Audio/visual device for capturing, searching and/or displaying audio/visual material
First Claim
1. A device for receiving and playing back audio/visual (A/V) content selected from one of a plurality of different simultaneously and continuously supplied sources of A/V content, comprising:
- a receiver connected to receive the A/V content from each of the different A/V content sources and including at least one A/V signal convert to convert the A/V content received from each of the A/V content sources into corresponding digital A/V signals, the digital A/V signals including an audio portion and a video portion;
a display circuit coupled to each receiver to receive the digital A/V signals, the display circuit including video encoding circuitry for converting the video portion of the received digital A/V signal into a video display signal, the display circuit including audio encoding circuitry for converting the audio portion of the received digital A/V signal into an audio display signal, the display circuit supplying the video and audio display signals for use in creating an A/V display of the A/V content of each digital A/V signal;
a content capture unit coupled to each receiver to receive and capture a portion of the digital A/V signals corresponding to the A/V content from all of the A/V sources, the content capture unit comprising at least one of a close caption (CC) data slicer or a digitizing audio capture unit or a video still image capture unit, the CC data slicer extracting CC content from the digital A/V signals from each of the A/V sources as the captured portion of the A/V contents, the digitized audio capturing unit extracting audio content from the digital A/V signals from each of the A/V sources as the captured portion of the A/V content, and the video still image capture unit extracting a still image from the digital A/V signals from each of the A/V sources as the captured portion of the A/V content;
storage memory coupled to the content capture unit to receive and store the captured portions of the digital A/V signals in a captured content segment of the storage memory, the storage memory also selectively coupled to the receivers to selectively receive and store the digital A/V signals in a full content segment of the storage memory, the storage memory further including an instruction segment for recording operating instructions;
a processor connected to the storage memory and each receiver; and
a user input device connected to the processor and the storage memory by which to supply user-selected search criteria and user-selected response criteria to the storage memory and the processor;
the processor responding to the operating instructions recorded in the instruction segment of the storage memory and the search and response criteria to operatively;
cause each receiver to receive the A/V content from each of the different A/V content sources in a scan sequence;
send the corresponding digital A/V signals supplied by each receiver from each of the different A/V content sources during the scan sequence to the content capture unit to enable the content capture unit to extract the captured portion of the A/V content from each of the different A/V sources during the scan sequence;
store the extracted captured portions of A/V content for each of the different A/V content sources in the captured content segment of the storage memory;
search through the extracted captured portions of A/V content in the captured content segment of the storage memory in accordance with the search criteria;
locate a match between the search criteria and at least one of the stored extracted captured portions of A/V content to thereby identify and select an A/V source containing A/V content correlated to the search criteria;
controlling each receiver and the storage memory to execute one of a plurality of different response actions in response to the user-selected response criteria, the response actions including recording in the full content portion of the storage memory the corresponding digital A/V signals from the selected A/V source for subsequent use by the display circuit to create a display, and supplying the corresponding digital A/V signals from the selected A/V source to the display circuit to create an instantaneous display of the AV content from the selected AV source substantially simultaneously with the continuous supply of A/V content from the selected AV content source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio/visual (A/V) device, such as a DVD player, assists a user in finding desired programming from among DVD programs, conventional broadcast television (TV) programs and World Wide Web transmitted programs. The programs contain close caption (CC) and A/V content. The A/V device captures and stores the CC and/or A/V content either for current or later manual use by the user or concurrent automatic searching for desired program content or information. Text-based searching is performed on the CC content for a match with user-specified textual search criteria. The audio context is searched for either a change that indicates a change in programming or a match with user-specified audio search criteria. A video still image is captured from the video content for manual viewing or automatic comparison to a desired image. The A/V device also presents the information, including the A/V content, captured CC content and search results, on either a conventional TV or higher resolution progressive monitor.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A device for receiving and playing back audio/visual (A/V) content selected from one of a plurality of different simultaneously and continuously supplied sources of A/V content, comprising:
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a receiver connected to receive the A/V content from each of the different A/V content sources and including at least one A/V signal convert to convert the A/V content received from each of the A/V content sources into corresponding digital A/V signals, the digital A/V signals including an audio portion and a video portion;
a display circuit coupled to each receiver to receive the digital A/V signals, the display circuit including video encoding circuitry for converting the video portion of the received digital A/V signal into a video display signal, the display circuit including audio encoding circuitry for converting the audio portion of the received digital A/V signal into an audio display signal, the display circuit supplying the video and audio display signals for use in creating an A/V display of the A/V content of each digital A/V signal;
