Interactive video system

• US 5,914,712 A
• Filed: 05/08/1995
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Box Worldwide LLC (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Video Jukebox Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Rivero, Armando R., Linares, Ronald Arthur, Sartain, E. Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/438,040
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/6, 455/3.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• 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 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/2668 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• 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 21/47 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6156 specially adapted to the upstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

The present invention distributes digital video programs to a predetermined group of subscribers. The video programs are converted into a digital format in a central site (100) and then distributed to a remote site (110). Identification information for the digital video programs is broadcast to the group of subscribers. Each of the subscribers has the option of selecting one of the digital video programs for broadcast to the group. A continuous program which includes the digital video programs is broadcast to the group of subscribers or displayed on televisions (130-133). The order of the selected digital video programs within the continuous program is based at least in part on when the subscriber selections are received.

Claims

1. A method for distributing video programs to a group of subscribers comprising:

creating digital video programs by converting and compressing said video programs;

determining a preferred program type based on a previous selection made by said group of subscribers, wherein at least one of said video programs is of said preferred program type;

selecting at least one of said digital video programs based at least in part on said determined preferred program type;

distributing said selected digital video programs to a remote site;

broadcasting identification information for at least one of said selected digital video programs to said group of subscribers;

receiving a subscriber selection from a selecting subscriber, said selecting subscriber being a member of said group of subscribers, said subscriber selection identifying a subscriber-selected digital video program; and

broadcasting a broadcast program to said group of subscribers, said broadcast program including said subscriber-selected digital video program and at least one other program segment, wherein said subscriber-selected digital video program is broadcasted in an order based in part on a time when said subscriber selection is received, and wherein a content of said at least one other program segment is based in part on at least one previous selection made by said group of subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in said order based on at least one other parameter, wherein said at least one other parameter is based on at least one of (1) types of previously-included subscriber-selected digital video programs, (2) length of time of each one of a plurality of subscriber-selected digital video programs currently in said continuous program, (3) a monetary amount paid for selecting said subscriber-selected digital video program, (4) number of subscribers selecting said subscriber-selected digital video program, and (5) at least one demographic measure of said group of subscribers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said preferred program type comprises analyzing an historical record of preferences of said group of subscribers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said content is selected by analyzing an historical record of preferences of said group of subscribers.

5. A method for distributing video programs to a group of subscribers comprising:

determining a preferred program type based on a previous selection made by said group of subscribers, wherein at least one of said video programs is of said preferred program type;

converting and compressing said video programs to generate digital video programs;

distributing said digital video programs to a remote site;

broadcasting identification information for at least one of said digital video programs to said group of subscribers;

receiving a subscriber selection from a selecting subscriber, said selecting subscriber being a member of said group of subscribers, said subscriber selection identifying a selected digital video program; and

broadcasting a broadcast program through an Internet to said group of subscribers, said broadcast program including said selected digital video program and at least one other program segment, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in an order based in part on a relative order of receiving said subscriber selection, and wherein a content of said at least one other program segment is based in part on at least one previous selection made by said group of subscribers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in said order based on at least one other parameter, wherein said at least one other parameter is based on at least one of (1) types of previously-included selected digital video programs, (2) length of time of each one of a plurality of selected digital video programs currently in said continuous program, (3) a monetary amount paid for selecting said selected digital video program, (4) number of subscribers selecting said selected digital video program, and (5) at least one demographic measure of said group of subscribers.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said content is selected by analyzing an historical record of preferences of said group of subscribers.

8. A method for distributing video programs to a group of subscribers comprising:

determining a preferred program type based on a previous selection made by said group of subscribers, wherein at least one of said video programs is of said preferred program type;

converting and compressing said video programs to generate digital video programs;

distributing said digital video programs to a remote site;

broadcasting identification information for at least one of said digital video programs to said group of subscribers;

receiving a subscriber selection through an Internet from a selecting subscriber, said selecting subscriber being a member of said group of subscribers, said subscriber selection identifying a selected digital video program; and

broadcasting a broadcast program to said group of subscribers, said broadcast program including said selected digital video program and at least one other program segment, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in an order based in part on a relative order of receiving said subscriber selection, and wherein a content of said at least one other program segment is based in part on at least one previous selection made by said group of subscribers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in said order based on at least one other parameter wherein said at least one other parameter is based on at least one of (1) types of previously-included selected digital video programs, (2) length of time of each one of a plurality of selected digital video programs currently in said continuous program, (3) a monetary amount paid for selecting said selected digital video program, (4) number of subscribers selecting said selected digital video program, and (5) at least one demographic measure of said group of subscribers.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said content is selected by analyzing an historical record of preferences of said group of subscribers.

11. A method for distributing video programs to a group of subscribers comprising:

converting and compressing said video programs to generate digital video programs;

distributing said digital video programs to a remote site;

broadcasting identification information through the Internet for at least one of said digital video programs to said group of subscribers;

receiving a subscriber selection from a selecting subscriber, said selecting subscriber being a member of said group of subscribers, said subscriber selection identifying a selected digital video program; and

broadcasting a broadcast program to said group of subscribers, said broadcast program including said selected digital video program and at least one other program segment, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in an order based in part on a relative order of receiving said subscriber selection, and wherein a content of said at least one other program segment based in part on at least one previous selection made by said group of subscribers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said selected digital video program is broadcasted in said order based on at least one other parameter, wherein said at least one other parameter is based on at least one of (1) types of previously-included selected digital video programs, (2) length of time of each one of a plurality of selected digital video programs currently in said continuous program, (3) a monetary amount paid for selecting said selected digital video program, (4) number of subscribers selecting said selected digital video program, and (5) at least one demographic measure of said group of subscribers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said content is selected by analyzing an historical record of preferences of said group of subscribers.