Method and apparatus for controlling video/audio and channel selection for a communication signal based on textual information indicative of channel contents of a signal

• US 5,867,205 A
• Filed: 07/07/1997
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Harrison, Edward R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Application Number:
  US08/889,113
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/2, 348/5, 348/6, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/10, 348/11, 348/461, 348/460, 348/465, 348/468, 348/473, 348/478, 348/552, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/906, 455/2, 455/4.2, 455/3.1, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 358/84, 358/85, 358/86
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

A signal processing unit is provided with one or more analyzing units to analyze textual information decoded from a number of channels of a communication signal to determine if channel contents of the channels are among channel contents defined by selection data. The signal processing unit is further provided with an arbitrating unit for arbitrating display and/or recording resource contentions among channels having channel contents defined by the selection data. The signal processing unit is suitable for incorporation in a stand-alone as well as a client computer system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling selective display and/or recording of selected ones of a plurality of channels of a communication signal, the apparatus comprising:

(a) one or more analyzing units for receiving textual information indicative of channel contents of said channels decoded from said communication signal, and responsive thereto, analyzing said received textual information to determine if channel contents of said channels are among channel contents defined by selection data; and

(b) an arbitrating unit coupled to said one or more analyzing units to arbitrate display and/or record resource contentions among said analyzing units determining said channels having channel contents that are defined by said selection data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said arbitrating unit includes an arbitration logic routine for arbitrating said display and/or record resource contentions, in accordance with predefined priority information of said selection data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus further includes one or more decoding units coupled to said one or more analyzing units for providing said textual information of said channels to said analyzing units, said one or more decoding units receiving said channels of said communication signal, and in response decoding said channels for textual information included in said channels.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further includes one or more signal tuning units coupled to said one or more decoding units for providing said one or more decoding units with said channels, by tuning to said channels of said communication signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising one or more buffers coupled to said one or more tuning units for storing portions of the contents of said channels of said communication signal for a predetermined duration of time.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the contents of said channels include audio/video contents, and said selection data include predefined priority of said audio/video contents.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said selection data include predefined keywords and priorities of selected ones of said channels.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arbitrating unit automatically causes a display window for displaying the channel contents of a successful one of said arbitrating channels to be activated, amplification of audio signals associated with the activated display window to be adjusted, and/or channel contents of said successful one of said arbitrating channels to be recorded.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further includes a profile unit coupled to said one or more analyzing units for providing said one or more analyzing units with said selection data.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said profile unit has a first state in which portions of said selection data are added to storage locations of said profile unit, and a second state in which portions of said selection data are deleted from storage locations of said profile unit.

11. A computer system having a bus for communicating information, and a signal processing unit coupled to said bus for processing a signal having a plurality of channels, said signal processing unit comprising:

(a) one or more analyzers to receive textual information indicative of channel contents of said channels decoded from said signal, and responsive thereto, to analyze said received textual information to determine if channel contents of said channels are among channel contents defined by selection data; and

(b) an arbitration unit coupled to said one or more analyzers to arbitrate display and/or record resource contentions among said analyzers determining said channels having channel contents that are defined by said selection data.

12. The computer system of claim 11 further comprising a display unit including a plurality of display windows for displaying channel contents of successful ones of said arbitrating channels.

13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein said selection data include priorities of selected ones of said channels.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the computer system further includes a profile unit coupled to said one or more analyzers for providing said one or more analyzers with said selection data.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein said profile unit includes a first and a second portion, and wherein said first portion is defined to store information about selected ones of said channels, and said second portion is defined to store information about successful ones of said arbitrating channels.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein said profile unit has a first state in which portions of said selection data are added to storage locations of said profile unit, and a second state in which portions of said selection data are deleted from storage locations of said profile unit.

17. The computer system of claim 11 wherein said arbitration unit automatically causes a display window to be activated for displaying channel contents of a successful one of said arbitrating channels, amplification of audio signals associated with said display window to be adjusted, and/or channel contents of a successful one of said arbitrating channels to be recorded.

18. The computer system of claim 11 further comprising one or more recorders for recording channel contents of successful ones of said arbitrating channels.

19. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the computer system further includes one more decoders coupled to said one or more analyzers for providing said textual information of said channels to said one or more analyzers, said one or more decoders receiving said channels of said signal, and in response decoding said channels for textual information included in said channels.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the computer system further includes one or more tuners coupled to said one or more decoders for providing said one or more decoders with said channels, by tuning to said channels of said signal.

22. The communication network system of claim 17 wherein said communication network server comprises:

(b.1) one or more tuners to tune to said channels;

(b.2) one or more decoders coupled to said one or more tuners to receive said channels, and to generate said decoded texts indicative of channel contents of said channels;

(b.3) one or more buffers coupled to said one or more tuners to temporarily store portions of the channel contents of said channels for a predetermined duration of time; and

(b.4) a server interface coupled to said buffers and said decoders to couple said communication network server to said communication network interface.

21. A communication network system comprising:

(a) a communication network interface to communicate in said communication network system;

(b) a communication network server coupled to said communication network interface to receive a signal having a plurality of channels;

said communication network server to generate a stream of decoded texts indicative of channel contents of said channels, responsive to said channels; and

(c) a client computer system coupled to said communication network interface to receive said channels and said decoded texts from said network server, to analyze said received decoded texts to determine if channel contents of said channels are among channel contents defined by selection data, and to arbitrate display and/or record resource contentions among analyzed channels with channel contents that are defined by the selection data.

23. The communication network system of claim 21 wherein said client computer system comprises:

(c.1) an analyzer coupled to said communication network interface to perform said analysis; and

(c.2) an arbitration unit coupled to said analyzer to perform said arbitration.

24. A method for controlling rendering of a signal having a plurality of channels, said method comprising:

(a) analyzing textual information decoded from a signal having a plurality of channels to determine whether channel contents of said channels are among channel contents defined by selection data; and

(b) arbitrating display and/or record resource contentions among said analyzed channels having channel contents defined by said selection data.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein (a) includes tuning to said channels to receive said channels, and decoding textual information included with said channels.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein (a) includes pre-defining said selection data employed in said analyzing step.