INTERACTIVE CHANNEL

• US 20150082169A1
• Filed: 09/15/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, LTD.
• Original Assignee: TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, LTD.
• Inventors: SHMUELI, Oded
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A channel distribution system comprises: a channel carrying content; and an interactive receiver device for receiving the content and presenting to a user, the interactive receiver device comprising an interface for allowing a user to interact with the content; wherein the channel further comprises a broadcast label superimposed on the content, the label inviting the user to interact with the content, the label being combined with an interactive link, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction to the interactive receiver device, the digital instruction containing handling information for the interactive receiver device to indicate to the receiver device how to handle a user interaction coinciding with the label.

Claims

1. A channel distribution system comprising:

a channel carrying content; and

an interactive receiver device for receiving the content and presenting to a user, the interactive receiver device comprising an interface for allowing a user to interact with the content;

wherein the channel further comprises a broadcast label superimposed on the content, the label inviting the user to interact with the content, the label being combined with an interactive link, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction to the interactive receiver device, the digital instruction containing operating information to operate the interactive receiver device in response to a user interaction coinciding with the label, the operating being combined with continuing content play.

2. The distribution system of claim 1, wherein silent periods are added to a channel for subsequent addition of content to the respective channel.

3. The distribution system of claim 2, wherein additional content is inserted into a channel having a silent period, the inserting being at a time prior to the silent period, playing of content of the channel between the inserting and the silent period being delayed.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user client provided to recipients of the distributed channel, the client being configured to control play of the distributed channel.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control of play comprises one member of the group consisting of:

using channel content to affect further content, directing the channel to deliver internet content, directing the channel to interact with a given communication device, directing the channel to interact with a given computer, and directing the channel to interact with a navigational device.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein subsidiary channels are provided alongside a main channel for providing user selectable additional content.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user client is configured to control content play to pass from a main channel to a corresponding subsidiary channel and from a subsidiary channel to a corresponding main channel.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the user client is configured to control content play to pass between two subsidiary channels of a shared main channel.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user client is configured to return play to a main channel at one member of the group consisting of:

multiple predetermined play positions within channel content, a content play position reached when leaving the channel and a current content play position.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the user client further comprises a content fast forward control and a content fast back control.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a control to obtain content from Internet addresses, wherein a list of available internet addresses are provided by one member of the group consisting of being preloaded, being obtained from an indicated location, being provided within a link, and being obtained from a separate device.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising a control to obtain content from Internet addresses, wherein an internet address is identified following identification input from a user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein internet site content is presented using predetermined presentation styles.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the user client is configured to treat data being received from a smartphone as an additional channel.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the content is video content and the broadcast label comprises a visual invitation.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast label comprises a human inaudible sound notification.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the inaudible notification is mediated to be provided conditionally to the user.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recording application for recording information from the environment, the environment including the content, the information identified according to predetermined criteria.

19. The system of claim 18, configured to play back the recorded information.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the predetermined criteria define contact information, the system being configured to use the recorded information in order to make contact.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating comprises one member of the group consisting of:

placing a telephone call, altering a content play path to temporarily play alternative content prior to returning to the channel content, interacting with navigational information, and interacting with an external device.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a learning module (LM) configured to track user behavior so as to be able to trigger automatic interactions on the user'"'"'s behalf.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising an operational mode interface for setting an operational mode to control the automatic actions.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the interactive receiver device is configured with user identification for identification of individual users, thereby to separately track behaviors of multiple users and combinations of users.

33. The channel distributor of claim 7, wherein the user client is configured to return play to a main channel at one member of the group consisting of:

multiple predetermined play positions within channel content, a content play position reached when leaving the channel and a current content play position.

34. The System of claim 1, wherein the set of users listening to the channel consists of a single user.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising disabling the continuing broadcast when there are no users playing the continuing broadcast.

