Identifying Ancillary Information Associated With An Audio/Video Program

• US 20110202955A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David B. Kinder, Jason T. Cassezza, Jerilyn L. Marler, Mary J. Lalomia, Scott P. Casey
• Original Assignee: David B. Kinder, Jason T. Cassezza, Jerilyn L. Marler, Mary J. Lalomia, Scott P. Casey
• Inventors: Marler, Jerilyn L., Casey, Scott P., Lalomia, Mary J., Kinder, David B., Cassezza, Jason T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

A system communicates video information including television content associated with a plurality of channels and ancillary information. Information may be transmitted with the ancillary information that is indicative of the type of content included in the ancillary information. This provides the user, in one embodiment of the present invention, with a visual indication of the type of information that accompanies television content. This helps the user to decide whether the user wishes to view the ancillary information and provides the opportunity to select that enhancement for viewing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving content, ancillary information for said content, and an icon locator for said ancillary information;

using said icon locator to locate an icon indicative of the nature of said ancillary information; and

displaying said icon during the play of said content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving includes receiving broadcast television.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving ancillary information includes receiving an enhancement for said content.

4. The method of claim 1 including receiving an icon locator to locate an icon indicative of content applicable to children.

5. The method of claim 1 including receiving an icon locator to locate a mouse clickable icon.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an icon locator includes receiving an icon locator to locate an icon in the form of a graphical symbol.

7. The method of claim 1 including receiving in a single transmission, said content, said ancillary information for said content and said icon locator.

8. The method of claim 1 including receiving an icon locator in the form of a uniform resource locator.

9. The method of claim 1 including using said icon locator to select from among a plurality of pre-received icons that identify content.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying said icon includes displaying said icon as a transparent overlay over the display of said content.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to enable a computer to:

receive content, ancillary information for said content, and an icon locator for said ancillary information;

use said icon locator to locate an icon indicative of the nature of said ancillary information; and

display said icon during the play of said content.

12. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive broadcast television.

13. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive an enhancement for said content.

14. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive an icon locator to locate an icon indicative of content applicable to children.

15. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive an icon locator to locate a mouse clickable icon.

16. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive an icon locator to locate an icon in the form of a graphical symbol.

17. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive in a single transmission, said content, said ancillary information for said content and said icon locator.

18. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to receive an icon locator in the form of a uniform resource locator.

19. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to use said icon locator to select from among a plurality of pre-received icons that identify content.

20. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to display said icon includes displaying said icon as a transparent overlay over the display of said content.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver to receive content, ancillary information for said content, and an icon locator for said ancillary information; and

a processor to use said icon locator to locate an icon indicative of the nature of said ancillary information and display said icon during the play of said content.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive broadcast television.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive an enhancement for said content.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive an icon locator to locate an icon indicative of content applicable to children.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive an icon locator to locate a mouse clickable icon.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive an icon locator to locate an icon in the form of a graphical symbol.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive in a single transmission, said content, said ancillary information for said content and said icon locator.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, said receiver to receive an icon locator in the form of a uniform resource locator.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, said processor to use said icon locator to select from among a plurality of pre-received icons that identify content.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, said processor to display said icon includes displaying said icon as a transparent overlay over the display of said content.