Method and system for locating a resource within a broadcasting environment

• US 6,502,243 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1998
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lgerca, Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Gomer
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/188,189
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 725/110, 725/172, 725/115, 725/136, 725/51, 725/56, 725/109, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for locating a referenced resource within a broadcasting environment. The method includes storing translation information into a receiver memory, identifying a location of additional translation information for the referenced resource based on the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource, receiving the additional translation information from a transport stream identified by the transport information stored in the receiver memory for the referenced source, and locating the referenced resource based on the additional translation information received.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

storing translation information into a receiver memory; and

identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource,

wherein the step of storing the translation information in the receiver memory stores less than all of the translation information communicated to the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the translation information stored in the receiver memory identifies at least one broadcast stream for the additional translation information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the additional translation information from a location identified by the translation information stored in the receiver memory for the referenced resource.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

locating the referenced resource based on the additional translation information received.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining the additional translation information from said at least one broadcast stream identified by the translation information stored in the receiver memory for the referenced resource, the additional translation information identifying a further location associated with the referenced resource;

receiving further translation information from the further location identified by the additional translation information; and

locating the referenced resource based on the further translation information received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the translation information that enables the referenced resource to be located is output by a transmitting station.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records; and

wherein storage of less than all of said translation information is accomplished by storing less than all of the lower level records.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said additional translation information points to a location, in said broadcast stream, of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

examining said additional translation information for the referenced resource in one of said at least one location;

second identifying a location of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource based on said examined additional translation information; and

repeating said examining step and said second identifying step until the location of the referenced resource is found.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource is referenced by a URL.

12. A system for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

a receiver memory that stores translation information; and

means for identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource,

wherein the receiver memory stores less than all of the translation information communicated to the receiver.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver memory stores translation information identifying at least one broadcast stream for the additional translation information.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving the additional translation information from a location identified by the translation information stored in the receiving memory for the referenced resource.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for locating the referenced resource based on the additional translation information received.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for obtaining the additional translation information from said at least one broadcast stream identified by the translation information stored in the receiver memory for the referenced resource, the additional translation information identifying a further location associated with the referenced resource;

means for receiving further translation information from the further location identified by the additional translation information; and

means for locating the referenced resource based on the further translation information received.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a transmitting station that outputs the translation information that enables the referenced resource to be located.

18. The system of claim 12:

wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records; and

wherein storage of less than all of said translation information is accomplished by storing less than all of the lower level records.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said additional translation information points to a location, in said broadcast stream, of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for examining said additional translation information for the referenced resource in one of said at least one location;

means for second identifying a location of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource based on said examined additional translation information; and

means for repeating said examining and said second identifying until the location of the referenced resource is found.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the resource is referenced by a URL.

23. A receiver usable in a broadcasting environment, comprising:

a memory that stores less than all translation information received, said translation information being used to locate a referenced resource; and

means for identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the memory corresponding to the referenced resource.

24. The receiver of claim 23:

wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records; and

wherein storage of less than all of said translation information is accomplished by storing less than all of the lower level records.

25. The receiver of claim 23, wherein said additional translation information points to a location, in said broadcast stream, of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource.

26. The receiver of claim 23, further comprising:

means for examining said additional translation information for the referenced resource in one of said at least one location;

means for second identifying a location of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource based on said examined additional translation information; and

means for repeating said examining and said second identifying until the location of the referenced resource is found.

27. The receiver of claim 23, wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records.

28. The receiver of claim 23, wherein the resource is referenced by a URL.

29. A method for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcast stream, the broadcast stream including translation tables, each translation table including lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within said broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of the location of lower level records in said broadcast stream, the method comprising:

receiving said translation tables at a receiver;

storing, for at least one of said translation tables, an abbreviated version of the translation table having all of the higher level records but less than all of the lower level records; and

identifying a location of additional translation information for the referenced resource based on the higher level records of the truncated translation table stored in the receiver memory corresponding to said referenced resource.

30. A method for enabling a referenced resource to be located via translation tables within a broadcast stream,

the method comprising:

creating lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within said broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of the location of lower level records in said broadcast stream; and

creating translation tables that include both said lower level records and said higher level records; and

arranging for said translation tables to be inserted into said broadcast stream.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said translation tables are created such that records therein include a parameter to indicate the type thereof as being lower level or higher level.

32. A method for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

storing translation information into a receiver memory; and

identifying a location of additional translation information for the referenced resource based on the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource,

wherein the step of storing the translation information in the receiver memory stores less than all of the translation information communicated to the receiver.

33. A system for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

a receiver memory that stores translation information; and

means for identifying a location of additional translation information for the referenced resource based on the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource,

wherein the receiver memory stores less than all of the translation information communicated to the receiver.

34. A receiver comprising:

a memory that stores less than all translation information received; and

means for locating additional translation information based on the translation information stored,

wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records in said broadcast stream, and

wherein storage of less than all of said translation information is accomplished by storing less than all of the lower level records.

35. A method for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

storing translation information into a receiver memory;

identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource;

examining said additional translation information for the referenced resource in one of said at least one location;

second identifying a location of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource based on said examined additional translation information; and

repeating said examining step and said second identifying step until the location of the referenced resource is found.

36. A method for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

storing translation information into a receiver memory; and

identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource,

wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records in that broadcast stream.

37. A system for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

a receiver memory that stores translation information;

means for identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource;

means for examining said additional translation information for the referenced resource in one of said at least one location;

means for second identifying a location of at least one further additional translation information for the referenced resource based on said examined additional translation information; and

means for repeating said examining and said second identifying until the location of the referenced resource is found.

38. A system for enabling a referenced resource to be located within a broadcasting environment, comprising:

a receiver memory that stores translation information; and

means for identifying at least one location, in a broadcast stream, of additional translation information for the referenced resource by referring to the translation information stored in the receiver memory corresponding to that referenced resource;

wherein said translation information includes lower level records indicative of a location of a referenced resource within a broadcast stream and higher level records indicative of a location of the lower level records in that broadcast stream.