AU2008101011A4

AU2008101011A4 - Interactive Television System

Info

Publication number: AU2008101011A4
Application number: AU2008101011A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dean Couch; Grant Kean; Fabian Magrini
Original assignee: Tab Ltd
Current assignee: Tab Ltd
Priority date: 2008-10-14
Filing date: 2008-10-14
Publication date: 2008-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-14

Description

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AUSTRALIA

in-hI 1" n 71 FB RICE CO Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys Patents Act 1990 Two Way Limited COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Interactive Television System The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 00 2 Title 0 Interactive Television System Technical Field The present invention concerns interactive television and, more particularly, a method Sfor facilitating a business transaction using a television, an interactive television system O and software to implement the method.

00 Background of the Invention One of the earliest television sets is reportedly to have been invented in the 1930s.

CWhile the quality of broadcast video has improved over the years, most television viewers are still using television sets as a one-directional broadcast transmission receiver. Apart from simply switching the channel and adjusting the volume of the television, there is limited interaction between a viewer with the television content.

Interactive television is designed to enhance viewers' experience of television content by allowing viewers to respond to the television content and the broadcaster. In a simple form, interactive broadcast services involve using a set-top box or receiver to receive a television program and associated data such that, for example, viewers can participate in real-time polls using their television Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the invention is a method for facilitating a business transaction using a television at a receiver associated with a geographic identifier and the television, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving an interactive application, and transaction items that are associated with the geographic identifier and updatable in real time; running the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on a first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on another part of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase; and when a transaction item is selected, automatically generating and sending a transaction request to a transaction processing engine associated with the geographic identifier to authorise the selected transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from a user account.

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Using the present invention, users can interact with a television set to view transaction items provided by a merchant and conduct business transactions from the comfort of their own home. The present invention has application in a variety of business transactions such as wagering, and in this case, the transaction items are betting options and odds retrieved from a wagering provider.

O In some aspects, the invention is able to automatically adapt the retrieval of transaction Sitems and selection of transaction processing engine from a plurality of engines based 00 on a geographic identifier associated with a receiver. This allows the interactive application to be used across multiple locations to present transaction items which are relevant to its users.

The transaction items may be retrieved from a content server in communication with the receiver, the transaction items being collected by the server from a plurality of databases based on the geographic identifier of the receiver.

Sending a transaction request to a transaction processing engine may involve connecting to a transaction server which selects the engine out of a plurality of transaction processing engines based on the geographic identifier of the receiver.

The method may further comprise retrieving commentaries associated with the transaction items and displaying the retrieved commentaries along with the transaction items on the first part of the television. For example, in the context of racing wagering, the commentaries may be form guide of participants in a race.

The method may also comprise retrieving the status of a purchased transaction item from the transaction processing engine associated with the geographic identifier of the receiver, or a third party. Again, in the context of wagering, the status of the purchased transaction item may be the amount won or lost on a placed bet.

The interactive application and transaction items may be retrieved upon activation by the user using a remote control unit associated with the television. In this case, the retrieved interactive application and transaction items may depend on the time of the activation by the user. The retrieved interactive application and transaction items may also be based on the content of the live television picture prior to the activation.

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The method may further comprise the step of requesting the user to login to the user O. account prior to selecting a transaction item.

The application may further allow a user to deposit funds into the user account from which funds is deducted. In this case, the method may further comprise the step of requesting the user to login to the user account prior to depositing funds.

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SThe method may automatically log out an existing user without disconnecting from the 00 transaction processing engine when a new user logs in using the same receiver.

N The application may also allow the user to retrieve account balance, update account information and view purchased transaction items.

The step of sending the transaction request may further comprise establishing a return path to the merchant via the Internet, or a telephone connection with a Point of Presence (POP) network. The transaction request may be encrypted and sent to the merchant over a secure data link which uses secure socket layer (SSL).

The interactive application may also allow a user to perform searches using the television. In this case, the method further comprises the step of searching for a particular transaction item from the plurality of retrieved transaction items based on a user's query.

The interactive application may further allow a user to impose a time restriction on when a transaction item can be selected for purchase. In this case, the step of generating and sending the transaction request is only performed if a time restriction is satisfied.

The method may comprise the step of automatically adjusting the aspect ratio of the live television picture based on settings of the television and a viewing mode of the interactive application.

According to a second aspect, the invention is an interactive television system for facilitating a business transaction using a television, the system comprising: a content server to collect transaction items from a plurality of databases; 00

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an application streamer to receive the transaction items from the content server and process the received transaction items for broadcast transmission; and receivers in communication with the application streamer, each receiver being associated with a geographic identifier and a television and operable to: retrieve an interactive application, and transaction items that are associated _with the geographic identifier of the receiver and updatable in real time; 0 run the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on Ca first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on a second part 00 of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase; and when a transaction item is selected, automatically generate and send a transaction request to a transaction processing engine associated with the geographic identifier of the receiver to authorise the selected transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from a user account.

According to a third aspect, the invention is a method for facilitating a business transaction using a television, the method comprising retrieving an interactive application and transaction items that are updatable in real time from a broadcast network; running the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on a first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on a second part of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase and to deposit funds into a user account; and when a transaction item is selected, automatically generating and sending a transaction request to a merchant that authorises the selected transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from the user account.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention is an interactive television system for facilitating a business transaction using a television, the system comprising: a content server to collect transaction items from a plurality of databases; an application streamer to receive the transaction items from the content server and process the received transaction items for broadcast transmission; and receivers in communication with the application streamer, each associated with a television and operable to: retrieve an interactive application and transaction items that are updatable in real time; 00 6 Srun the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on )a first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on a second part of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase and to deposit funds into a user account; and when a transaction item is selected, automatically generate and send a Stransaction request to a transaction processing engine to authorise the selected O transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from the user account.

00 According to a further aspect, the invention is software for implementing any of the abovementioned methods.

Brief Description of the Drawings Examples of the invention, in the context of wagering, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an interactive television system exemplifying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a screenshot of an interactive application interface.

Fig. 3 is a screenshot of an interface providing a list of races.

Fig. 4 is a screenshot of an interface providing a list of runners.

Fig. 5 is a screenshot of a screen providing form information.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of another interactive television system exemplifying the invention, where a return path is established via the Internet.

Fig. 7 is a screenshot of a "Choose Your Bet" screen.

Fig. 8 is a screenshot of a bet placement receipt.

Fig. 9 is a screenshot of a "Your Account" screen.

Fig. 10 is a screenshot of a "Your Account" screen.

Fig. 11 is a screenshot of an "Account Deposit" screen.

Best Modes of the Invention Referring first to Fig. 1, the interactive television system 100 for facilitating wagering transactions using a television comprises a content server 110, an application streamer 122, a broadcast streamer 124, and broadcast and transmission equipment 126 which are in communication with a plurality of receivers 130 over a broadcast network 128.

00 7 o Each receiver or set-top box 130 is associated with a television and a subscriber 132 in

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the broadcast network 128. Each receiver 130 is also associated with a geographic identifier in the form of a post code, landline telephone number or GPS signal accessible by, or stored on, the receiver 130. This geographic identifier affects the Sinformation retrieved by the receiver and the transaction processing engine which the receiver connects to.

00 The data flows among these system components will now be explained with references to the numbered arrows '1'to in Fig. 1.

Data Flow I: Content Server Pulls Race and Wagering Information from Merchant The merchant 140 provides the content server 110 with sales information feeds.

Content engine 144, which may be located at the merchant's premise, provides race and wagering information such as meeting information, race details, runner details, odds and results. Transaction items or betting options are determined from the race and wagering information collected. Form information or guide on races and runners is provided by content engine 142.

