EP1336301A2

EP1336301A2 - Dvb-si sensitive web agent

Info

Publication number: EP1336301A2
Application number: EP01947746A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ivan Johansson
Original assignee: Nokia Oyj; Nokia Inc
Current assignee: Nokia Oyj; Nokia Inc
Priority date: 2000-11-14
Filing date: 2001-07-19
Publication date: 2003-08-20
Also published as: AU2001269386A1; WO2002041542A3; WO2002041542A2

Abstract

A digital television system includes service provider equipment for transmitting a digital television broadcast, a set-top box for decoding the digital television broadcast and displaying the decoded broadcast on an analog television. A processor arranged in the set-top box or the user equipment includes an agent or program for receiving information transmitted with the digital television broadcast, searching the wide-area network for links based on the information, and displaying the list of links in response to a user input.

Description

DVB-SI SENSITIVE WEB AGENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processor having a web agent which searches the web for links based on information transmitted with a digital television broadcast.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many countries, including the United States, are in the process of switching television broadcasting systems from analog broadcasting system to a Digital Television (DTV) broadcasting systems in which television programs are broadcast using digital signals.

Where DTV broadcasting has already been implemented

(e.g., Europe and selected U.S. locations), set-top boxes enable analog televisions to receive and decode digital television (DTV) broadcasts. The set-top boxes include one or more microprocessors for running the operating system required for translating the digital signal to an analog signal and for providing ancillary functions for the convenience of the user. The provider or transmitter of the DTV broadcast may also transmit further information with the DTV broadcast which includes details for automatic configuration of the set- top box for receiving the program. In addition to the details for automatic configuration, the information may also include information about the broadcast itself for the user's benefit. The information may be defined by a standard such as the Service Information (SI) defined in European Telecommunication Standard 300 468, "Digital Video Broadcasting; Specification for Service Information (SI) in DVB Systems". Alternatively, the information may be transmitted using techniques developed by the Advanced TV Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) .

Other types of set-top boxes comprise an internet connection thereby allowing a user to access the internet and display the internet pages on their television sets. These internet connected set-top boxes enable a television set to become a user interface to the internet .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an agent for a digital television system for searching a network and providing a list of links in the network that include topical information related to a currently selected digital television broadcast.

The object according to the present invention is met by a processor which uses information transmitted with a digital television (DTV) broadcast to search a network for links (e.g., web addresses or Universal Resource Locators (URLs) ) to documents including topical information related to the subject matter of the DTV broadcast . The search may be conducted using any known search engine such as, for example, those currently offered by lycos, yahoo, and webcrawler. Furthermore, the search engine conducts the search using at least a portion of the information transmitted with the DTV broadcast which may comprise, for example, the subject matter of the broadcast, the title of the broadcast, and/or keywords related to the broadcast. The processor then compiles a list of the links found by the search and displays the list to the user upon request and/or automatically . A digital television system comprises service provider equipment including a transmitter for transmitting the DTV broadcast, a set-top box arranged for receiving and decoding a digital video broadcast transmitted by the service provider equipment, a display device such as a television or a monitor, and a user input device. The function of the set-top box may alternatively be incorporated into the display device. According to the present invention, the system further includes a processor in either the set top box or the DTV service provider equipment, the processor being connectable to a wide-area network (i.e., the internet) via any known network connection for accessing the wide- area network. The processor further comprises an agent or program for searching the network for links to references containing topics related to the DTV broadcast currently being viewed. The agent determines the search terms from descriptor fields of information transmitted with the DTV broadcast . The descriptor fields may include a description of the subject matter of the broadcast, the title of the broadcast, internet addresses, or a list of keywords or search terms specifically included in the information to be used by the agent to conduct the search. Furthermore, the format of the information may be defined by a standard such as Service Information (SI) defined in European Telecommunication Standard 300 468, "Digital Video Broadcasting; Specification for Service Information (SI) in DVB Systems" . Furthermore, the information may be transmitted using techniques developed by the Advanced

TV Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) (see www.atvef.com).

