Method for controlling display of audio-visual programmes, and receiver for displaying same

• US 7,895,619 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Ralf, Champel, Mary-Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks; Charles N
• Application Number:
  US10/476,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,225 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725 34- 35
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling of the display of audio-visual program by a receiver provided with means of receiving and recording audio-visual programs. The method comprises a step of recording a first program selected by the user; and subsequent to an action by the user to display the recorded program, a step of playback a program of a second type pre-recorded in the recording means (this program being for example of an advertising type), and a step which consists in displaying the second type program before the end of the first program display for a time interval stored in the receiver, the display of the first program being conditional to the display of the second-type program. The invention is characterized in that it comprises an improvement, whereby the receiver keeps an account of the duration of display of programs of the second type and authorizes unconditionally the display of programs after a certain duration. The invention also concerns the receiver adapted to display program in accordance with the method.

Claims

1. Method of control of the displaying of audiovisual programs recorded in a receiver furnished with a means of recording audiovisual programs, the method comprising:

recording of at least one first program selected by the user;

recording of several second programs to be displayed, these second programs being recorded before the recording of any first program selected by the user;

and following an action by the user to display the first recorded program;

reading of one at least second program received independently of the first program and pre-recorded in the recording means;

displaying of said second program before the end of the displaying of the first program, the duration of the displaying of the second program depending on a number of previous displays of said second program, the displaying of the second program being triggered by the receiver at a time determined by the receiver for displaying the first program, and not depending on the parameters associated with the first program selected by the user; and

entering at least a profile of the user, said profile filtering in the course of the reading the second program at least a part of the second program.

2. The method of control of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the first programs is performed in the course of successive periods, and in that the specified duration of display of the second program depends on the aggregated duration of display of the second programs already displayed in the course of the previous period.

3. The method of control of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the first programs is performed in the course of successive periods, and in that the specified duration of display of the second program depends on the aggregated duration of display of the second programs already displayed in the course of the current period.

4. The method of control of claim 1, further comprising counting the displayings of one at least second program, and erasing said second program in memory of the receiver when the counter reaches a certain value.

5. The method of control of claim 1, further comprising unrestricted display of the first recorded programs, said unrestricted display intervenes after a specified time of usage, said time being specified when the receiver is brought into service by the user.

6. The method of control of claim 5, wherein the specified time of usage is calculated from the aggregate of the durations of display of second programs.

7. The method of control of claim 6, wherein the duration of display of a second program taken into account in the calculation of the aggregate increases when the second program is interactive.

8. The method of control of claim 6, further comprising detecting the presence of a user, the duration of display of second programs in the course of which an absence of user is detected is not taken into account in the calculation of the aggregate.

9. The method of control of claim 1, further comprising entering a profile of the user, said profile filtering in the course of the reading the second programs a part at least of the second programs.

17. The method of control of claim 1, wherein the second prerecorded programs are adverts and in that the purchase price of said receiver drops as a function of the stored duration of display of the second programs.

19. The method of control of claim 1, further comprising determining the identity of the user viewing the receiver, using the profile of said user for filtering at least a part of the second program.

10. A receiver of audiovisual programs comprising

a means of receiving first audiovisual programs,

a means of display and a means of storage for displaying and recording first audiovisual programs and several second programs to be displayed, said first programs being recorded subsequent to a command of selection from the user, said second programs being recorded before the recording of any first program selected by the user;

wherein said receiver comprises

means of control associated with the means of storage, second programs being received independently of the first transmission and being recorded by the means of control without intervention from the user, the means of control authorizing the reading and the displaying of the first programs if second programs are read and displayed before the end of the display of the first programs, the duration of the displaying of the second program depending on a number of previous displays of said second program, and at a time determined by the receiver, and not depending on the parameters associated with the first program selected by the user; and

means of entering at least a profile of the user, the means of control selecting at least a part of the second programs stored as a function of said profile in the course of the reading the second programs.

11. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a counter of time of actual display of second programs in the course of successive periods, the specified duration of display of second programs depends on the duration of actual display in the course of the previous period.

12. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a counter of time of actual display of second programs in the course of successive periods, the specified duration of display of second programs depends on the duration of display of second programs, already performed in the course of the current period.

13. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a plurality of display counters associated with the second programs, and a means of erasing the second program when the associated counter reaches a predetermined value.

14. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a clock making it possible to calculate the duration of usage of the receiver since the receiver was brought into service, the means of control authorizing the reading and the displaying of the first programs without instructing displaying of second programs when the duration of usage indicates that a specified time has elapsed.

15. The receiver of claim 14, wherein the clock meters the duration of display of the second programs since the receiver was brought into service.

16. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a detector of the presence of the user in proximity to his receiver, the metering of the duration of actual display of second programs being halted when said detector does not detect the presence of the user.

18. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a means of mixing the visual signals of the first and second programs read from the means of storage, in such a way that the visual content of the programs appears at the same time on a means of display.

20. The receiver of claim 10, further comprises a means of mixing the visual signals of the first and second programs read from the means of storage, in such a way that the visual content of the programs appears at the same time on a means of display.