying the selected video source as a full screen.