Dedicated channel interactive cable television system

• US 4,264,924 A
• Filed: 08/13/1979
• Issued: 04/28/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Agent For Nolan K. Bushnell Calof, Lawrence
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Freeman
• Inventors: Freeman, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US06/066,161
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 358/86, 358/93, 358/142, 358/143, 35/9 A, 35/9 B, 35/48 R, 455/3, 455/4, 455/5, 370/76, 360/72.2, 360/74.4, 360/74.7
• US Class Current: 725/138
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/073 all student stations being capable of presenting the same questions simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/077 different stations being capable of presenting different questions simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/02 Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence

Abstract

An interactive cable television system, such as a one-way system, in which a plurality of subscribers are simultaneously provided with multi-information television programming and regular television programming independently selectably directly receivable by the individual subscribers on the television reception channels of a conventional multichannel television receiver. The multi-information television programming comprises a plurality of different program information message signals related in time and content to each other and each transmitted at a different associated communication frequency which corresponds to a different television reception channel associated frequency, with regular television programming being simultaneously provided at one or more further different television reception channel frequency. Video information corresponding to labels to be dynamically assigned to the various television reception channels associated with the multi-information television programming is provided in the multi-information packet, which labels are varied in accordance with the content of the packet. A plurality of successive individual packets and the various program information message signals contained therein may be related to each other in a decision tree relationship in a memory accumulation program format capable of providing individually tailored messages to the individual subscribers, or in a story formulation program format enabling independent story creation by the individual subscribers or in a real time limited memory type of format responsive to prior selections of the individual subscribers or in any other type of interactive conversational type of programming.

Claims

1. An interactive cable television system comprising

a plurality of subscriber television reception systems, each of said subscriber television reception systems comprising a multichannel television receiver, each of said multichannel television receivers having a plurality of different television reception channels, each of said television reception channels having a different associated communication frequency;

a cable television subscriber distribution network operatively connected to said plurality of subscriber television recepction systems; and

a cable television programming transmission means operatively connected to said subscriber distribution network for providing transmitted television programming thereto, said subscriber distribution networks providing said transmitted television programming to said plurality of subscriber television reception systems, said cable television programming transmission means comprising means for substantially simultaneously providing a multi-information television program communication signal along with at least one different regular television program information signal as said transmitted television programming to said subscriber distribution network;

said multi-information television program communication signal comprising a plurality of multi-information packets, each multi-information packet comprising a plurality of simultaneously provided different program information message signals related in real time and content to each other, each of said related different program information message signals in said multi-information packet being at a different associated communication frequency different from each other, and different from said one regular television programming signal associated frequency, each of said related different program information message signal associated frequencies corresponding to a different television reception channel frequency and being directly receivable on the corresponding television reception channels;

said one different regular television program information signal having an associated communication frequency corresponding to a different television reception channel frequency than said multi-information packet program information message signals and being directly selectably receivable on the corresponding television reception channel;

each of said multichannel television receivers being capable of independently selectably receiving information on any one of said plurality of different television reception channels dependent on the television reception channel selected;

each of said multichannel television receivers comprising a multichannel selection means for selecting the television reception channel associated frequency to be received, each of said television reception channels having a designated channel position indicator in said multichannel/selection means;

at least one of said multi-information packets further comprising video information displayable on said multichannel television receiver corresponding to informational labels to be dynamically assigned to said designated channel position indicators for a particular multi-information packet, said television displayable informational labels being dynamically variable dependent on the content of said multi-information packet, whereby flexible multi-information television programming may be simultaneously provided along with regular television programming.

2. An interactive cable television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said plurality of said individual multi-information packets comprising said multi-information television program communication signal are related to each other in real time and content with said portion of said plurality of time related multi-information packets being content related to each other in a decision tree relationship between successive individual packets and between program information message signals within said successive individual packets, whereby a memory accumulation program format may be received as said selectable multi-information television programming.

3. An interactive cable television system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said displayable informational labels dynamically vary in accordance with the successive decision free selections to be made.

5. An interactive cable television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said subscriber distribution network is a one way television signal distribution network.

