Classifications

• • 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]
  • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/66—Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
  • H04L65/1066—Session management
  • H04L65/1101—Session protocols
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
  • H04L65/60—Network streaming of media packets
  • H04L65/75—Media network packet handling
  • H04L65/762—Media network packet handling at the source 
• • 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
  • H04N21/266—Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
  • H04N21/2668—Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles
• • 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
  • H04N21/47205—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 manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• • 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
  • H04N21/4722—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 additional data associated with the 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]
  • H04N21/40—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
  • H04N21/488—Data services, e.g. news ticker
  • H04N21/4882—Data services, e.g. news ticker for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders
• • 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 
  • H04N21/61—Network physical structure; Signal processing
  • H04N21/6106—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
  • H04N21/6125—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network involving transmission via 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]
  • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
  • H04N21/81—Monomedia components thereof
  • H04N21/812—Monomedia components thereof involving advertisement 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]
  • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
  • H04N21/81—Monomedia components thereof
  • H04N21/8126—Monomedia components thereof involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
  • H04N21/8133—Monomedia components thereof involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video programme
• • 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
  • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
  • H04N21/854—Content authoring
  • H04N21/8545—Content authoring for generating interactive 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]
  • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
  • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
  • H04N21/858—Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an interactive multimedia broadcasting system with ' an end-user terminal adapted to receive channels of multimedia data,
• ⁇ a content server adapted to transmit a predetermined number of said channels to said terminal
• an interactivity database adapted to receive, from said content server, notices of available interactivity on the channel transmitted to said terminal, and
• an interactivity server controlled by said interactivity database and adapted to transmit interactive items to said terminal and to receive feedback from said terminal, said feedback relating to the acceptance, by the user of said terminal, of interactive data proposed by said interactive items.
• Such an interactive multimedia broadcasting system is generally known in the art as it is for instance an enhanced television system, preferably an Internet Protocol Television IPTV infrastructure.
• IP Television IPTV is a term used to describe a number of service offerings for the delivery of packetized video services over a broadband network. These video services can range from a multichannel video service (switched digital video) that mimics traditional broadcast TV, to true video on demand, and fully interactive and/or enhanced video services.
• Typical service enhancements include robust program information, selection and navigation, as well as multiple camera angles, integrated digital video recording functionality, and the integration of data and telephony services into the video experience.
• This platform includes the management software to stream television content through a number of broadcast channels to end-users, as well as to stream on-demand video content from a video'on-demand store to the end-users through on-demand channels.
• the TV or video content that can be viewed is advertised via an Electronic Program Guide EPG that further enables end-users to select video assets they desires to view and to program electronic recording of video assets. It is however not possible for the end-users of Alcatel and Microsoft's Integrated IPTV Solution to publish or control content that is delivered through the broadcast channels or on- demand channels.
• the user can interact with, e.g., a commercial to receive more information, and as such leave the linear broadcasting to receive more unicast info.
• This interaction may for instance be initiated by "pushing" on a red button, as known from SKYTM channel in the UK.
• a red button as known from SKYTM channel in the UK.
• the red button By pushing the red button on remote control during a car commercial video sequence, the user can see what models of cars there exist, etc, This gives more info that the 30 seconds commercial generally allowed for TV commercials.
• the user After having finished looking to this unicast info, the user returns to the "normal" broadcast content on the channel whereon the user was looking at and no more information is or will be present relating to the interactivity on your TV set. Moreover, the user has then generally lost a part of the broadcast content the user was looking on.
• the interactive multimedia broadcasting system provides to the user, watching television, the possibility to subscribe to an extra (live or on-demand) channel, triggered by an interactive message linked to the multimedia content of the channel the user was looking to.
• the interactive multimedia broadcasting system provides means to have persistent links to enhanced information.
• said content server is adapted to add said extra channel to the predetermined number of channels transmitted to said terminal.
• the end-user can zap between the predetermined channels and the extra channel, e.g. by selection on a known Electronic Program Guide EPG.
• a channel is an aggregation of multimedia items, e.g. of video.
• any channel transmitted to the terminal is a broadcast channel, a unicast channel or a multicast channel.
• the term 'comprising' used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter.
• the scope of the expression 'a device comprising means A and B' should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.
• the term 'coupled' also used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to direct connections only.
• the scope of the expression 'a device A coupled to a device B' should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means.
