Video on demand methods and systems

• US 7,363,646 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mighdoll, Lee S., Goldman, Phillip Y., Bruck, Timo, White, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Ngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/941,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 725 87- 90, 725/92, 725 94- 95, 725/100, 725102-103, 725/32, 725/36, 725/139, 725/131, 725/151, 725/42, 725/98, 725/58, 386/45, 386/1, 386125-126, 360/7, 715716-719
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers'"'"' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

Claims

1. A method of presenting entertainment comprising:

receiving video signals;

displaying the received video signals;

receiving a request from a user to pause display of the received video signals;

in response to the request, resumably interrupting display of the received video signals;

during the resumably interrupting display of the received video signals, displaying an indication of an e-mail message waiting;

removing a control panel from a screen if a first control on the control panel is selected and maintaining the control panel on the screen if a second control on the control panel is selected;

wherein the control panel comprises the first control and the second control;

wherein the second control is a PAUSE button;

wherein the first control is a PLAY button;

upon receiving an indication that the PAUSE button was selected, highlighting the PLAY button; and

upon receiving an indication that the highlighted PLAY button was selected, resuming display of the received video signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein after receiving the request to pause display of the received video signals, a data record is stored at a head-end indicating a point of interruption of the received video signals.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein after receiving the request to pause display of the received video signals, a data record is stored at a proxy server indicating a point of interruption of the received video signals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein after receiving the request to pause display of the received video signals, a data record is stored in memory indicating a point of interruption of the received video signals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the received video signals are recorded during the interruption.

6. A method of presenting entertainment comprising:

receiving video signals;

displaying the received video signals;

receiving a request from a user to pause display of the received video signals;

in response to the request, resumably interrupting display of the received video signals;

during the resumably interrupting display of the received video signals displaying an indication of a message waiting;

removing a control panel from a screen if a first on-screen control is actuated;

maintaining the control panel on the screen if a second on-screen control is actuated wherein the control panel comprises the first on-screen control and the second on-screen control;

wherein the second on-screen control is a PAUSE button;

wherein the first on-screen control is a PLAY button;

upon receiving an indication that the PAUSE button was selected, highlighting the PLAY button; and

upon receiving an indication that the highlighted PLAY button was selected, resuming display of the received video signals.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said resumed display of the received video signals is received on a different transmission channel.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the message is a chat message.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the message is an electronic mail message.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the message is a promotional message.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the message is a commercial message.

12. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 6.

13. A system for providing entertainment, the system comprising:

a display;

a remote control;

a digital processor;

volatile and non-volatile memory; and

digital processor executable instructions stored in memory for performing a method comprising,

displaying received video entertainment;

receiving a request from a user to pause display of the received video entertainment;

in response to the request, resumably interrupting display of the received video entertainment;

displaying an indication of waiting e-mail while the display of the received video entertainment is resumably interrupted;

removing a control panel from a screen if a first control on the control panel is selected and maintaining the control panel on the screen if a second control on the control panel is selected;

wherein the control panel comprises the first control and the second control;

wherein the second control is a PAUSE button;

wherein the first control is a PLAY button;

upon receiving an indication that the PAUSE button was selected, highlighting the PLAY button; and

upon receiving an indication that the highlighted PLAY button was selected, resuming display of the received video signal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein after receiving the request, a pause instruction is sent out on a network connection and a data record is stored at a head-end indicating a point of MPEG interruption.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein after receiving the request, a pause instruction is sent out on a network connection and a data record is stored at a proxy server indicating a point of MPEG interruption.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein after receiving the request, a data record is stored in memory indicating a point of display interruption.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising resuming display of the received video entertainment.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the displayed received video entertainment is received on a transmission channel demodulated from a composite signal.

21. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 18 wherein in response to the request to delay video programming, a data record is stored at a proxy server indicating a point of video programming interruption.

22. The computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 18 wherein in response to the request to delay video programming, a data record is stored in memory indicating a point of video programming interruption.

19. A system for providing entertainment, the system comprising:

a display;

a remote control;

a digital processor;

volatile and non-volatile memory; and

digital processor executable instructions stored in memory for performing a method comprising;

displaying received video entertainment;

receiving a request from a user to pause display of the received video entertainment;

in response to the request, resumably interrupting display of the received video entertainment;

displaying an indication of waiting e-mail while the display of the received video entertainment is resumably interrupted;

removing a control panel from a screen if a first control on the control panel is selected and maintaining the control panel on the screen if a second control on the control panel is selected;

wherein the control panel comprises the first control and the second control;

wherein the second control is a PAUSE button;

wherein the first on-screen control is a PLAY button;

upon receiving an indication that the PAUSE button was selected, highlighting the PLAY button; and

upon receiving an indication that the highlighted PLAY button was selected, resuming display of the received video signal.

20. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions comprising instructions for performing a method comprising:

receiving a composite signal comprising plural channels of programming;

displaying video programming;

receiving a request from a user to delay video programming display;

resumably interrupting display of video programming responsive to the request;

while the video programming display is resumably interrupted, displaying an indication of a waiting e-mail message;

removing a control panel from a screen if a first control on the control panel is selected and maintaining the control panel on the screen if a second control on the control panel is selected;

wherein the control panel comprises the first control and the second control;

wherein the second control is a PAUSE button;

wherein the first control is a PLAY button;

upon receiving an indication that the PAUSE button was selected, highlighting the PLAY button; and

upon receiving an indication that the highlighted PLAY button was selected, resuming display of the received video signal.