Network Media Device with Code Recognition

• US 20120169928A1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Casagrande, Steven Michael, Beals, William Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

One embodiment may take the form of a network media device including a processing unit configured to execute instructions stored on one or more storage media, and a first communication component coupled to the processing unit and configured to receive a video signal over an audio/video interface from a broadcast receiver. The video signal may include an image code including identifying information regarding the broadcast receiver. The processing unit may be configured to process the image code to extract the identifying information. A second communication component may be coupled to the processing unit and configured to transmit control signals based on the identifying information of the broadcast receiver.

Claims

1. A network media device, comprising:

a processing unit configured to execute instructions stored on one or more storage media;

a first communication component coupled to the processing unit and configured to receive a video signal over an audio/video interface from a broadcast receiver, the video signal including an image code, the image code comprising identifying information regarding the broadcast receiver, the processing unit configured to process the image code to extract the identifying information; and

a second communication component coupled to the processing unit and configured to transmit control signals based on the identifying information of the broadcast receiver.

2. The network media device of claim 1, wherein the control signal is transmitted to the broadcast receiver.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control signal comprises a search command.

4. The network media device of claim 1, wherein the video signal comprises programming content received by the broadcast receiver from a programming transmitter.

5. The network media device of claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiver is configured to generate the code.

6. The network media device of claim 1, wherein the image code comprises a quick response (QR) code.

7. The network media device of claim 1, wherein the image code comprises a barcode.

8. The network media device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device configured to display the code.

9. A method executed by a processing device of a network media device for associating a broadcast receiver with the network media device, comprising:

receiving an image code, through an audio/video interface of the network media device;

processing the image code to extract identifying information corresponding to the broadcast receiver; and

transmitting a control signal from the network media device to the broadcast receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the image code is embedded in a video signal carrying programming content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the image code is generated by the broadcast receiver.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the control signal is transmitted over an Internet interface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the image code through an audio/video interface further comprises:

receiving the image code from the broadcast receiver.

14. A method executed by a processing device of a network media device for processing a code, comprising:

receiving a video stream from a broadcast receiver;

receiving a first code in at least one frame of video of the video stream;

scanning the first code in the at least one frame of video to identify supplemental content for display in association with the video stream;

accessing the supplemental content; and

overlaying the supplemental content on the video stream.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting the video stream with the display data to a content display device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first code identifies at least one of an address and a uniform resource location (URL) associated with the supplemental content and wherein accessing the supplemental content comprises:

accessing the address or the URL to obtain metadata corresponding to the supplemental content.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplemental content is based on a location of the network media device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplemental content is in a language selected by a user.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein accessing the supplemental content comprises:

storing user data; and

generating a second code based on the user data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein overlaying the supplemental content further comprises:

overlaying the second code over the first code in the at least one frame of the video stream.