WO2008050111A1

WO2008050111A1 - Service provision and participation

Info

Publication number: WO2008050111A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/004040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeremy Mayo Boswell; Jonathan Kendrick
Original assignee: Rok Productions Limited
Priority date: 2006-10-24
Filing date: 2007-10-23
Publication date: 2008-05-02
Also published as: GB0621134D0

Abstract

Service provision apparatus comprises streaming means for streaming simultaneously to a mobile device over a single wireless data channel: a video stream, and a service stream. The service stream includes service availability data indicating whether one or more services are available in respect of a subject of the video and audio streams and including identification data comprising an identifier which identifies the subject of the video and audio streams. The apparatus includes means responsive to receiving a request including the identifier received from the mobile device over the wireless data channel to communicate to the mobile device, over the wireless data channel, data including service data, the service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams. A mobile device is arranged simultaneously to receive over a single wireless data channel streamed data comprising: a video stream, and a service stream. The mobile device analyses the service stream to determine whether services are available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams, and responds to a user input by sending over the wireless data channel a request including the identifier forming part of the service stream.

Description

Service Provision and Participation

Description

This invention relates to a method of providing a service, to a method of operating a mobile device to participate in services, to service provision apparatus, and to a mobile device.

Rok Productions Limited currently provides a successful television (video and audio) service for wireless mobile devices. Video and audio data is streamed to a mobile device from a server and is reproduced by a special software media player residing on the mobile device. Streaming usually occurs over GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), which is a data channel add-on to GSM mobile telephony- networks. GPRS is sometimes referred to as 2.5G. Other television services for mobile devices require 3G (UMTS) or DVD-T or DAB communication channels, and thus appropriate hardware on the mobile device, so have a relatively limited pool of potential users compared to Rok's GPRS-compatible service. Rok's television services are available over 3G data channels, and revert to GPRS when 3G becomes unavailable.

The provision of television to users of mobile devices via bidirectional communication channels provides opportunities for the provision of services such as betting services. However, numerous technical hurdles exist and such services have not thusfar been technically feasible.

The invention was made in this context.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a service, the method comprising: streaming simultaneously to a mobile device over a single wireless data channel: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including service availability data indicating whether one or more services are available in respect of a subject of the video and audio streams and including identification data comprising an identifier which identifies the subject of the video and audio streams; and responding to a request including the identifier received from die mobile device over the wireless data channel by communicating to the mobile device, over the wireless data channel, data including service data, the service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

The service stream may include mark-up language data, for instance tokenised mark- up language data.

The method may comprise making a determination or estimation as to a maximum data rate of the wireless data channel, and providing an amount of service data, in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams, which is dependent on the determined maximum data rate. In this case, making a determination as to a maximum data rate of the wireless data channel may comprise making a determination or estimation as to whether the maximum data rate exceeds or does not exceed a threshold, and providing an amount of service data may comprise streaming a relatively small amount of service data or a relatively large amount of service data dependent respectively on whether or not the threshold is exceeded. Here, the method may comprise, when the threshold is not exceeded, providing for streaming audio, video and service streams having a combined data rate which is less than the data rate threshold.

The service may be a betting service and the service data may comprise information concerning participants in the subject of the video and audio streams.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a mobile device to participate in services, the method comprising: receiving simultaneously over a single wireless data channel streamed data comprising: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including an identifier identifying a subject of the video and audio streams; analysing the service stream to determine whether services are available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams; responding to a user input by sending over the wireless data channel a request including the identifier forming part of the service stream; and subsequent to the responding step, receiving over the wireless data channel service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

The service stream may include mark-up language data, for instance tokenised markup language data.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided service provision apparatus comprising: streaming means for streaming simultaneously to a mobile device over a single wireless data channel: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including service availability data indicating whether one or more services are available in respect of a subject of the video and audio streams and including identification data comprising an identifier which identifies the subject of the video and audio streams; and means responsive to receiving a request including the identifier received from the mobile device over the wireless data channel to communicate to the mobile device, over the wireless data channel, data including service data, the service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

The apparatus may comprise means arranged to make a determination or estimation of a maximum data rate of the wireless data channel, and may be arranged to provide an amount of service data, in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams, which is dependent on the determined maximum data rate.

