System and method for ITV data automation via a broadcast traffic and scheduling system

• US 20030084441A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ericsson Television Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson Television Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hunt, Richard C.
• Application Number:
  US10/286,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084441A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

A system and method for ITV data automation. A broadcast traffic and scheduling system generates a schedule of television programs to be broadcast in a day. A broadcast automation system translates the schedule of programs into an automation playlist. The playlist may also include the ITV events to be encoded into the broadcast program. The automation playlist is provided to an ITV automation unit which encodes ITV data associated with the ITV events into the broadcast signal in accordance with the playlist. Alternatively, the ITV automation unit may receive the ITV events/data directly from the broadcast traffic and scheduling system, independently of the automation playlist. In this manner, the ITV events need not be tied to the playlist of television programs, allowing the insertion of ITV events to be more flexible and dynamic.

Claims

1. An interactive television (ITV) system comprising:

means for receiving a playlist of ITV events;

an automation unit coupled to the means for receiving, the automation unit obtaining ITV data associated with the ITV events in the playlist; and

an encoder coupled to the automation unit, the encoder configured to encode the ITV data into a broadcast signal in accordance with the playlist of ITV events.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the playlist includes timing information of the ITV events.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the automation unit translates the ITV events into encoder commands and associated ITV data and transmits the encoder commands and data to the encoder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the automation unit receives encoder commands and ITV data from an ITV server and transmits the commands and data to the encoder.

5. An interactive television (ITV) system comprising:

means for receiving a playlist of ITV events;

means for retrieving from the playlist timing information associated with the ITV events; and

means for coordinating at least one of the ITV events with a television program based on the retrieved timing information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for coordinating the ITV event comprises:

means for retrieving ITV data associated with the ITV event; and

means for encoding the ITV data into a broadcast signal.

7. An interactive television (ITV) system configured to generate a playlist of television programs to be broadcast during a particular period of time, the ITV system comprising:

an ITV automation unit receiving information on an ITV event and generating an encoder command in response, the information on the ITV event being transmitted to the ITV automation unit independently of the playlist of television programs; and

an encoder coupled to the ITV automation unit, the encoder encoding ITV data associated with the ITV event into a broadcast signal in response to the encoder command.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the ITV event is defined in terms of a wall time.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the ITV event is dynamically modified based on viewer interaction information.

10. An interactive television (ITV) system configured to generate a playlist of television programs to be broadcast during a particular period of time, the ITV system comprising:

means for receiving information on an ITV event independently of the playlist of television programs;

means for generating a command associated with the ITV event; and

means for synchronizing the ITV event with a television program based on the command.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ITV event is defined in terms of a wall time.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the ITV event is dynamically modified based on viewer interaction information.

13. A method for providing an interactive television (ITV) program, the method comprising:

receiving a playlist of ITV events;

obtaining ITV data associated with the ITV events in the playlist; and

encoding the ITV data into a broadcast signal in accordance with the playlist of ITV events.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the playlist includes timing information of the ITV events.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising translating the ITV events into encoder commands and associated ITV data and transmitting the encoder commands and data to the encoder.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving encoder commands and ITV data from an ITV server and transmitting the commands and data to the encoder.

17. A method for providing an interactive television (ITV) program, the method comprising:

receiving a playlist of ITV events;

retrieving from the playlist timing information associated with the ITV events; and

coordinating at least one of the ITV events with a television program based on the retrieved timing information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the coordinating of the ITV event comprises:

retrieving ITV data associated with the ITV event; and

encoding the ITV data into a broadcast signal.

19. In an interactive television (ITV) system configured to generate a playlist of television programs to be broadcast during a particular period of time, a method for providing an ITV television program comprising:

receiving information on an ITV event independently of the playlist of television programs;

generating a command associated with the ITV event; and

synchronizing the ITV event with a television program based on the command.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the ITV event is defined in terms of a wall time.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the ITV event is dynamically modified based on viewer interaction information.