Data distribution system using coordinated analog and digital streams

• US 6,675,388 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seidman, David I., Schaffa, Frank A., Beckmann, William H., Depp, Steven W., Paraszczak, Jurij R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/239,689
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 348/726, 348/725, 348/731, 725/63, 725/68, 725/70, 725/135, 725/136, 725/139, 725/151, 725/144, 725/148, 725/34, 725/35, 725/109, 725/110
• 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 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

The present invention uses multiple broadcast television channels to distribute high volume of data to a client device from a server. Multiple analog channels are broadcast, at least one of which contains video/audio programs and control data inserted into the analog signal'"'"'s VBI; and at least one separate channel contains a digital data stream which is modulated onto an analog channel and associated with channels containing those video/audio programs. STBs designed to implement this invention are equipped with at least two tuners in order to tune to two of those channels simultaneously. One tuner is used to tune to the video/audio channel, and extract the control data in the VBI. The second tuner is used to tune to the channels containing the data itself.

Claims

1. A method for distributing broadcast of data over one or more channels of a broadcast network, said method comprising steps of:

broadcasting a first type content and a second type content over separate channels;

receiving broadcast content on a client device as requested by a viewer by tuning to channels, a tuned channel carrying said first type content, said first type content having control information for providing at least one channel number related to data units associated with a second type content;

decoding said first type content and extracting control information from said first type content;

receiving and decoding said second type content and extracting the data units associated with the second type content based on the control information;

combining broadcast content and data units of said second type content at the viewer location; and

displaying to a viewer said combined content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

accepting a viewer selection specifying which of said data units are to be displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a high volume of said second type content is distributed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said second type content is distributed in close coordination and highly synchronized with said first type content.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising a step of authoring, wherein said control information is inserted at appropriate times and at appropriate locations in said first type content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first type content is analog multimedia content and said second type content is a digital data content modulated onto an analog channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said control data is inserted into a Vertical Blanking Interval of said first type content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said client device further comprises the steps of:

combining, converting and presenting to said viewer said decoded first type content and said decoded second type content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said client device is analog.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said client device is wholly digital.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said client device is hybrid analog/digital.

12. A computer program device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for distributing broadcast of data over one or more channels of a broadcast network, said method comprising steps of:

broadcasting a first type content and a second type content over separate channels;

receiving broadcast content on client device as requested by a viewer by tuning to channels, a tuned channel carrying said first type content, said first type content having control information for providing at least one channel number related to data units associated with a second type content;

decoding said first type content and extracting control information from said first type content;

receiving and decoding said second type content and extracting the data units associated with the second type content based on the control information;

combining broadcast content and data units of said second type content at the viewer location; and

displaying to a viewer said combined content.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising steps of:

accepting a viewer selection specifying which of said data units are to be displayed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a high volume of said second type content is distributed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said second type content is distributed in close coordination and highly synchronized with said first type content.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of authoring, wherein said control information is inserted at appropriate times and at appropriate locations in said first type content.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said first type content is analog multimedia content and said second type content is a digital data content modulated onto an analog channel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said control data is inserted into a Vertical Blanking Interval of said first type content.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said client device further comprises the steps of:

combining, converting and presenting to said viewer said decoded first type content and said decoded second type content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said client device is analog.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said client device is wholly digital.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said client device is hybrid analog/digital.