The information feeds may be retrieved by means of a polling mechanism, where the content server 110 periodically requests information from the content engine 144 via a dedicated data link or a virtual private network (VPN) between them. The content engine 144, on request, responds with the up-to-date information. The requests are made continuously throughout the day using two modules: Feed Manager 112 and Deployer 114. Feed Manager 112 is responsible for requesting all race and wagering information from the merchant at every predetermined interval. The information received is then processed and stored in a MySQL database associated with the content server I Using the polling mechanism, the content server 110 also periodically sources form information from a Daily Form Service (DFS) FTP server at content engine 142.

Specifically, the content server 110 requests files from the DFS FTP server at a designated time as part of a daily procedure. The form information is then processed and matched with the associated races and runners retrieved from content engine 142 and then stored in the database.

00 8 Alternatively, the information feeds may be retrieved by means of a push mechanism, C. where the content engines 142 and 144 automatically send data to the content server O 110. Instead of having to periodically polls for updates, this data push service provides information feeds to the content server 1 10 when updates are available.

The information feeds retrieved, and therefore the third party content engines that are O accessed, are based on the geographical location of the races. For example, the New South Wales and Victorian race and wagering information are provided as two separate 00 information feeds. The feed method is usually merchant-dependent but is typically an eXtensive Markup Language (XML)-based web service or data format delivered using HTTP as the transport protocol. The information feeds are also in XML format.

When new information is entered into the database associated with the content server 110, the Deployer 114 is automatically notified of the changes for delivery to the application streamer 122.

Data Flow 2: Content Server to Application Streamer The application streamer 122, broadcast streamer 124 and broadcast and transmission equipment 126 are usually located at the premise of a broadcaster 120 which operates a broadcast network 128.

The Deployer 114 at the content server 110 is responsible for sending the up-to-date sales information to the application streamer 122 via a dedicated data link between them. The Deployer 114 retrieves the data stored in the database by the Feed Manager 112, compresses the data into a format suitable for the set top box or receiver 130 application, and then delivers it to the application streamer 122. At this stage, the data is formatted into MPEG-2 in compatible with the format of a live television stream transmitted by the broadcaster.

Data Flow 3: Application Streamer to Broadcast Streamer The application streamer 122 and broadcast streamer 124 are components of an OpenTV Streamer which allow content producers to provide interactive content on a television. The application streamer 122 is software written by a third party to control the generation, contents and state of the data playing on the broadcast streamer 124.

00 9 Once the application streamer 122 receives the up-to-date information feeds from the Deployer 114 at the content server 110, the information feeds are cached and uploaded onto the broadcast streamer 124. An interactive application associated with the information feeds is also uploaded onto the broadcast streamer 124 for broadcast transmission to the qualifying subscribers 132.

Data Flow 4: Broadcast Streamer to Broadcast Network The role of the broadcast streamer 124, which is also known as an "Open Streamer", is 00 to control the multiplexing of the MPEG-2 data streams received from one or more application streamer 122. The interactive application and the information feeds are Cthen delivered to the broadcast and transmission equipment 126 for broadcast on the broadcast network 128. The broadcast may be delivered using any suitable television platform, such as using cable, satellite or an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) platform.

Data Flow 5: Broadcast Network to Receiver The broadcast network 128 delivers the interactive application and information feeds to the receiver 130 in addition to a live television stream based on the receiver's 130 geographic identifier. Upon activation of a button on a Remote Control Unit (RCU) 134 associated with a receiver 130, the interactive application is automatically downloaded to the receiver 130 to facilitate business transactions, i.e. wagering, with the merchant 140 via an interactive interface 160. The receiver 130 may be physically separated from the television set as shown in Fig. I, or be a built-in digital tuner.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the retrieved application, when run by the receiver 130, provides an interactive interface 160 on one part of the television screen which displays: a page title 162 which informs the user of what page they are currently viewing; a first information area 164 with various menu items such as meeting times, horse names and bet options transaction items) for selection by the user; a navigation bar 166 which informs the user on how to select the menu items in the first information area 164; a second information area 168 which provides details of a selected menu item in the first information area such as a venue, track condition, weather and availability of bets of a selected meeting; 00 a main menu 170 which shows main functions accessible by the user using designated buttons on the RCU, such as retrieving of a help menu, account information and latest results; a next-to-go menu 172 showing a list of the next several races to run, including information on the type of race, race number and the amount of time left until scheduled start time in minutes; and a connection status 174 with the merchant's servers 140 where a "Not SConnected" status indicates that the subscriber is not logged in and cannot purchase a 00 transaction item place a bet) until they are "Connected".

