Digital television with subscriber conference overlay

• US 6,339,842 B1
• Filed: 06/10/1998
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fernandez & Associates LLP
• Original Assignee: Dennis Sunga Fernandez, Irene H.U. Fernandez
• Inventors: Fernandez, Dennis Sunga, Fernandez, Irene Hu
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/095,390
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.716, H04/N.714, H04/N.715, H04/N.7173, 348/1, 348/3, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/14, 348/556, 348/564, 348/906, 348/14.01, 348/14.04, 348/14.07, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 379/90.01, 395/34, 395/35, 395/36, 395/652, 370/260-272, 725/1, 725/34, 725/37, 725/105, 725/106, 725/131, 725/133
• US Class Current: 725/133
• 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: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Digital television system overlays subscriber two-way communication during broadcast program delivery to create virtual audience community. Individual or group billing and advertisement is personalized per DTV receiver program viewing and/or conferencing activity. Subscriber receiver includes camera and other media I/O device for multi-way video conferencing. Participants may be added or removed dynamically during programming or conferencing.

Claims

1. In a digital television system comprising a plurality of receivers coupled to a program source, a method for providing subscriber conferencing with program delivery comprising the steps of:

coupling a program source to a plurality of digital television (DTV) receivers;

delivering a program from the program source to the DTV receivers coupled thereto; and

enabling a conference between the coupled DTV receivers during program delivery, the conference comprising a video conference session being conducted between such coupled DTV receivers, each DTV receiver comprising a video camera and a display, such coupled DTV receivers being associated with a plurality of selected subscribers belonging to a logical group, the conference being enabled within the logical group simultaneously with the program delivery to the selected subscribers of the logical group, the display of each coupled DTV receiver displaying the delivered program and at least one selected subscriber in the conference, whereby collaboration is effectively enabled by video conferencing among the selected subscribers while a common program is delivered simultaneously to such selected subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

sending a billing message to one or more of the coupled DTV receivers according to program viewing or conferencing activity, the billing message representing a charge for simultaneous program delivery and video conferencing service.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing to one or more coupled DTV receiver a personalized commercial message, the personalized commercial message being provided to the selected subscribers belonging to the logical group during the video conferencing session.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

each coupled DTV receiver comprises a controller for coordinating simultaneous program delivery and video conferencing among the selected subscribers.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

adding or removing a DTV receiver coupled to the program source during program delivery, thereby dynamically modifying an active set of the selected subscribers belonging to the logical group for simultaneous video conferencing and common program delivery.

6. A digital television system comprising:

a program source, and

a plurality of digital television (DTV) receivers coupled to the program source;

wherein a program is deliverable from the program source to the DTV receivers, and a conference is enabled between the coupled DTV receivers, the conference comprising a video conference session being conducted between such coupled DTV receivers, each DTV receiver comprising a video camera and a display, such coupled DTV receivers being associated with a plurality of selected subscribers belonging to a logical group, the conference being enabled within the logical group simultaneously with the program delivery to the selected subscribers of the logical group, the display of each coupled DTV receiver displaying the delivered program and at least one selected subscriber in the conference, whereby collaboration is effectively enabled by video conferencing among the selected subscribers while a common program is delivered simultaneously to such selected subscribers.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein:

each DTV receiver comprises a processor for coordinating simultaneous program delivery and video conferencing among the selected subscribers.

8. Digital television apparatus comprising:

a display, a camera, and an interface;

wherein the interface couples to a program source for presentation of a program by the display, the interface receiving a conference signal from a conference participant for presentation of a video conference by the display, and the camera generating a video signal for transmission to the conference participant, the video conference comprising a session being conducted with the conference participant during the presentation of the program, the display integrating through a frame buffer the program and the received conference signal according to an active set, thereby graphically combining video conferencing with the conference participant during the program delivery.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a controller for controlling simultaneous program delivery and video conferencing within the active set, the controller being able to modify the active set dynamically by adding or removing one or more conference participants.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the interface receives a billing message representing a charge for simultaneous program delivery and video conferencing service or a commercial message associated with the active set.