Method and apparatus for providing a variety of information from an information server

• US 6,130,720 A
• Filed: 02/10/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Naimpally, Saiprasad V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/797,922
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1-12, 348/468, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/589, 348/553
• US Class Current: 348/553
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and apparatus for requesting, receiving, processing, and providing local information from a single local source to a television viewer. A local information provider is accessed via a communications link and specific data, which is separate and distinct from video signals received by the television receiver, is downloaded to the television receiver. The data provided by the local source is minimally formatted without any graphical overhead. Requests for information from the local source may be on demand or at a predetermined time.

Claims

1. An apparatus to provide a subscriber with information on a television receiver for use with an Information Provider (IP), the television receiver having a display screen and including an on-screen display processor which displays operational data on the display screen with active video information from a video input signal to provide a user interface for adjusting operational functions of the television receiver, the apparatus comprising,

a bi-directional communication link interconnecting the television receiver and the IP,

requesting means in the television receiver for requesting data over the bi-directional communication link,

receiving means in the television receiver for receiving the requested data over the bi-directional communication link, the requested data being separate from the video input signal received by the television receiver,

processing means for processing the data from said receiving means into formatted text information, and

display means, using the on-screen display processor of the television receiver to display the formatted text information from said processing means on the display screen of the television receiver,

wherein the information includes a database containing local information.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

memory means for storing the received data from said receiving means, wherein said processing means processes the data from said memory means into the formatted text information.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing means includes a closed caption device for decoding data conforming to a closed-caption protocol.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display means displays the data in a foreground portion of a received video image.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing means includes menu generating means for generating a predetermined menu in a format to be displayed using the on screen display processor of the television receiver.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing means includes an internal clock which is updated by the IP when the requesting means requests time data.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the processing means generates a scan list which is provided to the IP by the requesting means, and

the IP uses the scan list to limit television program information provided to the television receiver in response to a request for television program schedule information.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communications link is a telephone connection,

the IP includes means for receiving telephone exchange information of the subscriber with a request for information and means for using the received telephone exchange information to determine at least one of:

i) available television stations,

ii) local movie theaters, and

iii) local stage theaters.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bi-directional communication link is a cable television line.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

conversion means, including a text-to speech converter, for converting the received data into audio information, and

audio processing means for providing the audio information to a speaker system of the television receiver.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said audio information is substituted for an audio signal of a respective video input signal.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said audio information is blended with an audio signal of a respective video input signal.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the requested data includes local information comprising at least one of:

1) a newspaper article,

2) a movie theater listing,

3) weather information,

4) advertising,

5) Electronic Program Guide information, and

6) a stage production listing.

14. A method for providing selected local information from an Information Provider (IP) to a television receiver with an on screen display function which displays operational data to provide a user interface for adjusting operational functions of the television receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

a) connecting the television receiver and the IP with a bi-directional communications link,

b) requesting data from the IP over the bi-directional communications link,

c) receiving the data at the television receiver over the bi-directional communications link,

d) storing the received data into a memory,

e) processing the stored data into formatted text information, and

f) displaying the formatted text information with active video using the on-screen display function of the television receiver,

wherein the data contains TV schedule information for selected local broadcast TV stations.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the requested data is local information including at least one of:

1) a newspaper article,

2) a movie theater listing,

3)weather information,

4) advertising,

5) Electronic Program Guide information, and

6) a stage production listing.