Data processing system and method for implementing programmable distribution of information by a video server

• US 6,412,111 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cato, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOENIG, ANDREW Y
• Application Number:
  US08/947,951
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 725/61, 725/136, 725/137, 725/141, 725/153, 348/468
• US Class Current: 725/137
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• 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

A video source provides information to a communication device that results in an icon being displayed on the communications device during a preview of a television program or segment of a television program. The icon indicates to the user that a single button on a remote control or other user-controller device can be used to program the communication device, including television, video-cassette recorders, cable boxes, network computers, or the like, to display or record the desired program or program segment as the program segment is being televised or communicated. Specifically, during operation, the exact date, time, and source of the actual television program or program segment is encoded in an unused portion of a teletext data stream when the icon is present. If the communication device receives an appropriate command from its user-controlled device while the icon is displayed, a central processing unit within that communication device, saves the information together with a channel presently being viewed. The communication device may include an alarm clock type function such as that typically used by video-cassette recorders. When the actual date and time match that of the desired segment, the communication device will tune itself to the desired channel or video source. The video-cassette recorder may begin a recording in one embodiment of the present invention. Alternatively, the television, video cassette recorder, cable set top box, or other form of communication device may notify the viewer that a desired segment is about to start and the viewer may elect to change channels to view that segment.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a first program content and first program data, said first program data generated whenever a portion of said first program content references a second program content;

receiving said first program content and said first program data and displaying said first program content concurrent with an observable first indicator, said observable first indicator generated in response to a decode of said first program data;

issuing a select command by a user receiving said first program content in response to a presence of said observable first indicator;

storing said first program data in response to said select command;

receiving second program data; and

comparing first selected data within said stored first program data to second selected data within said second program data,

wherein said first selected data comprises a specified broadcast time and date and a corresponding broadcast frequency for said second program content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a second indicator corresponding to said second program content in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second program data;

issuing an accept command by said user in response to a presence of said second indicator;

selecting said second program content for reception in response to said accept command; and

displaying said second program content to said user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said accept command is issued by activating a remote control for a receiver, said receiver configured to receive said second program content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting said second program content for reception in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data; and

displaying said second program content to said user in response to said compare of said first selected data to said second selected data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting said second program content for reception in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data; and

recording said second program content in response to said compare of said first selected data to said second selected data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a second indicator corresponding to said second program content in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data;

issuing an accept command by said user in response to a presence of said second indicator;

selecting said second program content for reception in response to said accept command; and

recording said second program content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second program content comprise audio and video content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said portion of said first program content referencing said second program content is an audio reference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said portion of said first program content referencing said second program content is a video reference.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said portion of said first program content referencing said second program content is a text reference.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said observable first indicator is a video indicator.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said select command is issued concurrent with said observable first indicator.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said select command is issued by activating a remote control for a receiver, said receiver configured to receive said first program content and said first program data.

11. A method of operating a communication system comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a first program content and first program data, said first program data generated whenever a portion of said first program content references a second program content;

receiving said first program content and said first program data and displaying said first program content concurrent with an observable first indicator, said observable first indicator generated in response to a decode of said first program data;

issuing a select command by a user receiving said first program content in response to a presence of said observable first indicator;

storing said first program data in response to said select command;

receiving second program data; and

comparing first selected data within said stored first program data to second selected data within said second program data,

wherein said second program content is a part of said first program content and is to be broadcast at a specified broadcast time and date after said first program content.

15. A method of operating a communication system comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a first program content and first program data, said first program data generated whenever a portion of said first program content references a second program content;

receiving said first program content and said first program data and displaying said first program content concurrent with an observable first indicator, said observable first indicator generated in response to a decode of said first program data;

issuing a select command by a user receiving said first program content in response to a presence of said observable first indicator;

storing said first program data in response to said select command;

receiving second program data; and

comparing first selected data within said stored first program data to second selected data within said second program data,

wherein said second selected data is a time and date from a current time and date clock.

16. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for broadcasting a first program content and first program data, said first program data generated whenever a portion of said first program content references a second program content;

a receiver for receiving said first program content and said first program data and displaying said first program content concurrent with an observable first indicator generated in response to a decode of said first program data;

a command circuit for issuing a select command by a user receiving said first program content in response to a presence of said observable first indicator;

a storage unit for storing said first program data in response to said select command;

a receive circuit for receiving second program data; and

a compare circuit for comparing first selected data within said stored first program data to second selected data within said second program data,

wherein said first selected data comprises a specified broadcast time and date and a corresponding broadcast frequency for said second program content.

17. The communication system of claim 16 further comprising:

a display circuit for displaying a second indicator corresponding to said second program content in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data;

a circuit for issuing an accept command by said user in response to a presence of said second indicator;

a select circuit for selecting said second program content for reception in response to said accept command; and

a display circuit for displaying said second program content to said user.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein said accept command is issued by activating a remote control for a receiver, said receiver configured to receive said second program content.

19. The communication system of claim 16 further comprising:

a select circuit for selecting said second program content for reception in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data; and

a display unit for displaying said second program content to said user in response to said compare of said first selected data to said second selected data.

20. The communication system of claim 16 further comprising:

a select circuit for selecting said second program content for reception in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data; and

a recording unit for recording said second program content in response to said compare of said first selected data to said second selected data.

21. The communication system of claim 16 further comprising:

a display circuit for displaying a second indicator corresponding to said second program content in response to a compare of said first selected data to said second selected data;

a circuit for issuing an accept command by said user in response to a presence of said second indicator;

a select circuit for selecting said second program content for reception in response to a said accept command; and

a recording unit for recording said second program content.

22. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said first and second program content comprises audio and video content.

23. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said portion of said first program content referencing said second program content is an audio reference.

24. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said portion of said first program content referencing said second program content is a video reference.

25. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said portion of said first program content referencing said second program content is a text reference.

26. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said observable first indicator is a video indicator.

27. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said select command is issued concurrent with said observable first indicator.

28. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said select command is issued by activating a remote control for a receiver, said receiver configured to receive said first program content and said first program data.

29. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for broadcasting a first program content and first program data, said first program data generated whenever a portion of said first program content references a second program content;

a receiver for receiving said first program content and said first program data and displaying said first program content concurrent with an observable first indicator generated in response to a decode of said first program data;

a command circuit for issuing a select command by a user receiving said first program content in response to a presence of said observable first indicator;

a storage unit for storing said first program data in response to said select command;

a receive circuit for receiving second program data; and

a compare circuit for comparing first selected data within said stored first program data to second selected data within said second program data,

wherein said second program content is a part of said first program content and said second program content is to be broadcast at a specified broadcast time and date after said first program content.

30. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for broadcasting a first program content and first program data, said first program data generated whenever a portion of said first program content references a second program content;

a receiver for receiving said first program content and said first program data and displaying said first program content concurrent with an observable first indicator generated in response to a decode of said first program data;

a command circuit for issuing a select command by a user receiving said first program content in response to a presence of said observable first indicator;

a storage unit for storing said first program data in response to said select command;

a receive circuit for receiving second program data; and

a compare circuit for comparing first selected data within said stored first program data to second selected data within said second program data,

wherein said second selected date is a time and date from a current time and date clock.