• Figs. 1 to 3 show different steps of operations performed in the interactive multimedia broadcasting system of the invention.
• Fig. 4 shows the chronological order of operations of the previous Figs 1 to 3.
• the interactive multimedia broadcasting system of subject is an enhanced television system such as an Internet Protocol Television IPTV infrastructure.
• This system provides to an end-user of a terminal TV, watching television, means to subscribe for extra (live or on-demand) unicast, multicast or broadcast channels, triggered by an interactive message linked to the multimedia content the user was looking at.
• the end-user positively reacts on the interactivity (channel subscription invitation) provided during a specific multimedia item, a community content manager CCM, which keeps track of which end-user is subscribed to which channels, will add an extra channel promoted in the interactivity to the channel list of this end-user.
• the information regarding this extra channel is then provided to the terminal TV of the end-user so that the user can zap to and find this channel in his Electronic Program Guide EPG (when available).
• Fig. 1 represents the interactivity, i.e. the option to subscribe to a channel.
• an end-user, linked to a multimedia item is looking to a terminal TV, e.g. to channel E on his television set with optionally a Set-Top-Box STB (not shown);
• Channel E is provided from a content server CS as a unicast, multicast or broadcast data.
• the content server CS provides n channels
• the content server CS notices that a new multimedia item will be played, e.g. Commercial 2, on which Interactivity is available, and notices the interactivity database ID;
• the interactivity database ID checks which interactivity item, e.g. a channel invitation pop -up Interactivity 3, is linked to the current video item Commercial 2 and urges the interactivity server IS to provide this interactivity item Interactivity 3 to the end-user's TV.
• the interactivity database ID checks with a community content manager CCM whether the end-user has already subscribed to the channel for which the invitation will be send to his terminal TV.
• a channel is broader than just a broadcast channel.
• a channel is rather an aggregation of multimedia items.
• a content server CS contains the complete multimedia vault of available broadcast channels, VoD items and other multicast and unicast items, while also providing the playout server.
• the interactivity database ID is a list on which content items and interactivity items are linked: which interactivity to launch with which item. And keeps track of which channel is linked to which video item.
• Fields of the interactivity database ID are Video Item, Interactivity and Channel.
• a Video item field could be a commercial about a car, e.g. 'BestCar', on a broadcast TV channel
• an Interactivity field could be a pop-up in overlay with as text: "do you want to subscribe to this 'BestCar' channel”
• a Channel could be 'BestCar' unicast & on-demand channel as an aggregation of clips related to new 'BestCar' models.
• the interactivity server IS contains the interactive items that can be shown, e.g. notifications in overlay, and contains the logic related to what to do when the end-user interacts.
• the interactivity server IS provides the interactive items, triggered by the interactivity database ID.
• the community content manager and conditional access system CCM keeps track of which content is linked to which channel, and which end-user are subscribed to which channel and can thus get access to the channel.
• Interactivity 3 is now provided to the end-user's TV and is combined, e.g. in overlay, with the video item Commercial 2 played out by the server.
• Fig. 2 represents the end-user interaction and channel subscription.
• the end-user At a time t2, the end-user is interested in the proposed channel and accepts the subscription, e.g. by pushing 'OK' on his remote control; 7) This feedback is send to the interactivity server IS. Optionally, as shown at Fig. 4, a confirmation of the acceptance by the end-user may be requested;
• the interactivity server IS urges the interactivity database ID to look to which channel this interactivity item was linked to!
• the interactivity database ID then urges the community content manager CCM to add an extra channel, e.g. channel Y, to the end-user's channel list;
• the community content manager CCM provides feedback to a 3 rd party, responsible for this particular channel Y, that the end-user is now also subscribing to his channel.
• Fig. 3 shows how the new channel Y becomes available to end-user. 11)
• the community content manager CCM urges a channel information CI to provide the channel Y to the terminal TV;
• channel Y is provided to the terminal TV by the channel information CI as an extra channel to be added to the n channels previously subscribed; 13) The end-user sees now in his Electronic Program Guide EPG
• the content server CS can optionally check with the community content manager CCM if the end-user is allowed to access the content of this extra channel.
• the content of the extra channel Y is send from the content server CS to the terminal TV like in number 1 above, and the complete scenario can be repeated for other new channels.
• a final remark is that embodiments of the present invention are described above in terms of functional blocks. From the functional description of these blocks, given above, it will be apparent for a person skilled in the art of designing electronic devices how embodiments of these blocks can be manufactured with well-known electronic components. A detailed architecture of the contents of the functional blocks hence is not given.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Marketing (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
• Television Systems (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36577197

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (19)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2006
  • 2006-02-22 EP EP06290318.2A patent/EP1826981B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2007
  • 2007-02-02 BR BRPI0708178-2A patent/BRPI0708178A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-02-02 JP JP2008555659A patent/JP5136992B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-02-02 KR KR1020087020413A patent/KR101310536B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-02-02 RU RU2008137600/09A patent/RU2008137600A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2007-02-02 AU AU2007218293A patent/AU2007218293B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-02-02 WO PCT/EP2007/000986 patent/WO2007096051A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-02-15 CN CN2007100788128A patent/CN101026743B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-02-16 US US11/676,065 patent/US20070199036A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2008
  • 2008-08-07 IL IL193298A patent/IL193298A0/en unknown

Patent Citations (2)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events