Navigation system for a multichannel digital television system

• US 7,757,252 B1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Agasse, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOSSAIN, FARZANA E
• Application Number:
  US09/744,281
• Time in Patent Office: 4,011 Days
• Field of Search: 725 38- 61, 725/29, 725 25- 31, 715/700, 715/719
• US Class Current: 725/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention provides a digital television system where access rights to a programme or channel are received analyzed by the decoder in determining whether to permit or prohibit full audio and visual access by the user to that programme or channel when displayed in respective windows of a mosaic formation.

Claims

1. A decoder for controlling the display of a plurality of digital television channels, wherein said decoder is configured to:

receive a program in encrypted form on a first channel of the plurality of digital television channels, wherein the program comprises both encrypted audio and encrypted video;

receive the program in unencrypted form on a second channel of the plurality of digital television channels, wherein the second channel corresponds to a mosaic comprising a plurality of windows;

create the mosaic comprising a plurality of unencrypted programs, including the program in unencrypted form, wherein each of the plurality of encrypted unencrypted programs is shown within a respective window of the plurality of windows;

display the mosaic on the second channel;

receive a selection for the program in the mosaic on the second channel; and

determine that full access rights are not available to a user for the program while the program is displayed in encrypted form in the mosaic on the second channel,

wherein the decoder is configured to prohibit one of only audio access and only visual access to the program while the program is displayed in the mosaic on the second channel upon determining that full access rights are not available for the program, wherein the one of only audio access and only visual access is prohibited for the program in the mosaic on the second channel after a predetermined length of time, wherein the program remains in encrypted form on the first channel so that both audio access and visual access to the program are prohibited on the first channel, and wherein complete audio and visual access to the program is provided on the second channel during the predetermined length of time.

2. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the decoder receives access rights data together with audiovisual data for creating the mosaic.

3. The decoder according to claim 2, wherein the decoder is further configured to issue a request for full audio and visual access to one of the first channel and the program displayed in the respective window.

4. The decoder according to claim 3, wherein the decoder is arranged automatically to issue said request when a cursor has been positioned over said desired window for a predetermined period of time.

5. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the decoder is further configured to generate a cursor for display with the mosaic, said cursor being selectively movable over the plurality of windows of the mosaic to enable selection of a desired window within the mosaic.

6. The decoder according to claim 5, wherein the decoder is further configured to generate audio information associated with the first channel in response to the positioning of the cursor over said desired window displaying said first channel.

7. The decoder according to claim 6, wherein the decoder is further configured to prohibit the generation of said audio information according to received access rights.

8. The decoder according to claim 7, wherein the decoder is configured to prohibit the generation of said audio information if the cursor is positioned over said desired window for longer than a predetermined length of time.

9. The decoder according to claim 5, wherein the decoder is further configured to automatically re-position the cursor in the event that the cursor is placed over said desired window displaying one of a program or a channel to which full audio and visual access is prohibited.

10. The decoder according to claim 9, wherein the cursor is re-positioned after the expiration of a predetermined period of time.

11. The decoder according to claim 5, wherein an attribute of the cursor is changed depending on a characteristic of at least one of the program and the first channel displayed in a window over which the cursor is positioned.

12. The decoder according to claim 11, wherein a color of said cursor is changed depending on said characteristic of at least one of the program and the first channel displayed in the window over which the cursor is positioned.

13. The decoder according to claim 11, wherein the decoder receives data for assigning said characteristic from a remote control handset associated with the decoder and assigns said characteristic in response to said received data.

14. The decoder according to claim 5, wherein the decoder is turned to the first channel displayed in the desired window upon selection of the desired window.

15. The decoder according to claim 5, comprising means for generating a display comprising information regarding the program displayed in the desired window upon selection of the desired window.

16. The decoder according to claim 15, comprising means for communicating with a communications centre to obtain said information regarding the program displayed in the desired window.

17. The decoder according to claim 16, wherein the decoder comprises a modem for dialing up said communications centre to supply a request for said information to the communications centre.

18. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein said decoder is further configured to:

generate a cursor for display with the mosaic, said cursor being selectively movable over the plurality of windows of the mosaic to enable selection of a desired window within the mosaic;

generate a display comprising information regarding the program displayed in the desired window upon selection of the desired window; and

communicate with a communications centre to obtain said information regarding the program displayed in the desired window.

19. The decoder according to claim 5, wherein the decoder is further configured to generate a display comprising a forthcoming program schedule for the channel displayed in the desired window upon selection of the desired window.

