Classifications

• • 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
• • 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
  • 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
  • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
  • H04N21/4126—The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
  • H04N21/41265—The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device
• • 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
  • H04N21/431—Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• • 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
  • H04N21/433—Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
  • H04N21/4334—Recording operations
• • 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
  • H04N21/47202—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 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• • 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 programme selection
• • 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 
  • H04N21/65—Transmission of management data between client and server
  • H04N21/658—Transmission by the client directed to the server
  • H04N21/6581—Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• • 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
  • H04N2007/1739—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• • 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
  • H04N21/47214—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 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a procedure and a system for interception and reproduction of electronic information such as registration of portions of broadcasted radio or television programs according to instruction from a system user, and reproduction of the information in question to a predetermined addressee.
• a procedure and a system for selective registration of episodes from information transmitted electronically by different providers in a way that is very simple for the user is indicated.
• the registered information may then be delivered to the user for re-reception and/or filing.
• the system is arranged in such a way that transmitted information is retrieved from certain predetermined transmission channels in a database from a certain identification pattern, that the user of the system possesses a device which may be manoeuvred to register an identification for the program respective portion of program that the user wishes to register, and which device is arranged to communicate the identification on question to the registered database, which in turn delivers the registration covering the indicated program, respective portion of program.
• Fig. 1 shows a block diagram for the system according to the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a manoeuvring device that is a portion of the system.
• the block diagram in fig. 1 shows the system according to the invention. It may be divided into to main structures, on one hand a structure that the user units that are connected to the system are in, and commonly designated with 1.
• the other main structure is the one in which the system operator is present, and it is designated with 2.
• the user structure comprises two system components, a manoeuvring device 3, see also fig. 3, and a modem 4 or the equivalent.
• the manoeuvring device 3 is shown in three user positions, which are indicated 5, 6, 7.
• the user structure in the user units comprises receiving equipment of a generally known kind, that does not have to be special components in the system.
• fig. 1 shows a TV receiver 10, a radio receiver 11 , a recording device 12 of some kind, for example a video tape recorder or registering DVD player, a computer 13 and a program folder and also a telephone 15 to which the modem 4 is connected or, alternatively, some other communication equipment for establishing connection with said system operator.
• the stated equipment is only mentioned as an example, and may be less as well as more extensive.
• the operator structure 2 comprises the database as a component, which is designated with 20 and which comprises establishment for registration of transmitted information.
• the structure comprises information distributors in the form of units 21 which transmit information in such a way that it may be received by the database 20 as well as by the receivers that belong to the user structure: the TV receiver 10, the radio receiver 11 and the computer 13. It is then assumed that the transmitted information not has to be selectively directed towards any predetermined receiver, but may be intercepted by a larger circle.
• the units 21 are indicated in the figures as a ground transmitter for radio waves, but may just as well be a satellite transmitter or a transmitter for cable reception at the user, and also sources for data communication such as the Internet.
• the data base 20 is arranged to intercept a larger or a smaller number of the information channels which are generated from the transmitter units 21.
• the system operator is assumed to account for the running of the data base, while the units 21 may be run by separate operators within the radio/TV, cable and internet structures which may be called channel operators.
• the communication is shown, which shall be two-way communication, using the telephone system as in the embodiment example.
• the specific communication that shall take place between the data base and respective user structures shall run via the modem 4, which here is shown connected to the telephone 15, which in turn is connected to the communication channel 24.
• the communication may just as well be wireless and may be completely disconnected from the telephone system.
• the modem 4 is on the other hand shown further connected to the recording device 12 with a communication line 25. This communication may be effected via cable or in some other way, for example with a short-distance radio connection.
• the computer 13 may also be connected in a similar way, which is indicated with the communication line 26.
• the manoeuvring device 3 has a cover 32 with a side on which a display window 33 is situated, and also a number of keys.
• the keys are divided into two main keys 34, "numbers", and 35, "clock”. There is also a numerical key set 35.
• Further keys may be arranged for special functions or as a keyboard with letter keys. Especially if there is a large number of keys, they may be situated on several of the sides of the manoeuvring device.
• the manoeuvring device 3 shall be arranged to activate communication with the data base 20.
