Memory card handling for enhancing interactive television services

• US 7,908,636 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electra Entertainment Limited
• Original Assignee: Electra Entertainment Limited
• Inventors: Drazin, Jonathan Peter Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bantamoi; Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/776,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 725132-134, 725/140, 725/152, 725/49
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4435 Memory management allocation of memory to service a request G06F9/5016; addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures G06F12/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4437 Implementing a Virtual Machine [VM] virtual machines in general G06F9/45533
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television system is operable to receive television signals and data for implementing interactive television services. At least some of the interactive television data received is stored on a removable, non-volatile memory, such as a memory card or stick. To allow a user to access services, the system is operable to generate a user interface. Services that are available via information stored on a memory card are marked.

Claims

1. An interactive television system comprising:

means for receiving television signals;

means for receiving data for implementing an interactive television service, the interactive television service data comprising content items;

means for storing the content items, including content version information therefor, on a removable, non-volatile memory; and

means for automatically copying to the removable memory information in an internal memory, so that the removable memory acts as a backup,

wherein the system is adapted to download time, date and service version information from a broadcast source, read the content version information of the content items stored on the removable memory to determine whether the content items are expired, and restore the content items from the removable memory to the internal memory if said content items are not expired.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for generating a user interface using information stored on the removable memory.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 comprising means for merging information in both the internal memory and the removable memory to provide a user interface that has user selectable interactive services that are accessible via information in both the internal and external memories.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 comprising means for marking interactive services on the interface to indicate that they are available via the removable memory.

5. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the user interface is operable to allow access to user activatable interactive services.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for prompting a user to indicate whether interactive television service information is to be stored on the removable memory.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the prompting means are responsive to connection of a removable memory device.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for presenting a services catalogue to a user, the catalogue including a plurality of selectable services.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the services catalogue includes services that are designated as being available for storing on the removable memory.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 including means for identifying any service already selected by a user.

11. A system as claimed in claim 8 including means for identifying any service that has been selected and authorised for use by the user.

12. A system as claimed in claim 8 including means for presenting additional information relating to one of the services in response to a user input, such as highlighting one of the services.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the additional information is provided in a dedicated area of the screen, preferably separate from the services listings.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1 adapted to prompt a user when the removable non-volatile memory is connected on whether to allocate a portion of the non-volatile memory for the purpose of backing up data, and to allocate backup space within the file system of the non-volatile memory, in the event that a confirmation is received from the user that an allocation is to be made.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 adapted so that a user is not prompted a second time when the card is next inserted, in the event that storage on the removable memory is not required.

16. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the removable memory is usable with multiple apparatus for the purpose of storing service content for the multiple apparatus.

17. A system as claimed in claim 1 adapted to generate a digital signature for data stored on the removable memory;

compare this with a signature in the internal memory and start the service if the signatures match.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1 adapted to receive data via the internet.

19. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the internal memory is volatile, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

20. A method for providing interactive television services to a user comprising:

downloading interactive television service information to a television system, the interactive television service information comprising content items;

storing the content items, including content version information therefor, on a removable non-volatile memory device;

automatically copying to the removable memory information in an internal memory, so that the removable memory acts as a backup, and

using the stored content items to provide interactive services,

wherein the system downloads time, date and service version information from a broadcast source, reads the content version information for the content items stored on the removable memory to determine whether the content items are expired, and restores the content items from the removable memory to the internal memory if they are not expired.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising generating a user interface using information stored on the removable memory, such as service entitlement information.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 comprising generating the user interface using information in both an internal memory and the removable memory.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the user interface is operable to allow access to user activatable interactive services.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21 comprising marking interactive services on the interface to indicate that they are available via the removable memory.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising prompting a user to indicate whether interactive television service information is to be stored on the removable memory.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the step of prompting is responsive to connection of a removable memory device.

27. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising presenting a services catalogue to a user, the catalogue including a plurality of selectable services.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the services catalogue includes services that are available for storing on the removable memory.

29. A method as claimed in claim 27 including identifying within the catalogue any service already selected by a user.

30. A method as claimed in claim 27 including identifying within the catalogue any service that has been selected and authorised for use by the user.

31. A method as claimed in claim 27 including means for presenting additional information relating to one of the services in response to a user input, such as highlighting one of the services.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31 comprising presenting the additional information in a dedicated area of the screen, preferably separate from the services listings.