Access system and method for providing interactive access to an information source through a networked distribution system

• US 6,477,579 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WorldGate Service, Inc.
• Inventors: Augenbraun, Joseph E., Kunkel, Gerard, Grosky, Aaron, Lee, Jae Hea Edward, Krisbergh, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/386,279
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/225, 709/217, 709/219, 709/226, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/33 via the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/97 using uplink of the CATV systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• 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 7/10 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 system and method for accessing Internet-based and other information through a user television in a television distribution network enables a user to access and view information which is related to the programming content of a currently viewed television broadcast. This concept, known as channel hyperlinking, enables a television viewer to download Internet Web pages, and the like, which are related to a currently viewed advertisement, program, newscast, etc. To facilitate channel hyperlinking, each user of the system sends channel hyperlink requests through an upstream channel to a network headend by actuating a hyperlink button on a television remote control, for example. The network headend is interfaced to the Internet by means of an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and downloads HTML Web page data from the Internet to the requesting user. Each television broadcast to be linked to the Internet-based or other information is transmitted by the original broadcaster with an identification tag which identifies the Universal Resource Locator (URL) or address where the program content related information is located. The headend uses the ID tag with channel and time of request information to identify the location of the information to be downloaded to the user. Preferably, the information is pre-cached from the ISP to a headend cache in advance of the broadcast to facilitate quicker downloading of the information to the user.

Claims

1. A system for providing access to information, said system comprising:

a) a plurality of terminals, each said terminal including;

1) a receiver for receiving information from an information source and receiving a transmission signal from a transmission signal source; and

2) means for transmitting a request for information to be received from said information source, said request including identification information for a transmission signal being received by said receiver at the time of said request; and

b) a network for receiving information from said information source and said transmission signal from a transmission signal source, and distributing said information to a receiver of one of said terminals transmitting a request for information, and distributing said transmission signal to said plurality of terminals, said network including;

1) a receiver for receiving requests for information from said terminals; and

2) means responsive to receipt of said request for information from said first terminal, and employing said transmission signal identification information for retrieving information from an information source, the content of which is related to the information content of said transmission signal at the time said request is generated; and

3) means for transmitting said content related information to said first terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said network further includes means for accessing information from the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said network further includes means for accessing information from the Internet through an ISP which is related to the information content of a transmission signal to be broadcast to said terminals by said network, and storing said information in a cache interfaced to said network for future access in response to information requests received from said terminals during broadcast of said transmission signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said request for information further includes information identifying said first terminal, and said network further includes means responsive to said information identifying said terminal, for causing said means for transmitting to transmit said content related information only to said first terminal that transmitted said request.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmission signal includes an identification tag which is periodically transmitted with said transmission signal, and identifies the current programming content of said transmission signal, said identification tag being employed by said network to identify, in response to a received information request, information which is related to the information content of a transmission signal being received by one of said terminals when said terminal generates an information request.

6. The system of claim 5, further including means for inserting said identification tag in a signal to be transmitted prior to transmission thereof and transmitting said signal to said network receiver.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a data collection center, said data collection center including:

1) means for receiving a plurality of transmission signals;

2) means for removing identification tags from each of said transmission signals; and

3) means for transmitting said identification tags to said receiver in said network.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said identification information for the transmission signal being received at the time said request is generated comprises information identifying a receiver channel to which said receiver in said first terminal is tuned at the time said request is generated, wherein said network employs said channel identification information, said identification tag and timing information identifying the time at which said request is generated, to determine the information content of the transmission signal received by said terminal at the time that the information request is generated thereby.

9. The system of claim 8, further including a database interfaced to said network for storing reference information corresponding to said identification tag which identifies the location in an information source of information related to the information content of said transmission signal.

10. The system of claim 9, further including a master database for receiving and storing reference information for a plurality of broadcast transmission signals which identifies the location in an information source of information related to the information content of each said broadcast transmission signal, and means for transmitting information in said master database to said network database.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said master database further includes a plurality of different information location identifiers for said identification tag, each of which identifies demographic specific information in an information source that is related to the programming content of said transmission signal, and said means for transmitting information in said master database to said network database includes means for identifying information location identifiers in said master database which match demographics corresponding to said network, and transmitting only those information location identifiers to said network database.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of terminals and said network are disposed in a cable television distribution system.

13. A method for accessing transmission signal content related information from an information source, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a transmission signal at a terminal from a transmission signal distribution network;

b) sending a request from said terminal to said transmission signal distribution network for information related to the information content of said transmission signal during reception thereof, said request including identification information for said transmission signal being received at the time of said request;

c) identifying content related information in an information source which is related to the information content of said transmission signal; and

d) transmitting said content related information to said terminal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of transmitting said content related information to said terminal further comprises accessing said information from the Internet through an Internet Service Provider.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of said network accessing said information further comprises:

a) before said transmission signal is transmitted to said terminal receiver, accessing information from the Internet through an Internet Service Provider which is related to the information content of said transmission signal;

b) storing said related information in a cache interfaced to said network; and

c) accessing said related information from said cache when said information request is received.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of said network identifying information in an information source which is related to the information content of said transmission signal, further comprises:

a) determining from

     1) said transmission signal identification information,

     2) an identification tag periodically transmitted with said transmission signal by said signal source that identifies the current programming content of said transmission signal, and

     3) information identifying the time at which said request is made, the identity of the information content of said transmission signal being received by said terminal at the time said request for information is generated thereby; and

b) matching the identity of the information content of said transmission signal with reference information identifying the location of said content related information in an information source, said reference information being stored in a network database accessed by said network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said transmission signal identification information comprises channel identification information identifying a channel to which said terminal receiver is tuned, said network employing said channel identification information with said identification tag and time of request information to determine the information content of the transmission signal being received by said terminal at the time said request is generated.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

1) receiving a plurality of transmission signals at a data collection center;

2) removing identification tags from said transmission signals; and

3) transmitting said identification tags to said network receiver.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of generating a master database of reference information for a plurality of broadcast transmission signals which identifies the location in said information source of information related to the information content of each said broadcast transmission signal, and transmitting information in said master database to said network database.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

1) providing in said master database, a plurality of different information location identifiers for said identification tag, each of which identifies demographic specific information in an information source that is related to the programming content of said transmission signal;

2) identifying information location identifiers in said master database which match demographics corresponding to said network; and

3) transmitting only those information location identifiers to said network database.