In a further embodiment, the processor with the agent may be arranged in a computer arranged between the set-top box and the television. Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views :

Fig. 1 discloses a digital television system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 discloses a digital television system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 discloses a digital television system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Fig. 1 shows a digital television system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a set-top box (STB) 110 including a processor 160 for receiving and decoding a digital television (DTV) broadcast transmitted by provider equipment 100 and a display 120 connected to the STB 110. The connection between the provider equipment 100 and the STB may comprise any wired or wireless connection including, for example, an antenna connection, a cable connection, or a satellite connection. In this embodiment, the display 120 comprises a television. The display 120 receives the decoded DTV broadcast from the STB 110 and displays it. A user input 130 is connected to the STB 110 for channel selection and for setting up the STB 110 to the user's preferred settings. The connection between the STB 110 and the user input 130 may comprise a wired connection or a wireless connection. The provider equipment 100 also transmits information along with the DTV broadcast which includes DTV broadcast data used by the STB 110 for automatic configuration of the STB 110 for receiving the DTV broadcast information. The information further includes descriptor fields including descriptions, text messages, or other data intended to provide information to the user about the broadcast. The descriptor fields are not intended to control operation of the STB 110. The descriptor fields may include the title of the broadcast, the subject of the broadcast, keywords related to the subject matter of the broadcast, and or internet addresses. The information transmitted with the DTV broadcast may be defined by a standard such as the Service Information (SI) defined in European Telecommunication Standard 300 468, "Digital Video Broadcasting; Specification for Service Information (SI) in DVB Systems" . Furthermore, the information may be transmitted using techniques developed by the Advanced TV Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) (see www.atvef.com).

According to the present invention, the processor 160 of the STB 110 is connectable to a wide- area network 140 such as the internet. The processor 160 comprises an agent or program for searching for links to network documents containing topical information based on the descriptor fields in the information transmitted with the DTV broadcast . In the specification and in the claims, the term "link" is a reference to another document and more specifically comprises an internet web address or Universal Resource Location (URL) of that document. Once a specific DTV broadcast is selected by the user (e.g., once the user decides which channel to watch) , the processor 160 searches the network 140 for links related to the selected DTV broadcast and compiles a list of such links. The search may be conducted using any known search engine such as, for example, those currently offered by lycos, yahoo, and webcrawler and uses the contents of the descriptor fields as search terms. Instead of immediately starting the search when the broadcast is selected, the processor 160 may wait for a minimal time period (i.e., for example, one minute) after selection of the broadcast before searching. The use of the minimal time period prevents the processor 160 from continuously beginning searches when a user is "channel surfing" (e.g., changing the channels repeatedly after short periods of time in an effort to locate a channel broadcasting a program of interest) . Furthermore, the processor may alternatively wait for a "search" command from the user input 130 before starting the search instead of performing an automatic search. The user or the manufacturer of the processor 160 may select which of these options is the default option.

When a user is watching a broadcast on the display 120, the interest of the user in the topic of the broadcast or topics related thereto is piqued. The list of links found during the search by the processor 160 may be displayed to the user on the display 120 during viewing of the broadcast upon request via the user input 130. Alternatively, the list of links may be stored in a memory device in the STB 110.

For example, if a user is watching a football game, the user may be interested in team statistics or other information about the team or the team's league. As the user is watching the game, the agent of the processor 160 uses the descriptor fields in the information transmitted with the DTV broadcast to search for links to information available about the game using a search engine, and compiles a list of links for the user. If the descriptor fields include the name of the teams playing the game, the links may comprise the home pages of the teams playing the game. The search terms may also include the name of the league which the teams are part of and the name of the sport being played. Using such terms, the agent of the processor 160 may also find links to documents comprising information such as, for example, the positions of the teams in the league, scores of games previously played in the same league as the game being played, information about football in general such as the rules for football, and other links related to the items in the descriptor fields. The user may display the list of links on the display 120 by inputting a request via the user input 130. When the list is displayed, the user may select any one of the links on the list to obtain the further information.

As evidenced by the above example, the content of the descriptor fields in the information transmitted with the DTV broadcast determines which links are found. The descriptor fields may include keywords which are specifically included in the descriptor fields by the provider to be used for the purpose of searching for links. The information transmitted by the provider with the DTV broadcast must have a defined structure so that the processor 160 can retrieve the descriptor fields for use in performing the search. Of course, the provider may also include a list of links in the information transmitted with the DTV broadcast .