CA scaled down version of the live television picture 176 is also displayed on another part of the television screen along with the interactive interface 160. This allows a subscriber 132 to place a bet on a horse race while watching the race at the same time.

An aspect ratio module of the interactive application automatically controls the aspect ratio of the live television picture based on the type of the television and a viewing mode of the interactive application. For example, if the television has a screen ratio of 4:3 and the television stream is of 16:9, only a middle section of the 16:9 stream is scaled down to 4:3. The user is able to switch between a quarter mode (Fig. 2) and a full screen mode at any time.

First time users are presented with a getting started message screen which provides instructions on how to use the interactive application to place a bet. A flag in the flash memory of the receiver 130 is set to record that the subscriber 132 has used the service before. The flag may be reset when the receiver is reinitialised.

The "Today's Gallop" screen in Fig. 2 provides a list of venues for horse racing. As shown in the navigation menu 166, the user 132 can use designated buttons on the RCU to access information about a meeting venue location, track condition and weather forecast in second information area 168) and to view a particular race at the venue. By continually pressing the right or left arrow key on their RCU, the subscriber can scroll between the Today's Gallop, Greyhounds and Harness Meeting Lists, and other options such as today's sports bets.

Once a venue is selected using the RCU, a list of races scheduled for the venue will be provided to the subscriber. For example in Fig. 3, a list of races at "MR Hamilton" is 00 11 displayed on the first information area 164. For a selected race such as "Scott Petroleum CII Hcp", a betting status is provided on the second information area 168 and in the example shown, the status is still 'Open' which means that bets are still being accepted for that race. Once the race is completed, the final placings for that race will be displayed.

SThe "Runners List" screen in Fig. 4 provides information on a selected race meeting Sincluding current win (WIN) and place (PLC) odds, betting pools and betting status 00 which are obtained from the information feeds retrieved from the merchant 140. The user 132 can quickly scroll through the races for that venue using the left or right arrow keys on the RCU; see menu 166. More information on a runner can be retrieved by scrolling up or down to highlight the relevant runner. For a selected runner, the name, jockey, trainer, form (placings in the last four races) and results of the runner is displayed in the second information area 168. The values of win (Win), place (Plc) and trifecta (Tri) pools for that state are also provided.

Odds and betting pool information on the "Runners List" screen will be updated automatically. Specifically, the Deployer 114 at the content server I 10 will be notified of the updates and pass those updated information to the application streamer 122 for broadcast transmission to the receiver 130. The interactive application at the receiver 130 then automatically refreshes interactive interface 160 as soon as updates are received.

The form information of a particular runner can be retrieved using another designated button on the RCU, shown as the "Show Form" functionality on the navigation menu 166 in Fig. 4. Referring now to Fig. 5, the form information includes a summary of career performances such as prize money and details of the most recent starts and a comment on whether the runner is recommended.

Data Flow 6: Return Path from the Receiver to the Merchant When a user 132 wishes to select a transaction item for purchase placing a bet) or access account information, a return path needs to be established between the receiver 130 and a transaction processing engine 146 associated with the merchant which authorises the transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from the user account.

00 12 The transaction processing engine 146 is selected by the content server 1 10 to authorise the transaction item to be purchased based on the geographic identifier of the receiver.

Therefore, transaction requests by subscribers 132 in one geographic area will be automatically sent to a transaction processing engine 146 associated with that area.

