System and method for providing television services

• US 6,826,775 B1
• Filed: 02/05/1998
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BellSouth Corporation (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): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/019,534
• Time in Patent Office: 2,490 Days
• Field of Search: 725/38, 725/58, 725/135-140, 725/25, 725/31, 725/32-33, 348/563-565, 348/473
• US Class Current: 725/40
• 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 allowing a viewer to switch a display device from a first program transmitted over a first channel to a second program transmitted over a second channel upon receiving a signal indicating the availability of the second program, the device coupled to a display means, comprising:

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

means for receiving a viewer request that the device switch to the second program; 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 signal indicating the availability of the second program;

automatically generate a message indicative of the availability of the second program, and display the message on the display means;

receive a viewer request that the device switch to the second program; and

upon receipt of the viewer request, cause the receiving set to adjust to the second channel to receive the second program;

wherein the signal indicating the availability of the second program includes information for use in generating the message indicative of the availability of the second program, and wherein the processor is further programmed to generate the message indicative of the availability of the second program using the information present in the signal indicating the availability of the second program.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicating availability of the second program is transmitted as a portion of the first program.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicating availability of the second program is transmitted in a vertical blanking interval of the first program.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving the viewer request receives a viewer request that the device switch back to the first channel;

and

wherein the processor is further programmed to;

store the identity of the first channel;

receive the viewer request that the device switch back to the first channel; and

upon receipt of the viewer request, cause the receiving set to adjust back to the first channel.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to process the signal indicating availability of the second program to detect an identifying code for the second program and information relating to an indicator for display on the display device while the display device displays the first program.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the indicator for display on the display device defines at least an appearance and location of the indicator.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the second program is an interactive program.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the second interactive program is associated with the first program.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to establish an interactive session in which a subscriber may interact with the interactive second program by communicating with a supplier of said interactive programming.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to relay data generated by the subscriber'"'"'s interaction with the second program to the supplier of said interactive programming.