Virtual assets in an interactive television cable system
First Claim
1. In an interactive TV cable network having a headend that is connected to a plurality of set-top terminals by way of a forward-channel that enables headend-to-set-top communication, each of said set-top terminals including a TV set that is connected thereto, each of said set-top terminals being connected to said headend by way of a reverse-channel that enables set-top-to-headend communication, and said headend including memory-storage that contains a plurality of data-assets, each data-asset of which includes a plurality of individual data-items, an arrangement enabling set-top terminals to query said headend for a data-item, comprising:
- query establishing apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling a given set-top terminal to formulate an attribute-descriptor of a data-item;
transmitting apparatus at each of said set-top terminals for transmitting said attribute-descriptor from said given set-top terminal to said headend by way of said reverse-channel;
searching apparatus at said headend for searching said memory-stored data-assets, and forming a list memory-store of query-related data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said attribute-descriptor transmitted by said given set-top terminal;
transmitting apparatus at said headend for transmitting said query-related data-assets to all of said set-top terminals and addressed to said given set-top terminal;
receiving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to memory-store said query-related data-assets; and
updating apparatus at said headend for updating said list memory store as said memory-stored data-assets at said headend are periodically changed in relation to said query attribute-descriptor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive cable TV system includes a large number of set-top terminals that are connected to a system headend by way of a low-speed, time division multiplexed, channel. The headend includes the mass storage of multimedia data-assets that each contain a large number of individual data-items that may be of interest to various set-top users. A set-top user initiates an inquiry to the data-asset storage by way of an item-descriptor comprising a word-picture of the item. When this set-top query is received at the headend, a table or list is established whereby the query and its set-top ID are associated with related data assets. As the headend'"'"'s data-asset storage is changed from time to time, the changes that relate to listed set-top queries result in an update of the query list. This updated data-asset information is sent to the related set-tops immediately, or is sent only when the headend receives a request from the related set-top.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. In an interactive TV cable network having a headend that is connected to a plurality of set-top terminals by way of a forward-channel that enables headend-to-set-top communication, each of said set-top terminals including a TV set that is connected thereto, each of said set-top terminals being connected to said headend by way of a reverse-channel that enables set-top-to-headend communication, and said headend including memory-storage that contains a plurality of data-assets, each data-asset of which includes a plurality of individual data-items, an arrangement enabling set-top terminals to query said headend for a data-item, comprising:
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query establishing apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling a given set-top terminal to formulate an attribute-descriptor of a data-item; transmitting apparatus at each of said set-top terminals for transmitting said attribute-descriptor from said given set-top terminal to said headend by way of said reverse-channel; searching apparatus at said headend for searching said memory-stored data-assets, and forming a list memory-store of query-related data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said attribute-descriptor transmitted by said given set-top terminal; transmitting apparatus at said headend for transmitting said query-related data-assets to all of said set-top terminals and addressed to said given set-top terminal; receiving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to memory-store said query-related data-assets; and updating apparatus at said headend for updating said list memory store as said memory-stored data-assets at said headend are periodically changed in relation to said query attribute-descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An interactive communication network having a headend and a plurality of multiplexed set-tops, comprising:
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a forward-channel enabling said headend-to-communicate with said plurality of set-tops, and to individually address one of said plurality of set-tops; a reverse-channel enabling said plurality of set-tops to-communicate with said headend; a memory-store at said headend storing a plurality of data-assets; each data-asset containing a plurality of individual data-items; query establishing apparatus at each of said set-tops enabling a given set-top to formulate a descriptive word term that identifies a data-item that is of interest; a transmitter at said given set-top for transmitting said descriptive word-term and an address of said given set-top to said headend; a search engine at said headend for searching said data-assets; said search engine operating to form a list-memory-store that lists data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive word-term; said list-memory-store operating to associate said given set-top address with said one or more data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive-word term; a transmitter at said headend for transmitting said one or more data-assets to all of said set-top; said transmission being addressed to said given set-top; a receiver at each of said given set-tops enabling said given set-top to store said transmitted one or more data-assets; manually controlled means at said headend for selectively changing said memory storage of said plurality of data-assets; said manual control means operating to change said one or more data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive word-term in a manner to form one or more new-data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said descriptive-word term; updating apparatus at said headend, responsive to said control means; said updating means being operable to retransmit said one or more new-data-assets to all of said set-top; said retransmission being addressed to said given set-top; and said receiver at each of said given set-top enabling said given set-top to store said retransmitted one or more new-data-assets. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. In an interactive TV cable network having a headend that is connected to a plurality of set-top terminals by way of a high-speed forward-channel that enables communication to said set-top terminals, wherein each of said set-top terminals includes a TV set that is connected thereto, wherein said set-top terminals are connected to said headend by way of a multiplexed low-speed reverse-channel that enables communication to said headend, and wherein said headend includes data-asset storage wherein each of a plurality of data-assets includes a plurality of individual data-items, an improvement enabling a user of a given set-top terminal to query said headend as to the existence of a specified data-item within said data-asset storage, comprising:
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querying apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said user of said given set-top terminal to formulate an attribute-descriptor of said specified data-item; transmitting apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to transmit said attribute-descriptor to said headend; searching apparatus at said headend for searching said data-asset storage in order to form a data-item/set-top-terminal-address list that relates said given set-top terminal address to data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said attribute-descriptor; transmitting apparatus at said headend for transmitting said one or more data-assets to all of said set-top terminals, but addressed to said given set-top terminal; receiving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to receive and then store said one or more data-assets; retrieving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said user at said given set-top terminal to selective view said one or more data-assets using of said TV set; updating apparatus at said headend for updating said data-item/set-top-terminal-address list as said data-asset storage at said headend is periodically changed; and transmitting apparatus at said headend periodically enabling transmission of one or more changed data-assets to said given set-top terminal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. In an interactive TV cable network having a headend that is connected to a plurality of set-top terminals by way of a forward-channel that enables headend-to-set-top communication, each of said set-top terminals including a TV set that is connected thereto, each of said set-top terminals being connected to said headend by way of a reverse-channel that enables set-top-to-headend communication, and said headend including memory-storage that contains a plurality of data-assets, each data-asset of which includes a plurality of individual data-items, a method arrangement enabling set-top terminals to query said headend for a data-item, comprising:
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providing query establishing apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling a given set-top terminal to formulate an attribute-descriptor of a data-item; providing transmitting apparatus at each of said set-top terminals for transmitting said attribute-descriptor from said given set-top terminal to said headend by way of said reverse-channel; providing searching apparatus at said headend for searching said memory-stored data-assets, and forming a list memory-store of query-related data-assets that contain one or more data-items that satisfy said attribute-descriptor transmitted by said given set-top terminal; providing transmitting apparatus at said headend for transmitting said query-related data-assets to all of said set-top terminals and addressed to said given set-top terminal; providing receiving apparatus at each of said set-top terminals enabling said given set-top terminal to memory-store said query-related data-assets, and providing updating apparatus at said headend for updating said list memory store as said memory-stored data-assets at said headend are periodically changed in relation to said query attribute-descriptor; and automatically transmit said query-related and changed data-assets to said given set-top. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification