Data referencing system

• US 8,347,338 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AdaptFlow Technologies LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Noblecourt, Christophe Colas, Rakotomavo, Setra
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWLIN, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US11/942,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20080104633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 725/49, 725/50, 725/132, 725/136, 725/145, 725 32- 36
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• 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 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• 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 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

This application describes a method of referencing content in an application. The method comprises, for a content element, creating a reference to the content element and associating that reference with the content element. This enables the content element (for example, text or images) to be dissociated from other features related to content; for example, its presentation on the screen. In this way, control over presentation may be achieved separately from control of the content itself. In an example, a Content Provider provides referenced content to an Operator. A Program Provider sends referenced scenarios to the Operator. The Operator resolves the reference and sends data for broadcast by the Broadcaster.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting interactive applications from an operator to at least one receiver/decoder comprising:

receiving from a program provider an interactive application containing at least one data reference;

receiving from a content provider at least streamed data, the streamed data corresponding to the at least one data reference, the streamed data being sent without any request;

replacing in the interactive application the at least one data reference with the corresponding data from the streamed data;

merging, by the operator separate and distinct from the program provider and the content provider, the streamed data from the content provider and the interactive application from the program provider to produce a resulting interactive application; and

broadcasting the resulting interactive application to at least one receiver/decoder,

wherein the streamed data is periodically modified and sent from the content provider with a high frequency, and

wherein the streamed data is automatically refreshed at a level of the at least one receiver/decoder.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

building at least one interactive application by the program provider, the at least one interactive application comprising at least one data reference;

providing content from the content provider, the content comprising at least streamed data corresponding to the at least one data reference.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising converting the interactive application into MPEG format for broadcasting.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the program provider creates screens which constitute a scenario.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the content provider sends the operator a collection of referenced data.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the operator broadcasts data to at least one receiver/decoder.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein the program provider comprises:

an offline tool linked to a storage device;

an editing tool;

a web server application;

a broadcast console;

a data storage device; and

an extranet device.

8. The method according to claim 2 wherein the content provider comprises:

a broadcast console; and

an extranet device.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the operator comprises:

a reception service;

a URI-XTVML processing service;

a broadcast service;

a database for storage of URIs;

a database for the storage of containers;

a URI editor; and

a web server.

10. An apparatus, in a digital television system, to build interactive applications to be broadcast to a plurality of receivers/decoders comprising:

means for receiving from a program provider an interactive application comprising at least one data reference;

means for receiving from a content provider at least streamed data, the streamed data corresponding to the at least one data reference, the streamed data being sent without any request; and

means for replacing in the received interactive application the at least one data reference with the corresponding data from the streamed data,

wherein an operator separate and distinct from the program provider, the content provider, and the plurality of receiver/decoders merges the streamed data from the content provider and the interactive application from the program provider to produce a resulting interactive application,

wherein the streamed data is periodically modified and sent from the content provider with a high frequency, and

wherein the streamed data is automatically refreshed at a level of at least one of the plurality of receivers/decoders.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for converting the interactive application, after the replacement, into MPEG format for broadcasting.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for inserting the converted interactive application in a program stream to be broadcast.