Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
  • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
  • G06F9/44—Arrangements for executing specific programs
  • G06F9/4401—Bootstrapping
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
  • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
  • G06F9/44—Arrangements for executing specific programs
  • G06F9/445—Program loading or initiating
  • G06F9/44568—Immediately runnable code
  • G06F9/44573—Execute-in-place [XIP]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
  • H04L69/16—Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
  • H04L69/161—Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/25—Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies
  • H04N21/258—Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
  • H04N21/25866—Management of end-user data
  • H04N21/25891—Management of end-user data being end-user preferences
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/418—External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
  • H04N21/4181—External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access for conditional access
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
  • H04N21/42204—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor
  • H04N21/42226—Reprogrammable remote control devices
  • H04N21/42227—Reprogrammable remote control devices the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
  • H04N21/42228—Reprogrammable remote control devices the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
  • H04N21/42646—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
  • H04N21/42676—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
  • H04N21/443—OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
  • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
  • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/478—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
  • H04N21/4782—Web browsing, e.g. WebTV
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/482—End-user interface for program selection
  • H04N21/4821—End-user interface for program selection using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
  • H04N21/63—Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing
  • H04N21/643—Communication protocols
  • H04N21/64322—IP
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
  • H04L69/16—Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Definitions

• the present invention is in the area of multimedia apparatus and methods, and pertains more particularly to integrating operating code for
• a set-top box adapted for receiving a digital data stream from a variety of sources and providing video output from the incoming data stream.
• Set top boxes adapted primarily for receiving and processing typically digital data, and providing signals from the received data to drive a television screen have been recently developed and marketed. Such boxes typically have inputs for such as a TV antenna (analog), cable TV (analog or digital), more recently direct-satellite TV (digital), and may also connect to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and CD-ROM drives to provide a capability for uploading video data from such drives and presenting the dynamic result as a display on a TV screen.
• mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and CD-ROM drives
• the Web is a phenomenon that has been directly associated with high-end personal computers (PCs).
• PCs personal computers
• a computer platform with sufficient power and memory to operate well with Microsoft WindowsTM and with a video monitor with color and relatively high resolution is needed for satisfactory Web access and use.
• This association of Web access and use with relatively high-end personal computers has restricted Web growth (although this growth has been indeed phenomenal) to users with relatively well-developed computer skills. Very little has been done to provide web access to those who may not be inclined to own or interface with a PC directly. Moreover, little has been done to integrate TV reception, and televisions in general with the Internet or the Web on the Internet.
• What is needed is an integration of computer technology with a set-top box in a manner that Web access may be provided, with display on a TV (or optionally on a connected computer video monitor) in a manner that Internet and Web access may be provided in a simplified manner for those who are not inclined to deal with high-end personal computers, or to deal with the intricacies of installing software packages, interfacing with an Internet service provider, or browsing with conventional browsing tools.
• a difficulty with this unique concept of integrating a set top box with a computerized apparatus adapted for Web browsing is the threshold complexity of computers needed to provide Web access and browsing capability.
• Considerable mass storage space is needed for all of the applications required to provide such functionality.
• a typical high-end personal computer adapted for Internet access and Web browsing one usually has at the least the computing power of an Intel- equivalent 80486 central processing unit (CPU), a random-access memory (RAM) capacity of at least eight megabytes of data, a mass storage capacity of 100 megabytes or more (typically much more), and a high- resolution video-graphics adapter (VGA) color monitor.
• a high-speed modem is also required for analog telephone access to the Internet, or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interface, where ISDN is available.
• ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
• the high-capacity mass storage in a conventional Web-capable computer platform is needed, among other things, for storage of all of the operating code (software) that is required.
• This software typically comprises an operating system (WindowsTM or a competent substitute), a version of a compatible disk operating system (DOS) code, for accessing computer peripherals, such as a hard disk drive that might be included in such a system, a Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) interface software package for Internet communication, and a browser application for Internet browsing and searching.
• TCP/IP Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
• the cost of this list of applications and the mass storage space to store them is considerable.
