Interactive video programming methods

• US 6,628,302 B2
• Filed: 11/30/1998
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bruck, Timo, White, Chris M.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/201,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/327, 345/333, 345/335, 345/339, 345/348, 345/352, 345/354, 345/357, 345/700, 345/716-721, 345/744, 345/745, 345/764, 345/765, 345/810, 345/811, 345/825, 345/835, 345/840, 345/854, 348/569, 348/906, 725/37-40, 725/46, 725/47, 725/52, 725/56
• US Class Current: 715/717
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers'"'"' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

Claims

1. A method of presenting video entertainment comprising:

receiving a composite signal comprising plural channels modulated onto separate carrier frequencies;

on certain of said channels receiving television programs;

on at least one of said channels, receiving HTML-based content including video news excerpts and textual news excerpts customized in response to transmitted control instructions;

storing the HTML-based content in a local storage device;

automatically cycling through and presenting on-screen a selected subset of the HTML-based content stored in the local storage device;

receiving an indication at an on-screen selected icon, the indication representing a news selection;

in response to the indication, altering the selected subset of HTML-based content taken from the local storage device and presented on-screen; and

interrupting said customized news excerpts in response to a user switching to a channel receiving television programs, and continuing the customized news excerpts where interrupted upon a timely return to the channel presenting customized news excerpts;

wherein the received television programs, the received HTML-based customized news excerpts and the transmitted control instructions are conveyed on a same bi-directional conveyance.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes receiving a user indication representing a news category to be viewed immediately, and interrupting said cycling to immediately present news items in said identified category.

3. The method of claim 1 in which in response to the indication, a control signal is returned to an interactive server and additional HTML-based content is received, stored in the local storage device, and presented on-screen.

4. The method of claim 1, including listing the channel presenting HTML-based content in an electronic program guide of available programming.

5. A method of presenting video entertainment comprising:

receiving a composite signal comprising plural viewing channels modulated onto separate carrier frequencies;

on certain of said channels, presenting television programs;

on at least one of said channels, presenting a subset of hyper-text language based video news received on the composite signal and stored in a local storage device, said presented subset of news personalized in accordance with stored user news preferences;

altering the subset of news presented from the local storage device, in response to receiving a content selection indication from a user interface; and

interrupting said personalized news presentation in response to channel switching, and continuing the personalized news presentation where interrupted upon a timely return to the viewing channel presenting the personalized news presentation;

wherein the news received on the composite signal is based on a user preference control instruction transmitted on a same cable as the composite signal is received.

6. The method of claim 5, including listing the plural viewing channels in an electronic program guide.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

using a remote control viewing channel switching device,

browsing through the electronic program guide; and

switching to the viewing channel presenting the news presentation.

8. The method of claim 7, including using the remote control viewing channel switching device to switch categories of news while remaining on the viewing channel presenting the personalized news presentation.

9. A method for presenting video entertainment, the method comprising:

receiving a cable signal comprising plural channels of programming content modulated onto carrier frequencies;

allowing a user to select amongst the plural channels of programming content comprising analog video based programming content and at least one hyper-text based video programming content; and

displaying a selected customized channel of programming content wherein a full set of the hyper-text based video programming content is downloaded to a local video storage device and a subset of the locally stored content is automatically selected and displayed in a cycle customized according to the users preferences; and

interrupting said customized channel in response to the user switching channels, and continuing the display of the customized cycle at the point of interruption upon a return to the customized channel.

10. A head-end sending the cable signal received in claim 9.

11. A method of presenting video entertainment, the method comprising:

receiving a signal comprising plural viewing channels of programming content modulated onto separate carrier frequencies;

on at least certain of said viewing channels, presenting television programs;

on at least one of said viewing channels, receiving news content and storing in a local memory and presenting a portion of the stored news personalized in accordance with stored user news preferences;

receiving input from a remote control device selecting a customized news icon presented in an on-screen graphical user interface;

sending an indication that the icon was selected; and

receiving on the viewing channel personalized in accordance with stored news preferences, content further customized in response to the sent indication wherein the indication is sent on and the signal is received on, a same transfer medium; and

interrupting said channel presenting personalized news in response to receiving a channel switch indication, and continuing the personalized news presentation from the point of interruption upon receiving a timely indication of a channel switch indication for the channel presenting the personalized news.

12. A method of presenting video entertainment comprising:

presenting customized dynamic news received on one of plural viewing channels modulated onto separate transmission channels on a network, wherein said plural viewing channels include broadcast television programming;

receiving an input indication from a remote control used in conjunction with an on-screen graphical user interface, the input indication comprising a request to alter the content of the viewing channel presenting customized dynamic news;

sending an output indication on the network;

receiving a set of video news segments on the viewing channel presenting customized dynamic news and storing the set in a local storage device, and presenting from the local storage device, news content altered in response to the output indication wherein the output indication is sent on, and the plural viewing channels are received on, the same network; and

interrupting said viewing channel presenting customized dynamic news in response receiving a channel switch indication, and continuing the customized dynamic news presentation from the point of interruption in response to receiving a channel switch indication for the channel presenting customized dynamic news.