Method and apparatus for internet TV

• US 7,086,079 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecable, LLC
• Inventors: Tolkachev, Sergey, Freidson, Robert, Kunin, David, Vinogradov, Boaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu-Oanh
• Application Number:
  US09/717,931
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 725/106, 725/109, 725/110, 725/111, 725/122, 725/131, 725/133, 725/139, 725/151, 725/112, 704/275
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A telephone interface and voice recognition driven Internet browser system and method for accessing/browsing the Internet or other remote computing services on a cable or satellite television includes a phone for receiving a voice signal from a user. The voice signal controls a telephone interface, which displays Internet contents or other computing services on the television via a cable or satellite television channel/media. The system also includes a voice recognizer, preferably operated on a supercomputer or located in the phone, for recognizing/interpreting/analyzing a plurality of voice signals and generating command signals to access/browse the Internet or other computer services. The voice recognizer is capable of recognizing/interpreting/analyzing voice signals transmitted from a plurality of users in real time. The system further includes a stack of computers and an Internet browser. Each of the stack of computers is capable of accessing/browsing the Internet and retrieving/organizing requested Internet contents via the Internet browser. The requested Internet contents are sent to the user via a cable or satellite television channel/media with a frame grabber, an intelligent router, or a pre-downloaded system.

Claims

1. A method for managing data received at a set-top box, the method comprising:

receiving, at the set-top box, data on an Internet-designated cable channel, the data comprising at least a first frame representing a first Web page;

determining, at the set-top box, whether the data from the Internet is bound for the set-top box;

storing data corresponding to the at least first frame locally to the set-top box;

providing the at least first frame for display;

continuously refreshing the display of the at least first frame using the stored data corresponding to the at least first frame, until a second data frame is received on the Internet-designated cable channel;

receiving the second data frame on the Internet-designated cable channel, the second data frame representing a second Web page; and

continuously refreshing the display using the received second frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises:

data from the world-wide web.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one frame comprises:

a portion of a video clip.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one frame comprises:

a Web page.

5. A set-top box comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device connected to the processor, the memory device including a plurality of instructions configured to cause the processor to;

identify the data from the Internet on an Internet-designated cable channel that may be available to the set-top box, the data comprising at least one frame;

determine whether the data from the Internet is bound for the set-top box;

initiate storage of the data corresponding to the at least one frame, wherein the data includes a Web page;

provide the at least one frame for display; and

refresh the display of the at least one frame using the stored data corresponding to the at least one frame.

6. A method for managing data received at a set-top box, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the set-top box, a request for a Web page;

receiving, on an Internet-designated cable channel at the set-top box, a data frame corresponding to the Web page;

storing the data frame locally to the set-top box;

providing the first data frame for display; and

refreshing the display of the first data frame using the stored data corresponding to the first frame.

7. A method for managing data received at a set-top box, the method comprising:

receiving a voice command to retrieve data corresponding to a static Web page;

transmitting the voice command to a cable hub system;

receiving, on an Internet-designated cable channel at the set-top box, a data frame corresponding to the static Web page;

storing the data frame locally to the set-top box;

providing the first data frame for display; and

refreshing the display of the first data frame using the stored data corresponding to the first frame.

8. A method for managing data received at a set-top box, the method comprising:

receiving a voice command to retrieve data corresponding to a Web page;

converting the voice command into a computer control instruction;

transmitting the computer control instruction to a television distribution system;

receiving, on an Internet-designated cable channel at the set-top box, a data frame corresponding to the Web page;

storing the data frame locally to the set-top box;

providing the first data frame for display; and

refreshing the display of the first data frame using the stored data corresponding to the first frame until a new data frame is received at the set-top box.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the television distribution system comprises:

a cable hub.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the television distribution system comprises:

a satellite TV system.