• For the set top box to have a unique user interface that does not require a user to be an experienced computer user requires even more software. What is needed is a set top box with sufficient applications for
• a set top box system for video data processing comprising a central processing unit (CPU) for system management; a video graphics circuit connected to the CPU and having an output for driving a display monitor; an Internet access link; and an integrated non-volatile memory connected to the CPU and having a basic input output system (BIOS) code set, an operating system, a Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) code set, an embedded Web Browser application, and a top-managing application.
• the top-managing application is adapted to provide a user interface on a connected display monitor, providing facility for a user to access and display Web pages from the Internet World Wide Web.
• the operating system includes a ROM DOS code set and a graphical user interface.
• the set-top box has additional components and functionality.
• a decoder connected to at least one video data input stream and to the CPU and to the Video Graphics circuit.
• the decoder may be a decoder/tuner connectable to one or more of a cable TV line, a satellite TV antenna, and a video cassette recorder/player (VCR).
• VCR video cassette recorder/player
• MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group
• a preferable graphics circuit in man embodiments is a circuit conforming to the well-known Video Graphics Array (VGA), the circuit adapted for driving display monitors of several sorts, such as televisions and computer terminal monitors.
• the CPU may be any one of several well-known types or models, and an 80486-compatible microprocessor is preferred in many embodiments.
• the system of the invention includes a Smart Card reader connected to the decoder/tuner, and the decoder tuner is adapted for decoding Smart Card input and providing data therefrom to the CPU.
• the Internet access link may be either of an analog telephone data modem or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) modem, or other type, such as a satellite link.
• ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
• the system includes a CD-ROM drive coupled to the CPU, and the top managing application is adapted to provide a user interface on a connected display monitor, providing facility for a user to play video programs from the CD-ROM and to access and display Web pages from the Internet World Wide Web.
• the system comprises a receiver/decoder for infra-red signals from a remote infra-red controller, and the user may manipulate the user interface by cursor manipulation from the infra-red controller.
• Other embodiments may have other mass-storage facilities, such as a hard disk drive coupled to the CPU.
• BIOS coded in a non ⁇ volatile memory comprises a basic input output system (BIOS) code set; an operating system including a ROM DOS code set; a Transfer Control Protocol Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) interface code set; an embedded Web Browser application; and a top-managing application.
• the top-managing application is adapted for execution by a CPU to provide the interactive user interface on a display monitor, and the interactive user interface provides access to World Wide Web pages on the Internet.
• the Internet BIOS in one embodiment is coded in a Flash ROM, which allows for electronic reprogramming and diagnostics.
• a method for accessing and browsing the World Wide Web (WWW) on the Internet comprising steps of (a) booting a computerized set top box from an execute-in-place (XIP) BIOS in a non-volatile memory, the set top box having a CPU, a modem connected to a telephone line, and a video graphics circuit driving a display monitor; (b) executing a managing application also XIP in the non-volatile memory, providing thereby Internet access through the modem and displaying a browser interface on the display monitor, the access software and the browser software also XIP in the non- volatile memory; and (c) jumping to Web sites from the browser interface.
• XIP execute-in-place
• a method for providing World Wide Web access to user's while maximizing ease of use comprising steps of (a) coding a non-volatile memory with a basic input output system (BIOS) code set, an operating system, a Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) code set, an embedded Web Browser application, and a top managing application; (b) connecting the nonvolatile memory to a CPU in a computerized set top box having the CPU, a video graphics circuit with an output driving a display monitor, and an Internet access link; and (c) booting the computerized set top box from the BIOS code in the non-volatile memory directly into the top managing application, which establishes Internet access via the Internet access link, and provides a Browser Interface on the display monitor.
• BIOS basic input output system
• TCP/IP Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
• a method for a CD-ROM subscription service comprising steps of (a) soliciting subscribers having a set top box connected to a display monitor including a CD-ROM drive; (b) ascertaining interest categories of individual groups of subscribers; (c) perusing Internet Web sites for sites fitting the interest categories of the individual groups of subscribers; (d) coding the URLs of the Web sites of interest to the individual groups of subscribers on CD-ROM disks in a manner that, upon the disks being read in the CD-ROM drives, the URLs are displayed on the; and (e) providing the CD-ROM disks to the subscribers.
