Metadata structure for providing access to EPG features from within broadcast advertisements

• US 7,373,651 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Plotnick, Bruce, Boyarski, Joel I., Palazzo, Francis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US10/022,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,339 Days
• Field of Search: 725 39- 43, 725/46, 725 50- 51, 725/54, 725/56, 725/139, 725/32, 725/36, 725/58, 725/61, 725/104, 725/135, 725/47, 725/112, 725/136, 725/55, 725/134, 725/142, 709229-231, 715/721
• US Class Current: 725/42
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A data structure stored on computer readable media is presented comprising one or more data tags, each data tag used to provide information regarding a broadcast advertisement. Also provided are one or more electronic program guide action tags, each electronic program guide action tag used to define a valid electronic program guide feature that may be accessed from within the broadcast advertisement. The data structure is operative to provide a link between the broadcast advertisement and an electronic program guide to provide access to electronic program guide features defined by the electronic program guide action tags from within the broadcast advertisement.

Claims

1. A data structure stored on computer readable media in a set top terminal, the data structure comprising:

one or more data tags, each data tag used to provide information regarding a broadcast advertisement interspersed within broadcast programs or presented within an electronic program guide, wherein said broadcast advertisement comprises audio and video data; and

one or more electronic program guide action tags, each electronic program guide action tag used to define a valid electronic program guide feature that may be accessed from within the broadcast advertisement, the electronic program guide feature being related to at least one of the broadcast advertisement and a program associated with the broadcast advertisement;

the data structure operative to provide a link between the broadcast advertisement and the electronic program guide to provide access to electronic program guide features defined by the electronic program guide action tags from within the broadcast advertisement, the electronic program guide being represented by a signal generated by a set top terminal using software programs stored in a memory of the set top terminal, wherein the software programs at the set top terminal interpret the data structure to provide the link and determine electronic program guide controls that is presented and used in conjunction with the broadcast advertisement, wherein the data structure is formatted in combination with the broadcast advertisement for broadcast to the set top terminal.

2. The data structure of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more electronic program guide action tags are marked by an opening and a closing tag, the opening and closing tag operative to define a data type for each of the one or more electronic program action tags.

3. The data structure of claim 2 wherein the opening and closing tag enclose the valid electronic program guide feature in order to delimit the valid electronic program guide feature from another valid electronic program guide feature.

4. The data structure of claim 3 wherein the valid electronic program guide feature comprises an electronic program guide action parameter of a data type corresponding to the opening and closing tag.

5. The data structure of claim 4 wherein the electronic program guide action parameter comprises a location to store the broadcast advertisement.

6. The data structure of claim 5 wherein the electronic program guide action parameter comprises a local location to store the broadcast advertisement.

7. The data structure of claim 5 wherein the electronic program guide action parameter comprises a remote location to store the broadcast advertisement.

8. The data structure of claim 4 wherein the electronic program guide action parameter comprises pay-per-view purchase information.

9. The data structure of claim 4 wherein the electronic program guide action parameter comprises information to set a future reminder for a program.

10. The data structure of claim 4 wherein the electronic program guide action parameter comprises a network address.

11. The data structure of claim 10 wherein the network address is an Internet address.

12. The data structure of claim 1 wherein the one or more data tags comprises pay-per-view information.

13. The data structure of claim 12 wherein the pay-per-view information comprises program date information.

14. The data structure of claim 12 wherein the pay-per-view information comprises program time information.

15. The data structure of claim 12 wherein the pay-per-view information comprises program channel information.

16. The data structure of claim 1 wherein the one or more data tags comprises a unique advertisement identifier.

17. The data structure of claim 16 wherein the identifier comprises a key to locate additional program information from a set of guide data.

18. The data structure of claim 1 wherein the one or more data tags comprises a unique product identifier.

19. The data structure of claim 18 wherein the identifier comprises a key to locate additional program information from a set of guide data.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a set top terminal, an advertisement broadcast on a distribution network interspersed within broadcast programs or presented within an electronic program guide, the advertisement comprising audio and video data, wherein the metadata is formatted in combination with the advertisement for broadcast to the set top terminal;

receiving, at the set top terminal, metadata associated with the advertisement, the metadata containing one or more advertisement data tags and one or more electronic program guide action tags, the advertisement data tags comprising data items related to the advertisement, the electronic program guide action tags comprising data items related to interactive features of the electronic program guide associated with at least one of the advertisement and a program related to the advertisement the electronic program guide being represented by a signal generated by the set top terminal using software programs stored in a memory of the set top terminal, wherein the software programs at the set top box interpret the metadata and determine the electronic program guide controls that are presented and used in conjunction with the advertisement; and

accessing the interactive features of the electronic program guide using the metadata.