Apparatus and method for processing an interactive service

• US 9,525,921 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Oh, Sejin, Park, Byungsun, Moon, Kyoungsoo, Thomas, Gomer, An, Seungjoo, Lee, Jinwon, Kim, Jinpil, Kim, Kyungho, Ji, Aettie
• Primary Examiner(s): MONTOYA, OSCHTA I
• Application Number:
  US14/567,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43079 of additional data with content streams on multiple devices
• 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 21/44222 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• 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 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• 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

Abstract

A method of processing an interactive service and an apparatus thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes generating an application parameter table which includes information about at least one of applications, wherein the application parameter table includes a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein the first identifier identifies a interactive programming segment which application parameter table pertains to, and wherein the second identifier identifies an application within the scope of application parameter table; generating an activation message file that indicates at least one of activation times of the applications, wherein the activation message file includes a third identifier and activation messages, wherein the third identifier matches the first identifier of application parameter table which contains the applications, wherein the activation message includes a fourth identifier and a start time information, wherein the fourth identifier matches the second identifier of the application in the application parameter table, and wherein the start time information indicates the start time for an event targeted to the application relative to segment time; generating a multi-part message with the application parameter table as the first part and the activation message file as the second part; and transmitting the multi-part message to receiver via HTTP.

Claims

1. A method of providing an app-based enhancement for a linear service, the method comprising:

generating an application table for the app-based enhancement, the application table including plural application elements having information about applications of the app-based enhancement;

generating an event table for initiating actions to be taken by the applications, the event table including plural event elements, each of the events elements includes an event identifier for a first event and first time information indicating presentation time for the first event;

transmitting the application table and the event table via a specific signaling channel in a broadcast stream;

generating an event message for a second event initiating an action, the event message includes an event identifier for the second event and second time information indicating presentation time for the second event; and

storing the event message in a live event server;

wherein the application table further includes URL information for the live event server;

wherein the event table includes a period identifier identifying an interval that the event table pertains to,

wherein the first time information in the event table indicates start time of the first event relative to start time of the interval.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the event message further includes data to be used for the second event.

3. An apparatus for providing an app-based enhancement for a linear service, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving module that receives a broadcast stream,

a parser that parser the broadcast stream, the broadcast stream having a specific signaling channel delivering an application table and an event table for initiating actions to be taken by the applications,

wherein the application table for the app-based enhancement includes plural application elements having information about applications of the app-based enhancement,

wherein the event table includes plural event elements, each of the event elements includes an event identifier for a first event and first time information indicating presentation time for the first event;

a service providing module that provides the app-based enhancement according to information in the application table and the event table; and

a network interface that receives an event message for a second event initiating an action from a live event server, the event message including an event identifier for the second event and second time information indicating presentation time for the second event, and the application table further includes URL information for the live event server,

wherein the service providing module further provides the app-based enhancements according to information in the application table and the event message;

wherein the event table includes a period identifier identifying an interval that the event table pertains to,

wherein the first time information in the event table indicates start time of the first event relative to start time of the interval.

4. The apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the event message further includes data to be used for the second event.