Broadcast database

• US 20040024753A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Chane, Lena D., Crakes, Ali, Chung, Alex, Brandyberry, David, Chu, Viva, Niranjan, Sithampara Babu
• Granted Patent: US 11,388,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

A database is packed up for broadcast over an iTV system by packaging, compressing, and streaming the database via one or more carousels. The packing up process creates one or more data modules, each including record sets, and one or more modules containing computer-readable instructions for resolving queries using the record sets. These modules, along with a table of contents module that includes descriptions of how the data modules are composed and interfaces to the modules containing the computer-readable instructions, are downloaded at a set top box in order to resolve queries from television users and/or other applications. Thereafter, the computer-readable instructions are executed to resolve the queries. When available, the results produced by executing the query may be displayed on a television. Information regarding the queries may be used to modify the packing up and/or broadcast processes.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

downloading from a broadcast carousel, one or more data modules composed from a database, each of the data modules including record sets, and one or more modules containing computer-readable instructions for resolving a query using one or more of the record sets; and

executing the computer-readable instructions to resolve the query.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to downloading the one or more data modules, downloading a table of contents module that includes a description of how the data modules are composed.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the table of contents module further includes a description of types of modules containing computer-readable instructions available from the broadcast carousel.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying results of executing the query on a television.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data modules are composed from the database during a packaging process that includes optimization procedures for broadcasting the data modules via the broadcast carousel.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the optimization procedures for broadcasting the data modules via the broadcast carousel include one or more of:

staggering those data modules needed for the query in a broadcast data stream with other data modules not needed for the query, broadcasting multiple copies of those data modules needed for the query in a broadcast data stream, and broadcasting one or more of those data modules needed for the query via a broadcast carousel different from that used for different data modules.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the data modules are composed from the database during a packaging process that includes compressing the data modules.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the data modules are composed from the database during a packaging process that includes compressing the data modules.

9. A method, comprising:

compressing, formatting, and sequencing database modules for transmission in a television broadcast system based on bandwidth availability; and

transmitting the compressed and formatted database modules to a receiver adapted for use in the television broadcast system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein compressing and formatting the database modules comprises subdividing data from a source database into tables and splitting the tables into the database modules.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein sequencing the database modules comprises repeating selected ones of the database modules in a broadcast data stream.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein sequencing the database modules comprises staggering selected ones of the database modules with respect to one another in a broadcast data stream.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein sequencing the database modules further comprises repeating selected ones of the database modules in the broadcast data stream.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein sequencing the database modules comprises transmitting selected ones of the database modules in different broadcast data streams.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the database modules comprise a table of contents module, one or more data modules and one or more modules of computer readable instructions for use when executing queries on the data modules.

16. A method, comprising:

at a set-top box, formatting a query for information included in one or more modules which represent components of an original data source; and

downloading through a television broadcast stream those of the one or more modules which are not currently located at the set-top box, wherein the one or more modules comprise data modules and/or modules of computer readable instructions for use when executing queries on the data modules, each of the data modules formed as a result of formatting and compressing at least portions of the original data source.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising executing the query by performing actions designated by the computer-readable instructions to retrieve the information.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying the information on a television.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising reporting information regarding the query to a server associated with a process for creating the data modules by formatting and compressing at least portions of the original data source.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising modifying the process by which the data modules are created according to the information regarding the query.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising modifying a process by which the data modules are transmitted according to information regarding the query.

22. A system, comprising:

a server component configured to broadcast via a broadcast stream a database as a set of modules including data modules that contain record sets, code modules that include computer-readable instructions for resolving queries using one or more of the data modules, and a table of contents module that contains information regarding the data modules and the code modules; and

a client component that includes a query interface configured to retrieve from the broadcast stream those data modules and code modules not currently residing in memory at the client component as are needed to resolve a request made through the query interface.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the server component is further configured to optimize the set of modules for broadcast via the broadcast stream by staggering those data modules needed to resolve the request in the broadcast data stream with other data modules not needed to resolve the request, by broadcasting multiple copies of those data modules needed to resolve the request in the broadcast data stream, and/or by using a different broadcast data stream for different data modules.