Television program delivery system

• US 5,559,549 A
• Filed: 12/02/1993
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Discovery Communications, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bonner, Alfred E., Hendricks, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Application Number:
  US08/160,191
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/9, 348/12, 348/13, 348/1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1
• US Class Current: 725/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/10 Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/86 Arrangements characterised by the broadcast information itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/95 characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/96 CATV systems for accessing the Internet H04H60/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/97 : using uplink of the CATV systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 : Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 : comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 : comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 : Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 : being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 : Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 : Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 : Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 : for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 : for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 : providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 : characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• 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 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• 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 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• 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 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• 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 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

An expanded television program delivery system is described which allows viewers to select television and audio program choices from a series of menus. The primary components of the system include an operations center, a digital cable headend, and at least one set top terminal having a remote control. The system allows for a great number of television signals to be transmitted by using digital compression techniques. A combined signal is transmitted over satellite to a cable headend, which may modify the combined signal for changes or additions in programming or menu content. The combined or modified signal is subsequently distributed to individual set top terminals in the cable network. Menus are partially stored in a set top terminal in each subscribers home and may be reprogrammed by signals sent from the operations center or headend. Numerous types of menus may be used, incorporating information included within the video/data signal received by the set top terminal. A remote control unit with icon buttons allows a subscriber to select programs based upon a series of major menus, submenus, and during program menus. Various data gathering and analysis techniques are used to compile programs watched information that in turn is used in packaging programs, customizing menu selections, targeting advertisements, and maintaining account and billing information.

Claims

1. A television program delivery and program selection system offering a plurality of television programs for selection by a subscriber, using a program control information signal carrying data on program lineups of the plurality of the television programs and using computer program instructions stored at each subscriber location to present options on a menu displayed on a television, the system comprising:

an operations center for creating a plurality of television program lineups and for generating the program control information signal that includes data on the plurality of television program lineups and control information for use at the subscriber location, the operations center comprising a computer assisted packaging system;

delivery means, connected to the computer assisted packaging system, for delivering at least one of the plurality of television program lineups included in the program control information signal from the operations center to the subscriber location;

menu generation means, operably connected to the delivery means, for generating menus with the options presented for display, the menu generation means comprising a microprocessor for using the stored computer program instructions to assist in generating menus, wherein the menu generation means is located at the subscriber location; and

selection means, connected to the menu generation means, for selecting at least one of the plurality of television programs for display on the television using the options on the generated menus, the selection means comprising a subscriber interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein specific data and information about the plurality of television programs is used and wherein the operations center comprises:

means for receiving the plurality of television programs used for creating the plurality of television program lineups;

input means for receiving the information about each of the plurality of television programs;

database means for storing and supplying the specific data about the plurality of television programs;

means, connected to the input means and .the database means, for generating the program control information signal based on the information from the input means and the specific data from the database means; and

means, connected to the receiving means and generating means, for combining the plurality of television programs and the program control information signal for transmission by the delivery means.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations center performs bandwidth allocation and wherein the operations center comprises processing means for controlling the content of the program control information signal, the processing means comprising:

means for creating the plurality of television program lineups for transmission to subscribers;

means for prioritizing the programs based on a plurality of factors including popularity of the program, its weighted importance and bandwidth available to the subscribers that receive the plurality of television programs;

means for allocating bandwidth so that different television program lineups are delivered to different subscribers; and

means, connected to the prioritizing means and the allocation means, for creating and changing menus with different programs described for different subscribers using the prioritizing means and the allocation means.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations center comprises means for generating a category designation for each of the plurality of the television programs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection means comprises:

a means for choosing one of the options on the generated menus; and

a means for sequencing the stored computer program instructions based on the chosen option.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system performs menu generation using the stored computer program instructions, menu content data, and data carried on the program control information signal including program identification and menu location for each program identification, wherein the menu generation means comprises:

means located at the subscriber location for receiving the program control information signal containing the program identification and menu locations;

a microprocessor for executing the computer program instructions for prompting the generation of menus;

menu memory means, connected to the microprocessor, for storing information used to generate menus, the stored information including the program identification and menu locations;

means, connected to the microprocessor, for generating the menus from the stored information in the menu memory means when prompted by the microprocessor; and

means, connected to the microprocessor, for commanding the microprocessor to prompt the menu generation means to generate the menus for display.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the commanding means comprises a remote control for remotely commanding the microprocessor.

8. A menu-driven television program selection system offering a plurality of television programs for independent selection by a plurality of different subscribers, the system using a program control information signal carrying programming data on television program lineups of the plurality of the television programs, the system also using computer program instructions stored at each of the plurality of subscriber locations to present options on a menu displayed on a television and to receive upstream data signals from each of the subscriber locations at a cable headend, the system comprising:

an operations center for generating the program control information signal and a plurality of television program lineups, wherein a delivery means delivers the plurality of television program lineups and the program control information signal to at least one cable headend for distribution to the plurality of subscriber locations;

at least one of the cable headends having a network controller for receiving and processing the plurality of television program lineups and the program control information signal and for receiving the upstream data signals from the plurality of subscriber locations;

