System and method for providing an event database in a telecasting system

• US 6,049,333 A
• Filed: 09/03/1996
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Company LP (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaJoie, Michael L., Ray, Anjan K., Shaker, Theodore F. Jr., Edmonds, Joseph B., Allibhoy, Nizar, Johnson, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/707,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 345/348, 345/349, 345/356, 345/350, 345/351, 345/9, 345/157, 345/158, 345/145, 345/438, 348/13, 348/10, 348/734, 348/564, 348/906, 348/569, 348/552, 348/7
• US Class Current: 715/718
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• 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 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

A system and method are provided for presenting on a television, a combined display of information contained in an event database and television program video content. A set-top terminal receives as input, television program video content signals and information comprising an event database. The set-top terminal converts the information from the event database into a graphical format for display on a television with the television program video content. Updates to the event database are processed and displayed substantially in real-time. The event database may include information for televised events. The set-top terminal automatically tunes, at the viewer'"'"'s request, to the event for which information is being displayed. Improved processes for combining television program video content and locally generated graphical images are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for providing a viewer with a combined display of television video content and information from an event database, said system comprising:

a video content receiver for receiving television video content for a plurality of television programs including a first televised event;

a data receiver for receiving said event database, said event database including information pertaining to a plurality of events including said first televised event;

a viewer input receiver for receiving viewer inputs including a request for said first televised event; and

a processor for causing said video content receiver to provide said television video content for said first televised event based on said request for said first televised event, for selecting information pertaining to said first televised event from said event database, and for generating a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said selected information pertaining to said first televised event;

wherein;

said data receiver receives undated event database information in substantially real-time in response to an occurrence within one of said events, said updated event database information pertaining to said occurrence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said viewer inputs further include event database navigation inputs and, responsive to said event database navigation inputs, said processor selects information from said event database pertaining to events other than said first televised event and generates combined displays of said television video content for said first televised event and said information pertaining to said other events for display on said display unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said viewer inputs further include event database navigation inputs and, responsive to said event database navigation inputs, said processor selects additional information from said event database pertaining to said first televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said additional information for display on said display unit.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising memory, wherein said event database information received by said data receiver is stored in said memory and said processor selects said information pertaining to said first televised event by retrieving said information pertaining to said televised event from said memory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said combined display comprises a banner overlaying a portion of said television video content for said first televised event, said banner displaying said selected information pertaining to said first televised event.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said combined display comprises a banner which displays said selected information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor resizes said television video content for said first televised event to fit within a portion of said combined display unoccupied by said banner.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said event database comprises statistical information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor displays said statistical information in said combined display.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said data receiver receives updates to said statistical information, and said processor updates said combined display using said updated statistical information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said video content receiver receives television program video content for at least one additional televised event;

said data receiver receives information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event as part of said event database, said information pertaining to said at least one televised event including channel tuning information;

said viewer inputs include event database navigation inputs and an event selection input; and

said processor, in response to said event database navigation inputs, selects information from said event database pertaining to said at least one additional televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event,

wherein, in response to said event selection input, said processor causes said video content receiver to provide said television video content for said at least one additional televised event for display on said display unit.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said processor, in response to said event selection input, generates a combined display of said television program video content for said at least one additional televised event and said information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event for display on said display unit.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein said processor causes a print-out of said selected information to be generated in response to said event database navigation inputs.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said processor updates said combined display in substantially real-time in response to said data receiver receiving said updated event database information.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said one event is a live activity selected from the group consisting of a sporting event, a political event, a judicial event, a community event, and an entertainment event.

14. A method of generating a user interface object on a display unit, comprising:

receiving video content from a video content provider, said video content including an image of said user interface object;

displaying said video content including said image of said user interface object on said display unit, said image of said user interface object being unavailable for user interaction;

overlaying said user interface object on said video content so that said user interface object substantially registers with said image of said user interface object; and

activating said user interface object to allow user interaction with said user interface object.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said scaling factor ranges between zero and one.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said distance is measured in pixels.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said multiplying comprises rounding said distance to a nearest pixel.

15. A method of moving a user interface object from a first position to a target position on a display unit, said method comprising:

(a) defining said target position for said user interface object;

(b) determining a distance between a current position of said user interface object and said target position;

(c) multiplying said distance by a scaling factor to define a next position for said user interface object;

(d) displaying said user interface object at said next position; and

(e) repeating (a)-(d) until said user interface object reaches said target position.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said repeating of (a)-(d) causes said user interface object to move from said first position to said target position at varying speeds.

20. A system for providing a viewer with a combined display of television video content and information from an event database, said system comprising:

a video content receiver for receiving television video content for a plurality of television programs including a first televised event;

a data receiver for receiving said event database, said event database including information pertaining to a plurality of events including said first televised event;

a viewer input receiver for receiving viewer inputs including a request for said first televised event; and

a processor for causing said video content receiver to provide said television video content for said first televised event based on said request for said first televised event, for selecting information pertaining to said first televised event from said event database, and for generating a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said selected information pertaining to said first televised event;

wherein;

said data receiver receives updated event database information in response to an occurrence within one of said events, said updated event database information pertaining to said occurrence; and

said processor updates said combined display in substantially real-time in response to said data receiver receiving said updated event database information.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said viewer inputs further include event database navigation inputs and, responsive to said event database navigation inputs, said processor selects information from said event database pertaining to an event other than said first televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said information pertaining to said other event for display on said display unit.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said event other than said first televised event is an untelevised event.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein said viewer inputs further include event database navigation inputs and, responsive to said event database navigation inputs, said processor selects additional information from said event database pertaining to said first televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said additional information for display on said display unit.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein said data receiver receives said updated event database information substantially in real-time as said events progress.

