System and method for managing interactive programming and advertisements in interactive broadcast systems
First Claim
1. An interactive enabling system for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, the system comprising:
- an interactive enabling device coupled for receiving a broadcast stream, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content in series with the commercial spots, the broadcast stream further including program pre-triggers, interactive program triggers, commercial pre-triggers, and interactive commercial triggers for retrieving the interactive program content and interactive commercial content; and
at least one interactive content server coupled for communicating with an interactive control application in the interactive enabling device;
wherein the interactive enabling device executes the interactive control application to manage the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content from the at least one interactive content server in response to the program and commercial pre-triggers and make available the interactive program and commercial content in response to the interactive program and commercial triggers,wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed,wherein the interactive enabling device is operable to respond to a commercial pre-trigger embedded in the enhanced program content and a program pre-trigger embedded in a commercial spot,wherein the interactive control application includes a gatekeeper function for selectively retrieving interactive program and commercial content in response to recognized interactive program and commercial triggers, andwherein the interactive enabling device is configured for receiving and responding to the program pre-triggers, the interactive program triggers, the commercial pre-triggers, and the interactive commercial triggers embedded in the broadcast stream to ensure that the interactive program and commercial content do not overlap and interfere with each other.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for managing interactive program and commercial content includes an interactive enabling device which is coupled for receiving a broadcast stream containing interactive program triggers and interactive commercial triggers for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content. At least one interactive content server is coupled to the interactive enabling device for communicating with an interactive control application in the interactive enabling device. The interactive enabling device executes the interactive control application to manage the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content from the at least one interactive content server in response to the interactive program and commercial triggers. In addition, the interactive control application includes a gatekeeper function for selectively retrieving interactive program and commercial content in response to recognized interactive program and commercial triggers.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An interactive enabling system for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, the system comprising:
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an interactive enabling device coupled for receiving a broadcast stream, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content in series with the commercial spots, the broadcast stream further including program pre-triggers, interactive program triggers, commercial pre-triggers, and interactive commercial triggers for retrieving the interactive program content and interactive commercial content; and at least one interactive content server coupled for communicating with an interactive control application in the interactive enabling device; wherein the interactive enabling device executes the interactive control application to manage the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content from the at least one interactive content server in response to the program and commercial pre-triggers and make available the interactive program and commercial content in response to the interactive program and commercial triggers, wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed, wherein the interactive enabling device is operable to respond to a commercial pre-trigger embedded in the enhanced program content and a program pre-trigger embedded in a commercial spot, wherein the interactive control application includes a gatekeeper function for selectively retrieving interactive program and commercial content in response to recognized interactive program and commercial triggers, and wherein the interactive enabling device is configured for receiving and responding to the program pre-triggers, the interactive program triggers, the commercial pre-triggers, and the interactive commercial triggers embedded in the broadcast stream to ensure that the interactive program and commercial content do not overlap and interfere with each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An interactive enabling system for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, the system comprising:
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an interactive enabling device coupled for receiving a broadcast stream generated by a broadcast sponsor and for responding to program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers inserted into the broadcast stream for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content in advance of when the content is needed, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content and the commercial spots; and at least one interactive content server coupled through a communication link for communicating with an interactive control application in the interactive enabling device; wherein the interactive enabling device executes the interactive control application to manage the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content in response to the program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers; wherein the interactive enabling device is operable to respond to a commercial pre-trigger embedded in the enhanced program content and a program pre-trigger embedded in a commercial spot; wherein the interactive enabling device is configured for receiving interactive program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers that were inserted into the broadcast stream by the broadcast sponsor at a specific time in advance of when the interactive program and commercial content is needed, based on estimates for communication link speed; and wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, comprising:
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receiving a broadcast stream, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content in series with the commercial spots, the broadcast stream further including program pre-triggers, interactive program triggers, commercial pre-triggers, and interactive commercial triggers for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content from at least one interactive content server; managing the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content from the at least one interactive content server in response to the program and commercial pre-triggers, and the availability of the interactive program and commercial content in response to the interactive program and commercial triggers, wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed; and receiving and responding to the program pre-triggers, the interactive program triggers, the commercial pre-triggers, and the interactive commercial triggers embedded in the broadcast stream to ensure that the interactive program and commercial content do not overlap and interfere with each other. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, comprising:
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receiving a broadcast stream generated by a broadcast sponsor and responding to program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers inserted into the broadcast stream for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content in advance of when the content is needed, based on estimates for communication link speed, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content and the commercial spots; and managing the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content in response to the program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers, said managing including retrieving interactive commercial content in response to receiving a commercial pre-trigger embedded in the enhanced program content, and retrieving interactive program content in response to receiving a program pre-trigger embedded in a commercial spot, wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification