Display selection in a video-on-demand system

• US 6,757,907 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Straley, Jay Cee, Schumacher, James, OʼBrien, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shang, Annan Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/501,055
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 725/109, 725/110, 725/121, 725/122, 725/106, 725/108, 725/133, 725/141, 725/58, 725/86-104, 725/1-8, 725/112, 725/113, 725/114, 725/116, 725/117, 725/118, 348/460, 348/552, 348/734
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A video-on-demand system transfers a control screen signal to a second communication system and receives a viewer control signal from the second communication system. The video-on-demand system transfers video signals to either a first communication system or the second communication system based on the viewer control signal. The second communication system uses less bandwidth to transfer the video signals than the first communications system. The control screen could be a web page that includes: 1) a video display menu with a selection of displays and bandwidths to display the video signals, 2) a video content menu with a video preview selection, and/or 3) a video display control menu comprising play, pause, rewind, fast forward, and stop. The video-on-demand system implements the control screen menu selections.

Claims

1. A video-on demand system comprising:

a first communication interface configured to transfer first video signals to a first communication system using a first bandwidth;

a second communication interface configured to transfer a control screen signal and second video signals to a second communication system using a second bandwidth that is less than the first bandwidth; and

a processing system configured to transfer the control screen signal to the second communication interface, receive a viewer control signal from the second communication interface, and transfer the first video signals to the first communication interface if the first communication system is indicated by the viewer control signal or transfer the second video signals to the second communication interface if the second communication system is indicated by the viewer control signal.

2. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the control screen includes video display menu.

3. The video-on-demand system of claim 2 wherein second communications interface is configured to receive a video display menu selection signal from the second communications system, and the processing system is configured to process the video display menu selection signal to responsively select the first communications interface or the second communications interface to transfer the video signals.

4. The video-on-demand system of claim 3 wherein the video display menu selection signal includes a selection of displays to display the video signals.

5. The video-on-demand system of claim 3 wherein the video display menu selection signal includes a selection of bandwidths to transfer the video signals.

6. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the control screen includes a video content menu.

7. The video-on-demand system of claim 6 wherein the video content menu includes a video preview selection.

8. The video-on-demand system of claim 7 wherein second communications interface is configured to receive a video preview selection signal from the second communications system, and the processing system is configured to process the video preview selection signal to responsively transfer a selected video preview as the video signals.

9. The video-on-demand system of claim 8 wherein the control screen includes a viewer that is configured to display the selected video previews.

10. The video-on-demand system of claim 6 wherein second communications interface is configured to receive a video content menu selection signal from the second communications system, and the processing system is configured to process the video content menu selection signal to responsively transfer selected video content as the video signals.

11. The video-on-demand system of claim 10 wherein the control screen includes a viewer configured to display the selected video content.

12. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the control screen includes a video display control menu comprising play, pause, rewind, fast forward, and stop.

13. The video-on-demand system of claim 12 wherein second communications interface is configured to receive a video display control menu selection signal from the second communications system, and the processing system is configured to process the video display control menu selection signal to implement a selected video display control.

14. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the control screen includes a video display control comprising full screen view.

15. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the first communication interface is configured to interface with optical fiber.

16. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the first communication interface is configured to interface with wire cable.

17. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the first communication interface is configured to interface with wireless links.

18. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the second communication interface is configured to interface with an internet.

19. The video-on-demand system of claim 1 wherein the second communication interface is configured to interface with a world-wide web.

20. The video-on-demand system of claim 19 wherein the control screen comprises a web page.

21. A method of operating a video-on-demand system, the method comprising:

transferring a control screen signal indicating a control screen to a second communication system;

receiving a viewer control signal from the second communication system; and

transferring first video signals to a first communication system using a first bandwidth if the first communication system is indicated by the viewer control signal or transferring second video signals to the second communication system using a second bandwidth if the second communication system is indicated by the viewer control signal wherein the second bandwidth is less than the first bandwidth.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the control screen includes a video display menu.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video display menu selection signal and transferring the video content signals comprises processing the video display menu selection signal to responsively select the first communications interface or the second communications interface to transfer the video signals.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the video display menu selection signal includes a selection of displays to display the video signals.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the video display menu selection signal includes a selection of bandwidths to transfer the video signals.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the control screen includes a video content menu.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the video content menu includes a video preview selection.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video preview selection signal and transferring the video signals comprises processing the video preview selection signal to responsively transfer a selected video preview as the video signals.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video content selection signal and transferring the video signals comprises processing the video content selection signal to responsively transfer selected video content as the video signals.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein the control screen includes a video display control menu comprising play, pause, rewind, fast forward, and stop.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video display control menu selection signal and transferring the video signals comprises processing the video display control menu selection signal to responsively implement a selected video display control.

32. The method of claim 21 wherein the control screen includes a video display control comprising full screen view.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the video signals comprises interfacing with optical fiber.

34. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the video signals comprises interfacing with wire cable.

35. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the video signals comprises interfacing with wireless links.

36. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the video signals comprises interfacing with an internet.

37. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the video signals comprises interfacing with a world-wide web.

38. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the control screen signal comprises interfacing with an internet.

39. The method of claim 21 wherein transferring the control screen signal comprises interfacing with a world-wide web.

40. The method of claim 21 wherein the control screen comprises a web page.

41. A product comprising a processor-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions for performing a method for operating a video-on-demand system, the method comprising:

transferring a control screen signal indicating a control screen to a second communication system;

receiving a viewer control signal from the second communication system; and

transferring first video signals to a first communication system using a first bandwidth if the first communication system is indicated by the viewer control signal or transferring second video signals to the second communication system using a second bandwidth if the second communication system is indicated by the viewer control signal wherein the second bandwidth is less than the first bandwidth.

42. The product of claim 41 wherein the control screen includes a video display menu.

43. The product of claim 42 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video display menu selection signal and transferring the video content signals comprises processing the video display menu selection signal to responsively select the first communications interface or the second communications interface to transfer the video signals.

44. The product of claim 43 wherein the video display menu selection signal includes a selection of displays to display the video signals.

45. The product of claim 43 wherein the video display menu selection signal includes a selection of bandwidths to transfer the video signals.

46. The product of claim 41 wherein the control screen includes a video content menu.

47. The product of claim 46 wherein the video content menu includes a video preview selection.

48. The product of claim 47 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video preview selection signal and transferring the video signals comprises processing the video preview selection signal to responsively transfer a selected video preview as the video signals.

49. The product of claim 47 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video content selection signal and transferring the video signals comprises processing the video content selection signal to responsively transfer selected video content as the video signals.

50. The product of claim 41 wherein the control screen includes a video display control menu comprising play, pause, rewind, fast forward, and stop.

51. The product of claim 50 wherein receiving the viewer control signal comprises receiving a video display control menu selection signal and transferring the video signals comprises processing the video display control menu selection signal to responsively implement a selected video display control.

52. The product of claim 41 wherein the control screen includes a video display control comprising full screen view.

53. The product of claim 41 wherein the control screen comprises a web page.