Referring to Fig. I again, the return path may be implemented by way of a dial-up O connection with a Point of Presence (POP) network 150. The return path provides a network path from the qualifying subscribers' receiver 130 to the merchant's transaction 00 processing or betting and account engine 146 via the POP Network 150. The POP Network 150 is connected to the content server 110 which is in communication with a plurality of transaction processing engines 146 each associated with a merchant 140 via a dedicated data link between them.

Alternatively, the return path may be implemented using any other suitable wide area network, such as the Internet 155 in Fig. 6. The wide area network may also be wireless.

Once the connection is established, the connection status 174 in Fig. 2 will change from "Not Connected" to "Connected". Where there are more than one user in one household, the users can switch between their accounts without disconnecting the return path from the merchant's transaction processing engine 146. Once a new user logs in, the interactive application will automatically log out the original user and log in the new one.

The subscriber 132 may be required to login to their account and be authenticated by an authentication server 152 associated with the merchant 140 before a transaction is processed.

Data Flow 7: Betting and Account Holder Activity Once a subscriber is authenticated and a return path to the merchant 140 is established, betting or account holder activity may be carried out via the interactive interface 160.

The "Choose Your Bet" screen in Fig. 7 provides the subscriber 132 with a complete list of transaction items in the form of betting options available for a selected race, "Werribee A number of betting options such as Win Place, Trifecta, Quinella and Parlay Formula are available for selection.

00 13 For a selected betting option, the subscriber 132 can proceed to select their transaction U item or option by highlighting one or more runners that they wish to bet on and then O entering the amount of bet. Once one or more transaction items are selected for purchase, the user will be presented with a bet confirmation screen listing the race, runner's number, bet type, bet amount and total cost associated with the transaction items.

Upon confirmation by the subscriber, the interactive application at the receiver 130 will 00 proceed to generate a transaction request which is then encoded and encrypted before submitted to the merchant's transaction processing engine 146 by a transaction server N, via a secure channel. While the transaction server has been shown to be the same as the content server 110 in this case, it will be appreciated that the transaction server may be separate from the content server 110.

A suitable cryptographic protocol such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Security Layer (TSL) may be used. Creation and use of SSL or TSL sessions are handled by a module of the interactive application.

The merchant's transaction processing engine 146 then receives the encrypted transaction request and decrypts the request for further processing. If the transaction request is authorised and the subscriber 132 has sufficient funds in a user account, a response will be generated and forwarded to the receiver 130 via the POP network 150.

The amount of bet placed is also deducted from the user's account. The response and details of the transaction are displayed on a "Bet Receipt" screen to notify the subscriber 132 of the authorised transaction request; see Fig. 8.

The latest results can be also viewed at any time by pressing a designated button on the RCU to bring up a "Latest Results" screen. Referring now to in Fig. 9, the winners of a race (Shepparton Race 11) are shown along with the dividends payable for each bet type based on the results of that race; see second information area 168.

Users can access their account information at any time by pressing a designated button on the RCU to bring up the "Your Account" screen in Fig. 10. The "Account Balance" menu item allows users to view their account number, balance and available funds.

The "Account Summary" screen provides a record of past transactions with the merchant and details of these transactions while the "Account Summary (Parimutuel)" 00 14

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_and "Account Summary (Fixed Odds)" screens provide detailed account summary of parimutuel and fixed odds transactions respectively.

Users can also deposit funds to their account at any time using the "Account Deposit" screen in Fig. 11. The user needs to be logged in to access the account information and make a deposit via a credit card. In another embodiment, the interactive application may be in communication with financial institutions to facilitate fund deposit using a Sdebit card or via telegraphic transfer.

00 Further, the interactive application may allow a subscriber to search for a particular C, race or runner, and store their favourites in a memory unit associated with the receiver 130. This functionality allows subscribers to keep track of the progress of, for example, their favourite runner throughout a racing season.

