Enhanced video programming system and method for incorporating and displaying retrieved integrated internet information segments

• US 5,774,664 A
• Filed: 03/25/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Hidary, Jack D., Ullman, Craig, Spivack, Nova T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/622,474
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.3, 395/200.48, 395/200.47, 395/327, 395/200.49, 348/7, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/461, 348/564, 348/906, 455/3.1, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• 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 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system for integrating video programming with the vast information resources of the Internet. A computer-based system receives a video program and uniform resource locators (URLs). The URLs, the effective addresses of locations or Web sites on the Internet, are interpreted by the system and direct the system to the Web site locations to retrieve related Web pages. Web pages related to the video programming appear upon receipt through the user'"'"'s browser. The video program signal can be displayed on a video window on a conventional personal computer screen. The actual retrieved Web pages can be time stamped to also be displayed, on another portion of the display screen, when predetermined related video content is displayed in the video window. The computer-based system can receive the URLs embedded in the video program or directly through an Internet connection, at times specified by TV broadcasters in advance. The system interprets the URLs and retrieves the appropriate Web pages. The Web pages are synchonized to the video content for display in conjunction with a television program being broadcast to the user at that time. This system allows the URLs to be entered for live transmission to the user.

Claims

1. A system for presenting integrated television programming and corresponding related Internet information segments obtained from Web sites on the Internet, the system comprising:

a first means for receiving programming, wherein the programming contains a video signal and an audio signal;

a second means for receiving one or more uniform resource locators, wherein the uniform resource locators specify one or more Internet addresses of the information segments which relate specifically to the content of the video and audio signals of the received programming;

a means for decoding, connected to the second means for receiving, the uniform resource locators to determine the specified Internet addresses;

a controller means, connected to the second receiving means, for interpreting the uniform resource locators;

a means, connected to the decoding means, for sending message requesets to specific Internet sites located at the Internet addresses corresponding to the uniform resource locators and consequently retrieving the one or more Internet information segments residing at the determined Internet addresses; and

a display means, connected to the controller and the first and second receiving means, for presenting the video and audio signals concurrently with the Internet information segments;

whereby the Internet information segments are synchronized to the video signal and displayed at predetermined times during the program;

a means for entering information at a member broadcaster Web site, including the uniform resource locators corresponding to a particular program and a time at which the particular program will be received by the first receiving means; and

a means for storing the entered information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a means for sending the stored uniform resource locators at the time at which the particular program will be received by the first receiving means, directly over an Internet connection to the second receiving means.

3. A system for presenting integrated television programming and corresponding related Internet information segments obtained from Web sites on the Internet, the system comprising:

a television broadcaster data entry and broadcast means comprising;

a means for accessing a service Web site on the Internet, wherein a member broadcaster of television programming accesses the service Web site;

a means for entering information into the service Web site, wherein the entered information is comprised of uniform resource locators and a time at which a particular program will be broadcast by the member broadcaster, wherein the uniform resource locators specify one or more Internet addresses of the relevant Internet information pages which relate specifically to the content of the particular program being broadcast by the member broadcaster;

a means, connected to the entering means, for storing the entered information;

a first means for sending the particular program being broadcast by the member broadcaster to a user, wherein the particular program contains a video signal and an audio signal;

a second means, connected to the storing means, for sending, at the time at which the particular program will be broadcast, the stored uniform resource locators over a direct Internet connection to the user;

a user terminal comprising;

a first means for receiving, from the first sending means, the particular program, including the video and audio signals, being broadcast by the member broadcaster to a user;

a second means for receiving, from the second means for sending, the stored uniform resource locators which correspond to the video and audio signals received by the first receiving means;

a controller means, connected to the second receiving means, comprising;

a means for decoding the uniform resource locators to determine the specified Internet addresses;

a means, connected to the decoding means, for retrieving the one or more Internet information segments residing at the determined Internet addresses; and

a display means, connected to the controller and the first and second receiving means, for presenting the video and audio signals concurrently with the Internet information segments.