Combining real-time and batch mode logical address links

• US 6,990,678 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zigmond, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu-Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/788,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 725/42, 725/51, 725/60, 725/114, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151, 725/109, 725/110, 725/112, 725/118, 725/37, 725/136, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 348/563, 348/569
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• 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 21/4508 Management of client data or end-user data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• 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 21/8586 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying Internet content associated with television programming. Content associated with a program included in the television programming is automatically displayed by a set top box. Before the broadcast of a program, listing information or EPG data is stored at the set top box. The listing information includes batch mode logical addresses or links. During the program, a viewer is notified about the link, and the content may be accessed and displayed concurrently with the program. In addition, real-time logical addresses or links, which are embedded in the program, may be extracted and the viewer is notified of these links. If both the real time and batch links are available, a determination is made according to pre-defined rules regarding which link is brought to the attention of the viewer.

Claims

1. In a system including a set top box that is capable of receiving content and television programming, a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, the method comprising acts of:

receiving electronic program guide (EPG) data from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links associated with the television programming;

prior to display of the program, pre-fetching content associated with one or more of the batch links;

during display of the program, extracting real-time links from the television programming, wherein the real-time links are embedded in the television programming;

identifying a program link from a list of links, the list of links including the real time links and the batch links;

notifying a viewer that the program link, through which content associated with the program may be accessed, is available;

receiving input from the viewer such that the program link is selected; and

displaying the content associated with the link concurrently with the program.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of extracting real-time links further comprises an act of ensuring that the real-time links are encoded in accordance with a predetermined syntax and has not been corrupted.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising an act of retrieving batch links from a server, wherein the batch links are associated with the program and stored at the set top box.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the act of retrieving batch links occurs before a start time of the program.

5. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the list of links also includes the batch links.

6. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the act of selecting a program link further comprises an act of providing priority to the real-time links.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of notifying a viewer that a program link is available further comprises an act of providing either a visual notification or an audible notification.

8. In a system including a set top box capable of receiving content and television programming, a method for integrating the content concurrently with the television programming, the method comprising acts of:

retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links associated with the television programming;

extracting real time links from the television programming, wherein the real time links are associated with the television programming;

during a display of a program included in the television programming, identifying at least one link from the batch links and the real-time links;

providing notification that the at least one link is identified; and

displaying content accessed through the identified at least one link, wherein the content is displayed concurrently with the program.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the act of retrieving electronic program guide data occurs before the program included in the television programming begins.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the act of identifying at least one link further comprises an act of selecting the at least one link according to rules.

11. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the real-time links have a priority over the batch links.

12. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the batch links are URLs and wherein the real time links are URLs.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of identifying at least one link further comprises an act of excluding batch links that have expired from being identified.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the act of providing notification further comprises an act of either providing an audible notification or a visual notification.

15. In a system including a set top box that has access to television programming and content, a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, the method comprising acts of:

retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data for the program from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links through which content related to the program is accessed;

determining which batch links are active, wherein the batch links are active from a start time of the program to an end time of the program;

retrieving embedded real-time links from the program, wherein content relating to the program is accessed through the real-time links;

selecting at least one link from the real-time links and the active batch links, wherein a user is notified of the selection; and

displaying content accessed through the selected at least one link concurrently with the program.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the act of retrieving EPG data further occurs before the start time of the program.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the act of selecting at least one link further comprises an act of not selecting batch links that are not active.

18. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the act of selecting at least one link further comprising an act of providing priority to the real time links with respect to the batch links.

19. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the act of displaying the content further comprises an act of the user providing input such that the selected at least one link is followed.

20. A computer program product for implementing at a set top box a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium for storing machine executable instructions for implementing the method, wherein the method comprises acts of;

during display of the program, extracting real-time links from the television programming, wherein the real-time links are embedded in the television programming;

verifying that the program link identified from the list of links is encoded in accordance with a predetermined syntax and has not been corrupted;

identifying a program link from a list of links, the list of links including the real time links;

notifying a viewer that the program link, through which content associated with the program may be accessed, is available;

receiving input from the viewer such that the program link is selected; and

displaying the content associated with the link concurrently with the program.