the delivery means including means for further distributing at least one of the plurality of television program lineups and the program control information signal from the cable headend to each of the plurality of subscriber locations; and

each of the plurality of subscriber locations having a set top terminal connected to the delivery means for receiving at least one of the plurality of the television program lineups and the program control information signal from the delivery means, wherein each set top terminal comprises;

a means for selecting at least one television program from a plurality of television programs in the received television program lineup from the displayed menus using the program control information signal and the computer program instructions;

a means for generating the upstream data signals using the computer program instructions; and

a means for transmitting the upstream data signals to the network controller at the cable headend.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selecting means comprises:

an electronic memory for storing the computer program instructions;

a processor, connected to the electronic memory, for sequencing through the computer program instructions and for transforming the program control information signal into the menus to be displayed on the television utilizing the sequenced computer program instructions; and

a subscriber interface, connected to the processor, for choosing one of the options from the displayed menus, and wherein the processor effects the sequencing of the computer program instructions according to the options chosen by the subscriber.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the television programs in the received television program lineup are grouped by program category and wherein the selecting means comprises means for choosing a program category with each category being accessible by choosing it from the displayed menu.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the displayed menus are multi-leveled and wherein the selecting means comprises a means for sequentially displaying lower or higher menus so that the options chosen from the selecting means may be used to display another menu.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein programs watched information is included in the upstream data signals by the set top terminal and wherein the network controller comprises means for processing the upstream data signals that include the programs watched information.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein interactive communications are provided in the upstream data signals by the set top terminal and wherein the network controller comprises means for processing the upstream data signals that include the interactive communications.

14. A digitally compressed program delivery system to provide subscribers with menu selection of a plurality of television programs using a plurality of analog program signals and a program control information signal transmitted to at least one cable headend for further transmission, each cable headend transmitting to each subscriber a control information stream and programming signals carrying the plurality of the television programs, each of the menus generated and displayed using the control information stream and stored menu templates at each subscriber location, the system comprising:

an operations center including;

means for digitally compressing the plurality of analog program signals to produce digitally compressed signals; and

means for creating a plurality of television program lineups with the digitally compressed signals of the programs in the lineups and program control information signal, wherein the program control information signal includes data on the television program lineups and control information for use at the subscriber location;

delivery means for transmitting the plurality of television program lineups and the program control information signal to at least one of the cable headends for processing;

at least one of the cable headends having means for processing the plurality of television program lineups and the program control information signal to produce the control information stream and the programming signals;

the delivery means further includes means for distributing the control information stream and the programming signals to each subscriber location;

means for generating menus using the control information stream and stored menu templates; and

subscriber interface means for selection of any one of the plurality of television programs using one or more of the generated and displayed menus.

15. The digitally compressed program delivery system of claim 14 wherein digital program signals are used, and wherein the digitally compressing means comprises means to compress the digital program signals so that the digitally compressed signals are produced from the plurality of analog program signals and the digital program signals.

16. The digitally compressed program delivery system of claim 14 wherein control information is extracted and individual programs are selected from the television program lineups with the digitally compressed signals and the program control information signal, and wherein the processing means further comprises:

a means for receiving the television program lineups with the digitally compressed signals and the program control information signal;

a means for demultiplexing the television program lineups with the digitally compressed signals and the program control information signal into the control information and the individual programs;

a means for selecting some of the individual programs;

a means for combining the selected individual programs to produce the programming signals; and

a means for modifying the control information to produce the control information stream.

17. The digitally compressed program delivery system of claim 16 wherein regional programs are transmitted by the delivery means, and wherein the combining means comprises means for adding the regional programs to the selected individual programs to produce the programming signals.

18. The digitally compressed program delivery system of claim 14 wherein analog signals are delivered to each subscriber location, and wherein the distributing means comprises a digital-to-analog conversion means for converting the programming signals to analog signals for distribution to each subscriber location.

19. The digitally compressed program delivery system of claim 14 wherein regional programming information is processed by the processing means, and wherein the processing means comprises a network controller for modifying the program control information signal to include regional programming information, and wherein the modified program control information signal is used to produce the control information stream.

20. A method for offering a plurality of television programs for selection by a subscriber using a program control information signal carrying data on a plurality of television program lineups and using computer program instructions stored at each subscriber location to present options on a menu displayed on a television, the method comprising the steps of:

creating the plurality of television program lineups at an operations center;

generating the program control information signal at the operations center that includes data on the plurality of the television program lineups and control information for use at the subscriber location;

delivering the plurality of the television program lineups and the program control information signal to the subscriber location;

generating menus with the options for display using the computer program instructions; and

selecting at least one of the television programs for display on the television using the options on the generated menus.

21. A method for selecting a specific television program from a plurality of television programs to be displayed on a television at a subscriber location, using a display of menu options on the television, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a plurality of television program lineups;

generating programming data which relates to specific television programs in the television program lineups;

transmitting the programming data and the television program lineups to the subscriber location;

receiving the programming data and the television program lineups at the subscriber location;

generating at least one menu option related to at least one specific television program in the received television program lineups using the received programming data; and

displaying one or more of the generated menu options on the television;

selecting a displayed menu option;

displaying a specific television program associated with the menu option selected from the received television programs.