Hypertext markup language protocol for television display and control
First Claim
1. A method for adapting hypertext markup language resources for use in a television broadcast network wherein the same programming service signals are broadcast to a plurality of subscriber decoders of the network, comprising the steps of:
- broadcasting a common data signal comprising display data to the subscriber decoders, said display data being coded according to the hypertext markup language;
recovering said data signal at at least one of the subscriber decoders; and
processing said data signal at the at least one subscriber decoder to provide a display signal according to said display data that is suitable for reproduction on a television that is associated with the at least one subscriber decoder;
wherein said display signal provides a display on the television with at least one of graphical and textual information that allows a user to invoke a function call for controlling a conventional television function of the television.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Textual and graphical displays are provided on a television screen using a hypertext markup language (HTML). On-screen display devices allow a user to invoke hyperlinks to different pages of HTML-coded data in addition to functions calls for controlling television and non-television appliance functions. A method provides HTML-coded display data which is processed to provide a signal suitable for reproduction on a television. The display data may provide information on a featured movie or other presentation of an associated video programming service signal such as a network television broadcast. Function calls allow the control of various television functions and programming options, such as the purchase of pay-per-view programming, or television display options such as aspect ratio, channel, brightness, picture-in-picture, or split-screen. Non-television appliances which may be controlled with function calls include audio equipment which is associated with the programming service (e.g., surround sound, filtering) in addition to, for instance, a home heating and air conditioning system or other household appliances. The invention allows a designer to adapt the vast HTML resources of the Internet for use in the television environment for entertainment, educational or informational purposes.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for adapting hypertext markup language resources for use in a television broadcast network wherein the same programming service signals are broadcast to a plurality of subscriber decoders of the network, comprising the steps of:
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broadcasting a common data signal comprising display data to the subscriber decoders, said display data being coded according to the hypertext markup language; recovering said data signal at at least one of the subscriber decoders; and processing said data signal at the at least one subscriber decoder to provide a display signal according to said display data that is suitable for reproduction on a television that is associated with the at least one subscriber decoder; wherein said display signal provides a display on the television with at least one of graphical and textual information that allows a user to invoke a function call for controlling a conventional television function of the television. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 25, 26)
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8. An apparatus for adapting hypertext markup language resources for use in a television broadcast network wherein the same programming service signals are broadcast to a plurality of subscriber decoders of the network, comprising:
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means for broadcasting a common data signal comprising display data to the subscriber decoders, said display data being coded according to the hypertext markup language; means for recovering said data signal at at least one of the subscriber decoders; a processor associated with said at least one subscriber decoder for processing said data signal to provide a display signal according to said display data that is suitable for reproduction on a television that is associated with the at least one subscriber decoder; and means responsive to said display signal for providing a display on the television with at least one of graphical and textual information that allows a user to invoke a function call for controlling a conventional television function of the television. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 27, 28)
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15. A receiver for adapting hypertext markup language resources for use in a television broadcast network wherein the same programming service signals are broadcast to a plurality of subscriber decoders of the network, said receiver being associated with at least one of said subscriber decoders, comprising:
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an input for receiving a common data signal comprising display data that is broadcast to the subscriber decoders, said display data being coded according to the hypertext markup language; a display data processor for processing said data signal to provide a display signal according to said display data that is suitable for reproduction on a television that is associated with the at least one subscriber decoder; and a user command processor operatively associated with said display data processor;
wherein;the television is adapted to provide a display with at least one of graphical and textual information in response to said display signal; and said user command processor receives user commands in accordance with said display and invokes a corresponding function call for controlling a conventional television function of the television. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 29, 30)
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Specification