Method and system of displaying content associated with broadcast program

• US 20060014490A1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Makipaa, Mikko, Anttila, Akseli, Kopra, Toni
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.50
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/37 via a different channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/40 characterised in that additional data relating to the broadcast data are available via a different channel than the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/07 characterised by processes or methods for the generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side

Abstract

A media system comprising a broadcast system, a telecommunication system, a content processing system, and a user terminal. While a media stream is broadcast, a group of content items associated with the media stream are generated. The content items are presented in the user terminal in a first mode, wherein a presentation element corresponding to a content item is changed to another presentation element according to the timing information of the content item, or in a second mode wherein a presentation element is changed to another presentation element in response to a user action. Transition from the second mode is allowed only by authorization according to a pre-defined procedure. The interactive operations are thus controlled by the user and thus not overridden by content timed or pushed to the user terminal for display.

Claims

1. A method of presenting content associated with broadcast program in a user terminal of a telecommunication system, the method comprising:

broadcasting a media stream by a broadcast system;

generating a group of content items associated with the media stream;

attaching to the content items timing information to indicate the timing for presenting a content item;

delivering the group of content items with the timing information to the user terminal;

presenting the content items in the user terminal in a first mode wherein a presentation element corresponding to a content item is changed to another presentation element according to the timing information of the content item, or in a second mode wherein a presentation element is changed to another presentation element in response to a user action; and

allowing transition from the second mode to the first mode only by authorization according to a pre-defined procedure.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a presentation element as a slide in the terminal display; and

including in the presentation element a display element for activating a user action that transits the user terminal from the first mode to the second mode.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the display element is an on-screen button in the terminal display.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

attaching to the content item mode information to indicate whether presenting of the content item relates to a transition to the first mode of the user terminal or to the second mode of the user terminal; and

changing the mode of the user terminal according to the mode information of the content item currently presented by the user terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating the group of content items to correspond with one program or a segment of one program of the media stream;

storing the group of content items in the user terminal; and

retrieving, when the user terminal is in the first mode, a content item for presentation according to the timing information.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a content item while broadcasting the associated program in the media stream; and

indicating in the timing information that the content item is to be presented immediately at reception.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising authorizing the transition from the second mode to the first mode by a user action in the user terminal.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

measuring the duration of a user inactivity while the user terminal is in the first mode; and

authorizing the transition from the second mode to the first mode by the duration of the user inactivity exceeding a pre-defined limit.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising authorizing the transition from the second mode to the first mode in response to an authorizing signal received from a telecommunication system.

10. A media system comprising a broadcast system, a telecommunication system, a content processing system, and a user terminal, wherein

the broadcast system is configured to broadcast a media stream;

the content processing system is configured to generate a group of content items associated with the media stream;

the content processing system is configured to attach to the content items timing information to indicate the timing for presenting a content item;

the user terminal is configured to present the content items in the user terminal in a first mode, wherein a presentation element corresponding to a content item is changed to another presentation element according to the timing information of the content item, or in a second mode wherein a presentation element is changed to another presentation element in response to a user action; and

the user terminal is configured to transit from the second mode to the first mode only by authorization according to a pre-defined procedure.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user terminal is configured to provide a presentation element as a slide in the terminal display;

and to include in the presentation element a display element for activating a user action that transits the user terminal from the first mode to the second mode.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the display element is an on-screen button in the user interface of the user terminal.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein

the content processing system is configured to attach to the content item mode information to indicate whether presenting the content item to a transition to the first mode of the user terminal or to the second mode of the user terminal;

and

the user terminal is configured to change its mode according to the mode information of the displayed content item.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein

the content processing system is configured to generate the group of content items to correspond with one program or a segment of one program of the media stream;

the user terminal is configured to store the group of content items in the user terminal; and

the user terminal is configured to retrieve, when the user terminal is in the first mode, a content item for presenting according to the timing information.

15. A system according to claim 10, wherein the content processing system is configured to generate a content item while broadcasting the associated program in the media stream;

and

the content processing system is configured to indicate in the timing information that the content item is to be presented immediately at reception.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user terminal is configured to enter the first mode from the second mode in response to authorization by a user action in the user terminal.

17. A system according to claim 10, wherein

the user terminal is configured to measure the duration of a user inactivity while the user terminal is in the first mode;

and

the user terminal is configured to enter the first mode from the second mode in response to authorization by the duration of the user inactivity exceeding a pre-defined limit.

18. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user terminal is configured to enter the first mode from the second mode in response to an authorizing signal received from a telecommunication system.

19. A user terminal in a telecommunication system of a media system, said media system comprising a broadcast system for broadcasting a media stream, wherein the user terminal comprises

means for receiving a group of content items associated with the media stream with timing information to indicate the timing for presenting a content item;

means for presenting the content items in the user terminal in a first mode wherein a presentation element corresponding to a content item is changed to another presentation element according to the timing information of the content item, or in a second mode wherein a presentation element is changed to another presentation element in response to a user action; and

means for allowing transition from the second mode to the first mode only by authorization according to a pre-defined procedure.

20. A user terminal according to claim 19, wherein

the user terminal is configured to provide a presentation element as a slide in the terminal display;

and to include in the presentation element a display element for activating a user action that transits the user terminal from the first mode to the second mode.

21. A user terminal according to claim 20, wherein

the display element is a on-screen button in the user interface of the user terminal.

22. A user terminal according to claim 19, wherein

the user terminal user terminal is configured to receive from the content processing means mode information in the content item to indicate whether displaying of the content item relates to a transition to the first mode of the user terminal or to the second mode of the user terminal;

and

the user terminal is configured to change its mode according to the mode information of the displayed content item.

23. A user terminal according to claim 19, wherein the user terminal is configured to enter the first mode from the second mode in response to authorization by a user action in the user terminal.

24. A user terminal according to claim 19 wherein

the user terminal is configured to measure the duration of a user inactivity while the user terminal is in the first mode;

and

the user terminal is configured to enter the first mode from the second mode in response to authorization by the duration of the user inactivity exceeding a pre-defined limit.

25. A user terminal according to claim 19 wherein the user terminal is configured to enter the first mode from the second mode in response to an authorizing signal received from a telecommunication system.

26. A user terminal according to claim 19 wherein the user terminal is configured to display an indicator for indicating the current operating mode of the terminal.

27. A server in a media system comprising a broadcast system, a telecommunication system, a content creation tools, and a user terminal, wherein

the server is configured to receive from the content creation tool a group of content items associated with the media stream with timing information to indicate the timing for presenting a content item;

the server is configured to receive from the user terminal a signal for indicating whether the user terminal is in a first mode wherein a presentation element corresponding to a content item is changed to another presentation element according to the timing information of the content item, or in a second mode wherein a presentation element is changed to another presentation element in response to a user action;

the server is configured to transmit content items to the user terminal when the user terminal is in a first mode; and

the server is configured not to transmit content items when the user terminal is in a second mode.

28. A server according to claim 27, wherein

the server is configured to send to the user terminal an authorizing signal for authorizing transition to the first mode from the second mode.