Method of and apparatus for describing, promoting, publishing, aggregating, distributing and accessing live content information

• US 7,788,686 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F Poszat Hu LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: VentureMakers LLC
• Inventors: Andrews, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Son P
• Application Number:
  US09/797,080
• Time in Patent Office: 3,470 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/36, 725/40, 725/41, 725/48, 725/115, 725/138, 725/144, 715715-718, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An electronic program guide that assists a user to navigate through a variety of digital and analog feeds made available by digital television technology is provided. Features such as allowing the user to purchase items, allowing the user to choose the content of the display screen, enabling more efficient use of black areas, among others are provided. Default settings based on prior user settings is provided to allow for an automatically customized environment. This automatic customization may entail, for example, the automatic resizing of windows based on the user'"'"'s prior preferences. Also provided is a feature that allows for the automatic activation of a local or remote application through the user'"'"'s set-top box based on the content currently being viewed.

Claims

1. A live content information system, comprising:

an Internet server coupled to the Internet;

a registration module that;

registers a plurality of Internet broadcast events in response to corresponding registration requests received via the Internet through the Internet server from one or more content providers;

issues registration information for the plurality of Internet broadcast events to the one or more content providers, wherein the registration information includes information indicating an Internet source location of a first of the plurality of Internet broadcast events from which a browser on a client computer system can directly access the first Internet broadcast event via the Internet, wherein the Internet source location is remote with respect to the live content information system, and wherein the live content information system is remote with respect to the client computer system;

manages information relating to ownership of live content corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event; and

manages levels of access to change one or both of the live content and information associated with the live content;

a tracking module that checks for a change in status of the first Internet broadcast event, and in response to the change in status of the first Internet broadcast event communicates the change in status to one or more parties; and

a sponsorship module that provides information about the plurality of Internet broadcast events to facilitate matching of one or more sponsors with at least one of the one or more content providers, wherein the information about the plurality of Internet broadcast events is received from the one or more content providers;

wherein the live content information system;

uses a vocabulary that includes characteristics received from the one or more content providers, wherein the received characteristics describe;

technical characteristics of the live content, one or both of a start time and a stop time of the live content, and information indicating that the live content is broadcast live, wherein the technical characteristics of the live content include information describing the file format of the live content; and

provides guide information through the Internet server to the browser of the client computer system, wherein the provided guide information is displayable via the browser of the client computer system to identify two or more of the plurality of Internet broadcast events and to indicate that at least the first Internet broadcast event is currently being broadcast live via the Internet and wherein the provided guide information is usable by the browser of the client computer system to access the first Internet broadcast event directly from its Internet source location.

2. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the registration information also includes timing information indicating a period of time in which the first Internet broadcast event will be available as a live broadcast via the Internet, wherein a first of the registration requests corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event, wherein the first registration request includes said timing information and said Internet source location.

3. The live content information system of claim 2, wherein the live content information system:

updates the guide information to indicate that the first Internet broadcast event is no longer live based on one or both of the timing information and the change in status detected by the tracking module.

4. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein a first content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event is not received or stored in the live content information system, wherein the first content stream includes video, and wherein, for each of the two or more Internet broadcast events, the guide information includes a hyperlink for accessing that Internet broadcast event and descriptive text for that Internet broadcast event.

5. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein a first of the registration requests corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event, wherein the first registration request includes an indication of the kind of technology required to view or play a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event.

6. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein a second of the two or more Internet broadcast events is a pseudo live broadcast.

7. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the registration request that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event is received while the first Internet broadcast event is in progress.

8. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the registration request that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event is received from a second client computer system located at a physical location of the first Internet broadcast event, wherein an operator of the second client computer system is a party with an interest in promoting the first Internet broadcast event.

9. The live content information system of claim 1,

wherein the guide information includes links to two or more Internet source locations corresponding respectively to the two or more Internet broadcast events;

wherein, for each of the two or more Internet broadcast events, the guide information is displayable by the client computer system to indicate whether or not that Internet broadcast event is currently being broadcast live via the Internet; and

wherein the registration request for the first Internet broadcast event includes information indicating a solicitation for sponsorship of the first Internet broadcast event.

10. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the guide information that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes an event promoter, wherein the event promoter includes:

one or more textual descriptions of the first Internet broadcast event, and selected portions of a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event.

11. The live content information system of claim 10, wherein the event promoter is configured for download to and viewing on the client computer system.

12. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the client computer system is an arbitrary web-browser-equipped computer system.

13. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the live content information system:

automatically updates the guide information, wherein said automatically updating includes changing the guide information to indicate that the first Internet broadcast event is no longer live.

14. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the registration request that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes information indicating the start time and the stop time for the first Internet broadcast event.

15. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the registration request that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes timing information indicating when one or more subevents are to occur within the first Internet broadcast event.

16. The live content information system of claim 1, wherein the live content information system:

receives sponsor information via the Internet and through the Internet server from a party with an interest in sponsoring the first Internet broadcast event, wherein a portion of the guide information that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes the sponsor information.

