Interactive television system for providing full motion synched compatible audio/visual displays

• US 4,847,698 A
• Filed: 07/16/1987
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Freeman, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hix, L. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rutledge, D.
• Application Number:
  US07/074,138
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 358/343, 358/335, 358/86, 358/142, 358/102, 358/143, 358/145, 352/5, 434/307, 434/308, 434/318, 434/319, 434/321, 434/323, 434/309, 360/19.1
• US Class Current: 386/218
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/12 different stations being capable of presenting different information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

An interactive television system (10, 10a) for providing full motion synched compatible audio visual displays based on dynamic user selection (26) of a plurality of syllable synched compatible audio choices for a common full motion video frame presentation provided over a common television channel. Two or more audio channels are synched to a common video channel, with the video being compatible will all audio channels. The interactive programming is stored on video cassette (12, 12a) or other storage media and the audio channels are either multiplexed into the video line or the existing audio channels and are provided to a control module (14, 14a) which demultiplexes the signal (16, 16a) and ultimately combines the user selected audio signal with the video in an RF modulator (20) under computer control (18, 22, 24, 26) to provide the interactive display.

Claims

1. A television system for providing an interactive full motion synched compatible audio/visual television display presentation based on dynamic user selection of a plurality of choices for a multiple video frame common full motion television display, said system comprising:

means for providing said common full motion multiple video frame television display, said provided common full motion television display comprising a plurality of synched successive video frames, at least one of said successive video frames comprising a common interrogatory message and a plurality of user selectable output choices related to said common interrogatory message, and for providing a plurality of user selectable simulataneously provided audio output presentations corresponding to said user selectable common interrogatory message related choices, said plurality of simultaneously provided audio presentations being synched to and compatible with a subsequent common full motion video frame video presentation in said common full motion television display subsequent to said common interrogatory message containing video frame, said plurality of simultaneously provided user selectable audio output presentations comprising a plurality of simultaneously provided user selectable responsive output messages to said common interrogatory message, said plurality of user selectable responsive output messages having different word content with substantially identical syllable content portions for providing a plurality of simultaneously provided dynamic user selectable syllable synched different responive audio output messages to said previous video frame common interrogatory message in said common full motion television display; and

means for dynamically selecting one of said plurality of selectable simultaneously provided syllable synched different responsive output messages from said plurality of user selectable responsive output messages and for providing said subsequent common full motion video frame presentation comprising said common full motion video frame and said dynamic user selected one syllable synched audio presentation compatible therewith for providing said user selectable interactive audio/visual full motion television display over a common television channel;

whereby there is no discernable syllable distinction in whichever one of said audio output choices is matched to said common video full motion frame.

2. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for providing said common full motion multiple video frame television display and said plurality of simultaneously provided user selectable audio presentation comprises a common storage media for said synched compatible video and audio presentations.

3. A television system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said common storage media comprises a video cassette recording.

4. A television system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said common storage media comprises a video disc recording.

5. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said subsequently provided common full motion video frame video presentations comprises an animated character having mouth movements common to said identical syllable content portions of said plurality of simultaneously provided selectable syllable synched different responsive messages.

6. A television system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said animated character is a puppet.

7. A television system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said animated character is a cartoon animation.

8. A television system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said animated character is a human character.

9. A television system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said subsequently provided common full motion video frame video presentations comprises an animated character having mouth movements common to said identical syllable content portions of said plurality of simultaneously provided selectable syllable synched different responsive messages.

10. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for providing said common full motion multiple video frame television display and said plurality of simultaneously provided synched user selectable audio output presentations comprises means for providing said synched user selectable audio output presentations as a multiplexed audio signal, said dynamic selecting means comprising means for demultiplexing said multiplexed audio signal for providing said subsequent common full motion video frame presentation comprising said common full motion video frame and said dynamic user selectable one synched audio output presentation compatible therewith.

11. A television system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said means for providing said video frames comprises means for providing said video frames as a video signal, said means for providing said multiplexed audio signal further comprising means for providing said multiplexed audio signal multiplexed into said video signal.

12. A television system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means for providing said audio signal multiplexed into said video signal comprises means for pulse amplitude modulating said audio signal with said video signal.

13. A television system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means for providing said audio signal multiplexed into said video signal comprises means for digitizing said audio signals and inserting said digitized audio signals into an active portion of said video signal.

14. A television system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said means for providing said common full motion multiple video frame television display and said plurality of user selectable audio presentations comprises a common storage media for said synched compatible video and audio output presentations.

15. A television system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said multiplexed audio signal is provided from an existing audio channel of said storage media.

16. A television system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said common storage media comprises a video cassette recording.

17. A television system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said common storage media comprises a video disc recording.

18. A television system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said subsequently provided common full motion video frame video presentations comprises an animated character having mouth movements common to said identical syllable content portions of said plurality of selectable syllable synched different responsive output messages.

19. A television system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said subsequently provided common full motion video frame video presentations comprises an animated character having mouth movements common to said identical syllable content portions of said plurality of selectable syllable synched different responsive output messages.

20. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for dynamically selecting one of said plurality of selectable syllable synched different responsive output messages comprises a plurality of selectors greater than the plurality of user selectable choices, a portion of said plurality of selectors being made dynamically common to one of said choices in said plurality of user selectable choices and being dynamically changeable for different common interrogatory messages.

21. A television system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said selectors comprise button selectors.

22. A television system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said means for providing said common full motion multiple video frame television display and said plurality of synched user selectable audio output presentations comprises means for providing said synched user selectable audio output presentations as a multiplexed audio signal, said dynamic selecting means comprising means for demultiplexing said multiplexed audio signal for providing said subsequent common full motion video frame presentation comprising said common full motion video frame and said dynamic user selected one synched audio output presentation compatible therewith.

23. A television system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said means for providing said video frames comprises means for providing said video frames as a video signal, said means for providing said multiplexed audio signal further comprising means for providing said multiplexed audio signal multiplexed into said video signal.

24. A television system in accordance with claim 23 wherein said means for providing said audio signal multiplexed into said video signal comprises means for pulse amplitude modulating said audio signal with said video signal.

25. A television system in accordance with claim 23 wherein said means for providing said audio signal multiplexed into said video signal comprises means for digitizing said audio signals and inserting said digitized audio signals into an active portion of said video signal.

26. A television system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means for providing said common full motion multiple video frame television display further comprises means for providing an additional audio signal synched to and compatible with said video signal successive video frame for providing a subsequent common full motion audio/visual video frame presentation absent said dynamic selection by said user.

27. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said provided common full motion video frame provides a user selectable full motion and full resolution audio/visual television display.

28. A television system in accordace with claim 11 wherein said means for providing said audio sigal multiplexed into said video signal comprises means for pulse duration modulating said audio signal with said video signal.

29. A television system in accordance with claim 23 wherein said means for providing said audio signal multiplexed into said video signal comprises means for pulse duration modulating said audio signal with said video signal.