System and method for automatically reminding a user of a receiver that a broadcast is on a data stream

• US 6,317,882 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Musicqubed Innovations LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomas D. Robbins
• Inventors: Robbins, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US09/634,710
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.7173, H04/N.716, 725/58, 725/37, 725/32, 725/36, 725/33, 725/34, 725/35, 725/39, 725/139, 725/140, 725/141, 725/142, 386/83, 386/95, 348/731, 348/732
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/372 Programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• 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 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• 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

Abstract

An automatic reminding system for reminding a user or tuning a receiver, such as a television, radio, recording device, computer, etc. to a particular carrier based on a detected ID code broadcast on that particular carrier. A user first activates the system when a broadcast signal is broadcasting an ID code that corresponds to a program that is broadcast. The receiver will either automatically remind a user that a particular broadcast is being broadcast or tune to a carrier that broadcasts the broadcast that corresponds to the ID code that was previously stored. Further the ID code may alternatively program the receiver with a date/time stamp to automatically tune to a particular carrier at a particular time.

Claims

1. An automatically tunable receiver, operable to receive a plurality of data streams, said receiver comprising:

a memory;

a main receiver, said main receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a first ID code within a first received data stream, to extract said first ID code from within said first received data stream, and to store said first ID code in said memory;

an auxiliary receiver, said auxiliary receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a second ID code within a second received data stream, and to extract said second ID code from within said second received data stream;

a comparator, said comparator being operable to compare said first ID code and said second ID code; and

a controller, said controller being operable to tune said main receiver to said second received data stream when said first ID code and said second ID code are the same.

2. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver is a radio.

3. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1, wherein said memory is operable to store a plurality of ID codes, and wherein any ID codes detected and extracted by said auxiliary receiver are compared with any ID codes stored in said memory.

4. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of auxiliary receivers.

5. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 4, wherein said plurality of auxiliary receivers detect and extract respective ID codes from different data streams in an interlaced manner.

6. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver is a television.

7. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver is a computer.

8. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver is a recorder.

9. The automatically tunable receiver of claim 1, wherein said receiver is a set-top box.

10. A user informing receiver, operable to receive a plurality of data streams, said receiver comprising:

a memory;

a main receiver, said main receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a first ID code within a first received data stream, to extract said first ID code from within said first received data stream, and to store said first ID code in said memory;

an auxiliary receiver, said auxiliary receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a second ID code within a second received data stream, and to extract said second ID code from within said second received data stream;

a comparator, said comparator being operable to compare said first ID code and said second ID code;

a message provider, said message provider being operable to provide information to the user; and

a controller, said controller being operable to instruct said message provider to provide information to a user when said first ID code and said second ID code are the same.

11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said information is a video informing message.

12. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said video informing message is a text massage formed in a window of the current program.

13. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said video informing message is a text massage overlaying the current program.

14. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said information is an audio informing message.

15. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said information is an audio alarm.

16. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said memory is operable to store a plurality of ID codes, and wherein any ID codes detected and extracted by said auxiliary receiver are compared with any ID codes stored in said memory.

17. The receiver of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of auxiliary receivers.

18. The receiver of claim 17, wherein said plurality of auxiliary receivers detect and extract respective ID codes from different data streams in an interlaced manner.

19. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said receiver is a television.

20. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said receiver is a radio.

21. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said receiver is a computer.

22. The receiver of claim 10, wherein said receiver is a set-top box.

23. An automatically tunable receiver, operable to receive a plurality of data streams, said receiver comprising:

a memory;

a main receiver, said main receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a first ID code within a first received data stream, to extract said first ID code from within said first received data stream, to modify said first ID code, and to store said modified first ID code in said memory;

an auxiliary receiver, said auxiliary receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a second ID code within a second received data stream, and to extract said second ID code from within said second received data stream;

a comparator, said comparator being operable to compare said modified first ID code and said second ID code; and

a controller, said controller being operable to tune said main receiver to said second received data stream when said modified first ID code and said second ID code are the same.

24. A user informing receiver, operable to receive a plurality of data streams, said receiver comprising:

a memory;

a main receiver, said main receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a first ID code within a first received data stream, to extract said first ID code from within said first received data stream, to modify said first ID code, and to store said modified first ID code in said memory;

an auxiliary receiver, said auxiliary receiver being operable to receive said plurality of data streams, to detect a second ID code within a second received data stream, and to extract said second ID code from within said second received data stream;

a comparator, said comparator being operable to compare said modified first ID code and said second ID code;

a message provider, said message provider being operable to provide information to the user; and

a controller, said controller being operable to instruct said message provider to provide information to a user when said modified first ID code and said second ID code are the same.