Event driven interactive television notification

• US 20040034873A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellocity USA, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Intellocity USA, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Zenoni, Ian
• Application Number:
  US10/408,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034873A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64 Addressing network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00; support for multicast or broadcast of one-way stream services H04L65/611
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system that displays notifications to a user on a television system. The notifications comprise recent events occurring in subjects of importance to the user. The user may view data and video clips of the recent event, web pages, enhanced web pages, and alternate channels. Access is provided through the Internet, to enhanced web pages designed specifically for television, and regular web pages. Users can switch from the current broadcast to another channel, such as the channel displaying the recent event.

Claims

1. A method of providing event information to a user on a television comprising:

receiving event information, including event data and event video, at an event notification server located at an upstream source, said event information generated by a content provider;

transmitting said event data to an event data database for storage and retrieval of said event data;

transmitting said event video to event video storage for storage and retrieval of said event video;

receiving user preferences from a set-top box at said event notification server via an upstream connection between said set-top box and said event notification server;

transmitting said user preferences to a user preference database for storage and retrieval of said user preferences;

comparing said event data with said user preferences at said event notification server;

generating an event notification trigger upon favorable comparison of said user preferences and said event data, said event notification trigger including an address of said set-top box;

transmitting said event notification trigger to said address of said set-top box;

generating a graphic user interface on said television, using said set-top box, in response to said event notification trigger, said graphic user interface allowing said user to select at least one of;

downloading said event video from said event video storage for display on said television;

accessing an Internet location that provides said event information on said television;

switching said television to an alternate channel that is displaying said event information, and exiting said graphic user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of accessing an Internet location comprises:

providing a link to a web page.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of accessing an Internet location comprises:

providing a link to an enhanced web page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of receiving user preferences from a set-top box at said event notification server via an upstream connection comprises:

receiving said user preferences from said set-top box at said event notification server via a back channel.

5. A system for providing event driven notifications to a user and displaying event information on a television comprising:

an event notification server, located at an upstream source, that receives event video and event data from said content provider;

an event video storage device that receives said event video from said event notification server and that stores said video associated with said event data;

an event data database that receives said event data from said event notification server and that stores said event data;

a user preference database that receives preferences from said user and stores said preferences;

a comparator that compares user preferences to said event data, and that generates an event notification trigger having an address for transmitting said event notification trigger to said user;

an event notification trigger inserter that inserts said event notification trigger into a television transmission signal that is transmitted through a downstream connection to said user;

a set-top box that receives preferences provided by said user and transmits said preferences through an upstream connection to said user preference database, and that receives said event notification trigger from said event notification server via said downstream connection and generates a graphic user interface for display on said television that allows said user to select at least one of;

downloading said event video for display from said event video storage device through said downstream connection;

accessing an Internet location that provides said event information;

switching to an alternate channel displaying said event information; and

, exiting said graphic user interface.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said downstream connection is a cable connection and said upstream connection is a back channel on said cable connection.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said downstream connection is a satellite connection and said upstream connection is a back channel on said satellite connection.