Method and System for Providing Set-Top Box Remote Access Functions in a Browser Extension Based on Advertising Metadata

• US 20090241150A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cansler, James L., White, Scott, Scott, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,076,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/91
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/4622 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and a system for providing remote set-top box access functions in an Internet browser extension based on advertisement metadata is disclosed. A meta-data tag associated with an advertisement embedded on a currently viewed web page is scanned. It is determined that the meta-data tag is related to entertainment content. A media manipulation action for the entertainment content is determined. A notification that the media manipulation action is available for the entertainment content is displayed. Controls to store the media manipulation action on a user account are provided, and the manipulation action is stored to the user account.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scanning a meta-data tag associated with an advertisement embedded on a currently viewed web page;

determining that the meta-data tag is related to entertainment content;

determining a media manipulation action for the entertainment content;

displaying a notification that the media manipulation action is available for the entertainment content;

providing controls to store the media manipulation action on a user account; and

storing the manipulation action to the user account.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user account is associated with an Internet Protocol television service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the entertainment content is selected from a group consisting of a television program, a video on demand movie, and a digital video disc movie.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the media manipulation action is selected from a group consisting of scheduling a digital video recorder recording, and downloading a video on demand.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the notification further comprises:

blinking a browser toolbar icon.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a selection of the notification that the media manipulation is available; and

displaying a graphical user interface adapted to receive the media manipulation action.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the entertainment data is stored on a back end server of a television service provider.

8. A method comprising:

comparing a meta-data tag associated with an advertisement embedded on a currently viewed web page to an entertainment database;

determining that the meta-data tag is associated with entertainment content;

determining a media manipulation action for the entertainment content; and

displaying a notification that the media manipulation is available for the entertainment content.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing controls to store the media manipulation action on a set-top box; and

storing the manipulation action to the set-top box.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the entertainment content is selected from a group consisting of a television program, a video on demand movie, and a digital video disc movie.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the media manipulation action is selected from a group consisting of scheduling a digital video recorder recording, and downloading a video on demand.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein displaying the notification further comprises:

blinking a browser toolbar icon.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a selection of the notification that the media manipulation is available; and

displaying a graphical user interface adapted to receive the media manipulation action.

14. A computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions to manipulate a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions to scan a meta-data tag associated with an advertisement embedded on a web page;

instructions to determine that the meta-data tag is related to entertainment content;

instructions to determine a media manipulation action for the entertainment content;

and

instructions to display a notification that the media manipulation action is available for the entertainment content.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising:

instructions to provide controls to store the media manipulation action on a service account; and

instructions to store the manipulation action to the service account.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the entertainment content is selected from a group consisting of a television program, a video on demand movie, and a digital video disc movie.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the media manipulation action is selected from a group consisting of scheduling a digital video recorder recording, and downloading a video on demand.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the instructions to display the notification further comprises:

instructions to blink a browser toolbar icon.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14 further comprising:

instructions to receive a selection of the notification that the media manipulation is available; and

instructions to display a graphical user interface adapted to receive the media manipulation action.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the entertainment data is stored on a back end server of a television service provider.