USER-SELECTABLE VARIABLE-SIZED CHIP OVERLAY OF VIDEO BROADCAST

• US 20090064237A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Feldstein, David E.
• Application Number:
  US11/850,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064237A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• 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 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

The present invention comprises an interactive system and method for displaying a chip (or overlay video) on a video monitor. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel, and an overlay video, displayed simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video has a universal functionality with respect to at least one of a plurality of other video streams.

Claims

1. An interactive system displayed on a video monitor, comprising

a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel;

and

an overlay video, displayed simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video has a universal functionality with respect to a plurality of other video streams.

2. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the overlay video displays different analogous data elements with respect to each of the other video streams.

3. The interactive system of claim 2, wherein the interactive system changes display of the overlay video from an identifying display of a first other video stream to an identifying display of a second other video stream.

4. The interactive system of claim 3, wherein the overlay video comprises a menu screen.

5. The interactive system of claim 4, wherein the menu screen comprises instructions to access additional overlay video screens.

6. The interactive system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the additional overlay video screens comprises a plurality of data areas.

7. The interactive system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the additional overlay video screens comprises a single data area that is scrolled through via the remote control.

8. The interactive system of claim 6, wherein a video screen is accessed through the plurality of data areas.

9. The interactive system of claim 7, wherein a video screen is accessed through the single data area.

10. The interactive system of claim 9, wherein the video screen is only accessible through the single data area.

11. A system for displaying a plurality of individual video feeds at a given time, comprising:

a broadcast delivery system, comprising a transmitter and a receiver;

a monitor, coupled to the receiver, for displaying a first video stream presenting at least video information, the first video stream comprising a viewer channel; and

an overlay data graphic, displayed simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay data graphic has a universal functionality with respect to a plurality of other video streams.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the broadcast delivery system is a satellite television delivery system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the overlay data graphic displays different analogous data elements with respect to each of the other video streams.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the overlay data graphic comprises a menu screen that comprises instructions to access additional overlay video screens.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the additional overlay video screens comprises a plurality of data areas.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one additional overlay video screens is only accessible through the plurality of data areas.

17. A system for displaying an overlay video and at least one other video feed at a given time, comprising:

means for transmitting the overlay video and the at least one other video feed;

means for displaying a first video feed presenting at least video information; and

means for displaying the overlay video simultaneously with the first video stream, wherein the overlay video has a universal functionality with respect to a plurality of other video streams.