Wireless control channel and back-channel for receiver

• US 20090113497A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,225,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A method and apparatus for integrating a bi-directional control channel into an entertainment display device to deliver content and exchange control information. The system collects request and response information from the entertainment display device. The system also provides format translation of received and collected content to and from a plurality of formats such as N-PCS technology formats and video display formats in such a manner that the integrated system is independent of broadcasters, satellite, IPTV and cable operators. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method for receiving content, and transmitting and receiving control communication with an entertainment display device, comprising:

providing a transceiver device in communication with the entertainment display device and adapted to establish bi-directional communication over a wireless communication channel;

using said wireless communication channel to establish a direct communication connection between said transceiver device and an external content aggregator;

receiving entertainment content and control communication directly from said external content aggregator;

storing said received content;

formatting said received content for presentation;

presenting said received entertainment on the display of said entertainment display device;

collecting response data and content request data sent from a user in response to content displayed on the entertainment display device;

storing the data;

formatting the received and collected data for transmission;

transmitting directly to the external content aggregator using said wireless communication channel; and

wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel comprises a communication and control channel to perform bi-direction data transfer directly between said integral transmit and receive device and the external content aggregator operating independently of broadcasters, satellite and cable operators.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel is implemented using narrow band personal communication service (N-PCS) technology.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel is implemented using one of N-PCS, WIMAX, and 802.11a-g.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the entertainment content may include encrypted and non-encrypted content.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the control content is comprised of at least one of:

advertising report back messages, program report back messages, cost settlement information, targeted advertising messages, viewing metrics, entertainment display setup messages, entertainment display maintenance messages, and a message that collects a response from a viewer.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the entertainment display device comprises one of a TV set, digital display device, and set-top box.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel is used to deliver digital rights management information or entitlement keys directly to the entertainment display device.

8. An apparatus for content and control communication directly with an entertainment display device, comprising:

a processor;

a communications device for communicating directly between the processor and an external content aggregator device using a direct bi-directional, wireless communication channel;

a data translation module integral to the processor for receiving and translating entertainment content and control communication over the bi-directional, wireless communication channel;

a display module to request the display of content and response request information on the display of the entertainment display device;

a control module for transferring stored data for display on the entertainment display device and collecting response and request commands from a user of the entertainment display device; and

wherein the processor is integrated into the entertainment display device and performs bi-direction data transfer directly between said integral processor and the external content aggregator as an independent back channel.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the entertainment display device comprises one of a TV, digital display device and a set-top box.

10. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the data translation module translates content arriving at the entertainment display device from a narrow band personal communication services technology message into content that may be displayed to a user.

11. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the data translation module translates content sent from the entertainment display device into a format suitable for transmission to an aggregator.

12. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel is implemented using one of N-PCS, WIMAX, and 802.11a-g.

13. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the control module displays control and command messages to a user via the entertainment display device.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the control module gathers responses to control and command messages sent to a user.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions used to control the receiving of content, and the transmitting and receiving of control communication with an entertainment display device, wherein when such instructions are executed on one or more programmed processors carry out a process comprising:

using a wireless communication channel to establish a direct communication connection between a transmit and receive device and an external content aggregator, wherein the transceiver device is integrated with an entertainment display device and adapted to establish bi-directional communication over a wireless communication channel;

receiving entertainment and control content directly from said external content aggregator;

storing said received content;

formatting said received content for presentation;

presenting said received entertainment and control content from the integral transceiver device on the display of said entertainment display device;

collecting response data and content request data sent from a user in response to content displayed on the entertainment display device;

storing the data;

formatting the received and collected content for transmission from said integral transceiver device;

transmitting directly to the external content aggregator using said wireless communication channel; and

wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel comprises a communication and control channel to perform bi-direction data transfer directly between said integral transceiver device and the external content aggregator operating independently of broadcasters and cable operators.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media as in claim 15 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel is implemented through narrow band personal communication services technology.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media as in claim 15 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel is implemented through one of WIMAX and 802.11a-g.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media as in claim 15 wherein the entertainment content comprises encrypted and non-encrypted content.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media as in claim 15 wherein the control content is comprised of:

advertising report back messages, program report back messages, cost settlement information, targeted advertising messages, viewing metrics, entertainment display setup messages, entertainment display maintenance messages, or any other message that may collect a response from a viewer.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media as in claim 15 wherein the entertainment display device may comprises one of a TV set, digital display device, and a set-top box.

21. One or more computer-readable storage media as in claim 15 wherein the bi-directional, wireless communication channel may be used to deliver digital rights management information or entitlement keys to the entertainment display device.