User-controlled data/video integration by a video control system

• US 8,272,012 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Austin, Jarrod C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen-Ba, Hoang-Vu A
• Application Number:
  US12/511,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20110030005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 725/47, 348/564, 715/790
• US Class Current: 725/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data

Abstract

A video control system transfers a video signal to display a data/video integration menu and receives user instructions indicating user-selected data and display positioning for the user-selected data. The video control system transfers a data request and receives the user-selected data. The video control system receives video content. The video control system integrates the user-selected data and the video content into a video signal that positions the user-selected data relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the user instructions. The video control system transfers the video signal to display the integrated video content and user-selected data.

Claims

1. A method of operating circuitry in a video control system, the method comprising:

transferring a first video signal to drive a display device to display a data/video integration menu and receiving a first user instruction responsive to the display of the data/video integration menu, wherein the first user instruction indicates user-selected data and display positioning for the user-selected data, and

wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction positions the user-selected data to cover an information crawl in video content and a second video signal drives the display device to display integrated video content and a user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned to cover the information crawl in the video content;

transferring a request for the user-selected data in response to the first user instruction and receiving the user-selected data in response to the request;

receiving the video content;

integrating the user-selected data and the video content into the second video signal that positions the user-selected data relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction; and

transferring the second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction reduces a screen size for the video content and positions the user-selected data in open space left by the reduced screen size and the second video signal drives the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned in the open space left by the reduced screen size.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction places at least some of the user-selected data in a crawl and the second video signal drives the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned in the crawl.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first user instruction includes blocking the information crawl in the video content and the second video signal drives the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the information crawl blocked in the video content.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during the display of the integrated video content and user-selected data, receiving a second user instruction to hide the user-selected data, and in response, transferring a third video signal to drive the display device to display the video content without the user-selected data; and

during the display of the video content without the user-selected data, receiving a third user instruction to show the user-selected data, and in response, transferring a fourth video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, during the display of the integrated video content and user-selected data, receiving a second user instruction to modify the display positioning, and in response, transferring a third video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data repositioned relative to the video content according to the modified display positioning in the second user instruction.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, during the display of the integrated video content and user-selected data, receiving a second user instruction to supplement the user-selected data, and in response:

transferring another request for additional user-selected data, receiving the additional user-selected data, and supplementing at least some of the user-selected data with the additional user-selected data;

integrating the supplemented user-selected data and the video content into a third video signal that positions the supplemented user-selected data relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction; and

transferring the third video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and supplemented user-selected data with the supplemented user-selected data positioned relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction.

7. A video control system comprising:

processing circuitry configured to form a first video signal to drive a display device to display a data/video integration menu;

transceiver circuitry configured to transfer the first video signal to drive the display device and receive a first user instruction responsive to the display of the data/video integration menu, wherein the first user instruction indicates user-selected data and display positioning for the user-selected data, and wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction positions the user-selected data to cover an information crawl in video content;

the processing circuitry configured to form a request for the user-selected data in response to the first user instruction, and configured to form a second video signal to drive the display device to display integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned to cover the information crawl in the video content;

the transceiver circuitry configured to transfer the request and receive the user-selected data in response to the request, and to receive the video content;

the processing circuitry configured to integrate the user-selected data and the video content into a second video signal that positions the user-selected data relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction; and

the transceiver circuitry configured to transfer the second video signal to drive the display device wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction reduces a screen size for the video content and positions the user-selected data in open space left by the reduced screen size and the processing circuitry is configured to form the second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned in the open space left by the reduced screen size.

8. The video control system of claim 7 wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction places at least some of the user-selected data in a crawl and the processing circuitry is configured to form the second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned in the crawl.

9. The video control system of claim 7 wherein the first user instruction includes blocking the information crawl in the video content and the processing circuitry is configured to form the second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the information crawl blocked in the video content.

10. The video control system of claim 7 further comprising:

the transceiver circuitry is configured, during the display of the integrated video content and user-selected data, to receive a second user instruction to hide the user-selected data, and in response, the processing circuitry is configured to form a third video signal to drive the display device to display the video content without the user-selected data and the transceiver circuitry is configured to transfer the third video signal to drive the display device; and

the transceiver circuitry is configured, during the display of the video content without the user-selected data, to receive a third user instruction to show the user-selected data, and in response, the processing circuitry is configured to form a fourth video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction and the transceiver circuitry is configured to transfer the fourth video signal to drive the display device.

11. The video control system of claim 7 wherein the transceiver circuitry is configured, during the display of the integrated video content and user-selected data, to receive a second user instruction to modify the display positioning, and in response, the processing circuitry is configured to form a third video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned relative to the video content according to the modified display positioning in the second user instruction and the transceiver circuitry is configured to transfer the third video signal to drive the display device.

12. The video control system of claim 7 wherein the transceiver circuitry is configured, during the display of the integrated video content and user-selected data, to receive a second user instruction to supplement the user-selected data, and in response:

the processing circuitry is configured to form another request for additional user-selected data;

the transceiver circuitry is configured to transfer the request and receive the additional user-selected data;

the processing circuitry is configured to supplement at least some of the user-selected data with the additional user-selected data and to integrate the supplemented user-selected data and the video content into a third video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and supplemented user-selected data with the supplemented user-selected data positioned relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction; and

the transceiver circuitry is configured to transfer the third video signal to drive the display device.

13. A video control device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to form a first video signal to drive a display device to display a data/video integration menu;

a video transmitter configured to transfer the first video signal to drive the display device;

a remote control receiver configured to receive a first user instruction responsive to the display of the data/video integration menu, wherein the first user instruction indicates user-selected data and display positioning for the user-selected data, and wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction positions the user-selected data presented as a crawl to cover an information crawl in video content;

the processing circuitry configured to form a request for the user-selected data in response to the first user instruction, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to form a second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned to cover information crawl in the video content;

a data network transceiver configured to transfer the request and receive the user-selected data in response to the request;

a video receiver configured to receive the video content;

the processing circuitry configured to integrate the user-selected data and the video content into the second video signal that positions the user-selected data relative to the video content according to the display positioning in the first user instruction; and

the video transmitter configured to transfer the second video signal to drive the display device.

14. The video control device of claim 13 wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction reduces a screen size for the video content and positions the user-selected data in open space left by the reduced screen size and the processing circuitry is configured to form the second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned in the open space left by the reduced screen size.

15. The video control device of claim 13 wherein the display positioning in the first user instruction places at least some of the user-selected data presented as a crawl and the processing circuitry is configured to form the second video signal to drive the display device to display the integrated video content and user-selected data with the user-selected data positioned in the crawl.