17. A method, comprising:

an Internet server receiving a plurality of registration requests via the Internet from one or more content providers, wherein the Internet server is part of a live content information system that includes a registration module, a tracking module, and a sponsorship module;

the registration module registering a plurality of Internet broadcast events based on the received plurality of registration requests received via the Internet;

the registration module issuing registration information for the plurality of Internet broadcast events to the one or more content providers, wherein the registration information includes information indicating an Internet source location of a first of the plurality of Internet broadcast events from which a browser on a client computer system can directly access the first Internet broadcast event via the Internet, wherein the Internet source location is remote with respect to the live content information system, and wherein the live content information system is remote with respect to the client computer system;

the registration module managing information relating to ownership of live content corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event, and managing levels of access to change one or both of the live content and information associated with the live content;

the tracking module checking whether a change in status of the first Internet broadcast event has occurred, and in response to detecting the change in status communicating the change in status to one or more parties; and

the sponsorship module providing information about the plurality of Internet broadcast events to facilitate matching of one or more sponsors with at least one of the one or more content providers, wherein the information about the plurality of Internet broadcast events is received from the one or more content providers;

wherein the live content information system;

uses a vocabulary that includes characteristics received from the one or more content providers, wherein the received characteristics describe;

technical characteristics of the live content, one or both of a start time and a stop time of the live content, and information indicating that the live content is broadcast live, wherein the technical characteristics of the live content include information describing the file format of the live content; and

provides guide information through the Internet server to the browser of the client computer system, wherein the provided guide information is displayable via the browser of the client computer system to identify two or more of the plurality of Internet broadcast events and to indicate that at least the first Internet broadcast event is currently being broadcast live via the Internet, and wherein the provided guide information is usable by the browser of the client computer system to access the first Internet broadcast event directly from its Internet source location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event includes video.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event includes a live chat session.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration request that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes timing information indicating at least the start time for a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

updating the guide information so that the guide information is displayable to indicate that a different set of two or more of the plurality of Internet broadcast events are currently being broadcast live via the Internet.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event is a video stream, wherein the registration request that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes a frame rate of the video stream.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the indication that at least the first Internet broadcast event is currently being broadcast live via the Internet includes a separate indication for each of those Internet broadcast events.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein a second of the two or more Internet broadcast events is currently a pseudo live broadcast.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein a second of the two or more Internet broadcast events has not yet started, wherein broadcast of the second Internet broadcast event is hosted by the live content information system.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration request corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event is received while the first Internet broadcast event is in progress.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration request corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event is received from a second client computer system located at a physical location of the first Internet broadcast event, wherein an operator of the second client computer system is a party with an interest in promoting the first Internet broadcast event.

28. The method of claim 17,

wherein the guide information includes links to two or more Internet source locations corresponding respectively to the two or more Internet broadcast events;

wherein, for each of the two or more Internet broadcast events, the guide information is displayable by the client computer system to indicate whether or not that Internet broadcast event is currently being broadcast live via the Internet; and

wherein the registration request for the first Internet broadcast event includes information indicating a solicitation for sponsorship of the first Internet broadcast event.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein a portion of the guide information that corresponds to the first Internet broadcast event includes an event promoter, wherein the event promoter includes:

one or more textual descriptions of the first Internet broadcast event, and selected portions of a content stream corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the event promoter is configured for download to and viewing on the client computer system.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the client computer system is an arbitrary web-browser-equipped computer system.

32. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

the live content information system automatically updating the guide information, wherein said automatically updating includes changing the guide information so that the guide information is displayable by the client computer system to indicate that the first Internet broadcast event is not currently live.

33. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration request corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event includes the start time and the stop time for the first Internet broadcast event.

34. The method of claim 17, wherein the registration request corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event includes timing information indicating when one or more subevents are to occur within the first Internet broadcast event.

35. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

the live content information system receiving sponsor information via the Internet from a party with an interest in sponsoring the first Internet broadcast event, wherein a portion of the guide information corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event includes the sponsor information.

36. A live content information system comprising:

first means for coupling to the Internet;

second means for registering a plurality of Internet broadcast events based on corresponding registration requests received by the first means via the Internet from one or more content providers, and issuing registration information for the plurality of Internet broadcast events to the one or more content providers, wherein the registration information includes information indicating an Internet source location of a first of the plurality of Internet broadcast events from which a browser on a client computer system can directly access the first Internet broadcast event via the Internet, wherein the Internet source location is remote with respect to the live content information system, and wherein the live content information system is remote with respect to the client computer system;

third means for managing information relating to ownership of live content corresponding to the first Internet broadcast event, and for managing levels of access to change one or both of the live content and information associated with the live content;

fourth means for checking whether a change in status of the first Internet broadcast event has occurred, and in response to the change in status communicating the change in status to one or more parties; and

fifth means for providing information about the plurality of Internet broadcast events to facilitate matching of one or more sponsors with at least one of the one or more content providers, wherein the information about the plurality of Internet broadcast events is received from the one or more content providers;

wherein the live content information system;

uses a vocabulary that includes characteristics received from the one or more content providers, wherein the received characteristics describe;

technical characteristics of the live content, one or both of a start time and a stop time of the live content, and information indicating that the live content is being broadcast live, wherein the technical characteristics of the live content include information describing the file format of the live content; and

provides guide information through the first means to the browser of the client computer system, wherein the provided guide information is displayable via the browser of the client computer system to identify two or more of the plurality of Internet broadcast events and to indicate that at least the first Internet broadcast event is currently being broadcast live via the Internet and wherein the provided guide information is usable by the browser of the client computer system to access the first Internet broadcast event directly from its Internet source location.