CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, METHODS, APPARATUS AND USER INTERFACES

• US 20150033268A1
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transcity Group Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Transcity Group Pty Limited
• Inventors: Alford, James, McNair, David
• Application Number:
  US14/347,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033268A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

The invention generally relates to content management systems, methods, apparatus and user interfaces for transmitting, displaying and enabling the manipulation of content from multiple sources. In one embodiment, a system for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources in respective signals includes a server for transmitting a multicast stream comprising streams representing the signals from the plurality of sources and one or more apparatus coupled to be in communication with, the server and subscribing to the multicast stream. Each apparatus includes a plurality of player objects, each of which is paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream. The apparatus also comprises at least one viewing object coupled with one of the player objects to display content from the stream paired with the respective player object.

Claims

1. A method for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources in respective signals, the method including:

splitting a multicast stream comprising a plurality of streams representing the signals into the constituent streams;

pairing a player object with each constituent stream; and

coupling a viewing object with one of the player objects to display content from the stream paired with the respective player object.

2. The method of claim 1, further including switching a stream displayed by the viewing object by coupling the viewing object with a different player object.

3. The method of claim 1, further including transcoding one or more of the signals and/or resizing content prior to combining the signals into the multicast stream.

4. An apparatus for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources in a multicast stream, the apparatus including:

a plurality of player objects, each player object paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream; and

at least one viewing object coupled with one of the player objects to display content from the stream paired with the respective player object.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, including a plurality of viewing objects capable of simultaneously displaying content from a stream paired with the respective player object with which the viewing object is coupled.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is in the form of one or the following:

a tabletop display;

a bar top display;

a desk top display;

a display tablet.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more physical or virtual input devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input device is one or more of the following:

a touch screen;

a keyboard;

a controller;

a card reader;

a bank note acceptor;

a coin acceptor;

a barcode scanner;

a ticket scanner.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more of the following output devices:

a printer;

a loudspeaker;

a unidirectional loudspeaker.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of viewing objects are tessellated on a touch screen.

11. The apparatus claim 5, of wherein the plurality of viewing objects are oriented for a user on a respective side of a touch screen.

12. A system for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources in respective signals, the system including:

a server for transmitting a multicast stream comprising streams representing the signals from the plurality of sources;

one or more apparatus coupled to be in communication with the server and subscribing to the multicast stream;

wherein each apparatus includes;

a plurality of player objects, each player object paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream; and

at least one viewing object coupled with one of the player objects to display content from the stream paired with the respective player object.

13. The system of claim 12, further including a master control server coupled to be in communication with the server via a communications network.

14. The system of claim 12, further including a content management module coupled to be in communication with the server, preferably via the master control server, to provide additional content to the apparatus.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is an IPTV server.

16. A graphical user interface for displaying content supplied from a plurality of sources in a multicast stream, the interface including.

at least one viewing object coupled with one of a plurality of player objects to display content from the player object, each player object paired with one of the streams in the multicast stream;

and

at least one user input field to receive input from a user to couple the at least one viewing object to a different player object to cause the viewing object to display content from a stream paired with the different player object.

17. The user interface of claim 16 , further including at least one field for displaying information relating to content displayed by the at least one viewing object.

18. The user interface of claim 17, wherein the information relating to content displayed by the at least one viewing object includes performance statistics and/or betting odds relating to a sports event displayed by the at least one viewing object.

19. The user interface of claim 16, comprising a plurality of viewing objects.