System and method for providing media content and interactive content

• US 8,966,542 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• 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): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US13/919,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20130283320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 725/20, 725/40, 725/51, 725/52, 725/60, 725/61, 725/109, 725/120, 725/136, 348/563, 348/564, 705/14.55
• US Class Current: 725/61
• 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 method includes receiving an indicator from a service provider via a network. The indicator is received with first media content and includes data to cause a selectable image to be displayed with the first media content. The selectable image indicates an availability of second media content that is different than the first media content. The method includes, in response to receipt of the indicator, displaying the selectable image with the first media content at a display device. The method further includes, in response to receiving a removal message before receiving an input indicating a selection of the selectable image, removing the selectable image from display at the display device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indicator from a service provider via a network, wherein the indicator is received with first media content, and wherein the indicator includes data to cause a selectable image to be displayed with the first media content, the selectable image indicating an availability of second media content that is different than the first media content;

in response to receipt of the indicator, displaying the selectable image with the first media content at a display device; and

in response to receiving a message indicating removal of the selectable image before receiving an input indicating a selection of the selectable image, removing the selectable image from display with the first media content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content includes video content associated with a broadcast program and the second media content includes interactive content related to a subject matter of the first media content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content includes video content associated with a commercial and the second media content includes interactive content related to a subject matter of the first media content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the interactive content includes video content, advertising content, audio content, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving the input indicating the selection of the selectable image before receiving the message indicating removal of the selectable image:

sending information to a content server, the information indicating the selection of the selectable image; and

in response to sending the information to the content server, receiving the second media content from the content server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content includes video data, voice data, or both.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider provides video services, cable services, voice services, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is received in a portion of a transmission of the first media content.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indicator from a service provider system via a network, wherein the indicator is received with first media content, and wherein the indicator includes data to cause a selectable image to be displayed with the first media content, the selectable image indicating an availability of second media content, and the second media content different than the first media content;

in response to receipt of the indicator, displaying the selectable image with the first media content at a display device; and

in response to receiving a message indicating removal of the selectable image before receiving an input indicating selection of the selectable image, removing the selectable image from display with the first media content.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor and the memory are included in a media device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the input indicating selection of the selectable image is received within a time period.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the time period is indicated in the indicator.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the indicator includes display information indicating a display characteristic of the selectable image.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the indicator includes display information indicating a description to be displayed with the selectable image.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the selectable image is displayed as an overlay on the first media content.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise displaying a second selectable image with the first media content at the display device, wherein the indicator includes display information indicating the second selectable image, and wherein a selection of the second selectable image causes the selectable image to be removed.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the indicator includes a network address of a server that provides the second media content.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is distinct from a computing device of the service provider that provides the indicator and the first media content.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

sending an indicator to a media playback device via a service provider network, wherein the indicator is sent with first media content, wherein the indicator includes data to cause the media playback device to display a selectable image with the first media content, and wherein the selectable image indicates an availability of second media content, the second media content different than the first media content; and

before receiving an input indicating selection of the selectable image, sending a message to the media playback device, the message indicating removal of the selectable image from display with the first media content, wherein the selectable image is removed from display with the first media content in response to receipt of the message.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor and the memory are included in a server of the service provider.