Digital TV system with synchronized World Wide Web content

• US 7,096,484 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TVWorks LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, David, Mao, Weidong
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US10/259,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,424 Days
• Field of Search: 715/723, 725/112, 725/148, 725/131, 725/139, 725/152, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 709217-219, 348/473, 348/52
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/426 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 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• 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 21/4622 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

In a one way broadcast digital video network, Internet HTML Web page data is formatted to fit within a standard MPEG-2 data packet structure, and multiplexed along with other MPEG-2 digital video signals for transport within a multiple channel digital video system. In particular, the headend server broadcasts a rotating carousel comprising an ensemble of Web pages in HTML format. The rotating carousel contains both broadcast Web pages and simulcast Web pages and a control map permitting the viewer to navigate among the HTML Web pages of the rotating carousel. In particular, the control map contains the locations of the HTML Web pages in the rotating carousel that correspond to broadcast Web pages. The control map further contains the locations of the HTML Web pages in the rotating carousel that correspond to simulcast Web pages. The control map is updated and rebroadcast whenever there is a change at the start, middle or end of a broadcast video program, thereby synchronizing the simulcast Web pages to the multiple channel broadcast digital video programs.

Claims

1. In a one way broadcast communications network including a broadcasting station for transmitting on a broadcast medium broadcast programming from at least one content provider, and a settop decoder coupled to said broadcast medium, said broadcasting station including an Internet access server for retrieving World Wide Web pages in HTML format, said broadcast communications network further including a multi-channel digital television signal formatted into a plurality of MPEG data packets, each of said of said plurality of MPEG data packets being identified by a respective packet identifier, a method for distributing World Wide Web pages over said one way broadcast communications network, said method comprising:

storing World Wide Web (WWW) pages in HTML format at said broadcasting station to form a plurality of stored HTML Web pages, said WWW pages including pages associated with said broadcast programming;

formatting said plurality of stored HTML Web pages into MPEG data packets while retaining said HTML format;

contemporaneously transmitting said MPEG data packets and said associated broadcast programming in said digital television signal over said one way broadcast communications network;

receiving said MPEG data packets at said settop decoder, said MPEG data packets including said plurality of HTML Web pages; and

selecting at said settop decoder, at least one of said received plurality of HTML Web pages in said HTML format for display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from corresponding content providers, web page addresses of the WWW pages associated with said broadcast programming of said content providers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

each content provider controls the WWW pages available to the settop decoder by controlling the web page addresses associated with its broadcast programming.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said web page addresses are adapted by said content providers in response to changes in broadcast programming provided to said broadcasting station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said settop decoder communicates with said broadcasting station via a return path, said return path enabling settop decoder selection of content, said selected content being associated with a corresponding WWW page.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said return path comprises one of a two way cable television (CATV) path and a telephone path.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a control map defining the correspondence between the packet identifiers of said MPEG data packets and respective ones of said plurality of stored HTML Web pages;

formatting said control map and said plurality of stored HTML Web pages into MPEG data packets while retaining said HTML format;

receiving said MPEG data packets at said settop decoder, said MPEG data packets including said plurality of HTML Web pages and said control map; and

selecting at said settop decoder, responsive to said control map, at least one of said plurality of HTML Web pages in said HTML format for display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said control map further comprises a first table and a second table, said method further comprising:

transmitting said first table in an MPEG data packet corresponding to a predetermined packet identifier; and

transmitting said second table in an MPEG data packet having a packet identifier specified in said first table.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving said first table in said MPEG data packet con-esponding to said predetermined packet identifier;

receiving said second table in said MPEG data packet having said packet identifier specified in said first table; and

selecting at said settop decoder, responsive to said second table, at least one of said plurality of HTML Web pages in said HTML format for display.

10. A method of controlling internet access of a settop decoder, said settop decoder adapted to receive MPEG data packets via a broadcast medium, said MPEG data packets including broadcast programming and World Wide Web (WWW) pages in HTML format associated with said broadcast programming, said method comprising:

receiving, from providers of said broadcast programming, web page addresses of the WWW pages associated with said broadcast programming of said content providers; and

contemporaneously including addressed WWW pages with corresponding broadcast programming;

wherein said settop decoder is enabled to navigate among those WWW pages provided via said broadcast medium.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

each of a plurality of content providers controls the WWW pages associated with its respective broadcast programming.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the settop decoder communicates with the broadcasting station via a return path, the return path enabling settop decoder selection of content, the selected content being associated with a corresponding WWW page.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the return path comprises one of a two way cable television (CATV) path and a telephone path.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a control map defining the correspondence between the packet identifiers of said MPEG data packets and respective ones of said plurality of stored HTML Web pages;

formatting said control map and said plurality of stored HTML Web pages into MPEG data packets while retaining said HTML format;

receiving said MPEG data packets at said settop decoder, said MPEG data packets including said plurality of HTML Web pages and said control map; and

selecting at said settop decoder, responsive to said control map, at least one of said plurality of HTML Web pages in said HTML format for display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said control map further comprises a first table and a second table, said method further comprising:

transmitting said first table in an MPEG data packet corresponding to a predetermined packet identifier; and

transmitting said second table in an MPEG data packet having a packet identifier specified in said first table.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving said first table in said MPEG data packet corresponding to said predetermined packet identifier;

receiving said second table in said MPEG data packet having said packet identifier specified in said first table; and

selecting at said settop decoder, responsive to said second table, at least one of said plurality of HTML Web pages in said HTML format for display.