After the search is performed and the list of links is compiled, the user may request the list via the user equipment 130. Once the list is requested by the user, the STB 110 may display the list over the broadcast on the display 120 so that the broadcast is no longer viewable. Alternatively, the list may be displayed in a portion of the screen of the display 120 so that the game may be viewable while the user peruses the list. Furthermore, the STB ilO may act as a switch for switching between a display of the DVB and a display of the list or the currently selected link in response to commands from the user input 130.

Instead of being arranged in the STB 110, a processor 160 comprising the agent for searching a network may alternatively be arranged at the provider equipment 100, as shown in Fig. 2. This embodiment may be used if the STB 110 is not connectable to a network and is only configured for receiving DTV broadcasts.

In yet a further embodiment shown in Fig . 3 , a computer 150 having a central processing unit (CPU) is connected between the STB 110 and the display 120. In this embodiment, the display 120 may comprise a monitor.

The computer 150 may be arranged as a central controller for many household electronic devices such as, for example, an audio system and an alarm system. In this embodiment, the user input 130 is connected to the computer 150 and may comprise a conventional computer input such as a keyboard or a mouse. Alternatively, the user input 130 may comprise a control device specifically designed for controlling the functions of an STB 110. The connections between the STB 110, the computer 150, and the display 120 may be wired or wireless. The computer 150 comprises, among other things, a means for performing the functions of the processor 160 according to the present invention for compiling the list of links related to the topic of the current broadcast being viewed. The processor 160 may comprise an integral part of the central processing unit of the computer 150 or it may be an additional processor dedicated to the DTV system 10. Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A system for identifying links in a wide- area network related to a digital television broadcast, comprising a processor operatively arranged for receiving information transmitted with the digital television broadcast, the .information comprising descriptor fields containing terms related to the broadcast, wherein said processor is further operatively arranged for searching the wide-area network for topical links based on the information and for compiling a list of the topical links.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information transmitted with the digital television broadcast comprises service information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the information transmitted with the digital television broadcast comprises information transmitted in Advanced TV Enhancement Forum techniques.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is operatively arranged for searching the wide-area network using a search engine.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the terms in the descriptor field of the information transmitted with digital television broadcast comprise at least one of a title of the broadcast, a subject of the broadcast, and keywords related to the broadcast .

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is operatively arranged for searching the wide-area network for topical links based on the information after a time limit has elapsed following user selection of the digital television broadcast.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged in a set-top box of a digital television system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged in service provider equipment of a digital television system.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer connected between a set-top box and a display of the digital television system, wherein said processor is arranged in said computer.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for displaying the list of links to the user.

11. A process for identifying links in a wide-area network related to a digital television broadcast, comprising the steps of: receiving information transmitted with the digital television broadcast, the information including descriptor fields including terms related to the digital television broadcast; searching the wide-area network for topical links based on the terms in the descriptor fields of the information; and compiling a list of the topical links.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein said step of receiving comprises receiving service information transmitted with the digital television broadcast .

13. The process of claim 11, wherein said step of receiving comprises receiving information transmitted with the digital television broadcast in Advanced TV Enhancement Forum techniques .

14. The process of claim 11, wherein said step of searching comprises searching the wide-area network using a search engine.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the information transmitted with digital television broadcast comprises at least one of a title of the broadcast and a subject of the broadcast.

16. The process of claim 11, wherein said step of searching comprises searching the wide-area network for links based on the information after a time limit has elapsed after a selection of the digital television broadcast.

17. The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of inputting the terms into the descriptor fields by a provider of the digital television broadcast before said step of receiving.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying the list of topical links in response to a user input after said step of compiling.

19. A digital television system, comprising: a service provider equipment for transmitting digital television broadcasts; a set-top box for receiving and decoding the digital television broadcasts; a display for displaying the decoded digital television broadcasts; a user input for selecting a channel of the digital television broadcasts to be displayed; and a processor connectable to a wide-area network and operatively arranged for receiving information transmitted with the digital television broadcast, the information including descriptor fields containing terms related to the broadcast, wherein said processor is further operatively arranged for searching the wide-area network for topical links based on the information, for compiling a list of the topical links.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is arranged in said set-top box.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is arranged in said service provider equipment .

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a computer arranged between said set-top box and said display, wherein said processor is arranged in said computer.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for displaying the list of links on said display in response to said user input.