• the system of the present invention in all its various aspects and embodiments provides a unique and easy-to-use facility, especially for those persons not experienced in computer set-up and operation, to access many forms of data input for information and entertainment, and to display the result in a manner familiar to such persons, while providing also for control of the system in a manner also familiar to such users. Details of the invention are provided in disclosure below, and the invention in various aspects is defined in the claims following the detailed descriptions.
• Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a set-top box according to a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.
• Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical illustration of a Flash ROM according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as is used in the set top box of Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a representation of a top-level interactive interface provided in one embodiment ofthe present invention.
• Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a set-top box 1 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• a decoder/tuner 13 receives signals from a variety of sources, such as satellite link 15, a cable TV line 17, and a VCR input 16.
• An 80486 CPU 19 provides management and computing ability, and is connected to decoder/tuner 13 by link 21.
• Decoder/tuner 13 besides accepting and decoding satellite signals on link 15, Cable TV signals on line 17, and VCR video signals on line 16 also is connected in this embodiment to a reader 23 for Smart Cards. Smart Cards inserted in reader 23 are read and decoded by decoder/tuner 13, which in turn provides data from the Smart Cards to CPU 19.
• the purpose and functions of optional Smart Card access to the set top box is described more fully below.
• MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group
• MPEG is an industry standard protocol for video data, and is well known in the art.
• MPEG decoder 25 is connected directly to CPU 19 by link 27 and to decoder/tuner 13 by digital link 29.
• MPEG decoder 25 has an output line 31 to a video graphics adapter (VGA) chip or chip set 33, including video ram (VRAM).
• VGA chip set is adapted for driving a TV screen or a computer display screen via conventional circuitry.
• Output 20 provides TV format in any of PAL, SECAM, or NTSC formats, and may, in other embodiments provide other protocols as well.
• Output 22 provides well-known VGA output to drive a computer display monitor. In other embodiments ofthe invention other sorts of video circuitry might be used.
• For analog TV an analog antenna input 28 is provided, and a direct analog line 24 goes to the video graphics circuitry.
• An analog telephone modem 35 connects to a telephone line 37 and to CPU 19, providing communication with a remote location for pay- TV transactions and diagnostic and downloading services.
• An optional ISDN interface 39 in this embodiment connects to an optical digital data cable 41 and to CPU 19 for digital telephone communication, which may be used instead of or in addition to analog modem 35.
• CD-ROM compact-Disk Read-Only Memory
• the CD-ROM is a particularly important feature in some aspects of the present invention, and MPEG formatted video data from the CD-ROM can be provided to MPEG decoder 25 for presentation on a connected TV or display monitor.
• Flash ROM 47 flash read-only memory 47
• IBIOS Internet BIOS
• DRAM dynamic RAM
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical illustration of a 1 megabyte Flash ROM 47 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• Flash ROM 47 in this embodiment comprises embedded applications for all of the functionality required for set top box 1 1 , and is connected to a 1 megabyte scratch DRAM 49.
• Code is execute-in-place (XIP) rather than loaded into RAM and then executed, so DRAM 49 is kept to a minimum.
• the purpose of DRAM 49 is temporary variable storage during execution of XIP applications.
• Flash ROM 47 in the embodiment of Fig. 2 has six embedded XIP applications. In other embodiments there could be more or fewer such applications.
• a BIOS 51 of about 64 kilobytes provides Power On Self Test (POST) and other preliminary BIOS functions, and boots into a Top Application 61, which provides a user interface to be described more fully below.
• POST Power On Self Test
• An embedded ROM DOS 53 provides DOS functions for system operation. Such embedded DOS-compatible applications are commercially available, such as ROM-DOSTM 6 by Datalight Inco ⁇ orated. The DATALIGHT ROM-DOS occupies about 73 kilobytes.
• a interactive Graphical User Interface (GUI) 55 provides screen graphics and multitasking capability. GUI 55 occupies about 128 kilobytes.
• a commercially available Windows-like system such as WinLightTM available from Datalight Inco ⁇ orated is one option for the GUI.
