Method and system for providing interactive services using video on demand infrastructure

• US 20050246737A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Solutions, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leventer, Amir, Oz, Ran
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method for providing service to an end user, the method includes: converting images to multiple end user device readable pictures; receiving a request from an end user to display at least one image, wherein the request is conveyed over a TVOD infrastructure; and providing the end user with a stream of end user device readable pictures that includes at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the requested image.

Claims

1. A method for providing a service to an end user, the method comprising:

converting images to multiple end user device readable pictures;

receiving a request from an end user to display at least one image, wherein the request is conveyed over a TVOD infrastructure; and

providing the end user with a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprises at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the requested image.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein stage of providing is preceded by retrieving at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a stage of receiving a request from the end user to receive another image and providing to the end user with a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprises at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the other requested image.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the stage of providing is preceded by retrieving at least one end user device readable picture and multiple transitions pictures.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving at least one image from the end user and converting the image into an end user device readable picture.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving at least one image from a third entity and converting the image into an end user device readable picture.

8. A method for providing service to an end user, the method comprising:

converting images to multiple end user device readable pictures;

associating video stream manipulation commands with interactive service commands;

receiving a video stream manipulation command from an end user; and

providing, in response to an interactive service command associated with the received video stream manipulation command, a stream of end user device readable pictures to the end user.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the video manipulation command is pause, play, rewind or fast forward.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein stage of providing is preceded by retrieving at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

11. The method according to claim 8 further comprising a stage of receiving a video stream manipulation command that is associated with an image change operation and providing to the end user a stream of end user device readable pictures such as to change an image that is displayed to the end user.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the stage of providing is preceded by retrieving at least one end user device readable picture and multiple transitions pictures.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

14. A method for generating a media stream, the method comprising:

determining a transition effect between two anchor pictures; and

generating a sequence of transition pictures such that a decoding and a displaying process of a stream that comprises a first anchor picture, the sequence of transition pictures and then the second anchor picture provides the transition effect.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the transition pictures are dependent pictures.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising receiving a request to receive a stream that includes two anchor pictures out of a group of anchor pictures and retrieving the two anchor pictures and retrieving the sequence of transition pictures.

17. The method according to claim 14 further comprising determining another transition effect and generating other transition pictures.

18. The method according to claim 14 further comprising providing the stream during a provision of an interactive service.

19. The method according to claim 14 further comprising associating video stream manipulation commands to picture retrieval commands.

20. A system for providing service to an end user, the system comprises:

an interface for receiving at least one request from an end user to display at least one image, wherein the request is conveyed over TVOD infrastructure; and

a computerized entity adapted to convert images to multiple end user device readable pictures and to provide a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprise at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the requested image.

21. The system according to claim 20 further comprising at least one storage unit, accessible by the computerized unit, adapted to store at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

22. The system according to claim 20 wherein the computerized entity is further adapted to store at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

23. The system according to claim 20 further adapted to receive a request from the end user to receive another image and to provide, to the end user, a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprises at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the other requested image.

24. The system according to claim 23 wherein the system comprises a database for storing at least one end readable picture and multiple transitions pictures.

25. The system according to claim 24 wherein the database stores multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

26. The system according to claim 20 adapted to receive at least one image from the end user and converting the image into an end user device readable picture.

27. The system according to claim 20 further adapted to receive at least one image from a their entity and converting the image into an end user device readable picture.

28. A system for providing service to an end user, the system comprising:

a computerized entity adapted to convert images to multiple end user device readable pictures, and to associate video stream manipulation commands with interactive service commands; and

an interface adapted to receive a video stream manipulation command from an end user;

whereas the system is adapted to provide, in response to an interactive service command associated with the received video stream manipulation command, a stream of end user device readable pictures to the end user.

29. The system according to claim 28 wherein the video manipulation command is pause, play, rewind or fast forward.

30. The system according to claim 28 further comprising at least one storage unit that stores at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

31. The system according to claim 28 further adapted to receive a video stream manipulation command that is associated with an image change operation and to provide to the end user a stream of end user device readable pictures such as to change an image that is displayed to the end user.

32. The system according to claim 31 wherein the system is adapted to retrieve at least one end user device readable picture and multiple transitions pictures.

33. The system according to claim 32 adapted to select multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

34. A system for generating a media stream, the system comprising:

at least one storage unit adapted to store transition pictures; and

a computerized entity adapted to determine a transition effect between two anchor pictures and to generate a sequence of transition pictures such that a decoding and a displaying process of a stream that comprises a first anchor picture, a sequence of transition pictures and then the second anchor picture provides the transition effect.

35. The system according to claim 34 wherein the transition pictures are dependent pictures.

36. The system according to claim 34 further comprising an interface adapted to receive a request to receive a stream that include two anchor pictures out of a group of anchor pictures and to retrieve the two anchor pictures and the sequence of transition pictures.

37. The system according to claim 34 further adapted to determine another transition effect and generating other transition pictures.

38. The system according to claim 34 further adapted to provide the stream during a provision of an interactive service.

39. The system according to claim 34 further adapted to associate video stream manipulation commands to picture retrieval commands.

40. A method for controlling an end user device, the method comprising:

providing data representative of stream selection operation associated with an occurrence of an event;

providing a selected stream in response to a request to receive the selected stream;

wherein the request is generated by the end user device in response to an occurrence of the event.

41. The method according to claim 40 wherein the event is triggered by the end user.

42. The method according to claim 40 wherein the stage of providing a selected stream is followed by providing a stream that was provided prior the provision of the selected stream.

43. The method according to claim 40 wherein the data is conveyed on a dedicated PID.

44. A system, comprising:

an interface for receiving at least one request from an end user to receive a selected stream;

wherein the request is generated in response to an occurrence of an event; and

a computerized entity, adapted to provide data representative of stream selection operation associated with an occurrence of an event, and adapted to providing the selected stream.

45. The system according to claim 44 further adapted to provide a stream that was provided prior the provision of the selected stream, after the provision of the selected stream ends.

46. The system according to claim 44 wherein the data is conveyed on a dedicated PID.