Using the electronic program guide to synchronize...

Details Using the electronic program guide to synchronize... Using the electronic program guide to synchronize...

2006-04-11

2006-04-11

Bui, Kieu-Oanh (Department: 2611)

Interactive video distribution systems

User-requested video program system

Video-on-demand

C725S040000, C725S051000, C725S109000, C725S112000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07028327

ABSTRACT:
In a broadcasting system, an electronic program guide (EPG) is used to determine what broadcast program is on a given channel at a given time in a given location. With the particular determined broadcast program as an input, timing offset objects defining interactive content related to the determined broadcast program can be retrieved from a timing offsets database. Each timing offset object specifies a time from the beginning of the program, an act to perform at the time, and a reference to interactive content on which to perform the act at the time. With the reference to the interactive content as an input, an interactive application or other interactive content can be retrieved from an interactive content database. The EPG, the timing offsets database, and the interactive content database may be located logically or physically together or separately, and they may be cached locally or referenced from an external source.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4751578 (1988-06-01), Reiter et al.
patent: 5307173 (1994-04-01), Yuen et al.
patent: 5334975 (1994-08-01), Wachob et al.
patent: 5343239 (1994-08-01), Lappington et al.
patent: 5400402 (1995-03-01), Garfinkle
patent: 5448568 (1995-09-01), Delpuch et al.
patent: 5504896 (1996-04-01), Schell et al.
patent: 5539920 (1996-07-01), Menand et al.
patent: 5557317 (1996-09-01), Nishio et al.
patent: 5559550 (1996-09-01), Mankovitz
patent: 5563648 (1996-10-01), Menand et al.
patent: 5583563 (1996-12-01), Wanderscheid et al.
patent: 5585858 (1996-12-01), Harper et al.
patent: 5586264 (1996-12-01), Belknap et al.
patent: 5652615 (1997-07-01), Bryant et al.
patent: 5657072 (1997-08-01), Aristides et al.
patent: 5675373 (1997-10-01), Joiner et al.
patent: 5689799 (1997-11-01), Dougherty et al.
patent: 5719618 (1998-02-01), Park
patent: 5729279 (1998-03-01), Fuller
patent: 5768539 (1998-06-01), Metz et al.
patent: 5774664 (1998-06-01), Hidary et al.
patent: 5781228 (1998-07-01), Sposato
patent: 5790198 (1998-08-01), Roop et al.
patent: 5818440 (1998-10-01), Allibhoy et al.
patent: 5819034 (1998-10-01), Joseph et al.
patent: 5826166 (1998-10-01), Brooks et al.
patent: 5835717 (1998-11-01), Karlton et al.
patent: 5848352 (1998-12-01), Dougherty et al.
patent: 5850447 (1998-12-01), Peyret
patent: 5861881 (1999-01-01), Freeman et al.
patent: 5872589 (1999-02-01), Morales
patent: 5880720 (1999-03-01), Iwafune et al.
patent: 5931908 (1999-08-01), Gerba et al.
patent: 5937331 (1999-08-01), Kalluri et al.
patent: 5970206 (1999-10-01), Yuen et al.
patent: 5974222 (1999-10-01), Yuen et al.
patent: 6006256 (1999-12-01), Zdepski et al.
patent: 6008802 (1999-12-01), Iki et al.
patent: 6018768 (2000-01-01), Ullman et al.
patent: 6021433 (2000-02-01), Payne et al.
patent: 6061719 (2000-05-01), Bendinelli et al.
patent: 6064438 (2000-05-01), Miller
patent: 6181335 (2001-01-01), Hendricks et al.
patent: 6256785 (2001-07-01), Klappert et al.
patent: 6295647 (2001-09-01), Ramaswamy
patent: 6415438 (2002-07-01), Blackketter et al.
patent: 0942595 (1999-03-01), None
Advanced Television Enhancement Forum Specification (ATVEF), Version 1.1r26, Feb. 2, 1999, pp. 1-37.
Evain, J.-P., The Multimedia Home Platform—an overview, EBU Technical Department Review—Spring 1998.
Pending United States patent application, “Automated Control of Interactive Application Execution Using Defined Time Periods,” U.S. Appl. No. 09/431,001, filed Nov. 7, 1999.
Pending United States patent application, Automatic Control of Broadcast and Execution Of Interactive Applications To
Maintain Synchronous Operation With Broadcast Programs: Ser. No. 09/333,724, filing date Jun. 15, 1999.
Pending United States patent application, Automated Retirement of Interactive Applications Using Retirement instructions for Events and Program States, U.S. Appl. No. 09/334,131, filed Jun. 15, 1999.
Statement from first named inventor concerning Cited Reference entitled Pending United States patent application, Automated Retirement of Interactive Applications Using Retirement instructions for Events and Program States, “U.S. Appl. No. 09/334,131, filed Jun. 15, 1999.”
Wink Communications, Technical Specification, mSubject: 5.2.17 Serverinfo Define, Dec. 31, 1995.
ntl Group Ltd. 2000,Interactive Digital Television[online], [retrived on Nov. 21, 2000]. Retrived from the Internet <URL: http://www.ntl.com/guides/digitaltv/interactive.asp>, 2 pages.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Using the electronic program guide to synchronize... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Using the electronic program guide to synchronize..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Using the electronic program guide to synchronize... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3607920