Combining real-time and batch mode logical address links

• US 7,765,575 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zigmond, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESFAYE, AKLIL M
• Application Number:
  US11/614,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/40, 725/41, 725/43, 725/60, 725/61, 725109-113, 709217-219, 709/223, 709/224, 709227-229
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• 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 21/4508 Management of client data or end-user data
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying Internet content associated with television programming. Content associated with a program included in the television programming is automatically displayed by a set top box. Before the broadcast of a program, listing information or EPG data is stored at the set top box. The listing information includes batch mode logical addresses or links. During the program, a viewer is notified about the link, and the content may be accessed and displayed concurrently with the program. In addition, real-time logical addresses or links, which are embedded in the program, may be extracted and the viewer is notified of these links. If both the real time and batch links are available, a determination is made according to pre-defined rules regarding which link is brought to the attention of the viewer.

Claims

1. A method within a system that includes a set top box capable of receiving content and television programming, the method for integrating the content concurrently with the television programming, the method comprising:

prior to receiving the television programming, retrieving electronic program guide (EPG) data from a server, wherein the EPG data includes batch links associated with the television programming and wherein the batch links are associated with a predetermined time interval during which they are valid;

storing the batch links in a database local to the system;

after having stored the batch links, receiving the television programming;

while receiving the television programming, extracting at least one real time link associated with the television programming from a data channel associated with the television programming, the at least one real time link being valid for a predetermined time interval commencing at the time of receipt;

determining a logical address link status for the television programming, by determining whether the at least one real time link and the batch links are both valid for some common time interval;

during a display of a program included in the television programming, identifying at least one link from the batch links and the at least one real time link;

providing notification concurrently with the display of the programming that the at least one link has been identified;

accessing content associated with the identified at least one link; and

displaying concurrently with the programming the content accessed through the identified at least one link.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein retrieving electronic program guide data occurs before the program included in the television programming begins.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying at least one link further comprises an act of selecting the at least one link from a plurality of links according to predefined rules.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one real time link has a priority over the batch links.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the batch links are URLs and wherein the at least one real time link is a URL.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying at least one link further comprises an act of excluding batch links that have expired.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing notification further comprises an act of either providing both an audible notification and a visual notification.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links embedded in line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the television programming.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links from a captioning data channel associated with the television programming and wherein each real-time link comprises a priority attribute.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein extracting real-time links from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links from a text service channel associated with the television programming.

11. A computing system that is capable of receiving content and television programming, the computing system comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for displaying content associated with a program included in the television programming, wherein the method comprises the method of claim 1.

12. A computing system as defined in claim 11, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links embedded in line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the television programming.

13. A computing system as defined in claim 11, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links from a captioning data channel associated with the television programming.

14. A computing system as defined in claim 11, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links from a text service channel associated with the television programming.

15. A computer program product for a computing system that is capable of receiving content and television programming, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for integrating the content concurrently with the television programming, the method comprising the method of claim 1.

16. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein identifying at least one link further comprises an act of selecting the at least one link according to predefined rules from a set comprising at least one batch link and the at least one real time link.

17. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein the batch links are URLs and wherein the at least one real time link is a URL.

18. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links embedded in line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the television programming.

19. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links from a captioning data channel associated with the television programming.

20. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein extracting the at least one real time link from a data channel associated with the television programming comprises an act of extracting real-time links from a text service channel associated with the television programming.