Method and system for integrating smart tags into a video data service

• US 9,491,407 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pasquale, Thad, Joseph, Kurt, Sullivan, Marc, Kortum, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US11/333,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,948 Days
• Field of Search: 725/81
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• 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 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A set of application program interfaces is embodied on a computer readable medium for execution on a computer in conjunction with an application program that integrates smart tags related to a video program with a payload of video data packets. A first interface receives an input from a tag database related to video program content. A second interface receives an input integrating a smart tag with a video data payload packet. A third interface receives an input providing integrated smart tag and video data to a network. Another interface receives an input from a customer segmentation database, for example for targeting information to specific customers or customer groups.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including processor executable program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving tag data from a tag database describing a smart tag corresponding to an element of a video program wherein the element is selected from;

an object depicted in the video program and a subject raised in the video program;

receiving video data from a video content server corresponding to the video program;

combining the tag data and the video data to generate program data associated with the video program, the program data including at least one integrated user datagram protocol packet comprising a user datagram protocol header and a payload comprising a compressed video transport packet corresponding to a particular portion of the video program and a smart tag corresponding to a particular element occurring during the particular portion of the video program wherein each integrated user data protocol packet payload containing a smart tag further includes a video transport packet corresponding to a particular portion of the video program to which the smart tag corresponds;

transmitting the program data to a plurality of end users via a packet-switched network; and

responsive to detecting viewer selection of a first smart tag associated with a first element of the video program, launching a browser to browse a web page associated with the first element.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first smart tag is associated with a time in the video program.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the program data includes an indication of a first plurality of end users associated with the first smart tag.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations include:

receiving a first request from an end user, the request specifying the first smart tag;

in response to the first request, sending a second request to a smart tag server for information associated with the first smart tag;

receiving, in response to the second request, the information associated with the first smart tag; and

sending the information to the end user.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations include:

halting presentation of the video program in response to the launching of the browser and resuming presentation of the video program when use of the browser ends.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the first smart tag includes instructions, executable by an end user device, that when executed by the end user device cause the end user device to perform operations including generating a display element configured to enable the end user to respond to the display element.

7. An end user device for receiving packetized video program content including a smart tag, the end user device comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor and including processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving tag data from a tag database describing a smart tag corresponding to an element of a video program wherein the element is selected from;

an object depicted in the video program and a subject raised in the video program;

receiving video data from a video content server corresponding to the video program;

combining the tag data and the video data to generate program data associated with the video program, the program data including at least one integrated user datagram protocol packet comprising a user datagram protocol header and a payload, wherein the payload includes a compressed video transport packet corresponding to a particular portion of the video program and a smart tag corresponding to a particular element occurring during the particular portion of the video program wherein each integrated user data protocol packet payload containing a smart tag further includes a video transport packet corresponding to a particular portion of the video program to which the smart tag corresponds;

transmitting the program data to a plurality of end users via a packet-switched network; and

responsive to detecting viewer selection of a first smart tag associated with a first element of the video program, launching a browser to browse a web page associated with the first element.

8. The end user device of claim 7, further comprising:

a display device for displaying the first smart tag and the video program to an end user; and

an input device for receiving input from the end user, and

wherein the operations include enabling the end user to select the first smart tag using the input device.

9. The end user device of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

halting presentation of the video program in response to the launching of the browser and resuming the video program in response to a closing of the browser.

10. The end user device of claim 9, wherein the first smart tag is associated with an obtainable product appearing in the video program, and wherein the operations include sending an indication of a response by the end user to the displayed indication of the first smart tag.

11. The end user device of claim 10, wherein the indication of the response by the end user is a purchase inquiry for the obtainable product.

12. The end user device of claim 7, wherein the video program includes a commercial advertisement and wherein the first smart tag occurs during the commercial advertisement.

13. The end user device of claim 7, wherein the program data includes user datagram protocol packets.

14. A video presentation method, comprising:

receiving tag data from a tag database describing a smart tag corresponding to an element of a video program wherein the element is selected from;

an object depicted in the video program and a subject raised in the video program;

receiving video data from a video content server corresponding to the video program;

combining the tag data and the video data to generate program data associated with the video program, the program data including at least one integrated user datagram protocol packet comprising a user datagram protocol header and a payload, wherein the payload includes a compressed video transport packet corresponding to a particular portion of the video program and a smart tag corresponding to a particular element occurring during the particular portion of the video program wherein each integrated user data protocol packet payload containing a smart tag further includes a video transport packet corresponding to a particular portion of the video program to which the smart tag corresponds;

;

transmitting the program data to a plurality of end users via a packet-switched network; and

responsive to detecting viewer selection of a first smart tag associated with a first element of the video program, launching a browser to browse a web page associated with the first element.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the first smart tag and the video program to an end user;

receiving input from the end user via an input device; and

selecting the first smart tag in response to user input detected via the input device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

halting presentation of the video program in response to the launching of the browser and resuming the video program when the browser is closed.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first smart tag is associated with a product appearing in the video program.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the viewer selection of the first smart tag initiates a purchase inquiry for the product.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the video program includes a commercial advertisement portion and wherein the first smart tag occurs during the commercial advertisement portion.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the program data includes a plurality of user datagram protocol packets.