Interactive video distribution systems – Video distribution system with local interaction – Interactive data transmitted in video signal band
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-09
2002-06-25
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Video distribution system with local interaction
Interactive data transmitted in video signal band
C725S058000, C725S061000, C725S136000, C725S141000, C725S153000, C348S468000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412111
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates in general to a video server, and more particularly, to a method for programming a video client, such as a television, video cassette recorder, cable box, a personal computer, or a network computer, for distribution by a video server.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In recent years, video server and distribution systems have been implemented to allow television viewers to view certain movies on demand. In addition to viewing movies on demand, video servers have been implemented to allow for personal television viewing scheduling. In one embodiment of a personal television scheduler system developed by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), a simple and unique way of specifying a customized viewing schedule is implemented for television viewers. The interface implemented by IBM animates already familiar television schedule presentation formats, while adding additional capabilities. Specifically, the personal television scheduler system implements a television program listing format that is interactive. When any program listing within the listing format is activated (through a mouse click, highlighting through a remote control, and the like) either more information about the television program may be obtained or the program may be selected for viewing. A personal television watch bar comprises a bar listing the customized scheduler of the viewer. This schedule is built from the available listings and maintains the same format as the television listing guide. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the IBM system implements scroll bars and day change indicators from which the watch list is to be created in a format familiar to most computer users.
When a viewer tunes to a television station that is interactive with the personal television scheduler system, a menu that displays all the programs will be shown to the viewer during operation of the personal television scheduler system developed by IBM. Programs and applications, such as video-on-demand, home shopping, and games are just some of the examples of programs and applications that may be displayed in the menu. Furthermore, the personal television scheduler system described above is one of these applications. When a viewer selects the personal television scheduler application, a menu listing television programs for a specific day will be displayed on a television screen. In one embodiment of the IBM application, the screen is divided into two portions. The upper portion of the screen includes a watch bar that allows the viewer to move the selected programs into certain time slots. The lower part of this screen displays all the programs supported by the service provider. The viewer may then scroll up or down for that day's program by clicking the up or down arrow icon in one embodiment of the present invention.
In this implementation of the personal TV scheduler application, a viewer can move a cursor to a program they are interested in and click a remote control button to obtain more details about that television program. Furthermore, to establish their own schedule, a viewer may move the cursor to the programs they want to watch and click the button twice to highlight the selected program. The viewer may then select one program or multiple programs from either a single network or multiple networks. Additionally, the viewer may select a combination of broadcast programs and interactive television programs. Based on the selection of television programs, the viewer may then copy these programs into available time slots on the upper part of the television screen. Once the programs are selected and copied, the viewer may save the programs in an appropriate manner. The saved program format will then be forwarded to the service provider for approval of scheduling. Additionally, the viewer may obtain details about the selected programs.
In the personal television scheduler described above, past, current and future broadcast material may be accessed. In some embodiments, the personal television interface may present program selections to the television viewer from the past days as well as upcoming broadcast material for inclusion in a customized schedule. In an alternate embodiment, the personal television scheduler replaces the programming facilities of a video-cassette recorder within a television viewer's home. The program information for the personal television scheduler is sent from a cable TV head-end and is captured by the video-cassette recorder. Since the video-cassette recorder cannot access past material, unless the television is able to access past material, the personal television scheduler interface only allows the selection of future programs for recording and effectively replaces the programming facilities of the video-cassette recorder. The program information for the personal television scheduler is sent from the cable TV head-end and is captured by the video-cassette recorder. Since the video-cassette recorder cannot access past material, the personal television scheduler interface only allows the selection of future programs for recording. Thus, for example, the personal television scheduler does not allow an 11:00 broadcast of a program to be viewed at 10:00, but will allow the program's viewing at 12:00. For additional information regarding the personal television scheduler implemented by IBM, refer to
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin
, Volume 39, No. 8, published in August 1996, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
In addition to the personal television scheduler implemented by IBM, some programming systems utilize teletext information to program a video-cassette recorder in a similar manner. Teletext refers to a transmission protocol that allows characters and graphic information,such as news, weather forecast, stock market information, and translations of the words being spoken on a program, to be presented on a screen of a television or other display device. It should be noted that televisions have typically been developed with a built-in receiver for receiving teletext in a coded transmission system. Additionally, it should be noted that the teletext protocol is used to transmit television-program table information such as channel information, date information, time information, program code information, and title information, as well as other data typically transferred using the teletext protocols.
The programming source encodes character and graphic information into the teletext portion of the transmitted signal in accordance with the teletext protocol that has been defined by the television transmission industry. Subsequently, a television receiver with a teletext decoder decodes the character and graphic information to offer the services, such as news and weather forecast, that are displayed on the television or another display device. Additionally, to make teletext transmissions further widespread, television-program table information (including program title, program broadcasting date, programming broadcasting time, and the like) are encoded, transmitted as data by expanding transmission capabilities while compatibility with the conventional teletext protocol is maintained. This compatibility allows the teletext protocol to be utilized for video recording reservation by image recording/reproducing apparatus such as video tape recorders. An apparatus which performs such receiving and decoding operations is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,833 by Henmi, et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. An alternate teletext receiver that provides video-cassette recorder programming operations is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,707 by Kinghorn, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Teletext systems provide a great deal of flexibility and functionality for recording programs identified by television program tables. However, many television programs include shorter segments that may be of interest to a television viewer. Current programming techniques do not allow a user to specify that a segment or only a portion
Faile Andrew
Frankeny Richard F.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Koenig Andrew
Schelkopf John B.
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