Systems and methods for providing an on-demand entertainment service

• US 10,390,092 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Music Choice
• Original Assignee: Music Choice
• Inventors: Farber, Stuart H., Yurman, Ronald M., Rosenberg, Jeremy C., Steinberg, Robert M., Feras, Jr., John J., McGonigal, Daniel L., O'Neill, Donna M., Tancredi, Christina B., Del Beccaro, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbo, Nicholas T
• Application Number:
  US15/231,152
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17372 the upstream transmission being initiated or timed by a signal from upstream of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• 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 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 : involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for, in some cases, supplementing a broadcast media service with an on-demand service.

Claims

1. A system for providing an on-demand, personalized media service and a broadcast service to a client system, the client system comprising a set-top-box, the system comprising:

a distribution network; and

a distribution system including;

(1) a receiver system operable to receive a signal transmitted from a media source, said signal including a media channel comprising a stream of digital audio data and further comprising a stream of digital video data and/or digital graphical data,

(2) an on-demand system, and

(3) a transmission system operable to take output from the on-demand system and output from the receiver system and transmit the outputs to the set-top-box via the distribution network, the output from the receiving system includes the media channel comprising the stream of digital audio data and the stream of digital video data and/or digital graphical data, wherein the set-top-box is operable to;

(1) provide the audio data included in the media channel to an audio system that reproduces the audio for a user of the set-top-box to hear,

(2) provide the video and/or graphical data included in the media channel to a video system that displays the video and/or graphical data on a display device for the user to see,

(3) display a user selectable element on the display device so that the first user selectable element is displayed on the display device together with the video and/or graphical data obtained from the media channel, and

(4) in response to the user of the set-top-box selecting the selectable element, transmit a message to the on-demand system to initiate an on-demand session, wherein the message comprises meta information associated with the user selectable element, and

the on-demand system is configured such that, in response to receiving the message transmitted from the set-top-box, the on-demand system;

uses the meta information included in the message to select an asset, and transmits the selected asset to the set-top-box.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the media channel further comprises application data comprising the meta information.

3. The system of claim 2, the transmission system is configured to transmit the meta information with the stream of audio data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the set-top-box is configured to display the user selectable element in response to receiving the meta information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the meta information comprises an identifier for identifying an on-demand video.