System and method for providing television services

• US 6,567,982 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1998
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howe, Wayne R., Danner, Fred Thomas III, Mauney, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu-Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/116,325
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/92, 725/93, 725/94, 725/97, 725/98, 725/100, 725/118, 725/131
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• 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 5/50 : Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• 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
• 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 system and method are described for providing interactive television services and for switching between television programs, such as to an interactive program session from another program. An interactive server, capable of providing requested interactive video services to a set of subscribers in a given geographic area, is coupled to a network to which subscriber set top boxes are also coupled. Television programming, which may be furnished by any number of sources, is accompanied by a signal that indicates the availability of other programming, such as interactive television service related to the program being viewed, as well as information to be used in requesting such service. The user, when notified by this signal, may input to the set top box a request for a second program, such as an interactive program or application. The identity of the original program channel is stored, and a session with the video service provider is established over the network. When the session is terminated, the set top box re-tunes the television signal to the original program channel.

Claims

1. A device for switching from a first session conducted over a first channel to a second session conducted over at least one second channel upon receiving at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session and upon selection by a user, comprising:

a receiving set, having at least one receiver, for receiving the first session on the first channel, and for receiving the signal indicating availability of the at least one second session, and capable of being adjusted from receiving the first session on the first channel to receiving the at least one second session over the second channel; and

a processor, coupled to the receiving set and adapted to receive a selection signal originating with the user, the processor being programmed to process transmissions received by the receiving set to detect the signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session, and to cause the receiving set to adjust to the at least one second channel to receive the at least one second session upon receiving a selection signal from the user; and

memory means coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is further programmed to;

store the identity of the first channel of the first session in the memory means prior to causing the receiver to adjust to the at least one second channel;

retrieve the identity of the first channel from the memory means at a desired time; and

cause the receiving set to re-adjust to the first channel to receive the first session.

2. The device of claim 1, in which the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session is included in the first session, wherein the processor is further programmed to derive the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session from the first session.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session is included in a vertical blanking interval of the first session, the processor being further programmed to derive the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session from the vertical blanking interval of the first session.

4. A device for allowing a viewer to switch a display device from a first session conducted over a first channel to at least one second session conducted over at least one second channel upon receiving at least one signal indicating the availability of the second session, the device coupled to display means, comprising:

a receiving set, having at least one receiver, for receiving session on the first channel, and for receiving the at least one signal indicating availability of the at least one second session and capable of being adjusted from receiving the first session on the first channel to receiving the at least one second session over the at least one second channel;

means for receiving a user request that the device switch to the at least one second session; and

a processor, coupled to the receiver, to the means for receiving a viewer request, and to the display means, and programmed to;

process transmissions received by the receiving set to detect the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session;

generate at least one message indicative of the availability of the at least one second session and display the at least one message on the display means;

receive a user request that the device switch to the at least one second session; and

upon receipt of the user request, store the identity of the channel of the first session in the memory means and cause the receiving set to adjust to the at least one second channel to receive the at least one second session;

retrieve the identity of the first channel at a desired time; and

cause the receiving set to adjust to the first channel to receive the first program.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session is included in the first session, the processor being further programmed to:

derive the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session from the first session.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising at least one information storage device coupled to the processor.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein information for generating at least one message indicative of the availability of the at least one second session, for display on the display means, is pre-stored in one of the at least one information storage devices, and wherein the processor is further programmed to generate the at least one message using the pre-stored information.

8. A device for allowing a viewer to switch a display device from a first session conducted over a first channel to at least one second session conducted over at least one second channel upon receiving at least one signal indicating the availability of the second session,the device coupled to display means, comprising:

a receiving set, having at least one receiver, for receiving the first session on the first channel, and for receiving the at least one signal indicating availability of the at least one second session and capable of being adjusted from receiving the first session on the first channel to receiving the at least one second session over the at least one second channel;

means for receiving a user request that the device switch to the at least one second session; and

a processor, coupled to the receiver, to the means for receiving a viewer request, and to the display means, and programmed to;

process transmissions received by the receiving set to detect the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session; and

generate at least one message indicative of the availability of the at least one second session and display the at least one message on the display means;

receive a user request that the device switch to the at least one second session; and

upon receipt of the user request, store the identity of the channel of the first session in the memory means and cause the receiving set to adjust to the at least one second channel to receive the at least one second session;

retrieve the identity of the first channel at a desired time; and

cause the receiving set to adjust to the first channel to receive the first program.

