System and method for providing television services

• US 8,914,839 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howe, Wayne R., Danner, Fred Thomas III, Mauney, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Rong
• Application Number:
  US11/644,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,916 Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• 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 5/44 : Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 : Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system and method are described for providing interactive television services and for switching between television programs, such as to an interactive program session from another program. An interactive server, capable of providing requested interactive video services to a set of subscribers in a given geographic area, is coupled to a network to which subscriber set top boxes are also coupled. Television programming, which may be furnished by any number of sources, is accompanied by a signal that indicates the availability of other programming, such as interactive television service related to the program being viewed, as well as information to be used in requesting such service. The user, when notified by this signal, may input to the set top box a request for a second program, such as an interactive program or application. The identity of the original program channel is stored, and a session with the video service provider is established over the network. When the session is terminated, the set top box re-tunes the television signal to the original program channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing video content to a device;

providing interactive callback data to the device, wherein the interactive callback data is different than the video content, wherein the interactive callback data includes an interactive callback address that indicates a location of interactive content, and wherein the interactive content is accessible to the device based on the interactive callback address in response to selection of a prompt; and

in response to expiration of a particular time period, providing a remove prompt signal to the device, the remove prompt signal indicating that display of the prompt is to be discontinued.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content includes broadcast television content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content includes television programming.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content and the interactive content are provided to the device via a common path.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive content is accessed from an interactive server that is located remote from the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive callback data includes instructions to display the prompt.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt comprises information that is descriptive of the interactive content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt and the video content are displayed on a display device coupled to the device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein subject matter of the interactive content is distinct from subject matter of the video content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive callback data indicates a type of the prompt, a characteristic of the prompt, a location on a screen to display the prompt, and a text description of the prompt.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive content includes an interactive application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive content includes advertising content.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a request to an interactive server to obtain the interactive callback address.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt is selectable to cause a request to be sent to an interactive server to access the interactive content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interactive content is retrieved via an interactive session between the device and the interactive server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein information identifying a first channel that provides the video content is stored in response to selection of the prompt.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the interactive content is provided to the device during an interactive session via a second channel that is distinct from the first channel, and wherein the device resumes display of the first channel in response to termination of the interactive session.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the interactive server provides the device with an identifier of the second channel via the interactive session.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive content includes an interactive game.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive callback data includes a second interactive callback address that indicates a second location of second interactive content.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content and the interactive callback data are provided by a media distribution system.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive callback data includes an application identifier assigned by an interactive server.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content and the interactive content are provided via distinct distribution channels.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive callback data includes an application identifier assigned by a service provider.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive callback data includes an image associated with the interactive content.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt is displayable in connection with display of at least a portion of the video content.

27. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

providing video content to a device;

providing interactive callback data to the device, wherein the interactive callback data includes an interactive callback address that indicates a location of interactive content, and wherein the interactive content is accessible to the device based on the interactive callback address in response to selection of a prompt; and

in response to expiration of a particular time period, providing a remove prompt signal to the device, the remove prompt signal indicating that display of the prompt is to be discontinued.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the video content includes television content.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive callback data includes an instruction to display the prompt.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive content is associated with advertising content.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive callback address includes a logical address or a server address.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the prompt is displayable on a screen that displays the video content.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive callback data indicates a type of the prompt, a characteristic of the prompt, a location on a screen to display the prompt, and a text description of the prompt.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the prompt is selectable to cause a request to be sent to an interactive server to access the interactive content.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the interactive content is retrieved via an interactive session between the device and the interactive server.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the interactive content is provided to the device via a channel that does not provide the video content.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the video content includes advertising content.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive callback data includes information descriptive of the interactive content.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive callback data includes an image associated with the interactive content.

40. The system of claim 27, wherein the interactive content includes an interactive application.

41. The system of claim 27, wherein the video content and the interactive content are sent to the device via distinct channels.

42. A method comprising:

receiving video content at a device;

receiving interactive callback data at the device, wherein the interactive callback data includes an interactive callback address that indicates a location of interactive content that is accessible to the device based on the interactive callback address in response to selection of a prompt; and

receiving a remove prompt signal at the device in response to expiration of a particular time period, the remove prompt signal indicating that display of the prompt is to be discontinued.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the device is a set-top box device or a media playback device.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the video content includes television content.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the video content and the interactive content are provided to the device via different distribution channels.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the interactive content includes an interactive application.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the interactive content includes an interactive game.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the video content and the interactive callback data are received from a media distribution system.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein the interactive callback data includes a second interactive callback address that indicates a second location of second interactive content.