Method and system for providing interactive look-and-feel in a digital broadcast via an X-Y protocol

• US 7,805,747 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Musicqubed Innovations LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Corporate Media Partners
• Inventors: Klappert, Walter R., Sequeira, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/866,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,413 Days
• Field of Search: 725/109, 725/112, 725/113, 725/135, 725/37, 725/136, 715/501, 715/501.1, 715/500.1, 715/201, 715/203, 715/205, 715/513
• US Class Current: 725/112
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots
• 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 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A system for providing an interactive look-and-feel in a digital video broadcast via an X-Y protocol is provided. At a head-end, video information is digitized and associated with private data, such as event identifications, X-Y coordinates, link event identification and synchronization data. This information is then transmitted to a receiving end and is input into a set-top box. The set-top box receives the broadcast digital signal and includes a member for receiving the broadcast digital signal and generating a playable signal including indicia of the link data. The playable signal is then played on a playing device. The user is provided with a remote control or similar input device for selecting from the indicia. Upon selection of a desired indicia, the user may exercise the predetermined link associated with the selected indicia in order to obtain the desired playable signal.

Claims

1. A system for providing an interactive look-and-feel in a playing device receiving a digital broadcast, comprising:

a signal generator to generate a digital signal comprising interleaved bits of at least one of audio or video data, and binary data for play on a playing device, and private data;

the private data including an event identification for the at least one of audio or video data, binary data and an indication of a number of hot-spots, each hot-spot being linked to at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data by link data, the link data including a set of coordinates defining a location on the playing device, link event identification indicating the at least one different audio or video data, and different binary data coupled to the set of coordinates, the set of coordinates, the set of coordinates defining two or more points, and a synchronization time indicating the temporal position of the at least one of different audio, or video data, and different binary data;

a computer for controlling a switch to periodically change the at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data played via the number of hot spots by;

transmitting a first at least one of different audio or video data, and first different binary data for play on the playing device via the number of hot spots during a first time interval while playing the at least one of audio or video data, and binary data; and

transmitting a second at least one of different audio or video data and second different binary data for play on the playing device via the number of hot spots during a second time interval while continuing playing the at least one of audio or video data, and binary data;

means for continuously broadcasting the digital signal from a head end server without transmission from the playing device for playing at least one of the audio or video data, and binary data and the first at least one of different audio or video data, and first different binary data during the first time interval and the second at least one of different audio or video data, and second different binary data during the second time interval; and

a receiver to receive the digital signal at user locations and to play at least one of the audio or video data, and binary data on the playing device, and to selectively exercise upon a hot-spot by reading the link data and playing the first at least one of different audio or video data, and first different binary data indicated by the link data on the playing device during the first time interval and playing the second at least one of different audio or video data, and second different binary data indicated by the link data on the playing device during the second time interval, the receiver including a processor for identifying the two or more points and positioning the hot-spot portion of the broadcasted digital signal therefrom.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the private data enables a plurality of portions of the broadcasted digital signal to be separately selectable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of audio or video data, and binary data is in MPEG format, wherein the signal generator comprises an MPEG encoder, and wherein the receiver comprises an MPEG decoder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronization time corresponds to a time code characterizing a corresponding image in the video data.

5. A method for providing for an interactive look-and-feel in a playing device receiving a digital broadcast, the method comprising processing a digital signal comprising interleaved bits of at least one of audio or video data and binary data for play on a playing device, comprising:

generating private data including an event identification for the at least one of audio or video and binary data and an indication of a number of hot-spots each hot-spot being linked to at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data by link data, the link data including a set of coordinates defining a location on the playing device, link event identification indicating the at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data coupled to the set of coordinates, and a synchronization time indicating the temporal position of the at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data;

processing the private data and the digital broadcast to generate the digital signal; and

selectively controlling a switch to periodically change the at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data played via the number of hot spots by;

transmitting a first at least one of different audio or video data, and first different binary data for play on the playing device via the number of hot spots during a first time interval while playing the at least one of audio or video data, and binary data; and

transmitting a second at least one of different audio or video data and second different binary data for play on the playing device via the number of hot spots during a second time interval while continuing playing the at least one of audio or video data, and binary data;

transmitting to a receiving device the digital signal continuously from a head end server without transmission from the playing device for playback of at least one of the audio or video data, and binary data;

selectively exercising upon a hot-spot by reading the link data and playing;

the first at least one of different audio or video data, and first different binary data indicated by the link data during the first time period; and

the second at least one of different audio or video data, and second different binary data indicated by the link data during the second time interval; and

identifying, at the receiving device, two or more points and positioning, at the receiving device, a hot-sport portion of the broadcast digital signal.

6. An apparatus comprising at least one processor to execute the method according to claim 5, for generating the digital signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a transmitter to transmit the digital signal.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the processing the digital signal is executed after the digital signal is received as a broadcast signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

playing at least one of the audio or video data, and binary data on the playing device; and

selectively exercising upon a hot-spot by reading the link data and playing the at least one of different audio or video data, and different binary data on the playing device.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor to execute the method according to claim 5, for receiving, or after receiving, or both for an after receiving, the digital signal as a broadcast signal.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus separates the at least one of audio or video data, and binary data and the private data.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus decodes the private data.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a display device.