Method and apparatus for masking latency in an interactive television network

• US 6,340,987 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1995
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1995
• 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: Hayashi, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lo, Linus H
• Application Number:
  US08/572,547
• Time in Patent Office: 2,231 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.710, H04/N.714, 348/7, 348/710, 348/712, 348/713, 348/473-474, 348/14.01, 386/83, 725/60, 725/61-64, 725/86, 725/87, 725/98, 725/118, 725/32
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method and apparatus for masking latency in an interactive television network. One embodiment of the invention initially receives a command pertaining to an interactive selection from a viewer. The invention then determines if latency is associated with the execution of the received command. If so, the invention (1) begins processing the command, and (2) presents a latency-masking presentation.

Claims

1. In an interactive television network having a plurality of viewers, a method of masking latency, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a command pertaining to a given interactive selection from a given viewer;

determining whether latency in presenting said given interactive selection to said given viewer is associated with said command;

if latency is not associated with said command, executing said command and presenting said given interactive selection to said given viewer; and

if latency is associated with said command, beginning execution of said command, temporarily presenting a latency masking presentation to said given viewer, and thereafter presenting said given interactive selection to said given viewer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining step is performed by decoding code that is associated with said command.

3. Latency masking apparatus adapted to operate in an interactive television network having a plurality of viewers, said apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving from a given viewer a command pertaining to an given interactive selection;

determining means, coupled to said receiving means, for determining whether latency is associated with execution of said command; and

presentation means, coupled to said determining means, for executing said command and presenting said given interactive selection to said given viewer when latency is not associated with execution of said command, or for beginning execution of said command and temporarily presenting a latency masking presentation to said given viewer when latency is associated with execution of said command, followed by presenting said given interactive selection to said given viewer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said determining means operates to decode code that is associated with said command in order to determine whether latency is associated with execution of said command.