• the ROM DOS and the GUI comprise an operating system (OS).
• OS operating system
• Top Application 61 has access to a TCP/IP interface program 57 for Internet communication.
• the TCP/IP interface is also embedded and XIP, and program 57 occupies about 64 kilobytes.
• a browser 59 is provided embedded and XIP for Internet browsing operations with access to the TCP/IP interface software.
• Optional Smart Card reader 23 described above and connected to decoder/tuner 13 provides an optional user input port for data and encryption keys for enabling functions and decoding for such as pay channels.
• Data and entertainment providers may make their products available by any ofthe several data stream inputs described above, such as satellite direct TV, cable TV, CD-ROM, or even ISDN link, and provide smart cards to clients with decryption keys so a user may enable the purchased product.
• keys and other security features may be provided in other ways.
• a user will subscribe to a periodic CD-ROM service for a small fee per period, such as monthly.
• the CD delivered each month will provide a broad range of functions and products in alternative embodiments.
• a CD-ROM may provide an updated index of Internet sites with Universal Resource Locators (URLs), an index of pay entertainment events available on one or more of the several data stream inputs in the coming month, along with access keys, and may also have one or more MPEG video selections on the disk.
• URLs Universal Resource Locators
• the CD-ROM service will do at least some browsing for the subscriber, and will present the result as selectable URLs to which the system may jump on command.
• the CD-ROM service will be the primary, and perhaps the sole data input stream. In this embodiment there will be no decoder/tuner 13, and no inputs for cable TV, satellite TV or Smart Cards.
• the user interface comprises an infra-red remote control box 63, of the type of the familiar remote control boxes commonly used for sending user commands to such as TVs, video cassette players, and the like.
• an infra-red receiver/decoder 65 connected to CPU 19 for receiving infra-red coded signals from remote controller 63.
• Remote control box 63 in this embodiment comprises, at a minimum, a four- way pushbutton 67 for cursor control, and one or more buttons 69 for interactive selection.
• Fig. 3 is an idealized representation of a top-level interactive display 71 provided on a display monitor screen 73 by execution of Top Application 61 (Fig. 2).
• Screen 73 may be the screen of a television connected to set top box 1 1 at the TV output from VGA circuitry 33, or other video monitor, such as a computer monitor. It will be apparent to those with skill in the art that there are many sorts of display monitors that might be used, including flat screens and large, tiled displays. In some cases driving hardware may be added at the video output to drive newly- developed display devices.
• Interactive display 71 is similar in layout to preview screens such as provided by conventional satellite TV services, and already familiar to many users, but has considerably increased functionality.
• the display is provided, as indicated above, by execution of Top Application 61, which remains active in the background at all times the set top box of the invention is in use.
• a user operates the system in this embodiment by using four-way pushbutton 67 (Fig. 1) to move a cursor 75 over the area of interactive display 71.
• an activation key such as one ofthe buttons 69 on remote control box 63
• the user can signal the system to initiate a display based on one or another of the input data streams.
• cursor control and selection may be by a pointer device connected to CPU 19, or by input from a keyboard connected to CPU 19. It will be apparent to those with skill in the art that there are a variety of cursor control and selection alternatives known in the art, and any one or mqre of such alternatives may be inco ⁇ orated in alternative embodiments of the present invention.
• the use of an infra-red remote is compatible with the object of providing Internet Access and browsing to users not particularly computer-friendly.
• a top line 77 provides selectability among the several data input streams that may be made available.
• selectors 79, 80, 81, and 83 in top line 77 in the embodiment shown for allowing a user to select cable TV, VCR input, CD-ROM, or Satellite TV, respectively.
• the body of display 71 below top line 77 is devoted to a channel vs. time matrix of program selections based on whichever data input stream is currently active, at least for those input data streams, like cable or satellite TV that have channels and time-based programming.
• input data streams like cable or satellite TV that have channels and time-based programming.
• the display is arranged differently.
• the body of the display will provide channel numbers 93 vs time, with time indicated across the top of the body of the display on line 95.
• individual programs being broadcast by channel and time are displayed.
