METHODS, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING INTERACTIVE SERVICES

• US 20100058423A1
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• 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: Yaussy, Ledley (Buddy), Brown, William, Yu, Ke
• Granted Patent: US 8,813,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for providing interactive services used with a time sensitive interactive application are provided. A request is received for interactive services that corresponds to a program. A program identification (ID) for the program is determined. An interactive application that corresponds to the program is determined based on the program ID, where the interactive application has a corresponding interactive application ID. The interactive application ID that corresponds to the interactive application for the program is provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive services used with a time sensitive interactive application, comprising:

receiving a request for interactive services that corresponds to a program;

determining a program identification (ID) for the program;

determining an interactive application that corresponds to the program based on the program ID, wherein the interactive application has a corresponding interactive application ID; and

providing the interactive application ID that corresponds to the interactive application for the program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is media broadcast to a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is media streamed to a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive application ID corresponds to a uniform resource locator (URL) of remote network based application or a Global Unique ID (GUID) of native local application for the program;

and

wherein the URL or GUID is used to launch the interactive application that corresponds to the program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive application ID is used to launch the interactive application that corresponds to the program.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the interactive application allows for selecting options that coincide with the program.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selections are votes for the options.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request for interactive services comprises receiving a client ID, a current time stamp, and a channel of the program.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising authenticating the client ID.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the program ID for the program comprises:

performing an electronic program guide lookup to find a name of the program, the program ID, a start time for the program, and a stop time for the program.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the interactive application that corresponds to the program based on the program ID comprises:

mapping the program ID for the program to the interactive application.

12. An apparatus for providing interactive services used with a time sensitive interactive application, comprising:

memory for storing a program for providing interactive services; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to;

receive a request for interactive services that corresponds to a program;

determine a program identification (ID) for the program;

determine an interactive application that corresponds to the program based on the program ID, wherein the interactive application has a corresponding interactive application ID; and

provide the interactive application ID that corresponds to the interactive application for the program.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interactive application ID corresponds to a (URL) for the program;

and

wherein the URL is used to launch the interactive application that corresponds to the program.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the interactive application ID is used to launch the interactive application that corresponds to the program.

15. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to execute a method for providing interactive services used with a time sensitive interactive application, comprising:

receiving a request for interactive services that corresponds to a program;

determining a program identification (ID) for the program;

determining an interactive application that corresponds to the program based on the program ID, wherein the interactive application has a corresponding interactive application ID; and

providing the interactive application ID that corresponds to the interactive application for the program.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program is media broadcast to a user.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program is media streamed to a user.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the interactive application ID corresponds to a (URL) for the program;

and

wherein the URL is used to launch the interactive application that corresponds to the program.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the interactive application ID is used to launch the interactive application that corresponds to the program.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the interactive application allows for selecting options that coincide with the program.