Mosaic channel video stream with interactive services

• US 20070055989A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thompson, Matthew, Camacho, Edgar, Tirer, Ilan, Le, Craig, Shurgot, Mark, Feldstein, David, Shanks, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An interactive mosaic channel video stream with indicators as to the action on a given video stream. The interactive mosaic channel is displayed on a video monitor, with a plurality of individual video feeds being presented at a given time, comprising a plurality of video cells presenting at least video information, each video cell associated with one of the plurality of individual video feeds, each video cell further comprising an area within the video cell reporting data related to the video feed, and a cursor, which can be moved between the plurality of video cells, for selecting at least one characteristic associated with a selected video cell, such that the user can then directly select a video program associated with the selected video cell.

Claims

1. An interactive matrixed video channel displayed on a video monitor, with a plurality of individual video feeds being presented at a given time, comprising:

a plurality of video cells presenting at least video information, each video cell associated with one of the plurality of individual video feeds, each video cell further comprising an area within the video cell reporting data related to the video feed; and

a cursor, which can be moved between the plurality of video cells, for selecting at least one characteristic associated with a selected video cell, such that the user can then directly select a video program associated with the selected video cell.

2. The interactive matrixed video channel of claim 1, wherein when the user selects a video program associated with the selected video cell, a secondary video cell is displayed, comprising at least the selected video program.

3. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 2, wherein the secondary video cell further comprises displaying at least the data related to the video information in the video feed.

4. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 3, wherein the secondary video cell further comprises displaying data related to at least one other video feed.

5. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with a selected video cell is the audio associated with that video cell.

6. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 1, further comprising displaying statistics related to the video feed.

7. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 1, further comprising allowing gambling on events occurring in the video feed.

8. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to interact with the video feed using computer-generated figures.

9. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 1, wherein one of the video feeds is a selectable composite of other video feeds presented on the interactive matrixed channel.

10. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 1, wherein one of the video feeds is a dynamic presentation of selected events on other video feeds.

11. A system for delivering at least one interactive matrixed video channel displayed on a video monitor, with a plurality of individual video feeds being presented at a given time, comprising:

at least one uplink facility;

at least one satellite, receiving at least one uplink signal from the at least one uplink facility;

at least one receiver, receiving at least one downlink signal from the at least one satellite, the at least one downlink signal related to the at least one uplink signal, the at least one receiver coupled to the video monitor, wherein the monitor displays a plurality of video cells presenting at least video information, each video cell associated with one of the plurality of individual video feeds, each video cell further comprising an area within the video cell reporting data related to the video feed; and

a cursor, which can be moved between the plurality of video cells, for selecting at least one characteristic associated with a selected video cell, such that the user can then directly select a video program associated with the selected video cell.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein when the user selects a video program associated with the selected video cell, a secondary video cell is displayed, comprising at least the selected video program.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the secondary video cell further comprises displaying at least the data related to the video information in the video feed.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary video cell further comprises displaying data related to at least one other video feed.

15. The interactive matrixed channel of claim 11, further comprising displaying statistics related to the video feed.

16. A system for displaying at least one interactive matrixed video channel displayed on a video monitor, with a plurality of individual video feeds being presented at a given time, comprising:

a transmitter, the transmitter transmitting the interactive matrixed channel; and

a receiver coupled to the video monitor and receiving the transmitted interactive matrixed channel from the transmitter, wherein the monitor displays a plurality of video cells presenting at least video information, each video cell associated with one of the plurality of individual video feeds, each video cell further comprising an area within the video cell reporting data related to the video feed; and

a cursor, which can be moved between the plurality of video cells, for selecting at least one characteristic associated with a selected video cell, such that the user can then directly select a video program associated with the selected video cell.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein when the user selects a video program associated with the selected video cell, a secondary video cell is displayed, comprising at least the selected video program.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the secondary video cell further comprises displaying data related to at least one other video feed.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein one of the video feeds is a selectable composite of other video feeds presented on the interactive matrixed channel.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein one of the video feeds is a dynamic presentation of selected events on other video feeds.