The means arranged to make a determination or estimation may be arranged to determine or estimate whether the maximum data rate exceeds or does not exceed a threshold, and to provide an amount of service data by streaming a relatively small amount of service data or a relatively large amount of service data dependent respectively on whether or not the threshold is exceeded. The means arranged to make a determination or estimation may additionally be arranged, when the threshold is not exceeded, to stream audio, video and service streams having a combined data rate which is less than the data rate threshold.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a mobile device arranged: simultaneously to receive over a single wireless data channel streamed data comprising: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including an identifier identifying a subject of the video and audio streams; to analyse the service stream to determine whether services are available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams; to respond to a user input by sending over the wireless data channel a request including the identifier forming part of the service stream; and subsequently to receive over the wireless data channel service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

The service stream may include mark-up language data, for instance tokenised markup language data. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figure, which is a schematic diagram illustrating a system in which the invention is implemented.

Referring to Figure 1, a system 10 is shown. The system 10 includes a mobile device 11, which may be a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or similar. The mobile device 11 includes software and hardware radio resources which allow it to communication wirelessly with a base station 12, which forms part of and is connected to a mobile network indicated at 13. The mobile network 13 is operated by a mobile network operator (MNO).

The communication link between the mobile device 11 and the base station 12 is bidirectional. As well as being able to carry voice communications, the communications link is able to carry binary data over a so-called data channel. The data channel may be GPRS, or a 3G data (UMTS) channel or any other suitable data channel.

The mobile device 11 includes a memory 14, which includes some RAM and may or may not include some ROM. Stored in the memory 14 are computer programs which allow the mobile device 11 to perform its functions. The mobile device 11 also includes a user interface in the form of a keypad 15 and a display 16. The mobile device 11 also includes a speaker and a microphone, neither of which are shown in the Figure. Many other components of the mobile device are present, but are not relevant to this explanation so are omitted for the sake of brevity.

A television (TV) stream server 20 is provided. The TV stream server 20 is connected to the mobile network 13 via the Internet 21. The TV stream server 20 provides video and audio streams according to the Real Time Stream Protocol (RTSP). The TV stream server 20 may be like that described in GB-A-2423662. The TV stream server 20 includes a memory 22, in which computer programs controlling the operation of the TV stream server 20 are stored. The TV stream server 20 is connectable to the mobile device 11 through the base station 12, the mobile network 13 and the Internet 21 in a bi-directional manner. Streaming data ,

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passes from the TV stream server 20 to the mobile device 11, and http channel change requests pass in the opposite direction.

One computer program stored within the memory 14 of the mobile device 11 is a software media player application. The media player application reproduces audiovisual content streamed to it by the TV stream server 20, as is known.

The arrangements thusfar described is known.

Connected to the TV stream server 20 is a betting server 23. The betting server 23 also is in bi-directional communication with the Internet 21. The betting server includes a memory 24, which stores computer programs which allow the betting server 23 to perform its functions.

In bi-directional communication with the Internet 21 is a betting account server 25. A memory 26 within the betting account server stores computer programs which allow it to perform its functions. The betting account server 25 is a secure server and holds details of a betting account held by a user of the mobile device 11. The user of the mobile device 11 may credit their betting account in any suitable way, for instance by communicating with a human operator by a telephone call or through a web service accessed by a browser present on the mobile device 11 or another device.

In this embodiment, the betting account server 25 is separate from the betting server 23, although this is not essential. The betting account server 25 may alternatively be integrated into the Tote aggregator 30.

A tote aggregator server 30 is in bi-directional communication with the betting server 23. The tote aggregator server is run by a totalisator organisation, for instance Ineda™. The tote aggregator server 30 is connected to receive race data from a race data provider 31. The race data provider 31 may be operated by the same organisation that operates the tote aggregator server 30. The TV stream server 20 is arranged to stream three parallel streams to the mobile device 11. A first stream is a video stream, which carries moving picture content. A second stream is an audio stream, which carries audio content. The audio content and the video content together form television content. A third stream transmitted simultaneously with the video and audio stream is an XML (extensible Markup Language) stream. These three streams are simultaneously carried via the Internet 21, and the mobile network 13 over a data channel between the mobile device 11 and the base station 12.

The XML stream carries basic race data including three data elements. The data elements are: a start time, a cut-off time and a basic race identifier. The start time denotes the time at which coverage of a race which is a subject of the television content being streamed to the mobile device 11 is scheduled to begin. The cut-off time denotes the latest time at which a bet may be placed on the race which is the subject of the television stream. The base race identifier is a unique or a pseudo- unique identifier which allows the betting server 23 to identify the race which is the subject of the television stream.

