INDICATING AVAILABILITY OF INTERACTIVE CONTENT

• US 20150067732A1
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howe, Wayne R., Danner, Fred Thomas III, Mauney, John R.
• Application Number:
  US14/538,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20150067732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• 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 5/44 : Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 : Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method includes receiving, at a computing device from a server, video content and an address indicating a location of interactive content. The method also includes generating a display of an on-screen image indicating availability of the interactive content, the on-screen image at least partially overlaying a display of the video content. The method further includes discontinuing the display of the on-screen image responsive to a command from the server.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a computing device from a server, video content and an address indicating a location of interactive content;

generating a display of an on-screen image indicating availability of the interactive content, the on-screen image at least partially overlaying a display of the video content; and

discontinuing the display of the on-screen image responsive to a command from the server.

2. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the on-screen image includes an on-screen button.

3. The computer-readable storage device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise receiving data indicating a type of the on-screen button.

4. The computer-readable storage device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise receiving data indicating a characteristic of the on-screen button.

5. The computer-readable storage device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise receiving data indicating a location at which the on-screen button is to at least partially overlay the video content.

6. The computer-readable storage device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise receiving data indicating text of the on-screen button.

7. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the interactive content is related to the video content.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7, wherein the interactive content comprises a commercial related in subject matter to the video content.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a second address associated with second interactive content.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the command comprises the second address.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a selection of a second on-screen image indicating availability of the second interactive content; and

sending a request for the second interactive content in response to the selection.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the second interactive content; and

generating a display of the second interactive content.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the address comprises a logical address that maps to a network address.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the address includes an application identifier of an interactive application associated with the interactive content.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the command comprises a remove message.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise receiving data indicating a timeout period, and wherein the computing device is configured to discontinue the display of the on-screen image at the end of the timeout period when the remove message is not received.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device from a server, video content and an address indicating a location of interactive content;

generating a display of an on-screen image indicating availability of the interactive content, the on-screen image at least partially overlaying a display of the video content; and

discontinuing the display of the on-screen image responsive to a command from the server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the video content comprises a television program and wherein the interactive content is related to the television program.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a server, video content and an address indicating a location of interactive content;

generating a display of an on-screen image indicating availability of the interactive content, the on-screen image at least partially overlaying a display of the video content; and

discontinuing the display of the on-screen image responsive to a command from the server.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the interactive content is related to the video content.