Communicating scripts in a data service channel of a video signal

• US 8,341,687 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blackketter, Dean J., Zigmond, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARANDI, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US11/093,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,827 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

Described are methods and apparatus for enhancing an information resource, such as a Web page, simultaneously residing in memory on a number of remote receivers. A content creator, (e.g., a program producer, broadcaster, affiliate, cable company or satellite provider), embeds a trigger in a data service channel of a broadcast signal. The trigger includes a resource identifier unique to the information resource and a script capable of modifying the information resource. The script might be a script or a segment of a script written in a conventional scripting language. Each receiver that includes the targeted information resource monitors the data service channel of the broadcast video signal for script-bearing triggers directed to that resource. If a receiver receives a script-bearing trigger directed to the resident resource, the receiver executes the script contained within the trigger to alter the resource and/or the displayed video defined by the resource.

Claims

1. A receiver for use in a method of enhancing an information resource comprising a Web page used to enhance a video broadcast signal with Internet content, wherein the information resource simultaneously resides in memory on a number of remote receivers, including said receiver, said receiver comprising:

a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored in memory; and

memory having the computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein said computer executable instructions implement a method that includes;

storing, in one or more receivers, an information resource identified by a first resource identifier;

presenting a field configured to receive user input related to the information resource;

receiving at the presented field user input including information associated with the information resource, wherein the user input is used to customize the information resource;

monitoring at the one or more receivers a data service channel of a broadcast television signal for a script trigger, wherein the script trigger includes a second resource identifier, a script which contains executable code configured to directly modify at least a portion of the stored information resource based on the received user input, and a portion of updated information sent with the script trigger in response to the received user input that is to be applied to the information resource to customize the information resource, wherein the modifications include one or more changes to the functionality of the information resource and one or more changes to the data contained within the information resource, the changes to the data contained within the information resource being updated using the portion of updated information received with the script trigger, such that information resource data is updateable without linking to another network to request and receive the changes; and

thereafter, running the executable code of the script on the one or more receivers to implement the data and functionality changes indicated in the received script trigger, wherein the data and functionality changes alter both a visual representation of the information resource which varies depending on a receiver'"'"'s interpretation of the resource and upon the other resources referred to by the information resource and the context of the information resource including altering at least one of the information resource'"'"'s associated HTML tags or scripts, upon receipt of the script trigger, if the second resource identifier matches the first resource identifier of the stored information resource.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises displaying the information resource stored in memory.

3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the information resource comprises tags that define a context of the resource, and wherein the script modifies the context.

4. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the script is a fragment of a second script resident on the information resource.

5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises displaying a video portion of the broadcast signal, wherein the script trigger synchronizes the information resource with the video portion of the broadcast signal.

6. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the broadcast signal comprises video data, and wherein the script trigger induces an enhancement of the information resource.

7. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first and second resource identifiers are URLs.

8. The receiver of claim 1, further comprising at least two separate television channel tuners used simultaneously, wherein at least one of the television channel tuners is configured to receive a television program on a first channel and wherein at least one of the television channel tuners is configured to monitor a second channel for information resource enhancements and provide the information enhancements to a display for simultaneous display with the television program of the first channel.

9. A receiver for use in a method of enhancing an information resource comprising a Web page used to enhance a video broadcast signal with Internet content, wherein the information resource simultaneously resides in memory on a number of remote receivers, including said receiver, said receiver comprising:

a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored in memory; and

memory having the computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein said computer executable instructions implement a method that includes;

storing, in one or more receivers, an information resource identified by a first resource identifier;

presenting a field configured to receive user input related to the information resource;

receiving at the presented field user input including information associated with the information resource, wherein the user input is used to customize the information resource;

