Trigger having a time attribute

• US 6,415,438 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebTV Networks Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zigmond, Daniel J., Blackketter, Dean J., Park, Timothy F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V.
• Application Number:
  US09/412,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20020056129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1-3, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12-13, 348/553, 709/217-219, 709/232, 709/233, 709/235, 709/227-229, 709/207, 386/54, 380/200, 455/5.1, 725/13, 725/39, 725/110, 725/136, 725/29, 725/32, 725/51, 725/135, 725/139, 725/146
• US Class Current: 725/136
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television trigger has a time attribute value that indicates a future time when the trigger is to be executed. In many situations, the trigger is sent to the receiver unit prior to the future time (e.g., to account for bandwidth limitations or to allow prefetching of an information resource associated with the trigger). Redundant triggers may be sent as the future time draws closer. In this way, if the receiver unit did not receive a previously sent trigger for some reason, a redundant trigger is available for execution. The receiver unit may ignore duplicate triggers. The time attribute value also may indicate a life span during which the trigger is valid so that, if a user switches video channels but returns to a video channel for which execution of the trigger is desired, the trigger may be re-executed during the life span.

Claims

1. In a computer network, which includes a plurality of servers and a plurality of interactive television receiver units, wherein the receiver units permit television sets to display content stored at the plurality of servers, and wherein the receiver units receive one or more triggers specifically designed for providing interactive content, a method of reliably and accurately executing a trigger at a desired time, the method comprising steps for:

receiving at least one trigger which includes (i) a time attribute that indicates a future time and that is independent of user control, and (ii) an identifier for an information resource;

determining, based on the time attribute when the at least one trigger should be executed;

prefetching the information resource while waiting for the future time to arrive; and

executing the trigger at the time indicated by the time attribute.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step for receiving one or more communication channels from a broadcaster, the one or more communication channels containing (i) broadcast content, and (ii) the at least one trigger.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the prefetching occurs during off-peak times.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the time attribute further indicates a life span for the at least one trigger, and wherein the at least one trigger corresponds to a first broadcast communication channel containing broadcast content, the method further comprising steps for:

after executing the at least one trigger, switching channels from the first broadcast communication channel to a second broadcast communication channel, wherein the at least one trigger is not valid for execution in the context of the second broadcast communication channel;

during the life span of the at least one trigger, switching channels back from the second broadcast communication channel to the first broadcast communication channel; and

re-executing the at least one trigger.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the future time comprises a relative time indicating a period of time to wait prior to executing the at least one trigger.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the time attribute comprises a media-based time, the method further comprising a step for monitoring media received over the at least one broadcast communication channel to determine when the future time arrives.

7. A computer program product for use in a computer network, which includes a plurality of servers and a plurality of interactive television receiver units, wherein the receiver units permit television sets to display content stored at the plurality of servers, and wherein the receiver units receive one or more triggers specifically designed for providing interactive content, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of reliably and accurately executing a trigger at a desired time, the method comprising steps for:

receiving at least one trigger which includes (i) a time attribute that indicates a future time and that is independent of user control, and (ii) an identifier for an information resource;

determining, based on the time attribute when the at least one trigger should be executed;

prefetching the information resource while waiting for the future time to arrive; and

executing the trigger at the time indicated by the time attribute.

8. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, the method further comprising a step for receiving one or more communication channels from a broadcaster, the one or more communication channels containing (i) broadcast content, and (ii) the at least one trigger.

9. A computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the prefetching occurs during off-peak times.

10. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the time attribute further indicates a life span for the at least one trigger, and wherein the at least one trigger corresponds to a first broadcast communication channel containing broadcast content, the method further comprising steps for:

after executing the at least one trigger, switching channels from the first broadcast communication channel to a second broadcast communication channel, wherein the at least one trigger is not valid for execution in the context of the second broadcast communication channel;

during the life span of the at least one trigger, switching channels back from the second broadcast communication channel to the first broadcast communication channel; and

re-executing the at least one trigger.

11. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the future time comprises a relative time indicating a period of time to wait prior to executing the at least one trigger.

12. A computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the time attribute comprises a media-based time, the method further comprising a step for monitoring media received over the at least one broadcast communication channel to determine when the future time arrives.

13. In a computer network, which includes a plurality of servers and a plurality of interactive television receiver units, wherein the receiver units permit television sets to display content stored at the plurality of servers, and wherein the receiver units receive one or more triggers specifically designed for providing interactive content, a method of reliably and accurately executing a trigger at a desired time, the method comprising acts of:

for at least one trigger that comprises (i) a time attribute indicating a future time and independent of user control, and (ii) an identifier for an information resource, evaluating the time attribute to determine when the at least one trigger should be executed;

retrieving the information resource prior to the future time; and

executing the at least one trigger at the time indicated by the time attribute.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising an act of tuning to one or more communication channels from a broadcaster, the one or more communication channels containing (i) broadcast content, and (ii) the at least one trigger.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the retrieving occurs during off-peak times.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the time attribute indicates a life span for the at least one trigger, and wherein the at least one trigger corresponds to a first broadcast communication channel containing broadcast content, the method further comprising acts of:

after executing the at least one trigger while tuned to the first broadcast communication channel, tuning to a second broadcast communication channel, wherein the at least one trigger is not valid for execution in the context of the second broadcast communication channel;

during the life span of the at least one trigger, tuning back to the first broadcast communication channel; and

re-executing the at least one trigger.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the future time comprises a relative time indicating a period of time to wait prior to executing the at least one trigger.

18. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the time attribute comprises a media-based time, the method further comprising an act of examining the frame numbers within the broadcast content if the broadcast content includes frame numbers, and otherwise, counting successive frames of the broadcast content as the frames are received.

19. A computer program product for use in a computer network, which includes a plurality of servers and a plurality of interactive television receiver units, wherein the receiver units permit television sets to display content stored at the plurality of servers, and wherein the receiver units receive one or more triggers specifically designed for providing interactive content, the computer program product carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of reliably and accurately executing a trigger at a desired time, the method comprising acts of:

for at least one trigger that comprises (i) a time attribute indicating a future time and independent of user control, and (ii) an identifier for an information resource, evaluating the time attribute to determine when the at least one trigger should be executed;

retrieving the information resource prior to the future time; and

executing the at least one trigger at the time indicated by the time attribute.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, the method further comprising an act of tuning to one or more communication channels from a broadcaster, the one or more communication channels containing (i) broadcast content, and (ii) the at least one trigger.

21. A computer program product as recited in claim 20, wherein the retrieving occurs during off-peak times.

22. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the time attribute indicates a life span for the at least one trigger, and wherein the at least one trigger corresponds to a first broadcast communication channel containing broadcast content, the method further comprising acts of:

after executing the at least one trigger while tuned to the first broadcast communication channel, tuning to a second broadcast communication channel, wherein the at least one trigger is not valid for execution in the context of the second broadcast communication channel;

during the life span of the at least one trigger, tuning back to the first broadcast communication channel; and

re-executing the at least one trigger.

23. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the future time comprises a relative time indicating a period of time to wait prior to executing the at least one trigger.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the time attribute comprises a media-based time, the method further comprising an act of examining the frame numbers within the broadcast content if the broadcast content includes frame numbers, and otherwise, counting successive frames of the broadcast content as the frames are received.