25. The system of claim 20 further comprising memory, wherein said event database information received by said data receiver is stored in said memory and said processor selects said information pertaining to said first televised event by retrieving said information pertaining to said televised event from said memory.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein said combined display comprises a banner overlaying a portion of said television video content for said first televised event, said banner displaying said selected information pertaining to said first televised event.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein said combined display comprises a banner which displays said selected information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor resizes said television video content for said first televised event to fit within a portion of said combined display unoccupied by said banner.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein said event database comprises statistical information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor displays said statistical information in said combined display.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said data receiver receives updates to said statistical information, and said processor updates said combined display using said updated statistical information.

30. The system of claim 20 wherein:

said video content receiver receives television program video content for at least one additional televised event;

said data receiver receives information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event as part of said event database, said information pertaining to said at least one televised event including channel tuning information;

said viewer inputs include event database navigation inputs and an event selection input; and

said processor, in response to said event database navigation inputs, selects information from said event database pertaining to said at least one additional televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event,

wherein, in response to said event selection input, said processor causes said video content receiver to provide said television video content for said at least one additional televised event for display on said display unit.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said processor, in response to said event selection input, generates a combined display of said television program video content for said at least one additional televised event and said information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event for display on said display unit.

32. The system of claim 20 wherein said one event is a live activity selected from the group consisting of a sporting event, a political event, a judicial event, a community event, and an entertainment event.

33. A system for providing a viewer with a combined display on a display unit of television video content and information from an event database, said system comprising:

a video content receiver for receiving television video content for a plurality of television programs including a first televised event;

a data receiver for receiving said event database, said event database including information pertaining to a plurality of events including said first televised event;

a viewer input receiver for receiving viewer inputs including a request for said first televised event; and

a processor for causing said video content receiver to provide said television video content for said first televised event based on said request for said first televised event, for selecting information pertaining to said first televised event from said event database, for generating a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said selected information pertaining to said first televised event for display on said display unit, and for improving the appearance of a moving graphical image by computing a series of intermediate movements between a first position and a target position such that said image moves from said first position to said target position at varying speeds.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein said viewer inputs further include event database navigation inputs and, responsive to said event database navigation inputs, said processor selects information from said event database pertaining to events other than said first televised event and generates combined displays of said television video content for said first televised event and said information pertaining to said other events for display on said display unit.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein said events other than said first televised event are untelevised events.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein said viewer inputs further include event database navigation inputs and, responsive to said event database navigation inputs, said processor selects additional information from said event database pertaining to said first televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said additional information for display on said display unit.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein said data receiver receives updated event database information including updates to said selected information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor updates said combined display using said updated information pertaining to said first televised event.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein said data receiver receives said updated event database information substantially in real-time.

39. The system of claim 33 further comprising memory, wherein said event database information received by said data receiver is stored in said memory and said processor selects said information pertaining to said first televised event by retrieving said information pertaining to said televised event from said memory.

40. The system of claim 33 wherein said combined display comprises a banner overlaying a portion of said television video content for said first televised event, said banner displaying said selected information pertaining to said first televised event.

41. The system of claim 33 wherein said combined display comprises a banner which displays said selected information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor resizes said television video content for said first televised event to fit within a portion of said combined display unoccupied by said banner.

42. The system of claim 33 wherein said event database comprises statistical information pertaining to said first televised event, and said processor displays said statistical information in said combined display.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein said data receiver receives updates to said statistical information, and said processor updates said combined display using said updated statistical information.

44. The system of claim 33 wherein:

said video content receiver receives television program video content for at least one additional televised event;

said data receiver receives information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event as part of said event database, said information pertaining to said at least one televised event including channel tuning information;

said viewer inputs include event database navigation inputs and an event selection input; and

said processor, in response to said event database navigation inputs, selects information from said event database pertaining to said at least one additional televised event and generates a combined display of said television video content for said first televised event and said information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event,

wherein, in response to said event selection input, said processor causes said video content receiver to provide said television video content for said at least one additional televised event for display on said display unit.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said processor, in response to said event selection input, generates a combined display of said television program video content for said at least one additional televised program and said information pertaining to said at least one additional televised event for display on said display unit.

46. A system operable to provide a combined display of video content and information from an event database, said system comprising:

a video receiver operable to receive said video content;

a data receiver operable to receive said event database, said event database including information pertaining to a plurality of events including an event shown in said video content;

a viewer input receiver operable to receive viewer requests including a request to display said video content; and

a processor operable to generate a combined display of said video content and information pertaining to said event shown in said video content;

wherein;

said processor updates in substantially real-time said information in said combined display in response to an occurrence within said event.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein said video content is a television program.

48. The system of claim 46 wherein said event is a live activity selected from the group consisting of a sporting event, a political event, a judicial event, a community event, and an entertainment event.

49. The system of claim 46 wherein:

said viewer input receiver is further operable to receive a viewer request to display information pertaining to a second event not shown in said video content;

said processor is further operable to generate a combined display of said video content and said information pertaining to a second event;

said processor updates in substantially real-time said information pertaining to a second event in said combined display in response to an occurrence within said second event.

50. A method of displaying information in a combined display of video content and information, said method comprising:

receiving video content;

receiving an event database that includes information pertaining to an event;

receiving a viewer request to display said video content;

generating a combined display of said video content and said information pertaining to said event;

receiving updated event database information in substantially real-time in response to an occurrence within said event; and

updating said combined display in substantially real-time with said updated information.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said event is a live activity selected from the group consisting of a sporting event, a political event, a judicial event, a community event, and an entertainment event.