• this communication is executed with the help of the modem 4, which on one hand is arranged to receive wireless signals, such as coded signals by means of infrared light, from the manoeuvring device, and on the other hand via a communication channel for forwarding to the data base, which is indicated in the figure via a telephone connection 24.
• the modem shall be supplied with a light-window for two-way communication with the manoeuvring device.
• the manoeuvring device and the modem have to be in such a position (see position 7) that the light-signal can be transmitted.
• An alternative is to let the transmission take place using radio waves thus making the placing of the two units in relation to each other more unrestricted.
• the manoeuvring device is made to act as a remote control for manoeuvring the TV receiver (see position 5) and other units within the structure 1.
• the equipment may then be arranged to interact with several control media, for example infrared light for manoeuvring of units such as the TV receiver and radio waves for contact with the data base via a modem. If the manoeuvring device is placed in a position for communication with the equipment such as the TV receiver, this also brings the advantage that it in the same moment can communicate with the modem. The effect thus gained will be described in more detail in the following.
• the purpose of the system is that the user will be able to access recordings registered according to a certain identification pattern from programs and portions of programs transmitted from different transmission channels, for retransmission via one's own reproduction device such as a TV or radio receiver, or for registration in order to keep the material at the user.
• Such retransmission and registration, respectively shall then be easy for the user to arrange with the help of the system, without the user having to handle any recording devices and not necessarily any own recording media which would need to be filed. This is achieved in the following manner using the described system device:
• the data base 20, may also be called the server, works by continuously storing transmissions from the units 21 , which have been predetermined to be included in the system. This storage may be performed by memories in the data base itself, but stored material may also be accessible by having the transmission unit 21 to store transmitted information itself, and keeps it available for access from the data base 20. The stored transmission material is kept for a certain predetermined amount of time, of the magnitude a couple of weeks.
• the server 20 then has to possess a considerable memory capacity, possibly in combination with the memory capacities of connected transmission units. It is then this server that shall be kept available for the user within his structure.
• the incentive for the user to access information from the server may be of different kinds:
• the user may establish that some information, such as a TV or radio program will be transmitted a certain time, while the user wishes to take part of it at another time, alternatively wants it stored for an uncertain, future use, or both, or that the incentive is an immediate observation of that some information is transmitted, of which the user wants to take part for closer investigation.
• the statement of the coming information can be acquired from published program schedules, which is illustrated by the publication 14, or by program schedules or information handed via for example TV or radio transmissions or using the computer 13, via the Internet.
• the user thus acquires information of when the information in question is transmitted, and can program data using the manoeuvring device for identification of said information in question, and also the reproduction time if such may be determined and if the transmission will be stored for future use, respectively.
• the programming may be simplified if respective information portion is provided with the show-view numbering used for TV programs. If the publication in question is supplied with bar-codes, the reading pen 38 may be used. Alternatively, at transmission of a program schedule, a code may be supplied in such a manner that it may be received directly into the manoeuvring device after its activation.
• the order of the indicated information is transmitted to the data base 20. This is then activated to, at the predetermined point of time, reproduce the stored information via the modem 4 via selected device, the TV receiver 10, the radio receiver 11 or the computer 13. If the order concerns a storage for an uncertain amount of time for a later reproduction one ore more times, the information in question is kept stored in the data base during a longer or shorter access time. If the user wishes an own storage of information, this may be ordered, and data for said information are then transmitted via the modem 4 to the recording device 12 for recording on a media adapted for it. Alternatively, the computer 13 may be used for storage in its operational memory or some computer storage media such as a floppy disc.
• the manoeuvring device is activated immediately when the user has discovered that the information is transmitted.
• the manoeuvring device which contains a clock registers the point of time for the activation, and at which channel the information is transmitted. The latter may be informed using the keys on the manoeuvring device when it has been activated.
• the length of time for the registration of the information is also stated, as a time before the registered point of time and a period thereafter, or by stating that one wants access to the complete program in which the indicated portion is included. Data for the order, including the registered point of time are then transmitted to the data base via the modem.
• Storage and reproduction are then executed as described before with regard to the time period of the information that has been indicated to be of interest.
• the indication of the current transmission channel for such momentary interception of data for a piece of information that will be made available can be made automatically if the receiver in question is arranged for transmission of a code indicating which transmission channel that it is activated for.
• a code may be supplied by the sender of the channel in question in such a way that it may be read with the manoeuvring device.
