Method and system for downloading and storing interactive device content using the horizontal overscan portion of a video signal

• US 7,787,050 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Musicqubed Innovations LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Buresift Data Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Alexander, Jeffrey M., Ranta, Craig S., Singh, Harjit
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Trang U
• Application Number:
  US12/270,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 348/460, 348/465, 348473-474, 348476-479, 348/552, 348554-558, 725/20, 725/23, 725/134, 725/136, 725/3, 725/5, 725/6
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/085 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

A method and system for decoding and storing encoded control data delivered via the horizontal overscan area of a video signal. An interactive device performs behavior defined by control data encoded into a video signal that can be broadcast or played-back from video tape. The interactive device is equipped with a non-volatile memory that permits the control data to be stored for performance subsequent to, or during, the transmission session. The control data is delivered as a series of control data words that include genus codes identifying the interactive device to which the data word is directed. During a transmission session, control data words will be repeated, so that an interactive device receives several control data words with the same sequence number. Based on the relative gradings, the interactive device will replace previously received control data words of lower quality than subsequently received data words having the same sequence number.

Claims

1. A method for delivering and storing control data for an interactive device using a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving the video signal at the interactive device during a transmission session, the transmission session comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of frames define a program that is displayed to a viewer during the transmission session;

(b) extracting the control data from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal using a decoder integral to the interactive device, the decoder being configured to extract control data encoded into the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal, defining the control data and a genus code with control words, the genus code identifying a specific interactive device for which the interactive device control data are intended; and

(c) using the control data extracted from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal to cause the interactive device to perform a behavior defined by the control data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) receiving the video signal at a base station, the base station being configured to convey the video signal to the interactive device via a wireless connection; and

(b) transmitting the video signal from the base station to the interactive device using the wireless connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the control data comprises-processing the extracted control data to assemble the control data into control words, each control word comprising a plurality of data bits, the plurality of data bits defining data useable for controlling the interactive device and at least one of:

(a) a genus code identifying a specific interactive device for which the control data are intended;

(b) a sequence code identifying an order in which behavior defined by the control data are to be executed in; and

(c) a sequence code that can be used for error correction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the plurality of data bits comprising the control words include a sequence code that can be used for error correction, further comprising:

(a) using the sequence code to determine an error grade for the control word; and

(b) determining if the control word is already stored in the interactive device; and

if not,

(i) storing the control word in the interactive device;

else

(ii) storing the control word having a higher quality as indicated by the error grade in the interactive device, and discarding the control word having a lower quality as indicated by the error grade.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the plurality of data bits comprising the control words include a genus code identifying a specific interactive device for which the control data are intended, further comprising using the genus code to determine if the control word is intended for the interactive device;

and if so storing the control word in the interactive device;

else ignoring the control word.

6. A method for delivering and storing control data for an interactive device using a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the video signal during a transmission session, the transmission session comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of frames defines a program that is displayed to a viewer during the transmission session;

extracting control words from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal, each control word comprising a plurality of data bits, the plurality of data bits defining a sequence code and the control data, the sequence code facilitating error grading, each control word that includes the same control data also having the same sequence code; and

where for each control word, the method further comprises the steps of;

using the sequence code to determine an error grade for the control word; and

determining if the control word is already stored in the interactive device;

and if not, storing the control word in the interactive device;

else storing the control word having a higher quality as indicated by the error grade in the interactive device, and discarding the control word having a lower quality as indicated by the error grade.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of performing behavior defined by the control data during the program.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the control data comprises a first type of control data corresponding to control data that is to be used by an interactive device during the transmission session while the program is being displayed to the viewer, and a second type of control data corresponding to control data that is to be used by the interactive device after the transmission session, when the program is no longer being displayed to the viewer, and further comprising the step of storing the second type of control data in a non-volatile memory contained within the interactive device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of storing the second type of control data is performed in response to the receipt of a storage instruction within the extracted control data.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of retrieving the second type of control data from the memory contained within the interactive device prior to performing the behavior defined thereby.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of performing the behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the interactive device comprises the step of analyzing the sequence code of each control word stored in the interactive device to determine an order with which the behavior defined by the control data of each control word stored in the interactive device is to be performed.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the video signal includes control data for a plurality of different interactive devices, and the plurality of data bits further defines a genus code, the genus code indicating a specific one of the plurality of different interactive devices for which the control data are intended, and for each control word, the method further comprises the steps of:

using the genus code to determine for which one of the plurality of different interactive devices the control word is intended;

transmitting the control word only to the one of the plurality of interactive devices for which it is intended, such that after the transmission session, the behavior defined by the control data of the control word is performed only by the one of the plurality of interactive devices.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the video signal includes control data for a plurality of different interactive devices, and the plurality of data bits further defines a genus code, the genus code indicating one of the plurality of different interactive devices for which the control data are intended, and for each control word, the method further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the control word to each of the plurality of different interactive devices, so that each of the plurality of different interactive devices performs the following steps;

using the genus code of the control word to determine if the control word is intended for the interactive device that is carrying out this step; and

storing only control words corresponding to the interactive device for which the control word was intended, such that after the transmission session, the behavior defined by the control data of any control words stored is performed only by the interactive device that stored any such control words.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of different interactive devices further performs the step of discarding each control word that is intended for a different one of the plurality of different interactive devices.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of different interactive devices further performs the step of transmitting each control word that is intended for a different one of the plurality of different interactive devices to another one of the plurality of different interactive devices.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the behavior defined by the control data comprises storing the received control data in a non-volatile memory contained within the interactive device for subsequent transmission to another device.

17. A system for delivering and storing control data for use by interactive devices, using a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the system comprising:

(a) an interactive device operative to perform a behavior defined by the control data, the interactive device comprising;

(i) a receiver configured to receive a wireless communication, the wireless communication comprising the video signal;

(ii) a decoder operative to extract the control data from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal during a transmission session, the transmission session comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the plurality of frames defines a program that is displayed to a viewer during the transmission session, the control data including control words including a plurality of data bits to define the control data and a genus code, the genus code identifying a specific interactive device for which the interactive device control data are intended, and

(iv) a controller operative to retrieve the control data from the non-volatile memory and to cause the interactive device to perform the behavior defined by the control data; and

(b) a transmitter configured to transmit the wireless communication to the interactive device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

(a) analyze the control data extracted from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal to determine if the control data defines a control word including a genus code identifying a specific interactive device for which the control data are intended;

(b) perform the behavior defined by each control word having a corresponding genus code; and

(c) ignore each control word that does not have a corresponding genus code.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

(a) analyze the control data extracted from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal to determine if the control data defines a control word that includes a sequence code that can be used for error correction;

(b) use the sequence code to determine an error grade for the control word; and

(c) determine if the control word is already stored in the interactive device; and

if not,

(i) storing the control word in the interactive device;

else

(ii) storing the control word having a higher quality as indicated by the error grade in the interactive device, and discarding the control word having a lower quality as indicated by the error grade.