Closed caption tagging system

• US 8,453,193 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Smith, Kevin, Chamberlin, David, Look, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US12/572,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20100080529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/60, 725/109, 725/112, 725/133, 386/296
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/8455 : involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 : Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 : the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A method for displaying a webpage is described. The method involves receiving a broadcast stream including a program, playing the program in the broadcast stream to a viewer, displaying an icon to the viewer and receiving viewer input in response to display of the icon, pausing the playing of the program in response to receiving the viewer input, displaying a web page to the viewer in response to receiving the viewer input, and resuming the playing of the program.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a receiver, a broadcast stream comprising a program;

playing, at the receiver, the program in the broadcast stream to a viewer;

detecting, at the receiver, one or more tags in the broadcast stream, the one or more tags instructing the receiver to insert an icon into the program at a particular point in the program, the one or more tags further indicating a menu to display upon receipt of viewer input while displaying the icon;

responsive to detecting the one or more tags, the receiver displaying the icon at the particular point in the program;

receiving, at the receiver, viewer input in response to displaying the icon;

in response to receiving the viewer input, the receiver;

pausing the playing of the program;

displaying the menu indicated by the one or more tags;

receiving viewer interactions with the menu while pausing the playing of the program;

resuming, at the receiver, the playing of the program.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein resuming the playing of the program comprises resuming the playing at a point where the playing of the program was paused.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein resuming the playing of the program is responsive to receiving a second viewer input.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein resuming the playing of the program is subsequent to receiving a command indicating that the viewer interactions with the menu are complete.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the receiver sending information collected from the viewer interactions with the menu to a broadcaster or manufacturer in response to receiving the viewer input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags embed the menu.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the receiver selecting the menu or choices in the menu based on one or more of viewing habits, program preferences, or personal information of a viewer at the receiver.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more tags include a program object identifier, wherein the menu includes a choice to schedule a recording for the program object identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver stops displaying the menu after an inactivity timeout.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu includes one or more of:

a choice to view more information about a currently showing ad, or a choice to see a video related to the currently showing ad.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

receiving logic, implemented at least partially by hardware, that causes receiving, at a receiver, a broadcast stream comprising a program;

playing logic, implemented at least partially by hardware, that causes playing, at the receiver, the program in the broadcast stream to a viewer;

tag detection logic that causes detecting, at the receiver, one or more tags in the broadcast stream, the one or more tags instructing the receiver to insert an icon into the program at a particular point in the program, the one or more tags further indicating a menu to display upon receipt of viewer input while displaying the icon;

displaying logic that causes, responsive to detecting the one or more tags, the receiver displaying the icon at the particular point in the program;

viewer interface logic that causes receiving, at the receiver, viewer input in response to displaying of the icon;

the playing logic that causes the receiver pausing the playing of the program, in response to receiving the viewer input; and

the displaying logic that causes the receiver displaying the menu indicated by the one or more tags, in response to receiving the viewer input; and

the playing logic that causes resuming, at the receiver, the playing of the program.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein resuming the playing of the program comprises resuming the playing of the program at a point where the playing of the program was paused.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, the viewer interface logic further causing receiving a second user input, wherein resuming the playing of the program is responsive to receiving the second viewer input.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, the receiving logic further causes receiving a command indicating that viewer interaction with the webpage is complete, wherein resuming the playing of the program is subsequent to receiving the command indicating that the viewer interactions with the menu are complete.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising sending logic that causes sending information collected from the viewer interactions with the menu to a broadcaster or manufacturer in response to receiving the user input.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more tags embed the menu.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising menu personalization logic that causes the receiver selecting the menu or choices in the menu based on one or more of viewing habits, program preferences, or personal information of a viewer at the receiver.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more tags include a program object identifier, wherein the menu includes a choice to schedule a recording for the program object identifier.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the receiver stops displaying the menu after an inactivity timeout.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the menu includes one or more of:

a choice to view more information about a currently showing ad, or a choice to see a video related to the currently showing ad.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of:

receiving, at a receiver, a broadcast stream comprising a program;

playing, at the receiver, the program in the broadcast stream to a viewer;

detecting, at the receiver, one or more tags in the broadcast stream, the one or more tags instructing the receiver to insert an icon into the program at a particular point in the program, the one or more tags further indicating a menu to display upon receipt of viewer input while displaying the icon;

responsive to detecting the one or more tags, the receiver displaying the icon at the particular point in the program;

receiving, at the receiver, viewer input in response to displaying the icon;

in response to receiving the viewer input, the receiver;

pausing the playing of the program;

displaying the menu indicated by the one or more tags;

receiving viewer interactions with the menu while pausing the playing of the program;

resuming, at the receiver, the playing of the program.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein resuming the playing of the program comprises resuming the playing at a point where the playing of the program was paused.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein resuming the playing of the program is responsive to receiving a second viewer input.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein resuming the playing of the program is subsequent to receiving a command indicating that the viewer interactions with the menu are complete.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of the receiver sending information collected from the viewer interactions with the menu to a broadcaster or manufacturer in response to receiving the viewer input.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the one or more tags embed the menu.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of the receiver selecting the menu or choices in the menu based on one or more of viewing habits, program preferences, or personal information of a viewer at the receiver.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the one or more tags include a program object identifier, wherein the menu includes a choice to schedule a recording for the program object identifier.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the receiver stops displaying the menu after an inactivity timeout.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the menu includes one or more of:

a choice to view more information about a currently showing ad, or a choice to see a video related to the currently showing ad.