• the data base may be arranged for a search of which information that was transmitted when the manoeuvring device was activated. Then the manoeuvring device must be arranged for storage of an information portion of data that is characteristic for said information portion. These data are transmitted together with data of the point of time to the server. This may then be arranged to compare information data registered by the manoeuvring device with information data at the registered point of time of the transmission channels that the data base is arranged to keep available by storage.
• the system user uses the manoeuvring device to order the data base which information portion that shall activate delivery from the data base to the system user in question.
• This identification pattern is necessarily based on at least the following information units:
• this identification may be notified via manual coding via the manoeuvring device, thus the user indicates which information channel that is concerned using the keys of the manoeuvring device. This is necessary if the user has retrieved information about the program in question in a program schedule. When using show-view coding, it makes the channel and the time slot for the program in question evident.
• the identification of the channel is produced automatically in different ways: by having a built-in code in the transmitted information, indicating the program source, by letting the receiving device, radio, TV or computer, provide with a channel identification, that may be intercepted with the manoeuvring device for transmission to the data base via the modem.
• the manoeuvring device when activated, can be arranged to intercept a limited program portion from which a channel identification is produced in the data base by comparison between transmitted program portions from different channels at the time of activation. These automatic systems for interception of the channel identification is thus used when the system user orders registration for delivery by activating the manoeuvring device when reception is in progress at the system user.
• time period a registration for delivery shall refer to at the described manual manoeuvring via the keyboard of the manoeuvring device, may often be confirmed using the starting point of time for the program.
• the program schedule of the channel which may be stored in the data base, states the duration time of the program in question, thus registering the program during this time starting from the starting point of time. When using the show-view system, it indicates both the starting and the ending point of time.
• the point of time for the activation is indicated at the same time as a continuous time labelling is performed in the data base for the transmissions from the channels which shall be used in the system.
• the program portion which shall be registered for delivery can be identified.
• the system user may then have different desires concerning the length of time for the registration: From the start of the identified program portion and to its end, from the point of time of the activation of the manoeuvring device and a time period ahead or a determined time period before and after the point of activation, for example.
• Such orders concerning the length of time for the registration and thus of the start and end of the registration have to be made by the system user in some way, either at each registration occasion, or following some predetermined system.
• a piece of information is required from the system user to the data base concerning delivery time and delivery forms.
• Concerning delivery time it may be determined as early as at the point of ordering via the keyboard of the manoeuvring device, or delivery may be performed by ordering the data base at the desired point of time with identification of the registration in question. Such an identification may be transmitted via the manoeuvring device by activating any such stored identification.
• the system user may of course also order repeated delivery of the same program portion. This consequently concerns delivery for transmission at the system user in direct connection with the delivery.
• ordering may be focused on communication at a certain point of time or at direct ordering.
• the user can put his registration device in order for registration on the media carrier that the user wishes to use, for example on a certain, selected audio or video tape, a floppy disc or a CD.
• a further identification that is necessary, is the identity of the orderer, which suitably is stored in the manoeuvring device or the modem for transmission to the data base at the ordering occasion. It shall then be possible to order transfer of the registered information from the data base to another address then the orderer in question. In this manner, it is possible to, for example, order transmission from a place, by way of example the place of work, for transmission or registration in another place, for example at home.
• the units 21 instead of in the data base 20, in order to be retrieved to the data base when needed, for distribution according to some order from some system user, information stored at the channel operator must be linked to an identification system. How one of these may be constituted is apparent from the above.
• the procedure and the system according to the invention should be of considerable interest in connection with TV transmissions.
• the viewers tend to restrict their choice of programs to determined fields of interest.
• certain programs are chosen, either series programs or randomly transmitted programs within certain fields of interest instead of being focused on viewing the programs that have been transmitted at points of time when one has an opportunity to view the broadcast, as it has been up to now.
• the procedure and the systems offers extensive possibilities to direct the program contents to the points of time when the user wants to view. The same the same thing may be said of radio transmissions. There is then an opportunity to choose several programs that are overlapping in time, for successive delivery at chosen points of time.

Landscapes

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

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20279737

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-19 SE SE0001854A patent/SE518315C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2001
  • 2001-05-18 AU AU2001260917A patent/AU2001260917A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-18 WO PCT/SE2001/001124 patent/WO2001090986A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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