20. The decoder according to claim 19, wherein said forthcoming program schedule comprises a textual display of program schedule information.

21. The decoder according to claim 19, wherein said forthcoming program schedule comprises a display of a plurality of pictorial images associated with respective forthcoming programs in the respective windows of the mosaic.

22. The decoder according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said plurality of pictorial images comprises video footage associated with the respective forthcoming program.

23. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein said decoder is configured to receive access rights from a remote control handset associated with the decoder.

24. The decoder according to claim 23, wherein said decoder is further configured to receive a PIN number from the remote control handset, wherein said decoder authenticates the received PIN number and, upon authentication of the received PIN number, permits reception of the access rights.

25. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the decoder prohibits the generation of at least a portion of video information in said plurality of windows in dependence on the full access rights to one of a program and a channel displayed in a window among said plurality of windows.

26. The decoder according to claim 25, wherein the decoder controls the display of a picture in said window instead of said at least a portion of video information.

27. The decoder according to claim 26, wherein said picture comprises a logo associated with the channel displayed in said window.

28. The decoder according to claim 26, wherein said picture comprises an image associated with the program displayed in said window.

29. The decoder according to claim 25, wherein the decoder controls the display of an advertisement in said window instead of said at least a portion of video information.

30. The decoder according to claim 25, wherein the decoder controls the display of further video information in said window instead of said at least a portion of video information.

31. The decoder according to claim 30, wherein said further video information comprises promotional video information.

32. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the decoder is further configured to generate a message informing the user of the full access rights to one of the program and the first channel in the event of the positioning of the cursor on a window displaying said one of the program and the first channel.

33. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the decoder is configured to positionally control the relative positions of said plurality of windows within the mosaic formation, wherein the relative position of said plurality of windows is controlled based on the full access rights to programs displayed in the mosaic.

34. The decoder of claim 1, wherein the program in the mosaic is completely blacked out by the decoder when the full access rights are not received after the predetermined length of time.

35. The decoder of claim 1, wherein full access to non-selected unencrypted programs in the mosaic is permitted.

36. The decoder of claim 1, wherein video access is prohibited to the program in the mosaic on the second channel.

37. A method of controlling the display of a plurality of digital television channels, comprising:

receiving a program in encrypted form on a first channel of the plurality of digital television channels, wherein the program comprises both encrypted audio and encrypted video;

receiving the program in unencrypted form on a second channel of the plurality of digital television channels, wherein the second channel corresponds to a mosaic comprising a plurality of windows;

creating the mosaic comprising a plurality of unencrypted programs, including the program in unencrypted form, wherein each of the plurality of unencrypted programs is shown within a respective window of the plurality of windows;

displaying the mosaic on the second channel;

receiving a selection for the program in the mosaic; and

determining that full access rights are not available to a user for the program while the program is displayed in encrypted form in the mosaic on the second channel,

wherein a decoder is configured to prohibit one of only audio access and only visual access to the program while the program is displayed in the mosaic on the second channel upon determining that full access rights are not available for the program, wherein the one of only audio access and only visual access is prohibited for the program in the mosaic on the second channel after a predetermined length of time, wherein the program remains in encrypted form on the first channel so that both audio access and video access are prohibited on the first channel, and wherein complete audio and visual access to the program is provided on the second channel during the predetermined length of time.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein access rights are received together with audiovisual data for creating the mosaic.

39. The method according to claim 37, wherein a cursor is generated for display with the mosaic, said cursor being selectively movable over the plurality of windows of the mosaic to enable selection of a desired window within the mosaic.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein audio information associated with the first channel is generated in response to the positioning of the cursor over said desired window displaying said first channel.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the generation of said audio information is prohibited according to received access rights.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the generation of said audio information is prohibited if the cursor is positioned over said desired window for longer than a predetermined length of time.

43. The method according to claim 39, wherein the cursor is automatically re-positioned in the event that the cursor is placed over said desired window displaying one of a program or a channel to which full audio and visual access is prohibited.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the cursor is repositioned after the expiration of a predetermined period of time.

45. The method according to claim 39, wherein an attribute of the cursor is changed depending on a characteristic of at least one of the program and the first channel displayed in the window over which the cursor is positioned.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the colour of said cursor is changed depending on said characteristic of at least one of the program and the first channel displayed in the window over which the cursor is positioned.

47. The method according to claim 45, wherein data for assigning said characteristic is received from a remote control handset associated with the decoder, said characteristic being assigned in response to the received data.

48. The method according to claim 39, wherein the decoder is turned to the first channel displayed in the desired window upon selection of the desired window.

