VIDEO BROADCASTING SYSTEM

• US 20090138911A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Flemming, Diane Garza, Maron, William A., Herescu, Octavian Florin, Srinivas, Mysore Sathyanarayana, Gholami, Ghadir Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/945,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138911A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26225 involving billing parameters, e.g. priority for subscribers of premium services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

A method, medium and implementing processing system, are provided in which premium programming content is included in a standard program broadcasting system. The added content is stored at a user site for subsequent viewing at the user'"'"'s convenience. The receipt and storing of the premium programming is accomplished without interfering with the receipt of standard broadcast signals. The premium programming, in one example, is transmitted and incrementally received and stored on a user'"'"'s system even while standard programming is received and viewed by the user. When all of the broadcast increments of a premium program have been received and the premium program has been stored in the user'"'"'s system, a signal is provided to the user to indicate the availability of the premium program for selective viewing by the user.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting an added content file together with a transmission of primary television (TV) signals being broadcast from a broadcast source, said primary TV signals being transmitted in a series of frames of information wherein said frames include a first group of lines containing said primary TV signals, and a second group of lines, said second group of lines being unused in said transmission of said primary TV signals, said method comprising:

dividing said added content file into file fragments;

transmitting said primary TV signals in said first group of lines in each of said series of frames of information, said primary TV signals being configured to cause a presentation of primary TV programming on a TV set receiving said series of frames; and

transmitting sequential ones said file fragments in said second grouping of lines in each of said series of frames of information, said file fragments being configured to be assembled at a receiver site to re-create said added content file at said receiver site.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

receiving said series of frames at a receiver site;

separating said primary TV signals from said file fragments;

sending said primary TV signals to a TV set at said receiver site; and

saving said file fragments to memory at said receiver site.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 and further including;

determining when all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received; and

providing a perceptible indicium to a user at said receiver site when all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2 and further including enabling a user to play said added content file at said receiver site after all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

5. The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including enabling a user to play said added content file at said receiver site after all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

providing a plurality of said added content files;

assigning a unique identifier for each of said plurality of said added content files; and

enabling a storing of said plurality of added content files in separate memory regions of a memory located at said receiver site.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 and further including assigning a unique identifier for each of said file fragments contained in said plurality of said added content files.

8. A medium including programming information executable for providing program signals for enabling transmitting of an added content file together with a transmission of primary television (TV) signals being broadcast from a broadcast source, said primary TV signals being transmitted in a series of frames of information wherein said frames include a first group of lines containing said primary TV signals, and a second group of lines, said second group of lines being unused in said transmission of said primary TV signals, said program signals being effective for:

dividing said added content file into file fragments;

enabling a transmitting said primary TV signals in said first group of lines in each of said series of frames of information, said primary TV signals being configured to cause a presentation of primary TV programming on a TV set receiving said series of frames; and

enabling a transmitting of sequential ones said file fragments in said second grouping of lines in each of said series of frames of information, said file fragments being configured to be assembled at a receiver site to re-create said added content file at said receiver site.

9. A medium including programming information executable for providing program signals for enabling receiving of an added content file together with a receipt of primary television (TV) signals being broadcast from a broadcast source, said added content file being divided into file fragments, said primary TV signals being transmitted in a series of frames of information wherein said frames include a first group of lines containing said primary TV signals, and a second group of lines, said second group of lines being unused in said transmission of said primary TV signals, said program signals being effective for:

enabling a receiving said series of frames at a receiver site;

separating said primary TV signals from said file fragments;

sending said primary TV signals to a TV set at said receiver site; and

saving said file fragments to memory at said receiver site.

10. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said program signals are further effective for:

enabling a determining when all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received; and

providing a perceptible indicium to a user at said receiver site when all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

11. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said program signals are further effective for enabling a user to play said added content file at said receiver site after all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

12. The medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said program signals are further effective for enabling a user to play said added content file at said receiver site after all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

13. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said added content files includes a unique identifier, said program signals being further effective for:

enabling a receiving of a plurality of said added content files; and

enabling a storing of said plurality of added content files in separate memory regions of a memory located at said receiver site.

14. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein each of said file fragments includes a unique identifier.

15. A receiver unit for receiving of an added content file being transmitted together with primary television (TV) signals being broadcast from a broadcast source, said added content file being divided into file fragments, said primary TV signals being transmitted in a series of frames of information wherein said frames include a first group of lines containing said primary TV signals, and a second group of lines, said second group of lines being unused in said transmission of said primary TV signals, said receiver unit including:

means for enabling a receiving said series of frames at a receiver site;

means for separating said primary TV signals from said file fragments;

means for sending said primary TV signals to a TV set at said receiver site; and

means for saving said file fragments to memory at said receiver site.

16. The receiver unit as set forth in claim 15 and further including:

means for enabling a determining when all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received; and

means for providing a perceptible indicium to a user at said receiver site when all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

17. The receiver unit as set forth in claim 15 and further including:

means for enabling a user to play said added content file at said receiver site after all of said file fragments of said added content file nave been received at said receiver site.

18. The receiver unit as set forth in claim 16 and further including:

means for enabling a user to play said added content file at said receiver site after all of said file fragments of said added content file have been received at said receiver site.

19. The receiver unit as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of said added content files includes a unique identifier, said receiver unit further including:

means for enabling a receiving of a plurality of said added content files; and

means for enabling a storing of said plurality of added content files in separate memory regions of a memory located at said receiver site.