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

• US 4,847,700 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:
  US07/074,139
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 358/343, 358/335, 358/86, 358/142, 358/143, 358/102, 434/307, 434/321, 434/319, 434/316, 434/323, 434/309, 352/5, 360/14.1
• US Class Current: 386/337
• 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 received 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 transmitted via broadcast or cable TV and received (28) by VCR used as a tuner (12, 12a) or by a simplified TV head-end tuner (30), with the transmitted television signal having the audio channels either multiplexed into the video line or the existing audio channels. The received television signal is 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 transmitted plurality of choices for a transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display, said system comprising:

means for receiving said transmitted plurality of choices and said transmitted multiple video frame 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, said received plurality of output choices comprising a plurality of simultaneously provided user selectable audio output presentations corresponding to said user selectable common interrogatory message related choices, said plurality of simultaneously provided audio output presentations being synched to and compatible with a subsequent received common full motion video frame presentation in said received common full motion television display subsequent to said received common interrogatory message containing video frame, said plurality of simultaneously provided received user selectable audio output presentations comprising a plurality of user selectable responsive output messages to said received common interogatory message, said plurality of user selectable 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 responsive audio output messages to said received video frame common interrogatory message in said received common full motion television display;

means for dynamically selecting one of said plurality of received selectable syllable synched different responsive output messages from said plurality of simultaneously provided received user selectable responsive output messages; and

means for providing said subsequent common full motion video frame presentation comprising said received common full motion video frame and said dynamic user selected one received synched audio output presentation compatible therewith for providing said user selectable interactive audio/visual full motion television display from television signals received over a common television channel.

2. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television signals are broadcast television signals comprising said transmitted plurality of choices and said transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display.

3. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television signals are cable television signals comprising said transmitted plurality of choices and said transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display.

4. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said television system comprises a plurality of said receiving means capable of substantially simultaneously receiving said plurality of transmitted choices and said transmitted multiplexing video frame common full motion video display, a plurality of said dynamic selecting means with one dynamic selecting means being associated with each of said receiving means for enabling a plurality of different users to independently select any one of said dynamic user selectable synched different responsive audio messages to said substantially simultaneously received video frame common interrogatory message in said substantially simultaneously received common full motion television display;

whereby a plurality of users may independently interact with said substantially simultaneously received common full motion video presentation for providing individually interactive audio/visual full motion television displays from television signals received over a common television channel for said plurality of users.

5. A television system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said television signals are broadcast television signals comprising said transmitted plurality of choices and said transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display.

6. A television system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said television signals are cable television signals comprising said transmitted plurality of choices and said transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display.

7. 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 selectable syllable synched different responsive messages.

8. A television system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said animated character is a puppet.

9. A television system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said animated character is a human character.

10. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said received transmitted common full motion multiple video frame television display and said received transmitted plurality of synched user selectable audio output presentations comprise a multiplexed audio signal for providing said received synched user selectable audio output presentations, said dynamic selecting means comprising means for demultiplexing said received multiplexed audio signal for providing said dynamically selected one of said plurality of received selectable syllable synched different responsive output messages from said multiplexed audio signal.

11. A television system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said received transmitted full motion multiple video frame television display comprises a video signal, said received multiplexed audio signal being multiplexed into said video signal.

12. A television system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said received transmitted common full motion multiple video frame television display and said received transmitted plurality of synched user selectable audio output presentations comprise a multiplexed audio output signal for providing said received synched user selectable audio presentations, said dynamic selecting means comprising means for demultiplexing said received multiplexed audio signal for providing said dynamically selected one of said plurality of received selectable syllable synched different responsive message from said multiplexed audio signal.

13. A television system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said received transmitted full motion multiple video frame television display comprises a video signal, said received multiplexed audio signal being multiplexed into said video signal.

14. A television system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said received transmitted common full motion multiple video frame television display and said received transmitted plurality of synched user selectable audio presentations comprise a multiplexed audio signal for providing said received synched user selectable audio output presentations, said dynamic selecting means comprising means for demultiplexing said received multiplexed audio signal for providing said dynamically selected one of said plurality of received selectable syllable synched different responsive output messages from said multiplexed audio signal.

15. A television system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said received transmitted full motion multiple video frame television display comprises a video signal, said received multiplexed audio signal being multiplexed into said video signal.

16. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said received transmitted plurality of synched user selectable audio presentations comprises a stereo audio signal.

17. A television system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said television signals are broadcast television signals comprising said stereo audio signal and said transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display.

18. A television system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said television signals are cable television signals comprising said stereo audio signal and said transmitted multiple video frame common full motion television display.

19. A television system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for dynamically selecting one of said plurality of selectable syllable synched different responsive 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.

20. A television system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said selectors comprise button selectors.

21. 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 from said television signals received over said common television channel.