Dynamic interactive content system

• US 7,171,402 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chatani, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, CHERYL MARIA
• Application Number:
  US10/264,087
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/3, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/804 involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

An invention is provided for a dynamic interactive content system. The dynamic interactive content system includes a receiver capable of receiving main content, such as audio/visual video data, and supplemental content associated with the main content. In addition, a persistent storage is included that is in communication with the receiver. The persistent storage is capable of storing a plurality of main content entries and associated supplemental content entries. The system also includes a processor that is capable of executing an interactive application. In operation, the interactive application searches the stored plurality of supplemental content entries for particular supplemental content entry having particular data. The interactive application then presents at least a portion of the main content entry that is associated with the particular supplemental content to a user.

Claims

1. A dynamic interactive content system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving main content and supplemental content associated with the main content;

a persistent storage in communication with the receiver, the persistent storage for storing a plurality of main content entries and associated supplemental content entries; and

a processor for executing an interactive application having interactive application content, the processor, the receiver, and the persistent storage being part of the dynamic interactive content system, wherein the interactive application searches the stored plurality of supplemental content entries for particular supplemental content entry having particular data relevant to a particular aspect of the interactive application, and wherein the interactive application finds the main content entry based on the particular supplemental content entry found by the search, and presents a portion of the main content entry identified by the particular supplemental content entry to the interactive application for presentation along with the interactive application content.

2. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 1, wherein each supplemental content entry includes data that describe properties of the associated main content entry.

3. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 2, wherein the data includes a channel definition defining a channel utilized to receive the associated main content.

4. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 2, wherein the data includes a time definition defining a time when the associated main content was received.

5. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 2, wherein the data includes a time code for a specific event included in the associated main content.

6. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 5, wherein the interactive application presents main content data beginning at a position in the main content entry specified by the time code.

7. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 1, wherein the supplemental content is received via an Internet.

8. A dynamic interactive content system as recited in claim 1, wherein the supplemental content is embedded in a signal utilized to transmit the main content.

9. A dynamic interactive content system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving main content and supplemental content associated with the main content;

a persistent storage in communication with the receiver, the persistent storage for storing a plurality of main content entries and associated supplemental content entries;

an operational request source in communication with a user input device, the operational request source for receiving user requests via the user input device for executing an interactive application having interactive application content; and

a processor in communication with the persistent storage device and the operational requests source, wherein the processor searches the stored plurality of supplemental content entries for particular supplemental content entry having particular data related to a received user request made through the interactive application, and wherein the processor finds the main content entry based on the particular supplemental content entry found by the search, and presents a portion of the main content entry identified by the particular supplemental content entry to the interactive application for presentation along with the interactive application content.

10. A dynamic interactive content system, as recited in claim 9, wherein each supplemental content entry includes data that describe properties of the associated main content entry.

11. A dynamic interactive content system, as recited in claim 10, wherein the data includes a time code for a specific event included in the associated main content.

12. A dynamic interactive content system, as recited in claim 11, wherein the interactive application presents main content data beginning at a position in the main content entry specified by the time code.