Method and apparatus for internet-based interactive programming

• US 8,255,966 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mediaip LLC
• Original Assignee: Mediaip Incorporated
• Inventors: Shusman, Chad W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US11/335,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,414 Days
• Field of Search: 725/24, 725/61, 725/91, 725/98, 725/114, 725/136, 725/32, 725/100, 725/105, 725/109, 725/110, 725/131, 715/733, 715/734, 348/14.01, 348/468, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.04
• US Class Current: 725/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 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 21/26603 for automatically generating descriptors from content, e.g. when it is not made available by its provider, using content analysis techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• 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 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 : defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for the creation of interactive programming incorporating viewer interactions. An interactive program includes moderator content generated by the moderator and edited participant commentary, such as interactive messages, and is served by a moderator server. Moderators create and manage interactive programs using a Web site. Viewers register to be participants in interactive programs using the Web site as well. The interactive programs can be distributed as electronic documents written in a markup language such as HTML or XML over a communications network such as the Internet. The interactive programs can also be converted to conventional interactive television content for distribution over an interactive television network. The interactive programs can also be distributed over a virtual private network for use as a collaboration tool by an enterprise such as a business concern. The interactive programs require few processing resources so the interactive programs can be embedded within other Web processes such as electronic commerce and television commerce transactions.

Claims

1. A method for creating and transmitting an interactive program comprising an audience portion and a stage portion, hosted by a moderator client on a stage, to an audience comprising a plurality of viewer clients over a communications network, the method comprising:

operably coupling a moderator server to the communications network;

operably coupling the moderator client to the moderator server via the communications network;

operably coupling the plurality of viewer clients to the moderator server via the communications network;

receiving by the moderator server a user selection of one of a plurality of interactive program templates, each of the plurality of interactive program templates being associated with a theme;

receiving participant comment signals directed to the stage from any and all of the plurality of viewer clients by the moderator server via the communications network;

receiving audience interactive signals directed to the audience from any of the plurality of viewer clients by the moderator server via the communications network;

transmitting by the moderator server via the communications network to the moderator client the participant comment signals directed to the stage;

receiving edited participant comment signals and moderator signals by the moderator server via the communications network from the moderator client;

generating interactive program signals by the moderator server using the selected interactive program template, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals; and

transmitting by the moderator server via the communications network to the plurality of viewer clients the interactive program signals,

wherein the audience interactive signals directed to the audience are transmitted via the audience portion, and the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals are transmitted via the stage portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating interactive program signals further includes:

receiving content signals by the moderator server from a content server; and

generating by the moderator server the interactive program signals using the content signals, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving content signals by the moderator server from a content server; and

transmitting by the moderator server via the communications network to the viewer clients the content signals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network is a virtual private network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the participant comment signals directed to the stage further include an interactive program rating signal corresponding to a viewer client subjective rating of the interactive program.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer exclusion signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients and

generating by the moderator server the interactive program signals further includes using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude participant comments received from the specific viewer client.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients, and

generating by the moderator server the interactive program signals further includes using the viewer invitation signal, wherein:

the specific viewer client is invited to join the stage with the moderator client by the viewer invitation signal, and

the corresponding audience interactive signals directed to the audience of the specific viewer client are transmitted via the stage portion when the specific viewer client is on the stage.

8. A data processing system adapted for creating and transmitting an interactive program comprising a stage portion and an audience portion, from a stage to an audience comprising a plurality of viewer clients using a moderator client, the plurality of viewer clients and the moderator client operably coupled to the data processing system by a communications network, the data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including;

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of interactive program templates, each of the plurality of interactive program templates being associated with a theme;

receiving participant comment signals directed to the stage from any and all of the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network;

receiving audience interactive signals directed to the audience from any of the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network;

transmitting the participant comment signals directed to the stage to the moderator client via the communications network;

receiving edited participant comment signals and moderator signals from the moderator client via the communications network;

generating interactive program signals using the selected interactive program template, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals; and

transmitting the interactive program signals to the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network,

wherein the audience interactive signals directed to the audience are transmitted via the audience portion, and the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals are transmitted via the stage portion.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions for generating the interactive program signals further include:

receiving content signals from a content server; and

generating the interactive program signals using the content signals, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals.

10. The data processing system of claim 8, the program instructions further including:

receiving content signals from a content server; and

transmitting the content signals via the communications network to the viewer clients.

11. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the communications network is a virtual private network.

12. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein the participant comment signals directed to the stage further include an interactive program rating signal corresponding to a viewer client subjective rating of the interactive program.

13. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer exclusion signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients and

the program instructions for generating the interactive program signals further include using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude participant comments received from the specific viewer client.

14. The data processing system of claim 8 wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients, and

the program instructions for generating the interactive program signals further include using the viewer invitation signal, wherein:

the specific viewer client is invited to join the stage with the moderator client by the viewer invitation signal, and

the corresponding audience interactive signals directed to the audience of the specific viewer client are transmitted via the stage portion when the specific viewer client is on the stage.

15. A moderator server comprising a processor and a computer-readable medium embodying program instructions for execution by the processor, the program instructions adapting the moderator server for creating and transmitting an interactive program comprising a stage portion and an audience portion from a stage to an audience comprising a plurality of viewer clients using a moderator client, the plurality of viewer clients and the moderator client operably coupled to the moderator server by a communications network, the program instructions comprising:

receiving from the moderator client a user selection of one of a plurality of interactive program templates, each of the plurality of interactive program templates being associated with a theme;

receiving participant comment signals directed to the stage from any and all of the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network;

receiving audience interactive signals directed to the audience from any of the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network;

transmitting the participant comment signals directed to the stage to the moderator client via the communications network;

receiving edited participant comment signals and moderator signals from the moderator client via the communications network;

generating interactive program signals using selected interactive program template, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals; and

transmitting the interactive program signals to the plurality of viewer clients via the communications network, wherein;

the audience interactive signals directed to the audience are transmitted via the audience portion, and the edited participant comment signals and the moderator signals are transmitted via the stage portion,

the moderator signals include a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients,

the program instructions for generating the interactive program signals include using the viewer invitation signal,

the specific viewer client is invited to join the stage with the moderator client by the viewer invitation signal, and

the corresponding audience interactive signals directed to the audience of the specific viewer client are transmitted via the stage portion when the specific viewer client is on the stage.

16. The moderator server of claim 15, wherein the program instructions for generating the interactive program signals further include:

receiving content signals from a content server; and

generating the interactive program signals using the content signals, the edited participant comment signals, the audience interactive signals directed to the audience, and the moderator signals.

17. The moderator server of claim 15, the program instructions further comprising:

receiving content signals from a content server; and

transmitting the content signals via the communications network to the viewer clients.

18. The moderator server of claim 15 wherein the communications network is a virtual private network.

19. The moderator server of claim 15 wherein the participant comment signals directed to the stage further include an interactive program rating signal corresponding to a viewer client subjective rating of the interactive program.

20. The moderator server of claim 15 wherein

the moderator signals further include a viewer exclusion signal corresponding to a specific viewer client from the plurality of viewer clients and

the program instructions for generating the interactive program signals further include using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude participant comments received from the specific viewer client.