Method and apparatus for ordering entertainment programs from different programming transmission sources

• US 9,485,529 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Shah-Nazaroff, Anthony A., Goldschmidt Iki, Jean M., Moore, Kenneth Alan, Williams, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salce, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/972,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20140040927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725/50, 725/132, 725/140, 725/152
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• 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 21/472 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 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for purchasing media features for programming transmissions. A selection is sent to a server system to buy an upgraded media feature for a programming transmission. The server system automatically coordinates purchasing the media feature from a programming transmission source and providing the media feature from the programming transmission source. In one embodiment, an entertainment system includes a user interface from which a viewer selects an upgraded media feature for a programming transmission, wherein the programming transmission with the upgraded media feature is provided to the entertainment system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information regarding a plurality of different entertainment programs and a plurality of different video resolutions associated with at least one entertainment program;

displaying at a displaying device a list of entertainment programs and, for at least one entertainment program, a plurality of different video resolutions;

receiving an entertainment program selection and a video resolution selection from a user via an input device;

transmitting, via a communication network, the entertainment program selection together with the video resolution selection from the displayed plurality to an entertainment program provider, the video resolution selection being provided in part based on resolution capabilities of the displaying device, the displaying device intended for viewing the selected entertainment program; and

receiving, via the communication network, the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution and a token to enable the displaying device to display the selected entertainment program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information comprises receiving information regarding costs for each of the plurality of different video resolutions and wherein displaying comprises displaying the costs.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising;

receiving an entertainment selection and a video resolution selection from a user through the displaying device;

and wherein transmitting the selections comprises transmitting the selections received from the user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the user selection is received by interpreting signals transmitted from a user infrared transmitter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information comprises receiving information regarding available programming transmission sources for the plurality of different video resolutions and wherein displaying comprises displaying an identification of the programming transmission sources.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the programming transmission sources comprise at least one of local television stations, local radio stations, satellite broadcasters, coaxial cable broadcasters, and interactive sites on the internet.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the programming transmission sources further comprise at least one of video tape, video disk and audio disk.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving information comprises receiving information from a server system that is in communication with a plurality of programming transmission sources and wherein transmitting the selections comprises transmitting the selections to the server system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein receiving the selected entertainment program comprises receiving the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution from one of the plurality of programming transmission sources.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the selected entertainment program comprises receiving the selected entertainment program from one of cable television, antenna reception, satellite reception, mini-dish satellite reception, telephone dial-up service, and Internet access.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the selected entertainment program comprises receiving the token from an appropriate one of a plurality of programming transmission sources, the token enabling the reception of the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution.

12. A non-transitory, machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive information regarding a plurality of different entertainment programs and a plurality of different video resolutions associated with at least one entertainment program;

display at a displaying device a list of entertainment programs and, for at least one entertainment program, the plurality of different video resolutions;

receive an entertainment program selection and a video resolution selection from a user via an input device;

transmit, via a communication network, an entertainment program selection together with a video resolution selection from the displayed plurality to an entertainment program provider, the video resolution selection being provided in part based on resolution capabilities of the displaying device, the displaying device intended for viewing the selected entertainment program; and

receive, via the communication network, the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution.

13. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive information regarding costs for the plurality of different video resolutions and display the costs.

14. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive information regarding available programming transmission sources for the plurality of different video resolutions and display an identification of the programming transmission sources.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 14 wherein the programming transmission sources comprise at least one of local television stations, local radio stations, satellite broadcasters, coaxial cable broadcasters, and interactive sites on the internet.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein the programming transmission sources further comprise at least one of video tape, video disk and audio disk.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive information from a server system that is in communication with a plurality of programming transmission sources and transmit the selections to the server system.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution from one of the plurality of programming transmission sources.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive the selected entertainment program from one of cable television, antenna reception, satellite reception, mini-dish satellite reception, telephone dial-up service, and Internet access.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive a token from an appropriate one of a plurality of programming transmission sources, the token enabling the reception of the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution.

21. A non-transitory, machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

transmit, via a communication network, information regarding a plurality of different entertainment programs and a plurality of different video resolutions associated with each entertainment program to a plurality of client systems;

receive, via the communication network, an entertainment program selection together with a video resolution selection from at least one of the plurality of client systems, the video resolution selection being provided in part based on resolution capabilities of a displaying device intended for viewing the selected entertainment program; and

provide the at least one of the plurality of client systems with access to receive the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution.

22. The machine readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to instruct at least one of a plurality of programming transmission sources to transmit the selected entertainment program in accordance with the video resolution selection to the at least one of the plurality of client systems.

23. The machine readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to provide a token from an appropriate one of a plurality of programming transmission sources to the at least one of the plurality of client systems, the token enabling the at least one of the plurality of client systems to receive the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution.

24. The machine readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to transmit information regarding costs for the plurality of different video resolutions.

25. The machine readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to transmit information regarding available programming transmission sources for the plurality of different video resolutions.

26. The machine readable medium of claim 25 wherein the programming transmission sources comprise at least one of local television stations, local radio stations, satellite broadcasters, coaxial cable broadcasters, and interactive sites on the internet.

27. A method, comprising:

transmitting, via a communication network, information regarding a plurality of different entertainment programs and a plurality of different video resolutions associated with each entertainment program to a plurality of client systems;

receiving, via the communication network, an entertainment program selection together with a video resolution selection from at least one of the plurality of client systems, the video resolution selection being provided in part based on resolution capabilities of a displaying device intended for viewing the selected entertainment program; and

providing the client system with access to receive the selected entertainment program in accordance with the selected video resolution.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising instructing at least one of a plurality of programming transmission sources to transmit the selected entertainment program in accordance with the video resolution selection to the client system.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting information regarding costs for the plurality of different video resolutions.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting information regarding available programming transmission sources for the plurality of different video resolutions.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the programming transmission sources comprise at least one of local television stations, local radio stations, satellite broadcasters, coaxial cable broadcasters, and interactive sites on the internet.