System for providing closed captioning to an electronic discussion group

• US 5,563,804 A
• Filed: 03/10/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compuserve Interactive Services Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chinnock, Douglas P., Miller, Jeffrey S., Dalton, Jeffery S., Mortensen, Owen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEESO, THOMAS R
• Application Number:
  US08/402,110
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.19, 340/825.21, 340/825.24, 340/825.29, 348/722, 348/61, 348/468, 345/116, 364/514 A, 395/118, 395/110, 395/144, 395/155
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4053 without floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

An electronic discussion group includes interaction with closed captioning from a media program, in substantially real time. Video clips from the program may also be displayed on users'"'"'computer terminals.

Claims

1. An enhanced electronic discussion group, comprising:

electronic messages entered from computer users onto said discussion groups;

closed captioning entered onto said discussion group;

electronic replies to said closed captioning entered from said computer users onto said discussion group; and

closed caption replies to said electronic replies.

2. An enhanced electronic discussion group, comprising:

electronic messages entered from computer users onto said discussion groups;

closed captioning entered onto said discussion group;

electronic replies to said closed captioning entered from said computer users onto said discussion group; and

video clips entered onto said discussion group, said video clips related to said discussion.

3. A method for operating an electronic discussion group, said method comprising the steps of:

posting an electronic message from a computer user onto said discussion group;

capturing a closed caption dialog from a video program and posting said closed caption onto said discussion group;

posting reply to said closed caption onto said discussion group; and

capturing a video clip from said video program, and posting said video clip onto said discussion group.

4. A method for operating an electronic discussion group, said method comprising the steps of:

posting an electronic message from a computer user onto said discussion group;

capturing a closed caption dialog from a video program and posting said closed caption onto said discussion group;

posting a reply to said closed caption onto said discussion group; and

assigning said closed caption to a user conference room.

5. A system for operating an electronic discussion group, comprising:

a computer network for facilitating said electronic discussion group;

at least one user computer in electronic communication with said network;

a conference manager in association with said network for coordinating said discussion group;

a video signal tuner for receiving a program signal containing closed captions to be used in said discussion group;

a closed caption decoder in communication with said video signal tuner for obtaining closed caption signals from said program;

a closed caption formatter system which supplies said network with said closed captions from said program;

whereby said user computer may receive said closed captions and send a reply message to said network in response to said closed captions.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising;

a video capture interface for supplying said network with video images from said program.