25. A channel distribution system comprising:

a main channel carrying content; and

an interactive receiver device for receiving the content and presenting to a user, the interactive receiver device comprising an interface for allowing a user to interact with the content;

wherein the main channel further comprises a broadcast label superimposed on the content, the label inviting the user switch over to a subsidiary channel, the, the subsidiary channel being a channel dedicated to carrying content which is complementary to the main channel content.

26. A channel distribution system comprising:

a primary content carrying channel;

a secondary content carrying channel wherein content of the secondary content carrying channel is related to content of the primary content-carrying channel; and

an interactive switching interface comprising labels superimposed on the content, and an instruction for switching between the primary content carrying channel and the secondary content carrying channel based on a user response to the label.

27. A channel distribution method comprising:

providing content for broadcast in a content channel;

superimposing on the content a broadcast label, the label inviting a user to interact with the content;

providing with the label an interactive link, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction for use by an interactive receiver device, the digital instruction containing handling information for the interactive receiver device to indicate to the receiver device how to handle a user interaction coinciding with the label; and

broadcasting the channel carrying content to multiple recipients.

28. An interactive receiver device for receiving an interactive broadcast content channel and presenting the channel to a user, the interactive receiver device comprising an interface for allowing a user to interact with the content, the channel comprising a broadcast label superimposed on the content, the label inviting the user to interact with the content, the label being combined with an interactive link, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction to the interactive receiver device, the digital instruction containing handling information for the interactive receiver device to indicate to the receiver device how to handle a user interaction coinciding with the label, the interactive receiver device being configured to play the broadcast label to the user and to handle the user interaction in accordance with the digital instruction.

29. A channel distributor comprising:

a distributor unit for distributing at least one channel carrying content;

the channel distributor being configured to superimpose on the content prior to distribution a broadcast label, the label inviting the user to interact with the content, the label being combined with an interactive link, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction to an interactive receiver device, the digital instruction containing operating information to operate the interactive receiver device in response to a user interaction coinciding with the label, the operating being combined with continuing content play.

30. The channel distributor of claim 29, wherein the distributor unit is configured to distribute subsidiary channels alongside a main channel for providing user selectable additional content.

31. The channel distributor of claim 30, wherein the digital instruction enables the user client to control content play to pass from a main channel to a corresponding subsidiary channel and from a subsidiary channel to a corresponding main channel.

32. The channel distributor of claim 31, wherein the digital instruction enables the user client to control content play to pass between two subsidiary channels of a shared main channel.

36. A channel distribution system comprising:

a channel carrying content; and

an interactive receiver device for receiving the content and presenting to a user, the interactive receiver device comprising an interface for allowing a user to interact with the content;

wherein the interactive receiver device further comprises an identification unit configured to identify the content, and provide to a user an identification of said content, the interactive receiver device further configured to provide an interactive link along with said identification, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction to the interactive receiver device, to provide additional information regarding said content upon interaction by said user.

37. The channel distribution system of claim 36, wherein said content comprises musical content, and said identification unit is configured to identify said musical content and obtain said additional content based on said identifying.

38. The channel distribution system of claim 37, wherein said identification system is configured to obtain a sample of said content, generate a signature from said sample, and submit said signature to a music database for comparison in order to obtain said identification.

39. The channel distribution system of claim 36, wherein said content is associated with a provider, said identification of said content comprises identifying said provider, and said additional information is made available from said provider.

40. A channel distribution method comprising:

receiving content of a content channel and presenting to a user;

providing a first interactive interface for a user to indicate interest in specific content;

upon receipt of said indicated interest, identifying the content;

providing to said user an identification of said content;

providing a second interface, the second interface including an interactive link along with said identification, the interactive link comprising a digital instruction to provide additional information regarding said content upon interaction by said user;

upon receipt of said digital instruction, providing said additional information.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said content comprises musical content, and said identifying comprises identifying said musical content, said additional content being obtained based on said identifying.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said identifying comprises obtaining a sample of said content, generating a signature from said sample, and submitting said signature to a music database for comparison in order to obtain said identification.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein said content is associated with a provider, said identifying comprises identifying said provider, and said additional information is made available from said provider.