monitoring at the one or more receivers a data service channel of a broadcast television signal for a script trigger, wherein the script trigger includes a second resource identifier, a checksum, a script which contains executable code configured to directly modify at least a portion of the stored information resource based on the received user input, and a portion of updated information sent with the script trigger in response to the received user input that is to be applied to the information resource to customize the information resource, the script'"'"'s executable code allowing a content creator for the information resource to provide interaction between in information resource and a user, control the remote receivers, and dynamically create HTML content, the modifications including one or more changes to the functionality of the information resource and one or more changes to the data contained within the information resource, the changes to the data contained within the information resource being updated using the portion of updated information received with the script trigger, such that information resource data is updateable without linking to another network to request and receive the changes;

determines that the script trigger is valid, wherein a valid script trigger is encoded in a predetermined syntax, and includes resource locator and attribute/value pairs that are not corrupted, as determined by a comparison of a checksum generated by the receiver and the checksum received with the script trigger; and

after determining that the script trigger is valid, running the executable code of the script on the one or more receivers to implement the data and functionality changes indicated in the received script trigger, wherein the data and functionality changes alter both a visual representation of the information resource which varies depending on a receiver'"'"'s interpretation of the resource and upon the other resources referred to by the information resource and the context of the information resource including altering at least one of the information resource'"'"'s associated HTML tags or scripts, upon receipt of the script trigger, if the second resource identifier matches the first resource identifier of the stored information resource.

10. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises displaying the information resource stored in memory.

11. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the information resource comprises tags that define a context of the resource, and wherein the script modifies the context.

12. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the script is a fragment of a second script resident on the information resource.

13. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises displaying a video portion of the broadcast signal, wherein the script trigger synchronizes the information resource with the video portion of the broadcast signal.

14. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the broadcast signal comprises video data, and wherein the script trigger induces an enhancement of the information resource.

15. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the first and second resource identifiers are URLs.

16. A method for enhancing an information resource comprising a Web page used to enhance a video broadcast signal with Internet content, wherein the information resource simultaneously resides in memory on a number of remote receivers, the method comprising:

storing, in one or more receivers, an information resource identified by a first resource identifier;

presenting a field configured to receive user input related to the information resource;

receiving at the presented field user input including information associated with the information resource, wherein the user input is used to customize the information resource;

monitoring at the one or more receivers a data service channel of a broadcast television signal for a script trigger, wherein the script trigger includes a second resource identifier, a checksum, a script which contains executable code configured to directly modify at least a portion of the stored information resource based on the received user input, and a portion of updated information sent with the script trigger in response to the received user input that is to be applied to the information resource to customize the information resource, the script'"'"'s executable code allowing a content creator for the information resource to provide interaction between in information resource and a user, control the remote receivers, and dynamically create HTML content, the modifications including one or more changes to the functionality of the information resource and one or more changes to the data contained within the information resource, the changes to the data contained within the information resource being updated using the portion of updated information received with the script trigger, such that information resource data is updateable without linking to another network to request and receive the changes;

determines that the script trigger is valid, wherein a valid script trigger is encoded in a predetermined syntax, and includes resource locator and attribute/value pairs that are not corrupted, as determined by a comparison of a checksum generated by the receiver and the checksum received with the script trigger; and

after determining that the script trigger is valid, running the executable code of the script on the one or more receivers to implement the data and functionality changes indicated in the received script trigger, wherein the data and functionality changes alter both a visual representation of the information resource which varies depending on a receiver'"'"'s interpretation of the resource and upon the other resources referred to by the information resource and the context of the information resource including altering at least one of the information resource'"'"'s associated HTML tags or scripts, upon receipt of the script trigger, if the second resource identifier matches the first resource identifier of the stored information resource.

17. The receiver of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises displaying the information resource stored in memory.

18. The receiver of claim 16, wherein the information resource comprises tags that define a context of the resource, and wherein the script modifies the context.

19. The receiver of claim 16, wherein the script is a fragment of a second script resident on the information resource.

20. The receiver of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises displaying a video portion of the broadcast signal, wherein the script trigger synchronizes the information resource with the video portion of the broadcast signal.