Apparatus and method for processing an interactive service

• US 9,554,197 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• 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:
  US14/202,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 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 includes generating an application parameter table including 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.

Claims

1. A method of providing an enhancement service for a broadcast service, the method comprising:

generating service data for the broadcast service;

generating an application table which includes a plurality of application elements having application identifiers and information about applications related to a plurality of events, wherein each of the application elements includes a plurality of event elements having event identifiers and information about the events, wherein each of the event elements include a plurality of data elements having data identifiers;

generating an event table including a set of notifications initiating actions to be taken by the applications, the event table including a plurality of event messages and a period identifier identifying an interval of the broadcast service, wherein each of the event messages includes an event attribute matching an event identifier for one of the events related to an application, an app attribute matching an application identifier for the application, a data attribute matching a data identifier for data to be used for activation of the one of the events and time information indicating presentation time of the one of the events relative to media time of the broadcast service;

transmitting the service data of the broadcast service via first channel;

transmitting the application table and the event table for the enhancement service via second channel;

generating an event unit having a term identifying the one of the events by referencing one of the application identifiers and the event identifiers; and

transmitting the event unit via the second channel, wherein the term further includes a data identifying value which is referencing data to be used for activation of the one of the events.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the event unit further includes an additional term indicating a new timing of the one of the events.

3. An apparatus for providing an enhancement service for a broadcast service, the apparatus comprising:

a tuner that receives service data of the broadcast service via first channel;

a network interface that receives an application table and an event table for the enhancement service via second channel;

a trigger module that obtains the application table and the event table, wherein the application table includes a plurality of application elements having application identifiers and information about applications related to a plurality of events, wherein each of the application elements includes a plurality of event elements having event identifiers and information about the events, wherein each of the event elements include a plurality of data elements having data identifiers,

wherein the event table provides a set of notifications initiating actions to be taken by the applications, the event table including a plurality of event messages and a period identifier identifying an interval of the broadcast service, wherein each of the event messages includes an event attribute matching an event identifier for one of the events related to an application, an app attribute matching an application identifier for the application, a data attribute matching a data identifier for data to be used for activation of the one of the events and time information indicating presentation time of the one of the events relative to media time of the broadcast service; and

a display module that displays the one of the events,

wherein the receiving unit receives an event unit having a term identifying the one of the events by referencing one of the application identifiers and the event identifiers, and

wherein the term further includes a data identifying value which is referencing data to be used for activation of the one of the events.

4. The apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the event unit further includes an additional term indicating a new timing of the one of the events.