• the time spread is necessarily limited to about three hours left-to-right, but may be panned in a manner described below.
• a user may use a scroll bar 97 or similar device to scroll the channel selections.
• a date field 85 is provided in top line 77, which, when the top application is first accessed, displays the current date by default.
• a user may use selectors 87 and 89 to move ahead in time or back to the current date. As the user moves ahead in time, the hourly time spread on line 95 changes, and when the next date is reached, the date indication 85 changes.
• a user may move the cursor to any program selection provided by any one of the input data streams and select the program, whereupon the system will initiate that program, such as by jumping to the particular cable TV or satellite channel selected. If the user selects a video, the video will immediately begin to play, but there will also be controls on the remote for stopping and restarting, moving ahead or back in the video timeline. In all cases there will remain on the display, provided by the top application, an active area that a user may select to return to the display of Fig. 3.
• VCR control a familiar interface for high-level VCR programming is displayed, as is known in the art, and a user may use the cursor controls and selection keys to program a connected VCR.
• an interactive icon is displayed as well that allows a user to call up a control panel for stopping, starting, fast forward, slow motion, and the like, which sorts of control are well known in the art.
• known Pix-in-Pix and opaque overlays are provided, wherein a user may have dispay from more than one input data stream acitvated simultaneously. For example, one could have a program from cable TV in a window on a TV screen smaller than the principle display, and a video from a CD-ROM on the principle display.
• the facilities for such overlays and mixed displays are well- known in the art, and controls may be either of dedicated buttons on the remote or selecatable on-screen icons and the like.
• Selector 91 labeled Browse, activates Internet Access and Browse function in an embodiment of the present invention. If a user selects Browse, the Top Application establishes Internet Access via modem 35 or ISDN link 41 (if available), and present a browser interface, as is known in the art. From this point, operation can be as is known in searching the WWW or jumping directly to known destinations. In this embodiment of the invention, Universal Resource Locators (URLs) are transparent to the user, and provided in a manner described more fully below.
• URLs Universal Resource Locators
• a user will insert a CD-ROM disk, which may come in the surface mail once a month, or at some other period of time or in another sort of delivery service, and the system will present on display 71, assuming of course that selector 83 is activated, those MPEG selections coded on the CD-ROM.
• selector 83 is activated, those MPEG selections coded on the CD-ROM.
• considerable further functions are provided by the CD-ROM subscription service.
• user's indicate information and entertainment preferences at the time of subscription, which may be updated periodically.
• a user may, as a simple example, indicate an interest in American History and in Spy Thriller movies.
• the CD-ROM for that person will then be customized by tagging all new information available in the particular data streams to which that user is connected that are in the area of interest.
• the top application uses the tags to highlight the listing of the tagged programs and destinations in the matrix of selections provided on the interactive interface. Listings in the matrix may be underlined. boxed, enhanced by color, enhanced in brightness in the display, or highlighted in some other manner.
• preferences may be entered in a subscription for different family members, and as indicated, the preferences can be canceled or updated periodically.
• the multiple member subscriptions there will be either or both of a facility for a family member to identify himself/herself, or highlighting will be distinguished by family member.
• the top application is capable of providing a presentation to the subscriber when first activated, listing abstracts and even previews of tagged interest items.
• the matrix display of the top application is not provided as a channel/time matrix, as for TV channels, but on an alternative matrix, such as listed by type.
• WWW destination types can be indexed in many ways, such as by commercial destinations, information type (genealogy/history/politics/etc. ), magazines, newspapers, and so on. Items may be highlighted by subscription interest as well, and, in some embodiments, new "hot" destinations will be highlighted. A user may, in addition, select preprogrammed tours of hot WWW destinations.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Software Systems (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Computer Graphics (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=24379746

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (44)

Citations (3)

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• 1997
  • 1997-01-31 WO PCT/US1997/001554 patent/WO1997028499A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-01-31 JP JP9527837A patent/JP2000504134A/ja active Pending
  • 1997-01-31 CN CN97192022A patent/CN1232562A/zh active Pending
  • 1997-01-31 EP EP97904131A patent/EP0877980A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (8)

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