4. An interactive cable television system comprising

a plurality of subscriber television reception systems, each of said subscriber television reception systems comprising a multichannel television receiver, each of said multichannel television receivers having a plurality of different television reception channels, each of said television reception channels having a different associated communication frequency;

a cable television subscriber distribution network operatively connected to said plurality of subscriber television reception systems; and

a cable television programming transmission means operatively connected to said subscriber distribution network for providing transmitted programming thereto, said subscriber distribution networks providing said transmitted television programming to said plurality of subscriber television reception systems, said cable television programming transmission means comprising means for substantially simultaneously providing a multi-information television program communication signal along with at least one different regular television program information signal as said transmitted television programming to said subscriber distribution network;

said multi-information television program communication signal comprising a plurality of multi-information packets, each multi-information packet comprising a plurality of simultaneously provided different program information message signals related in real time and content to each other, each of said related different program information message signals in said multi-information packet being at a different associated communicaton frequency different from each other, and different from said one regular television programming signal associated frequency, each of said related different program information message signal associated frequencies corresponding to a different television reception channel frequency and being directly receivable on the corresponding television reception channels;

said one different regular television program information signal having an associated communication frequency corresponding to a different television reception channel frequency than said multi-information packet program information message signals and being directly selectably receivable on the corresponding television reception channel;

each of said multichannel television receivers being capable of independently selectably receiving information on any one of said plurality of different television reception channels dependent on the television reception channel selected;

each of said multichannel television receivers comprising a multichannel selection means for selecting the television reception channel associated frequency to be received, each of said television reception channels having a designated channel position indicator in said multichannel/selection means;

at least a portion of said plurality of said individual multi-information packets comprising said multi-information television program communication signal being related to each other in real time and content with said portion of said plurality of time related multi-information packets being content related to each other in a decision tree relationship between successive individual packets and between program information message signals within said successive individual packets, whereby a memory accumulation program format may be received as said selectable multi-information television programming.

6. An interactive cable television system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said subscriber distribution network is a one way television signal distribution network.

7. A method for enabling a plurality of different continuous real time interactive conversational type responses to be substantially simultaneously provided from a plurality of multichannel information television receivers comprising a one-way common television signal distribution network, said method comprising the steps of:

simultaneously transmitting a plurality of separate contemporaneous complete television information messages in real time over a plurality of contemporaneous television channels to said plurality of multichannel television receivers through said one-way common television signal distribution network, each of said plurality of channels simultaneously containing said contemporaneous television information message thereon, a plurality of said channels of said contemporaneous television information messages comprising particular interrogatory messages and associated multiple choice selectible responses to each said particular interrogatory message, at least a plural portion of said plurality of contemporaneous television information message containing channels comprising responsive messages related in real time and content to each of said particular interrogatory messages and corresponding to said multiple choice selectible responses, only one of said plurality of contemporaneous channels comprising the correct selectible responsive message to each said particular real time related interrogatory message, said other channels further comprising instructional messages corresponding to selection of an incorrect responsive message which are related in real time and content to said particular interrogatory message;

providing said plurality of messages to be transmitted through said one-way common television signal distribution network over said plurality of channels from a common magnetic storage medium having a plurality of coextensive information tracks capable of having information messages stored thereon for playback therefrom, said stored information messages being simultaneously obtained from each of said coextensive tracks, said information messages being stored on each track in a plurality of reproducible information segements, each of said segments comprising a complete message reproducible from said track for providing said simultaneous transmission, said transmitted interrogatory messages and said associated multiple choice selectible responses to said particular interrogatory message being provided from said messages stored on said tracks, said transmitted real time and content related responsive messages corresponding to said multiple choice selectible responses being stored on at least a plural portion of said plurality of tracks, only one of said plurality of tracks comprising said correct selectible responsive message to said particular real time related interrogatory message, said plurality of other tracks other than said correct responsive message track for said particular interrogatory message comprising instructional messages corresponding to selection of said incorrect responsive message which are related in real time and content to said particular interrogatory message, a different one of said multiple choice selectible response message containing tracks containing the correct responsive message to at least a different one of said interrogatory messages;

individually selecting one channel at a given one of said receivers for providing one of said contemporaneous interrogatory messages from said given receiver; and

individually interacting in real time with said provided contemporaneous interrogatory message by directly selecting one of said other contempraneous channels in response to said one provided interrogatory message in an effort to provide said correct selectible responsive message from said given television receiver, a different one of said multiple choice selectible responsive message containing channels containing the correct responsive message to at least a different one of said interrogatory messages, said transmitted interrogatory messages and said transmitted responsive messages being spacially related to each other in said simultaneous transmission in real time and further related to each other in content for providing a responsive message dependent on the channel selected for providing a conversational real time interactive environment over said one-way common distribution network, a different receiver in said plurality of receivers being capable of individually selecting a different channel from that selected by any other receiver for enabling individual independent interaction in real time with said commonly provided related information messages through said different receiver, whereby multiple users of said one-way common distribution network may individually interact in real time to obtain individualized conversational type responses.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said simultaneous transmission step further comprises additionally simultaneously transmitting regular programming over still other of said plurality of contemporaneous channels to said plurality of television receivers.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising the step of additionally transmitting regular television programming to said plurality of television receivers over at least a portion of said same plurality of contemporaneous channels over which said plurality of separate contemporaneous television information messages are transmitted.

10. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said simultaneous transmission step further comprises simultaneously transmitting video messages related in content to audio messages as said television information messages over said one-way common television signal distribution network, said video messages being individually displayable by said television receivers in real time in conjuction with said audio message dependent on said television information message selected by each of said television receivers.

11. A method for providing a dynamically variable interactive response over a multichannel television receiver from a common multichannel recording medium for enabling a user to dynamically vary the total story content of a prerecorded story in real time, said method comprising the steps of providing a magnetic recording medium having a plurality of coextensive television information tracks capable of having television information stored thereon for a playback therefrom;

storing said information on each of said tracks in a plurality of reproducible information segments, each of said segments comprising a complete message reproducible directly in response to selective playback of said track upon which said segments are stored, one of said tracks stored information comprising primary interrogatory messages amd associated multiple choice selectible derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages related in content to a particular primary interrogatory message, a plurality of said other tracks comprising derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages related in real time and content to said one track primary interrogatory messages and corresponding to said multiple choice selectible derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages, each of said plurality of other tracks comprising a different derivative secondary interrogatory containing message, said plurality of other tracks further comprising associated multiple choice selectible responsive messages related in real time and content to each of said plurality of derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages, only one of said plurality of other tracks comprising a unique selectible responsive message to a particular one of said real time related derivative secondary interrogatory messages, said derivative secondary interrogatory messages being chain linked in content to a particular primary interrogatory message, said stored primary and derivative secondary interrogatory messages and said associated responsive messages being spatially related to each other along said storage medium tracks in real time and further related in content to one another for providing a transitional derivative response to said primary interrogatory message dependent on the track selected for reception by the multichannel television receiver and the real time of said selection for providing a conversational real time transitional environment, said primary interrogatory message comprising said story theme, and said secondary derivative interrogatory messages each comprising multiple choice selectible different story scenario options for said story theme, and said associated responsive messages comprising a further different scenario in said story theme for providing a different selectible total story content for said story theme dependent on said selected option and subsequently selected associated responsive message, whereby said user may actually have a part in formulating a story television reception and in helping to dynamically determine its outcome which may be varied in real time from user to user over a commom television signal distribution network for said prerecorded story.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said primary interrogatory message comprises a plurality of multiple choice selectible different interrogatory messages each compromising a different category of question, each of said different categories of questions being associated with a different one of said plurality of other selectable tracks, said secondary derivative interrogatory messages corresponding to said different categories of questions whereby a plurality of different interrogatories are simultaneously selectible, said associated responsive messages comprising a common set of responsive messages for each of said different selectible secondary derivative interrogatory messages.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein one of said secondary derivative interrogatory messages comprises a true/false type question and another of said secondary derivative interrogatory messages comprises a multiple choice type question.

14. A method for providing a limited memory type conversational interactive response in real time over a multichannel television receiver from a common mutlichannel recording medium comprising the steps of providing a magnetic recording medium having a plurality of coextensive television information tracks capable of having television information stored thereon for playback therefrom;

storing said information on each of said tracks in a plurality of reproducible information segments, each of said segments comprising a complete message reproducible directly in response to selective playback of said track upon which said segments are stored, one of said tracks stored information comprising primary interrogatory messages and associated multiple choice selectible derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages related in content to a particular primary interrogatory message, a plurality of said other tracks comprising derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages related in real time and content to said one track primary interrogatory messages and corresponding to said multiple choice selectible derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages, each of said plurality of other tracks comprising a different derivative secondary interrogatory containing message, said plurality of other tracks further comprising associated multiple choice selectible responsive messages related in real time and content to each of said plurality of derivative secondary interrogatory containing messages, only one of said plurality of other tracks comprising a unique selectible responsive message to a particular one of said real time related derivative secondary interrogatory messages, said derivative secondary interrogatory messages being chain linked in content to a particular primary interrogatory message, said stored primary and derivative secondary interrogatory messages and said associated responsive messages being spatially related to each other along said storage medium tracks in real time and further related in content to one another for providing a transitional derivative response to said primary interrogatory message dependent on the track selected and the real time of selection for providing a conversational real time transitional environment, each of said plurality of tracks containing both a successively stored instructional message directly referring to the previously selected responsive message and indicating the correctness of said previously selected responsive message and a successively stored subsequent different multiple choice selectible primary interrogatory message spatially related in real time to said responsive messages, said previously selected responsive message being associated with a precedingly stored primary interrogatory message, said other tracks further comprising a second common set of selectible responsive messages associated with said subsequent different primary interrogatory messages, and subsequent different multiple choice selectible primary interrogatory message being spatially related in real time along said storage medium tracks to said previously selected responsive message for providing said subsequent primary interrogatory message subsequent to selection of said responsive message associated with said precedingly stored primary interrogatory message, whereby a variable type of limited memory type conversational environment is provided for a plurality of television subscribers over a common television signal distribution network for said prerecorded information.