Method and apparatus for switching between multiple programs by interacting with a hyperlinked television broadcast

• US 7,249,367 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MK Systems USA Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoldPocket Interactive, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Dakss, Jon, Milazzo, Paul, Bove, V. Michael Jr., Katcher, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/747,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,405 Days
• Field of Search: 382/282, 382/283, 725/60, 725/110, 725/112, 725/113, 725/32, 725/135
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/64 Systems for the transmission or the storage of the colour picture signal; Details therefor, e.g. coding or decoding means therefor H04N19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/93 Run-length coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots
• 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

A system and method of adding hyperlinked information to a television broadcast. The broadcast material is analyzed and one or more regions within a frame are identified. Additional information can be associated with a region, and can be transmitted in encoded form, using timing information to identify the frame with which the information is associated. The system comprising a video source and an encoder that produces a transport stream in communication with the video source, an annotation source, a data packet stream generator that produces encoded annotation data packets in communication with the annotation source and the encoder, and a multiplexer system in communication with the encoder and the data packet stream generator. The encoder provides timestamp information to the data packet stream generator and the data packet stream generator synchronizes annotation data from the annotation source with a video signal from the video source in response to the timestamp information. The multiplexer generates a digital broadcast signal that includes an augmented transport stream from the transport stream and the encoded data packets. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal in response to a viewer request on a frame by frame basis. A viewer can respond interactively to the material, including performing commercial transactions, by using a backchannel that is provided for interactive communication.

Claims

1. A hyperlinked video broadcast system including a plurality of multiplexed program streams, said system comprising:

a mask generator generating a plurality of masks, each mask corresponding to a particular video frame of a video program, each mask including graphics data associated with one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each mask including an identifier to an object mapping table including an entry associated with each of the one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each entry in the object mapping table referencing one or more information data structures including information associated with the corresponding video object;

an annotation source providing a plurality of object data packets including the object mapping table and the one or more information data structures for the one or more video objects, a particular one of the information data structures including an indicia indicative that a particular one of the one or more video objects is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and an identifier for a particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams; and

an encoder encoding the plurality of masks and the plurality of object data packets into a television broadcast signal; and

a transmitter transmitting the television broadcast signal and the plurality of multiplexed program streams to a receiver, wherein the receiver is programmed to retrieve and overlay the graphics image corresponding to the particular video object on the corresponding video frame, receive viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image, and in response to the viewer actuation, review the indicia in the particular information data structure corresponding to the particular video object for determining whether the particular video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and in response to a determination that the particular video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, retrieve from the data particular information data structure the identifier of the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and switch from presenting a current multiplexed program stream to presenting the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams.

2. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the presented program stream is a video stream.

3. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the presented program stream is an audio stream.

4. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the graphics image is overlaid on the particular video object.

5. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is further programmed to determine whether the particular video object is visible in the corresponding video frame and, responsive to a determination that the particular video object is visible in the corresponding video frame, overlay the graphics image on the corresponding video frame.

6. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the television broadcast signal is a digital signal.

7. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the television broadcast signal is an analog signal.

8. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the program streams are transmitted in an MPEG transport stream.

9. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams displayed upon the user actuation of the overlaid graphics image is the same for each user receiving the plurality of multiplexed program streams and actuating the overlaid graphics image.

10. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein the indicia is a link type indicating a video link, the identifier identifies a program mapping table, and the receiver extracts from the program mapping table identifiers of video and audio streams associated with the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams.

11. The broadcast system of claim 1, wherein in response to the viewer actuation, the receiver is further programmed to:

retrieve the identifier of the object mapping table from the mask corresponding to the actuated graphics image;

retrieve the object mapping table based on the retrieved identifier;

locate the entry in the object mapping table for the particular video object;

identify the particular information data structure referenced in the located entry; and

retrieve the indicia from the particular information data structure.

12. A hyperlinked video reception system including a plurality of received multiplexed program streams, said system comprising:

a tuner receiving a teleyision broadcast signal including a plurality of masks and a plurality of object data packets, each mask corresponding to a particular video frame of a video program and including graphics data associated with one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each mask including an identifier to an object mapping table included in at least a particular one of the plurality of object data packets, the object mapping table including an entry associated with each of the one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each entry in the object mapping table referencing one or more information data structures included in one or more of the plurality of object data packets, the information data structures including information associated with the corresponding video object, a particular one of the information data structures including an indicia indicative that a particular one of the one or more video objects is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and an identifier for a particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams;

a decoder coupled to the tuner, the decoder decoding the plurality of masks and the plurality of object data packets; and

a processor coupled to the decoder, the processor retrieving and overlaying the graphics image corresponding to the particular video object on the corresponding video frame, receiving viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image, and in response to the viewer actuation, reviewing the indicia in the particular information data structure corresponding to the particular video object for determining whether the particular video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and in response to a determination that the video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, retrieving from the particular information data structure the identifier of the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and switching from presenting a current multiplexed program stream to presenting the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams.

13. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the presented program stream is a video stream.

14. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the presented program stream is an audio stream.

15. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the graphics image is overlaid on the particular video object.

16. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the processor further determines whether the particular video object is visible in the corresponding video frame and, responsive to a determination that the particular video object is visible in the corresponding video frame, overlays the graphics image on the corresponding video frame.

17. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the television broadcast signal is a digital signal.

18. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the television broadcast signal is an analog signal.

19. The reception system of claim 12, wherein the program streams are transmitted in an MPEG transport stream.

20. A method for switching between multiplexed program streams in a hyperlinked video broadcast system, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of masks, each mask corresponding to a particular video frame of a video program, each mask including graphics data associated with one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each mask including an identifier to an object mapping table including an entry associated with each of the one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each entry in the object mapping table referencing one or more information data structures including information associated with the corresponding video object;

providing a plurality of object data packets including the object mapping table and the one or more information data structures for the one or more video objects, a particular one of the information data structures including an indicia indicative that a particular one of the one or more video objects is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and an identifier for a particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams;

encoding the plurality of masks and the plurality of object data packets into a television broadcast signal; and

transmitting the television broadcast signal and the plurality of multiplexed program streams to a receiver, wherein the receiver is programmed to retrieve and overlay the graphics image corresponding to the particular video object on the corresponding video frame, receive viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image, and in response to the viewer actuation, review the indicia in the particular information data structure corresponding to the particular video object for determining whether the particular video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and in response to a determination that the particular video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, retrieve from the particular information data structure the identifier of the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and switch from presenting a current multiplexed program stream to presenting the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the presented program stream is a video stream.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the presented program stream is an audio stream.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the graphics image is overlaid on the particular video object.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the receiver is further programmed to determine whether the particular video object is visible in the corresponding video frame and, responsive to a determination that the video object is visible in the corresponding video frame, overlaying the graphics image on the corresponding video frame.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the television broadcast signal is a digital signal.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the television broadcast signal is an analog signal.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the program streams are transmitted in an MPEG transport stream.

28. A method for switching between multiplexed program streams in a hyperlinked video reception system including a tuner, decoder, and processor, the method comprising:

receiving under control of the tuner a television broadcast signal including a plurality of masks and a plurality of object data packets, each mask corresponding to a particular video frame of a video program and including graphics data associated with one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each mask including an identifier to an object mapping table included in at least a particular one of the plurality of object data packets, the object mapping table including an entry associated with each of the one or more video objects in the particular video frame, each entry in the object mapping table referencing one or more information data structures included in one or more of the plurality of object data packets, the information data structures including information associated with the corresponding video object, a particular one of the information data structures including an indicia indicative that a particular one of the one or more video objects is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and an identifier for a particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams;

decoding under control of the decoder the plurality of masks and the plurality of object data packets;

overlaying under control of the processor the graphics image corresponding to the particular video object on the corresponding video frame;

receiving under control of the processor viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image;

responsive to the viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image, reviewing under control of the processor the indicia in the particular information data structure corresponding to the particular video object for determining whether the particular video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams;

responsive to a determination that the video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, retrieving under control of the processor from the particular information data structure, the identifier of the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams; and

switching under control of the processor from presenting a current multiplexed program stream to presenting the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the presented program stream is a video stream.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the presented program stream is an audio stream.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the graphics image is overlaid on the video object.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the television broadcast signal is a digital signal.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the television broadcast signal is an analog signal.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the program streams are transmitted in an MPEG transport stream.

35. A method for switching between multiplexed program streams in a hyperlinked video reception system including a tuner, decoder, and processor, the method comprising:

receiving under control of the tuner a television broadcast signal including mask data and object data, the mask data including graphics data for overlaying a graphics image on a video frame, the graphics image being associated with a video object, the object data including an indicia indicative that the video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, and an identifier for a particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams;

decoding under control of the decoder the mask data and the object data;

overlaying under control of the processor the graphics image on the video frame;

receiving under control of the processor viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image;

responsive to the viewer actuation of the overlaid graphics image, reviewing under control of the processor the indicia in the object data for determining whether the associated video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams;

responsive to a determination that the video object is linked to one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, retrieving under control of the processor from the object data, the identifier of the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams; and

switching under control of the processor from presenting a current multiplexed program stream to presenting the particular one of the plurality of multiplexed program streams, wherein the overlaying of the graphics image on the video frame includes;

determining whether the video object is visible in the video frame; and

responsive to a determination that the video object is visible in the video frame, overlaying the graphics image on the video frame.