Systems and methods for providing a broadcast entertainment service and an on-demand entertainment service

• US 7,320,025 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Music Choice
• Original Assignee: Music Choice
• Inventors: DelBeccaro, David J., Farber, Stuart H., Steinberg, Robert M., McGonigal, Daniel L., Yurman, Ronald M., Rosenberg, Jeremy C., Feras, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US11/002,181
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 725/120, 725/134, 725/93, 725/87, 725/145, 709/214, 709/217, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17372 the upstream transmission being initiated or timed by a signal from upstream of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• 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 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• 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 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 : involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for, in some cases, supplementing a broadcast media service with an on-demand and personalized media service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

configuring a client system to receive and play music broadcast from a broadcast media source through a broadcast channel;

receiving application data at the client system, the application data including a video identifier identifying a video, wherein the application data is transmitted with the broadcast music;

while the client system is playing the broadcast music, (a) enabling a user of the client system to indicate that the user desires to view the video and (b) receiving an indication that the user desires to view the video;

in response to receiving the indication, automatically ceasing the playing of the broadcast music, transmitting from the client system to an on-demand system the received video identifier, and establishing an on-demand session between the on-demand system and the client system; and

after establishing the on-demand session, transmitting from the on-demand system to the client system the identified video, receiving the transmitted video at the client system, and automatically playing the received video in response to receiving the transmitted video from the on-demand system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically tuning the client system to the broadcast channel after transmitting the identified video to the client system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a button on a display device of the client system while playing the broadcast music.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user indicates that the user desires to view the video by activating the button.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of configuring the client system to receive and play music broadcast from the broadcast media source over the broadcast channel comprises tuning a tuner of the client system to the broadcast channel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the act of establishing the on-demand session comprises configuring the tuner of the client system so that the tuner is not tuned to the broadcast channel but rather is tuned to an on-demand channel.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising automatically tuning the tuner of client system back to the broadcast channel after receiving the entire video.

8. A video-on-demand method comprising,

receiving at an on-demand system information indicating that a user desires to view a selected video;

creating a playlist, wherein the playlist includes a plurality of media assets, including one media asset corresponding to the selected video;

transmitting to a client system a media asset listed in the playlist;

transmitting to the client system a video identifier while transmitting to the client system the media asset;

while the client system is playing the media asset, (a) enabling a user of the client system to indicate that the user desires to view the video identified by the video identifier and (b) receiving an indication that the user desires to view the video;

receiving from the client system a message including the video identifier, wherein the message is received while at least a portion of the media asset is being transmitted to the client system; and

in response to receiving the message from the client system, ceasing transmitting the media asset and transmitting the video identified by the video identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitted media asset includes an advertisement for the video identified by the video identifier.

10. A method for providing an on-demand media service to a user having a set-top-box connected to a network and a personal computer connected to the network through a cable modem, wherein an on-demand system is coupled to the network, the method comprising:

storing a set of channel profiles that are associated with the user and/or the set-top-box, each channel profile comprising preference information corresponding to a preference of the user'"'"'s, wherein the preference information is used to select content for a personalized channel associated with the channel profile, each channel profile also comprising a name associated with the personalized channel;

transmitting, from the set-top-box to the on-demand system through the network, information identifying the user and/or the set-top-box;

for each channel profile included in the set of channel profiles, receiving at the set-top-box the name of the personalized channel associated with the channel profile;

displaying on a television coupled to the set-top-box one or more of the received personalized channel names;

enabling the user to select a name displayed on the television;

transmitting, from the personal computer to a web server through the network, information identifying the user and/or the set-top-box;

for each channel profile included in the set of channel profiles, receiving at the personal computer information transmitted from the web server through the network, the information comprising the name of the personalized channel associated with the channel profile;

displaying on a display device of the personal computer one or more of the received personalized channel names; and

enabling the user to select a name displayed on the display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network is a cable-tv network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of said displayed names consists of a symbolic representation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said symbolic representation is a word.

14. A video-on-demand method, comprising:

tuning a tuner of a client device to a program channel;

after tuning the tuner to the program channel, receiving program data and control data transmitted together over the program channel, the program data comprising audio data and the control data comprising a video identifier corresponding to a video, wherein the client device outputs the program data in response to receiving the program data so that a user of the client device can perceive the program data;

while the client device is outputting the program data, (a) enabling the user of the client device to indicate that the user desires to view the video and (b) receiving an indication that the user desires to view the video; and

in response to receiving the indication, (a) automatically tuning the tuner of the client device to another channel so that the tuner is no longer tuned to the program channel and (b) transmitting from the client device to an on-demand system the video identifier, wherein, in response to receiving the video identifier from the client device, the on-demand system transmits the corresponding video to the client device over the another channel;

receiving the transmitted video at the client device; and

automatically outputting the received video in response to receiving the video so that the user can perceive the video.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting the video to the client device comprises streaming the video to the client device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising, automatically tuning the tuner back to the program channel after the on-demand system completes transmission of the video to the client device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the program channel is a music channel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the program data further comprises video data and the video consists of a set of still images.