Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/68—Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information
  • H04H60/72—Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using electronic programme guides [EPG]
• • 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
  • H04N21/262—Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists
  • H04N21/26283—Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• • 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
  • H04N21/435—Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• • 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
  • H04N21/472—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content
• • 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
  • H04N21/64—Addressing
  • H04N21/6408—Unicasting
• • 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]
  • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
  • H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
  • H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
  • H04N7/162—Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
  • H04N7/165—Centralised control of user terminal ; Registering at central
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
  • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
  • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
  • H04N7/17318—Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H20/00—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast
  • H04H20/16—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H20/00—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast
  • H04H20/28—Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
  • H04H20/33—Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information by plural channels
  • H04H20/34—Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information by plural channels using an out-of-band subcarrier signal
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H2201/00—Aspects of broadcast communication
  • H04H2201/30—Aspects of broadcast communication characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
  • H04H2201/37—Aspects of broadcast communication characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data via a different channel
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H2201/00—Aspects of broadcast communication
  • H04H2201/40—Aspects of broadcast communication characterised in that additional data relating to the broadcast data are available via a different channel than the broadcast channel
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H2201/00—Aspects of broadcast communication
  • H04H2201/70—Aspects of broadcast communication characterised in that receivers can be addressed

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of distributing television programming information. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing an interactive program guide in which program information is processed centrally by a service provider and is downloaded directly to viewer's screens thereby eliminating the need for extensive and expensive memory at the viewer's location.
• the programming information is included in the television signal transmitted over the cable and is stored in memory associated with the viewer's television where it can be retrieved and displayed.
• the display utilizes the entire television screen.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,751,578 to Reiter et al . discloses a similar system for providing programming information.
• the display taught by Reiter et al . can utilize the entire screen or can be an overlay on, or window in, the televised programming being received.
• Programming information is stored in a local RAM and is updated by information encoded in the television signal, provided over a telephone link, or recorded on magnetic cards or floppy disks.
• a similar electronic programming guide is also taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,706,121 to Young (incorporated herein by reference) .
• the Young system stores electronic programming information in a memory at the viewer's location, and can be used to program a connected VCR to record the listed programs without the viewer transferring and re-entering the program information to the VCR.
• the present invention may be embodied and described as a system for disseminating electronic program guide information which includes an electronic program information database 5
• a network service provider maintained by a network service provider; and a headend processor which accesses the database, sorts and compiles information from the database, and transmits the information to a set-top terminal which displays the information on a television.
• the set-top terminal does not store in memory all the information from the database.
• the set-top terminal comprises a transmitter for transmitting a request to the headend processor for information from the database which meets pre-determined criteria.
• the headend processor receives the request, compiles a response to the request from the information in the database, and broadcasts the response to the set-top terminal with a designation of set-top terminal which made the request.
• This designation distinguishes the set-top terminal which made the request from other set-top terminals to which the response is also broadcast.
• the set-top terminal which originated the request can then identify the response and display the program guide information meeting the request criteria, e.g. sporting events for the next three hours .
• the headend processor may sort the information in the database according to categories and arrange the categories in a hierarchy. The headend processor then transmits the hierarchy of categorically 6
• the data streams include a directory signal which provides the set-top terminals with a directory of the hierarchy of categorically sorted information.
• the set-top terminals then extract information from the data streams using the directory signal in response to user inputs indicating desired information.
• the present invention also encompasses a method for disseminating electronic program guide information by transmitting program information to set-top terminals of subscribers for direct display on a television set, with the transmitting being performed by a headend processor which has sorted and compiled the information from an electronic program information database maintained by a network service provider.
• the method of the present invention may also include transmitting, with one of the set-top terminals, a request to the headend processor for information from the database which meets pre-determined criteria.
• the transmission includes in the request a designation of the set-top terminal making the request.
• the following steps are executed by the headend processor: receiving the request; compiling a response to the request consisting of information from the database matching the predetermined criteria; and broadcasting the response to the set-top terminals with a designation of the set-top terminal which made the request . 7
• the set -top terminal making the request then executes the following steps: identifying the response by recognizing the designation; extracting said response; and displaying said response on a television screen.
• the method of the present invention may provide programming information by sorting, with the headend processor, the information in the database according to category and arranging the categories in a hierarchy; transmitting the hierarchy of categorically sorted information as data streams in an out-of-band channel; and providing with the data streams a directory signal which provides the set-top terminals with a directory of the hierarchy of categorically sorted information.