9. A device for use with a display device to allow a participant of a first session conducted over a first channel to switch to at least one second channel to receive at least one interactive session on receipt of at least one signal indicative of at least the availability of at least one identifying code for the at least one interactive session, the user being equipped with input means for issuing the request, the device comprising:

a receiving set adapted for receiving transmissions on the first channel, for being adjusted from receiving transmissions over the first channel to receiving at least one interactive session over the at least one second channel and, further, for receiving the at least one signal indicative of the availability of the at least one identifying code for the at least one interactive session;

means for receiving user input;

means for generating a video signal carrying at least one desired image and for combining the video signal with a signal being received by the receiver for viewing on the display device;

processing means coupled to the receiving set, to the means for generating a video signal, and to the means for receiving viewer-input, and programmed to;

detect the at least one signal indicative of the availability of the at least one identifying code for the at least one interactive session;

cause the means for generating a video signal to generate at least one signal indicative of the availability of the at least one interactive session and combine that at least one signal with the signal being received by the receiving set,

detect at least one signal received by the means for receiving viewer input indicative of a user request to view the at least one interactive session; and

cause the receiving set to adjust to the at least one second channel to receive the at least one interactive session for viewing on the display device.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising memory means coupled to the processor and wherein information for use in generating at least one visual indication of the availability of the at least one interactive session is stored in the memory means, and the means for generating a video signal for display on the display device indicative of the availability of the at least one interactive session transforms the information stored in the memory means in order to generate the at least one visual indication of the availability of the at least one interactive session.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising memory means coupled to the processor and wherein the processor is further adapted to store the identity of the first channel prior to causing the receiving set to adjust to the at least one second channel to receive the at least one interactive session.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor may be programmed to retrieve the identity of the first channel upon termination of the at least one interactive session, and may cause the receiving set to re-adjust to receive the first transmission on the first channel for viewing on the display device.

13. A method for allowing a user equipped with a television signal receiving device coupled to a display device to switch between a first session on a first channel and at least one second session on at least one second channel over at least one network, wherein at least one signal transmitted in association with the first session indicates that the second session is available, wherein the user is equipped to receive the second session upon request, and wherein the television signal receiving device is adapted for receiving user requests, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving the first session;

b. receiving the at least one signal transmitted in association with the first session indicating the availability of the at least one second session over the at least one network;

c. generating at least one image, based on receipt of the at least one signal indicating the availability of the at least one second session over the at least one network, for displaying on the display device to notify the user of that availability;

d. receiving a user request to switch to the at least one second session; and

e. switching to the at least one second channel to receive the at least one second session.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the at least one signal transmitted in association with the first session is incorporated in the vertical blanking interval of the first session, further comprising the step of deriving the at least one signal from the vertical blanking interval after receiving that at least one signal and prior to generating at least one image based on receipt of that at least one signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the at least one image for display on the display device to indicate the availability of the at least one second session includes operation only upon information in the at least one signal transmitted in association with the first session.

16. The method of claim 13, in which the television signal receiving device includes a memory, wherein the step of generating at least one image based on receipt of the at least one signal indicating the at least one second session is available includes reading information from the memory and using the information read from memory in generating the at least one image.

17. A method for switching between a television program and at least one interactive session, wherein the television program signal is accompanied by at least one signal carrying at least one message providing at least one identification code for at least one associated interactive session available on at least one interactive server on at least one network, and the viewer is equipped with means for receiving the television signal, means for receiving the at least one message indicating that at least one interactive session is available, display means, means for generating and overlaying at least one image on the display means, information storage means, means coupled to the at least one network for communicating with the at least one interactive server, and input means coupled to the means for communicating with the at least one interactive server for requesting the at least one interactive session, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving the television program signal;

b. receiving the at least one signal carrying the at least one message providing the at least one interactive session identification code;

c. generating at least one image for display on the display means indicative of the availability of at least one interactive session;

d. receiving at least one signal from the input means requesting the at least one interactive session;

e. storing the identity of the channel on which the television program is transmitted in a storage medium for later retrieval;

f. establishing communication with the at least one interactive server over the at least one network using the at least one identification code;

g. receiving the at least one interactive session over the at least one network from the at least one interactive server;

h. terminating communication with the at least one interactive server upon the earlier of the termination of the at least one interactive session or a viewer request to terminate;

i. retrieving the identity of the television program channel from the information storage means; and

j. tuning the means for receiving television signals to the channel having the identity retrieved from the information storage means.