Terminating enhanced television broadcasts

• US 7,263,711 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Estipona, Jim B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau; Scott E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US09/663,601
• Time in Patent Office: 2,535 Days
• Field of Search: 725/109, 725/110, 725/112, 725/60, 725/61
• US Class Current: 725/112
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/462 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• 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 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 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An enhanced television broadcast system may enable the transmission and reception of a real-time event when a new program is about to begin. The real-time event may control access to enhancements from the program that is ending. In some embodiments, these real-time events may constitute triggers that are included within packets transmitted in an Internet Protocol multicast. As one example, the trigger may include a Uniform Resource Locator in the form of a tv: protocol that automatically causes the television display to go to full screen television.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting an enhanced television program and a real time event;

automatically transitioning display of the program to full screen at the end of the program in response to said real time event to prevent accessing enhancements;

transmitting a real-time event that warns the user that the end of a program is approaching; and

enabling the user to elect to retain enhancements after receiving said real-time event warning of the end of the program.

2. The method of claim 1 including transmitting said real-time event through an Internet Protocol multicast.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting a real-time event includes transmitting a trigger.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein transmitting a trigger includes transmitting a trigger with a Uniform Resource Locator.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein transmitting a Uniform Resource Locator includes transmitting a Uniform Resource Locator using the tv:

protocol.

6. A computer readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions being executed by a processor-based system to

transmit an enhanced television program and a real time event;

automatically transition display of the enhanced television program to full screen at the end of the program to prevent access to enhancements by transmitting said real time event;

transmit a real-time event that warns the user that the end of the program is approaching; and

enable the user to elect to retain enhancements after receiving said real-time event warning of the end of the program.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 further encoded with computer-executable instructions being executed by the processor-based system to transmit a real-time event in the form of a trigger.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 further encoded with computer-executable instructions being executed by the processor-based system to transmit a trigger including a Uniform Resource Locator in the form of the tv:

protocol.

9. A system comprising:

a processor-based device; and

a storage coupled to said processor-based device storing instructions that enable the processor-based device to automatically transition display of an enhanced television program to full screen at the end of the enhanced television program in response to a real time event to prevent the display of enhancements thereafter, transmit a real-time event that warns the user that the end of an enhanced television program is approaching; and

enable the user to elect to retain enhancements after receiving said real-time event warning of the end of the program.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said storage stores instructions that enable the processor-based device to transmit a trigger that indicates the end of the program.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said storage stores instructions that enable the processor-based device to transmit a trigger including a Uniform Resource Locator using the tv:

protocol.