Process and device for multi-level television program abstraction

• US 7,080,392 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Michael Geshwind
• Original Assignee: David Michael Geshwind
• Inventors: Geshwind, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US09/724,926
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 725/34
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9205 the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

Distribution, either incorporated into a video signal or via a separate channel, of human and/or artificially intelligent generated auxiliary information used to selectively record and/or display one of several subsets of program segments. Subsets comprise options that are progressively abstracted, alternatively rated, selectively limited to particular subject matter, or otherwise diverse versions of the program material. Settop box, or similar device, records program and auxiliary information, and displays selected subset under user control.

Claims

1. An improved process for providing user controlled abstracted television programming information comprising the steps of:

a. producing alternatively edited versions of a television programming information;

b. extracting the edit information from said edited versions;

c. transmitting said edit information as auxiliary information;

d. combining said auxiliary information with said programming information; and

,

e. displaying, under control of user selection information and said auxiliary information, a selected subset of said television programming information.

3. A process as in claim 1, comprising in addition the step, performed between steps d. and e., of:

recording said television programming information and said auxiliary information.

5. A process as in claim 1, wherein said controlled display is performed by a settop box.

7. A process as in claim 3, wherein said controlled display is performed by a settop box.

9. A process as in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary information is contained in a video blanking interval.

11. A process as in claim 3, wherein said auxiliary information is contained in a video blanking interval.

13. A process as in claim 1, wherein said abstracted television programming information comprises at least three levels of progressively summarized material.

15. A process as in claim 3, wherein said abstracted television programming information comprises at least three levels of progressively summarized material.

2. An improved process for providing user controlled abstracted television programming information comprising the steps of:

a. producing alternatively edited versions of a television programming information;

b. extracting the edit information from said edited versions;

c. combining said edit information as auxiliary information with said programming information;

d. transmitting in combination said auxiliary information and said television programming information; and

,

e. displaying, under control of user selection information and said auxiliary information, a selected subset of said television programming information.

4. A process as in claim 2, comprising in addition the step, performed between steps d. and e., of:

recording said television programming information and said auxiliary information.

6. A process as in claim 2, wherein said controlled display is performed by a settop box.

8. A process as in claim 4, wherein said controlled display is performed by a settop box.

10. A process as in claim 2, wherein said auxiliary information is contained in a video blanking interval.

12. A process as in claim 4, wherein said auxiliary information is contained in a video blanking interval.

14. A process as in claim 2, wherein said abstracted television programming information comprises at least three levels of progressively summarized material.

16. A process as in claim 4, wherein said abstracted television programming information comprises at least three levels of progressively summarized material.

17. An improved process for providing user controlled abstracted programming information, further comprising progressively summarized abstractions of programming information comprising the steps of:

a. producing alternatively edited versions of said programming information, itself comprising at least one narrative stream, by a process resulting in the equivalent of the steps of;

a1. optionally segmenting said programming information to create segmented programming information;

a2. optionally decollating said segmented programming information to create a multiplicity of separate narrative streams;

a3. producing progressively summarized abstractions of at least some of said narrative streams to create progressively abstracted streams; and

,

a4. optionally re-collating said progressively abstracted streams, for at least one level of abstraction;

b. extracting the edit information corresponding to said edited versions;

c. transmitting said edit information as auxiliary information;

d. utilizing, under control of user selection information and said auxiliary information, a selected subset of said programming information.

18. A process as in claim 17, employing artificial intelligent segmentation software.

19. A process as in claim 18, employing feature recognition software.

20. A process as in claim 17, employing software that reduces the resolution of a segment and matches it to reduced-resolution versions of known segments.