a content capture unit coupled to each receiver to receive and capture a portion of the digital A/V signals corresponding to the A/V content from all of the A/V sources, the content capture unit comprising at least one of a close caption (CC) data slicer or a digitizing audio capture unit or a video still image capture unit, the CC data slicer extracting CC content from the digital A/V signals from each of the A/V sources as the captured portion of the A/V contents, the digitized audio capturing unit extracting audio content from the digital A/V signals from each of the A/V sources as the captured portion of the A/V content, and the video still image capture unit extracting a still image from the digital A/V signals from each of the A/V sources as the captured portion of the A/V content;
storage memory coupled to the content capture unit to receive and store the captured portions of the digital A/V signals in a captured content segment of the storage memory, the storage memory also selectively coupled to the receivers to selectively receive and store the digital A/V signals in a full content segment of the storage memory, the storage memory further including an instruction segment for recording operating instructions;
a processor connected to the storage memory and each receiver; and
a user input device connected to the processor and the storage memory by which to supply user-selected search criteria and user-selected response criteria to the storage memory and the processor;
the processor responding to the operating instructions recorded in the instruction segment of the storage memory and the search and response criteria to operatively;
cause each receiver to receive the A/V content from each of the different A/V content sources in a scan sequence;
send the corresponding digital A/V signals supplied by each receiver from each of the different A/V content sources during the scan sequence to the content capture unit to enable the content capture unit to extract the captured portion of the A/V content from each of the different A/V sources during the scan sequence;
store the extracted captured portions of A/V content for each of the different A/V content sources in the captured content segment of the storage memory;
search through the extracted captured portions of A/V content in the captured content segment of the storage memory in accordance with the search criteria;
locate a match between the search criteria and at least one of the stored extracted captured portions of A/V content to thereby identify and select an A/V source containing A/V content correlated to the search criteria;
controlling each receiver and the storage memory to execute one of a plurality of different response actions in response to the user-selected response criteria, the response actions including recording in the full content portion of the storage memory the corresponding digital A/V signals from the selected A/V source for subsequent use by the display circuit to create a display, and supplying the corresponding digital A/V signals from the selected A/V source to the display circuit to create an instantaneous display of the AV content from the selected AV source substantially simultaneously with the continuous supply of A/V content from the selected AV content source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of processing audio/visual (A/V) content in an A/V device, comprising:
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providing a plurality of A/V channels each of which supplies different A/V content simultaneously and continuously with each of the other A/V channels;
receiving an A/V signal describing the A/V content from each A/V channel;
supplying the A/V signal from each A/V channel in a scan sequence which encompasses all of the plurality of A/V channels;
capturing a portion of the A/V signal from each A/V channel during the scan sequence;
selecting the captured portion of the A/V signal as one of a close caption (CC) portion, an audio portion, or a video still image storing the captured portion of the A/V signal;
specifying search criteria;
specifying response criteria;
searching through the captured portions of the A/V signals from each of the A/V channels in accordance with the search criteria;
locating a match between the search criteria and at least one of the captured portions of the A/V signals from each of the A/V channels to thereby identify and selected the A/V channel providing the A/V signals whose captured portion matches the search criteria; and
executing a response action in response to the response criteria, the response actions including one of recording the A/V signals from the selected A/V channel for subsequent use in creating a display of the A/V content from the corresponding A/V signals from the selected A/V channel or supplying the A/V signals from the selected A/V channel and creating an instantaneous display of the A/V content from the corresponding A/V signals from the selected A/V channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for processing A/V content in an A/V device comprising the steps of:
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providing an A/V channel;
receiving an A/V signal from the A/V channel;
capturing a portion of the A/V signal, wherein the portion of the A/V signal comprises a CC portion, an audio portion, a video still image, or a combination thereof;
storing the captured portion of the A/V signal;
providing one or more A/V channels comprising a DVD source, a broadcast programming source, and a web programming site;
receiving DVD content from the DVD source, receiving broadcast programming from the broadcast programming source, receiving web programming from the web programming site, or a combination thereof; and
wherein;
the DVD content includes subtitle content which is played back at a first rate simultaneously with playback of the A/V content, the method further comprising;
capturing the subtitle content at a second rate that is faster than the first rate;
indexing the captured subtitle content; and
searching for matches within the indexed subtitle content.
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Specification