• the set-top terminals then execute the steps of extracting information from the data streams using the directory signal in response to user inputs indicating desired information.
• Fig. 1 is a diagram of a system according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of a first embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing steps of a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• the basic components of a system according to the present invention are a television set 102 which is connected to a set-top terminal 101.
• the functions of the set-top terminal could be incorporated into the television set 102 during manufacture without effect on the principles of the present invention.
• the set-top terminal 101 in the illustrated example is connected via a cable network to a cable television service provider.
• the set-top terminal 101 is connected to a central headend processor 103 maintained by the service provider.
• the processor 103 has access to a program information database 104 which is constantly updated with the latest television programming information.
• program information database 104 which is constantly updated with the latest television programming information.
• all the many subscribers to the network of the service provider will have individual television sets and set-top terminals. All of which will be connected to the headend processor 103. While illustrated using a cable television network, it will be appreciated that the present invention could also be practiced with a satellite or conventional broadcast television network.
• the present invention takes advantage of the higher band-width television networks, particularly cable 9
• the electronic database of program information 104 is stored at a headend facility, i.e. the service provider or cable television company, and is not stored locally at each subscriber's television set 102.
• the information in the headend database 104 is processed by the headend processor 103 and is compiled and transmitted over the television network to subscriber's television sets 102 for display. Accordingly, there is no need for the entire database 104 to be transmitted and stored locally at each subscriber's set-top terminal 101.
• the headend processor 103 may provide program information in various formats and on various bases. For example, the processor 103 may provide the programming information on a broadcast carousel that continuously runs through the listing of available programs with the user being able to interactively switch to any of the listed programs by indicating a selection on the programming guide .
• a set-top terminal 101 or television component receiving the information need have only minimal processing and memory capabilities.
• a central server acts as the headend processor 103 making it easier to update or correct the program information database 104. Therefore, the integrity of the database is enhanced. 10
• the headend processor may provide a hierarchy of data streams each matching a particular category of programming information which can be accessed by subscribers.
• the program information database is compiled 201. Then the database is sorted according to programming category 202. Categories of programming may include, for example, the next four hours of all programs available, all sporting events being televised on the current day, all adventure, movies being shown this evening .
• the program guide database 104 includes, for example, the program title, broadcast time and channel for each program available.
• the categorization or segmentation of the data is important in that it determines the minimum granularity of the database 104.
• the server operator creates the appropriate database segmentation rules to guide the server's operation.
• the operator will also support the sorting of the database by creating sort categories and hierarchies.
• the headend processor 103 will then create separate lists of the programs available in each particular category during a specified time period 202. These categorical listings are then arranged into the sort hierarchy 203, e.g. adventure movies and romance movies fall under a single hierarchical category of "movies.”
• the network operator will then direct the server to partition the database components into various streams 11
• the subscribers using their personal equipment can then access the stream of data containing the programming information desired by the subscriber directly from the headend server 103.
• the headend processor 103 will also include a directory signal component that will support the set-top terminals 101 in accessing the database components in the hierarchy of broadcast data steams 204.
• a directory signal component that will support the set-top terminals 101 in accessing the database components in the hierarchy of broadcast data steams 204.
• an out-of-band communication channel may be used to broadcast the directory information to all set-top terminals 205.
• the ability to include the short-term database files with the directory information in the broadcast stream provides a more flexible application environment.
• the server and network operator may also provide an access control system that allows access to various segments of the database to be sold to subscribers.
• the set top terminal 101 includes the necessary hardware and software to receive the directory information detailing the database segmentation and hierarchy 206 and to use that directory information to navigate through the hierarchy of database segments in the data streams as directed by a subscriber 207.
• the set-top terminal 101 then displays the selected program information for the subscriber 208.
• the set-top terminal 101 includes a transmitter which transmits the request to the server of the headend processor 103 over the television network 302.
• the headend processor 103 then receives the request 303 and sorts and compiles the information requested by the subscriber 304, 305.
• the response to the request is provided with a code that will be recognized by the requesting subscriber's set-top terminal 101.
• the response is then broadcast over the out-of-band program guide information channel 306. Requests are fulfilled as received.
• the requesting subscriber's set-top terminal 101 monitors the out-of-band information channel after transmitting the request for information 307 and identifies the response to its request from the data being transmitted over the out-of-band information channel 308.
• the set-top terminal 101 then retrieves the response for display to the subscriber. In this manner, subscribers can request individually desired searches which may be more varied and detailed than can be provided under the hierarchical system described above .

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

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Family Cites Families (3)

• 1999
  • 1999-04-27 CA CA002331092A patent/CA2331092A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-04-27 CN CNB998082023A patent/CN1178506C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-04-27 AU AU37635/99A patent/AU766265B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-04-27 EP EP99920052A patent/EP1078527A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-04-27 JP JP2000547783A patent/JP2002514864A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-04-27 WO PCT/US1999/009057 patent/WO1999057904A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-04-27 BR BR9910183-1A patent/BR9910183A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-11-16 TW TW089124292A patent/TW492252B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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