CLEAR SCREEN BROADCASTING

• US 20140298369A1
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LVL Studio Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LVL Studio Incorporated
• Inventors: Gagnon, Jean-Franois
• Granted Patent: US 10,491,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts

Abstract

System and method for providing clear screen TV broadcasting to subscribed users. Two signals are provided by the broadcasters for the same channel: a mixed signal that includes the main program and additional content to overlap portions of the main program on the display, and a clear screen signal which includes only the main program. By default, decoding machines e.g. STB at the user'"'"'s location, are adapted to decode the mixed signal to output on the display the main program and the additional content. The embodiments provide a mechanism to provide the additional content separately to subscribed users and switch the decoding at the STB to the clear screen mode for decoding and outputting the clear TV signal instead of the mixed signal.

Claims

1. A method for providing clear screen TV broadcasting to a user having a set-top box (STB) and a TV display connected to the STB, the method comprising:

receiving additional content for one or more TV channels from TV broadcasters associated with the one or more TV channels, the additional content for a given channel comprising televised content other than a main program being aired on the given channel;

receiving an authentication request from a computing device associated with a subscribed user;

identifying an STB associated with the subscribed user;

upon authentication, causing the STB associated with the user to output a video signal to the TV display in a clear screen mode free from the additional content; and

sending the additional content to the computing device for viewing thereon instead of on the TV display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a channel being currently watched on the TV display;

sending the additional content associated with the channel being currently watched to the computing device for display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying comprises receiving an identification of the channel being currently watched from the STB or the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon authentication sending instructions to the STB to switch to a clear screen mode for all channels.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the additional content as event cards for selection and viewing on the computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a user selection of an event card and displaying the additional content associated with the selected event card on the TV display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the TV display comprises any one of:

television device, and video projector.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the STB to output comprises sending instructions to the STB to detect and decode a different TV signal for the given channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the STB to output comprises sending decryption keys to the STB to decode an encrypted clear screen TV signal for the given channel.

10. A set-top box (STB) for providing clear screen TV broadcasting, the STB comprising:

an input module adapted to receive an encoded cable signal from a cable TV provider, the encoded cable signal comprising for a given channel a mixed TV signal and a clear screen TV signal, wherein the mixed TV signal comprises a main program and additional televised content to be displayed with and/or over the main program, and the clear screen TV signal comprises the main program free from the additional content;

an output for connecting to a TV display;

a processor for decoding the encoded cable signal to output a video signal representative of the given channel on the TV display;

a communication interface adapted to interface with a remote device for receiving instructions to switch between a mixed mode and a clear screen mode;

wherein, by default, the STB is adapted to decode the mixed TV signal for the given channel to output a first video signal comprising the main program and the additional content, and upon receipt of instructions to switch to a clear screen mode the STB causes the processor to decode the clear screen TV signal for the given channel to output a second video signal representing only the main program free from additional content.

11. The STB of claim 10, wherein the STB is adapted to receive the additional content and send the additional content to a home device associated with the STB using a home network, the home device being different than the remote device.

12. The STB of claim 11, wherein the STB receives the additional content from the remote device or the cable TV provider.

13. The STB of claim 10, wherein the STB is adapted to receive a user selection of a given additional content while in the clear screen mode and insert the additional content in the second video signal for output on the TV display in the clear screen mode.

14. The STB of claim 10, wherein the STB is adapted to receive decryption keys for decrypting the clear screen TV signal.

15. A system for providing clear screen TV broadcasting to a user from a broadcaster adapted to send a main program in a mixed TV signal with additional content other than the main program, and in a clear screen TV signal including only the main program, the user having a TV display connected and a set-top box (STB) adapted to decode the mixed TV signal by default and output the video signal to the TV display, the system comprising:

a server comprising a list of subscribed users and an identification of an STB associated with each subscribed user, the server being adapted to receive the additional content from the broadcaster for a given channel,

wherein upon receiving an authentication request from a computing device associated with a subscribed user, the server identifies the STB associated with the subscribed user and causes the STB to decode the clear TV signal instead of the mixed TV signal to output a video signal to the TV display representing only the main program;

the server being also adapted to send the additional content to the computing device after authentication for viewing thereon instead of on the TV display.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system provides the additional content in the form of event cards for selection and viewing on the computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is adapted to receive a user selection of an event card for viewing on the TV display, and send the event card to the STB for adding to the clear TV signal.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is adapted to provide the STB with decryption keys for decrypting the clear TV signal.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the server provides the additional content in real time or near time for displaying on the computing device in accordance with a progress of the main program on the TV display.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is adapted to make available a set of computer readable instructions which when received and executed on the computing device implement an interface which allows the user to request authentication and receive the additional content from the server.