The interface 160 will display an error message if an error is detected, such as when the selected pool or race is closed; an invalid password or account number is supplied; the amount of bet exceeds the amount in the account; a selected race is abandoned; the amount of bet is under a minimum amount or over a maximum amount; the account is frozen, security blocked, closed or inhibited; the customer is younger than a minimum age; the credit card information is invalid or registered by another user or the system is busy. The interactive interface may further allow a user to impose a time restriction on when a bet can be placed.

The qualifying subscriber 132 may disconnect the return path between the receiver and the POP Network 150 at any time after a purchase is made. The interactive application can also be configured to disconnect itself automatically after a timeout period lapses.

Functional Modules The interactive application comprises a number of modules to facilitate the commerce transactions discussed. The modules are divided into the following Application Programming Interface (API) groups: API common modules control the aspect ratio of the television stream; handle the display of MPEG stills, video and audio; handle the creation and use of HTTP and SSL sessions; parse XML data and create XML format data.

API user interface modules handle entry of digits, alphabets and financial amount and provide text gadgets for one-line, preformatted or non-formatted text.

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N API page modules render specific screens of the interactive interface on the o television; such as those shown in Figs. 2 to 0 API data modules collect and process the information feeds on dividends, form, meetings, messaging, odds, pools, races, results, runners and tips.

API return path modules establish a connection with the transaction processing engine 146 and handle all transaction requests from the user and responses from the 0 engine 146. And, OOther miscellaneous API modules handle other functions such as messaging, 00 initialisation and timer.

C"1 Although the invention has been described with reference to a wagering system, it should be appreciated that it could be exemplified in many other forms and in combination with other features not mentioned above.

For instance, the invention has application in share trading. In this case, the television stream is live updates on the stock market, the transaction items are shares or derivatives, the sales information comprises sales and purchase prices and the commentaries are market reports and expert's analysis.

The invention also has application in facilitating transactions of consumer goods and services. For example, upon viewing an advertisement on a transaction item on television, a user can press a designated button on the RCU to initiate the interactive application for buying that particular item. In this case, the interactive application presents the user with a list of broadcasted advertisements and allows the user to purchase the good or service associated with the advertisement. The user may select to replay the advertisement or continue viewing the existing television stream in a scaled down version.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

2. The method according to claim I, wherein the transaction items are retrieved from a content server in communication with the receiver, the transaction items being collected by the server from a plurality of databases based on the geographic identifier of the receiver.
3. A method for facilitating a business transaction using a television, the method comprising retrieving an interactive application and transaction items that are updatable in real time from a broadcast network; running the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on a first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on another part of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase and to deposit funds into a user account; and when a transaction item is selected, automatically generating and sending a transaction request to a merchant that authorises the selected transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from the user account.
4. An interactive television system for facilitating a business transaction using a television, the system comprising: a content server to collect transaction items from a plurality of databases; 00 17 O O an application streamer to receive the transaction items from the content server and process the received transaction items for broadcast transmission; and receivers in communication with the application streamer, each receiver being associated with a geographic identifier and a television and operable to: retrieve an interactive application, and transaction items that are associated with geographic identifier of the receiver and updatable in real time; O run the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on Ca first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on a second part 00 of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase; and N when a transaction item is selected, automatically generate and send a transaction request to a transaction processing engine associated with the geographic identifier of the receiver to authorise the selected transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from a user account. An interactive television system for facilitating a business transaction using a television, the system comprising: a content server to collect transaction items from a plurality of databases; an application streamer to receive the transaction items from the content server and process the received transaction items for broadcast transmission; and receivers in communication with the application streamer, each associated with a television and operable to: retrieve an interactive application and transaction items that are updatable in real time; run the interactive application to display the retrieved transaction items on a first part of the television screen along with a live television picture on a second part of the screen, the application allowing a user to select a transaction item for purchase and to deposit funds into a user account; and when a transaction item is selected, automatically generate and send a transaction request to a transaction processing engine to authorise the selected transaction item to be purchased and funds to be deducted from the user account.