Extensible encoding for interactive user experience elements

• US 20080209469A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Reneris, Ken, Gottlieb, Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 8,281,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Detailed herein is a technology which, among other things, allows for storage and playback of interactive user elements in a television stream. In one approach to this technology, a content data stream, including a television program and a user experience element, is received. This content data stream is transformed, and the transformed data stream is examined, to identify which packets are associated with the user experience element. Those packets are then passed to a handler appropriate for the user experience element.

Claims

1. A method of encoding a user experience element in a data stream, comprising:

receiving a content data stream, said content data stream comprising a television program and said user experience element;

transforming said content data stream, producing a transformed data stream;

examining said transformed data stream to identify a plurality of packets associated with said user experience element; and

passing said plurality of packets to a handler associated with said user experience element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing said television program and said plurality of packets for later playback.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said storing comprises storing said plurality of packets in a manner such as to allow said user experience element to be utilized in conjunction with said television program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming comprises transforming a said content data stream from a first protocol into a second protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said second protocol comprises an MPEG-2 transport stream.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of packets are formatted in accordance with an MPEG-2 transport stream adaptation field packet.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said television program and said user experience element.

8. A system for displaying stored interactive content, comprising:

an input module, for receiving interactive content;

a capture module, coupled to said input module, for examining said interactive content and identifying a user experience element;

a storage module, coupled to said capture module, for storing said interactive content; and

a playback module, coupled to said storage module, for extracting said stored interactive content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said input module is configured to receive said interactive content from a digital television signal receiver.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a digital television signal receiver, coupled to said input module, for interpreting said interactive content.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said interactive content comprises a first plurality of packets, associated with said user experience element, and a second plurality of packets, associated with a television program.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said capture module is configured to identify said first plurality of packets.

13. The system of claim 12. wherein said capture module is configured to identifying said first plurality of packets by matching a known value with a value contained in each of said first plurality of packets.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said interactive content comprises an MPEG-2 transport stream, and each of said first plurality of packets comprise an MPEG-2 transport stream adaptation field packet.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said capture module is configured to store said interactive content in said storage module, in a manner such as to enable said user experience element to be utilized in conjunction with said television program.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein said playback module is configured to pass said user experience element to an appropriate handler.

17. A method of capturing a user experience element embedded in a data stream, comprising:

examining said data stream for a first plurality of packets, wherein each of said packets are of a first known type;

identifying a second plurality of packets from within said first plurality of packets, wherein each of said second plurality of packets are of a second known type; and

assembling said user experience element from said second plurality of packets, wherein each of said second plurality of packets comprises a position identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the said first plurality of packets comprises a first known value.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said second plurality of packets comprises a second known value and a third known value, said second known value for identifying a type of said user experience element, and said third known value for identifying a particular instance of said user experience element.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

passing said assembled user experience element to a handler appropriate for a type of said user experience element.