Directing Interactive Content

• US 20100319019A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Frank Zazza
• Original Assignee: Frank Zazza
• Inventors: Zazza, Frank
• Application Number:
  US12/629,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics

Abstract

An entertainment capsule is described which includes at least one viewer selectable icon and content. The viewer selectable icon may be displayed simultaneously with entertainment segments. Entertainment capsule content may be sequenced to be displayed at a later time in response to viewer selection of the icon.

Claims

1. A method of inserting an entertainment capsule with a viewer selectable icon and content in interactive programming that includes entertainment segments and commercial segments to be delivered to a viewer comprising:

associating the viewer selectable icon with content of one entertainment segment;

sequencing the entertainment segments and the commercial segments at a headend to create at least a portion of the programming;

delivering the programming to a viewer display;

displaying the viewer selectable icon simultaneously with the content of the one entertainment segment; and

in response to viewer selection of the viewer selectable icon, sequencing the entertainment segments, the commercial segments and the entertainment capsule content at the headend such that;

first the balance of the one entertainment segment is delivered to the viewer;

second a plurality of commercial segments are delivered; and

third the entertainment capsule content is delivered.

2. The method of inserting an entertainment capsule of claim 1 where associating the viewer selectable icon with content of one entertainment segment is independent of any profile of the viewer defined at least in part on previous selections by the viewer.

3. The method of inserting an entertainment capsule of claim 1 where the icon is an avatar that changes position on the screen.