System, method, mobile terminal and computer program product for providing push-to-talk chat in interactive mobile TV

• US 20070238447A1
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Balestrieri, Francesco
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/08 among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

An apparatus for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service includes a transmitting element and a processing element. The transmitting element is capable of communicating broadcast content of the broadcast service to a plurality of receiving terminals. The processing element is configured to at least partially control the transmitting element. The processing element is configured to communicate with a network device in order to request a program specific group for communication of the interactive service to a receiving terminal that is a member of the program specific group. The interactive service is communicated to the receiving terminal that is a member of the program specific group with reception of the broadcast service. The content associated with the interactive service originates from the receiving terminals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitting element capable of communicating broadcast content of the broadcast service to a plurality of receiving terminals; and

a processing element configured to at least partially control the transmitting element, the processing element being configured to communicate with a network device in order to request a program specific group for communication of the interactive service to at least one of the receiving terminals that is a member of the program specific group, the interactive service being communicated to the at least one of the receiving terminals that is a member of the program specific group with the broadcast service,

wherein content associated with the interactive service originates from the receiving terminals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the broadcast content is one of digital video broadcast data, radio broadcast data, or game application data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive service provides chat content in one of audio or text formats.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive service is received as voice input and wherein the processing element is configured to convert the voice input to text prior to transmission to the receiving terminals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing element is configured to provide a link for the receiving terminals to access a chat group hosted at the network device via a uniform resource locator (URL) in a programming guide transmitted by the transmitting element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing element is configured to transmit group information regarding the members of the program specific group to the receiving terminals.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interactive service is communicated to the receiving terminal that is a member of the program specific group substantially simultaneously with the broadcast service.

8. A method for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the method comprising:

providing a program guide including at least one program of the broadcast service including an address associated with a program specific group to at least one receiving terminal; and

transmitting data of the broadcast service for receipt at the least one receiving terminal with the interactive service, the interactive service being capable of origination at the at least one receiving terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising an initial operation of requesting setup of the program specific group at a network device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving the address associated with the program specific group from the network device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content, and the method further comprises:

receiving the chat conversation content as audio from the network device;

converting the chat conversation content to text; and

delivering the text to the at least one receiving terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content, and the method further comprises:

receiving the chat conversation content as audio from the network device; and

delivering the chat conversation content to the at least one receiving terminal along with audio corresponding to the at least one program.

13. A computer program product for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for providing a program guide including at least one program of the broadcast service including an address associated with a program specific group to at least one receiving terminal; and

a second executable portion for transmitting data of the broadcast service for receipt at the least one receiving terminal with the interactive service, the interactive service being capable of origination at the at least one receiving terminal.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising a third executable portion for an initial operation of requesting setup of the program specific group at a network device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising a fourth executable portion for receiving the address associated with the program specific group from the network device.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content, and the computer program product further comprises:

a third executable portion for receiving the chat conversation content as audio from the network device;

a fourth executable portion for converting the chat conversation content to text; and

a fifth executable portion for delivering the text to the at least one receiving terminal.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content, and the computer program product further comprises:

a third executable portion for receiving the chat conversation content as audio from the network device; and

a fourth executable portion for delivering the chat conversation content to the at least one receiving terminal along with audio corresponding to the at least one program.

18. A mobile terminal for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the mobile terminal comprising:

an interface element; and

a processing element in communication with the interface element and configured to transmit the interactive service to a first network device in response to activation of the interface element,

wherein the processing element is further configured to receive the interactive service from the first network device with reception of the broadcast service.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the interactive chat service is received substantially simultaneous with reception of the broadcast service.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the interactive service is chat conversation content and the broadcast service is digital video broadcast data.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the processing element is configured to transmit the chat conversation content as audio and receive the chat conversation content as text.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the processing element is configured to transmit the chat conversation content as audio and receive the chat conversation content as audio.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the processing element is configured to access a second network device to determine which other mobile terminals are available to join in a chat conversation.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the mobile terminal is in communication with the first network device which is a chat server

25. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the processing element is configured to receive the broadcast service and the interactive service from a digital broadcast provider.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 25, wherein the processing element is configured to access a chat group via a uniform resource locator (URL) in a programming guide of the digital broadcast provider.

27. A system for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the system comprising:

a first network device capable of hosting conversations between members of a particular group;

a broadcast provider configured to communicate with the first network device in order to request a program specific group, the broadcast provider being configured to transmit the broadcast service; and

at least one receiving terminal configured to transmit interactive service content to members of the program specific group via the first network device in response to activation of an interface element of the at least one receiving terminal,

wherein the at least one receiving terminal is further configured to receive the broadcast service from the first network device with reception of the interactive service.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the broadcast provider is configured to receive the chat conversation content as audio and to convert the chat conversation content to text for transmission to the at least one receiving terminal.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one receiving terminal is configured to transmit the chat conversation content to the first network device and wherein the first network device is configured to communicate the chat conversation content to other receiving terminals.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one receiving terminal is configured to transmit the chat conversation content to the first network device, wherein the first network device is configured to communicate to the broadcast provider, and wherein the broadcast provider communicates the chat conversation content to the other receiving terminals.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the first network device is configured to provide a link to the broadcast provider, the link being accessible to the at least one receiving terminal via a programming guide transmitted by the broadcast provider, the link enabling the at least one receiving terminal to access the program specific group hosted at the first network device via a uniform resource locator (URL).

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the broadcast provider is configured to transmit group information regarding the members of the program specific group to the at least one receiving terminal.

34. The system of claim 27, further comprising a second network device configured to include presence information indicative of an availability of other receiving terminals to join the program specific group.

35. An apparatus for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitting element capable of communicating broadcast content of the broadcast service to a plurality of receiving terminals; and

a processing element configured to at least partially control the transmitting element, the processing element being configured to;

provide a program guide including at least one program of the broadcast service including an address associated with a program specific group to at least one receiving terminal; and

transmit data of the broadcast service for receipt at the least one receiving terminal with the interactive service, the interactive service being capable of origination at the at least one receiving terminal.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processing element is further configured to request setup of the program specific group at a network device.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the processing element is further configured to receive the address associated with the program specific group from the network device.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content, and the processing element is further configured to:

receive the chat conversation content as audio from the network device;

convert the chat conversation content to text; and

deliver the text to the at least one receiving terminal.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the broadcast service provides digital video broadcast data and the interactive service provides chat conversation content, and the processing element is further configured to:

receive the chat conversation content as audio from the network device; and

deliver the chat conversation content to the at least one receiving terminal along with audio corresponding to the at least one program.

40. A method for providing an interactive service during a broadcast service, the method comprising:

transmitting broadcast content of the broadcast service to a plurality of receiving terminals;

requesting, from a network device, a program specific group for communication of the interactive service to at least one of the receiving terminals that is a member of the program specific group; and

transmitting the broadcast service to the at least one receiving terminal that is a member of the program specific group with the interactive service,

wherein content associated with the interactive service originates from the receiving terminals.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising receiving the interactive service as voice input and converting the voice input to text prior to transmission to the receiving terminals.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising providing a link for the receiving terminals to access a chat group hosted at the network device via a uniform resource locator (URL) in a programming guide.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising transmitting group information regarding the members of the program specific group to the receiving terminals.