Method and system for downloading and storing interactive device content using the horizontal overscan portion of a video signal

• US 6,937,289 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Musicqubed Innovations LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ranta, Craig S., Singh, Harjit, Alexander, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Trang U.
• Application Number:
  US09/475,832
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: 348/460, 348/473, 348/474, 348/476, 348/477, 348/478, 348/479
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/085 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

A method and system for decoding and storing encoded control data delivered via the horizontal overscan area of a video signal. An interactive device such as an interactive toy performs behavior defined by control data that can be encoded into a video signal that can be broadcast or played-back from video tape. The interactive device is equipped with a non-volatile memory that permits the control data to be stored for performance subsequent to the transmission session (e.g., a televised program). The interactive device also may be equipped to perform behavior during the transmission session. The control data is delivered as a series of control data words that include genus codes and sequence codes. Genus codes identify the interactive device to which the data word is directed, so that a particular interactive device will respond (i.e., perform behavior) only in accordance with the control data words including the appropriate genus code. Because video transmissions are subject to video signal deterioration, error grading is used to minimize the effect of such signal deterioration. During a given control data transmission session, control data words will be repeated, so that an interactive device receives several control data words with the same sequence number. Based on the relative gradings, the interactive device will replace previously received control data words of lower quality than subsequently received data words having the same sequence number.

Claims

1. A method for delivering and storing control data for an interactive device using a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the video signal during a transmission session, the transmission session comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of frames defines a program that is displayed to a viewer during the transmission session;

extracting control words from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal, each control word comprising a plurality of data bits, the plurality of data bits defining a sequence code and the control data, the sequence code facilitating error grading, each control word that includes the same control data also having the same sequence code;

where for each control word, the method further comprises the steps of;

using the sequence code to determine an error grade for the control word; and

determining if the control word is already stored in the interactive device; and

if not,

storing the control word in the interactive device;

else

storing the control word having a higher quality as indicated by the error grade in the interactive device, and discarding the control word having a lower quality as indicated by the error grade; and

following the transmission session, when the program is no longer being displayed to the viewer, performing a behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the interactive device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control data in each control word comprise sixty-four bits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence code in each control word comprises eight bits.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing behavior defined by the control data during the program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control data comprises a first type of control data corresponding to control data that is to be used by an interactive device during the transmission session while the program is being displayed to the viewer, and a second type of control data corresponding to control data that is to be used by the interactive device after the transmission session, when the program is no longer being displayed to the viewer, and further comprising the step of storing the second type of control data in a non-volatile memory contained within the interactive device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of storing the second type of control data is performed in response to the receipt of a storage instruction within the extracted control data.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of retrieving the second type of control data from the memory contained within the interactive device prior to performing the behavior defined thereby.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the interactive device comprises the step of analyzing the sequence code of each control word stored in the interactive device to determine an order with which the behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the interactive device is to be performed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the video signal includes control data for a plurality of different interactive devices, and the plurality of data bits further defines a genus code, the genus code indicating a specific one of the plurality of different interactive devices for which the control data are intended, and for each control word, the method further comprises the steps of:

using the genus code to determine for which one of the plurality of different interactive devices the control word is intended;

transmitting the control word only to the one of the plurality of interactive devices for which it is intended, such that after the transmission session, the behavior defined by the control data of the control word is performed only by the one of the plurality of interactive devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the video signal includes control data for a plurality of different interactive devices, and the plurality of data bits further defines a genus code, the genus code indicating one of the plurality of different interactive devices for which the control data are intended, and for each control word, the method further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the control word to each of the plurality of different interactive devices, so that each of the plurality of different interactive devices performs the following steps;

using the genus code of the control word to determine if the control word is intended for the interactive device that is carrying out this step; and

storing only control words corresponding to the interactive device for which the control word was intended, such that after the transmission session, the behavior defined by the control data of any control words stored is performed only by the interactive device that stored any such control words.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of different interactive devices further performs the step of discarding each control word that is intended for a different one of the plurality of different interactive devices.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of different interactive devices further performs the step of transmitting each control word that is intended for a different one of the plurality of different interactive devices to another one of the plurality of different interactive devices.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the behavior defined by the control data comprises storing the received control data in a non-volatile memory contained within the interactive device for subsequent transmission to another device.

14. A system for delivering and storing control data for an interactive device using a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the system comprising:

a decoder operative to extract control words from a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal during a transmission session, the transmission session comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of frames defines a program that is displayed to a viewer during the transmission session, each control word comprising a plurality of data bits, the plurality of data bits defining a sequence code and the control data for the interactive device, the sequence code facilitating error grading, each control word that includes the same control data also having the same sequence code;

a wireless transmitter operative to transmit control words that are extracted to the interactive device; and

the interactive device being operative to perform a behavior defined by the control data for the interactive device, the interactive device comprising;

a non-volatile memory operative to store control words received during the transmission session for use by the interactive device after the transmission session has ended and the program is no longer displayed to the viewer, and

a controller operative to;

analyze each control word received to determine an error grade corresponding to that control word;

determine if a control word having the same sequence code has already been received and stored in the non-volatile memory, and if not, then storing the control word in the non-volatile memory, else, determining which of the control words having the same sequence code is of a higher quality, by comparing the error grades of the control words having the same sequence code, such that the control word of the higher quality having the same sequence code is stored in the non-volatile memory, and the other control word having the same sequence code is discarded;

after the transmission session, retrieve each control word stored in the non-volatile memory and cause the interactive device to perform the behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the non-volatile memory.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the decoder is integrated within the interactive device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter, and the interactive device includes a radio frequency receiver.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further operative to analyze the sequence code of each control word stored in the non-volatile memory to determine an order in which the behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the non-volatile memory is to be performed.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmitter is an infrared transmitter, and the interactive device includes an infrared receiver.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one additional interactive device, wherein the plurality of data bits in each control word further defines a genus code, the controller of each interactive device being operative to analyze the genus code of each control word received, so that only control words having a genus code corresponding to a specific interactive device are stored in the non-volatile memory of the specific interactive device.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one additional interactive device, wherein the plurality of data bits in each control word further define a genus code, the decoder using the genus code of each control word to determine for which of the interactive devices the control word is intended, so that each control word is transmitted only to the interactive device thus identified by the genus code.

21. A method for delivering and storing control data for an interactive device via the horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the video signal during a transmission session, the transmission session comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of frames defines a program that is displayed to a viewer during the transmission session;

extracting control words from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal, each control word comprising a plurality of data bits, the plurality of data bits defining a genus code, a sequence code, and the control data for the interactive device, the genus code identifying a specific interactive device for which the interactive device control data is intended;

transmitting each control word that was extracted to the specific interactive device identified by the genus code, such that each interactive device receiving a control word executes the following steps;

determining an error grade for the control word using the sequence code;

determining if the control word is already stored in the interactive device; and

if not,

storing the control word in the interactive device;

else

storing a control word having less errors, as indicated by its error grade, in the interactive device and discarding a control word having more errors, as indicated by its error grade; and

following the transmission session while the program is no longer being displayed to the viewer, performing a behavior defined by the control data for the interactive device.