49. The method according to claim 39, wherein a display comprising information regarding the program displayed in the desired window is generated upon selection of the desired window.

50. The method according to claim 39, wherein a display comprising a forthcoming program schedule for the channel displayed in the desired window is generated upon selection of the desired window.

51. The method according to claim 39, wherein a forthcoming program schedule comprises a textual display of program schedule information.

52. The method according to claim 39, wherein a forthcoming program schedule comprises a display of a plurality of pictorial images associated with respective forthcoming programs in the respective windows of the mosaic.

53. The method according to claim 37, further comprising:

generating a cursor for display with the mosaic, said cursor being selectively movable over the plurality of windows of the mosaic to enable selection of a desired window within the mosaic;

generating a display comprising information regarding the program displayed in the desired window upon selection of the desired window; and

communicating with a communications centre to obtain said information regarding the program displayed in the desired window.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the generation of at least a portion of video information in said desired window is prohibited in dependence on access rights to one of the program and the first channel displayed in that desired window.

55. The method according to claim 37, wherein access rights are received from a remote control handset associated with the decoder.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein a PIN number is received from the remote control handset, the received PIN number being authenticated to, upon authentication of the received PIN number, permit reception of the access rights.

57. The method according to claim 37, wherein the generation of at least a portion of video information in a window is prohibited in dependence on access rights to one of a program and a channel displayed in said window.

58. The method according to claim 57, wherein a picture is displayed in said window instead of said at least a portion of video information.

59. The method according to claim 58, wherein said picture comprises a logo associated with the channel displayed in said window.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein said picture comprises an image associated with the program displayed in said window.

61. The method according to claim 57, wherein an advertisement is displayed in said window instead of said at least a portion of video information.

62. The method according to claim 57, wherein further video information is displayed in said window instead of said at least a portion of video information.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein said further video information comprises promotional video information.

64. The method according to claim 37, wherein a message is generated informing the user of the full access rights to one of the program and the first channel in the event of the positioning of the cursor on a said window displaying said program and said channel.

65. The method according to claim 37, comprising controlling the relative positions of said plurality of windows within the mosaic.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein the relative positions of said plurality of windows are controlled in response to received access rights to the plurality of digital television channels or programs displayed in each of said plurality of windows.

67. The method according to claim 65, wherein the relative positions of said plurality of windows of the mosaic are controlled in response to received window positioning data for controlling the relative positions of said plurality of windows within the mosaic.

68. The method according to claim 65, wherein the relative positions of the plurality of windows of the mosaic are controlled according to a program characteristic of programs normally shown on the plurality of digital television channels displayed in the plurality of windows.

69. The method according to claim 65, wherein a window displaying one of a particular channel and a particular program is maintained in a constant position in the mosaic.

70. The method of claim 37, wherein the program in the mosaic is completely blacked out by the decoder when the full access rights are not received after the predetermined length of time.

71. A decoder for controlling the display of a plurality of digital television channels, said decoder comprising:

means for receiving a first program in encrypted form on a first channel of the plurality of digital television channels and a second program in encrypted form on a second channel of the plurality of digital television channels, wherein the first and second programs comprise both encrypted audio and encrypted video;

means for receiving the first and second programs in unencrypted form on a third channel of the plurality of digital television channels, wherein the third channel corresponds to a mosaic comprising a plurality of windows;

means for displaying the mosaic comprising a plurality of unencrypted programs on the third channel, including the first and second programs in unencrypted form;

means for receiving a selection from a user for access to the first program displayed in the mosaic on the third channel; and

means for determining that full access rights are not available to the user for the first program while the first program is displayed in encrypted form in the mosaic on the third channel,

wherein the decoder is configured to prohibit one of only audio access and only visual access to the unencrypted form of the first program while the first program is displayed in the mosaic upon determining that full access rights are not available for the first program, and

wherein the one of only audio access and only visual access is prohibited for the first program in the mosaic on the third channel after a predetermined length of time, wherein the first program remains in encrypted form on the first channel so that both audio access and visual access are prohibited on the first channel, and wherein complete audio and visual access to the first program is provided on the third channel during the predetermined length of time.

72. The decoder according to claim 71, further comprising:

means for determining whether the user is permitted full access to the second program based on access rights associated with the user;

means for permitting one of only audio access or only visual access by the user to the unencrypted form of the second program displayed in the mosaic formation, when the user is not permitted full access to the second program; and

means for providing complete audio and visual access to the user to the second program on the second channel, when full access rights associated with the user are received for the second program.