Automated input in an interactive television system

• US 9,438,958 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Zdepski, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US14/195,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 725/26, 725/42, 725/52, 725 60- 61, 725138-142, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8453 by locking or enabling a set of features, e.g. optional functionalities in an executable program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• 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

A method and mechanism for automating user input in an interactive television system. An interactive application is conveyed concurrently with a broadcast programming stream in an interactive television system to a receiver. The interactive application is configured to provide added content to a television viewer upon a request by the viewer. In order to request the display of the available added content, a viewer may provide an indication that the use of a script is desired. Subsequently, a script corresponding to the interactive application is utilized to provide input to the interactive application in lieu of the viewer actively providing the input necessary to display the added content. In addition, a viewer may configure the receiver to indicate default preferences for the use of scripts. The receiver may then utilize a standardized script to provide input to interactive applications having added content available for viewing. Further, a corresponding program, interactive application, added content, and script may be received and stored on a mass storage device. Subsequently, the stored material may be retrieved for display and execution.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

executing an interactive media application, the interactive media application configured to provide added content corresponding to a media content for display on a display device;

providing an opportunity for the display of the added content, the added content being configured to be triggered by one or more user selections;

executing, by a machine having a memory and at least one processor, a script configured to generate one or more automatic selections associated with the opportunity, the one or more automatic selections comprising input to the interactive media application that triggers provision of the added content, the input being input that would otherwise be received responsive to a viewer'"'"'s active interaction, the script being configured to provide the added content based on one or more default user preferences; and

providing the added content for display in response to detecting the one or more automatic selections.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more default preferences comprise a preference to record the added content.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising recording the added content based on the preference to record the added content.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the media content, the added content, and the script at a receiver;

storing the media content, the added content, and the script on a non-volatile storage device coupled to the receiver; and

retrieving the media content, the added content, and the script from the non-volatile storage device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the script is dynamically created in a user set top box based on the one or more default user preferences.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more default user preferences comprise a default script usage preference for the interactive media application, the default script usage preference indicating a preference for a default script configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of levels of detail of the added content.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a future media content; and

associating one or more script usage preferences with the identified future media content, the one or more default user preferences comprising the one or more script usage preferences.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the script is further configured to More the one or more automatic selections in a message queue.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a standardized input acceptable by a plurality of interactive media applications including the interactive media application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the script is applicable to all applications which provide an opportunity for display of the selected level of detail of added content.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, tangibly embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

executing an interactive media application, the interactive media application configured to provide added content corresponding to media content for display on a display device;

providing an opportunity for the display of the added content, the added content being configured to be triggered by one or more user selections;

executing a script configured to generate one or more automatic selections associated with the opportunity, the one or more automatic selections comprising input to the interactive media application that triggers provision of the added content, the input being input that would otherwise be received responsive to a viewer'"'"'s active interaction, the script being configured to provide the added content based on one or more default user preferences; and

providing the added content for display in response to detecting the one or more automatic selections.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more default preferences comprise a preference to record the added content.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise recording the added content based on the preference to record the added content.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the script is dynamically created in a user set top box based on the one or more default user preferences.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more default user preferences comprise a default script usage preference for the interactive media application, the default script usage preference indicating a preference for a default script configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of levels of detail of the added content.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a future media content; and

associating one or more script usage preferences with the identified future media content, the one or more default user preferences comprising the one or more script usage preferences.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the script is further configured to store the one or more automatic selections in a message queue.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the input comprises a standardized input acceptable by a plurality of interactive media applications including the interactive media application.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the script is applicable to all applications which provide an opportunity for display of the selected level of detail of added content.

20. A system comprising:

a signal receiver configured to receive a programming signal; and

a script usage device coupled to the signal receiver, the script usage device configured to;

executing an interactive media application, the interactive media application configured to provide added content corresponding to media content for display on a display device;

providing an opportunity for the display of the added content, the added content being configured to be triggered by one or more user selections;

executing, by a machine having a memory and at least one processor, a script configured to generate one or more automatic selections associated with the opportunity, the one or more automatic selections comprising input to the interactive media application that triggers provision of the added content, the input being input that would otherwise be received responsive to a viewer'"'"'s active interaction, the script being configured to provide the added content based on one or more default user preferences; and

providing the added content for display in response to detecting the one or more automatic selections.