The video, audio and XML streams are identified to the mobile device 11 with a header included in the streamed data. It will be appreciated that it is not known for a stream of XML data to be transmitted simultaneously with audio and video streams. To provide simultaneous transmission of these three streams, the applicant has modified a software application named Helix Producer™, which is a known program and is used to generate content for consumption by Real Player, produced by Real Networks, Inc. The exact modification made to Helix Producer is not relevant to this explanation so is not described in any detail. All that is required to appreciate that the modified application produces three streams, namely a video stream, an audio stream and an XML data stream, and identifies the individual streams in a header. Each of the three streams is a physical stream.

In this embodiment, the XML data is tokenised XML data, although this is not essential. - -

The start time, cut-off time and basic race identifier data included in the XML data stream by the TV stream server is obtained from the betting server 23. This data is hereafter termed basic data. The betting server 23 obtains the basic data and other, detailed data from the tote aggregator server 30, which in turn obtains the data from the race data provider 31. The betting server 23 provides only the basic data to the TV stream server 20. The other data relating to an event is stored within the betting server 23.

It is implicit in the basic data that the subject of the television stream accompanying the basic data can be the subject of a betting service. If the mobile device 11 determines that the current time is not within a time period defined by the start time and the cut-off time of the basic data, the media player infers that it is not possible to bet on a race which is a subject to of the television content, or else that the television stream does not relate to a race.

The media player residing on the mobile device 11 is operable to receive the video, audio and XML data streams from the stream server 20. When the mobile device 11 detects that a current time is within a period defined by the start time and cut-off time included in the basic data, the media player causes a suitable icon to be displayed in one corner of the display 16 of the mobile device 11. This icon (not shown) indicates to a user of the mobile device 11 that a betting service is available in respect of the subject of the television stream provided by the TV stream server 20.

If the user of the mobile device 11 does not wish to bet on the subject of the television stream, the user does not need to take any action, and can watch the video content and listen to the audio content produced by the mobile device 11 from the television stream. If the user wishes to place a bet, the user simply operates a relevant key forming part of the keypad 15 whilst the relevant icon is displayed in the display 16. When the media player application detects that a key forming part of the keypad 15 and which is allocated to indicate that the user wishes to place a bet has been operated, the following actions occur. Firstly, the media player sends an http request to the betting server 23. The http request includes the basic race identifier, forming part of the basic data, and includes data indicating the identity of the mobile device 11, and thus the user. The data indicating the mobile device 11 comprise a serial number attached to the media player application stored in the memory 14. Alternatively, the data identifying the mobile device 11 may comprises a phone number (available from a Slλl card within the mobile device), or some other unique or pseudo-unique identifier.

On receiving the http request, the betting server 23 sends a http response to the mobile device 11 through the Internet 21 and the mobile network 13. The http response includes detailed data relating to the subject of the television stream. The detailed race information comprises XML data. The XML data constituting the detailed race information includes information which identifies the types of bet available, rules for the available, the participants (in particular, names and numbers) in the race, and includes some guide odds. The guide odds provides the user with an indication of the amount of return from a unit stake that could be expected if the corresponding participant was a winner in the race.

The detailed information is communicated from the base station 12 to the mobile device li on the data channel, alongside the television stream and the XML data stream provided by the TV stream server 20.

The detailed information may be trickled to the mobile device 11. By trickling, it is meant that the detailed information is sent as XML data in small packets which are separated in time. By trickling the detailed information at a suitably low bit rate, the provision to the mobile device 11 of the detailed information may not significantly add to the rate at which data is communicated over the channel between the mobile device 11 and the base station 12. This is advantageous since it allows the TV stream server 20 to utilise a streaming bit rate which is near the maximum bit rate that can be carried by the data channel without the communication by the betting server 23 of the detailed information causing the bit rate of data required to be carried over the data channel to exceed the maximum. Thus, a user can experience television content which is at a bit rate optimised for the data channel between the mobile device 11 and the base station 12 without interruption. If the betting server 23 is located within the mobile network 13 or is operated by the same operator as that of the mobile network 13, then the type of data channel existing between the mobile device U and the base station 12 might be known to the betting server 23. In this instance, the betting server 23 and/or the mobile network 13 can be arranged to make a determination as to whether the type of the data channel is such that the detailed information could be transmitted to the mobile device 11 quickly without impinging on the television streams provided by the TV stream server 20. For instance, if the mobile network 13 determines that a 3G data link is in existence between the mobile device 11 and the base station, sending of the detailed information from the betting server 23 to the mobile device 11 quickly, i.e. without trickling, may not impinge on a 40kbps stream from the TV stream server to the mobile device 11. If, on the other hand, the mobile network 13 detects that a GPRS channel is being used to communicate data from the base station 12 to the mobile device 11, the betting server 23 instead is controlled to trickle the detailed information to the mobile device 11, so as to not to interfere with a 40kbps stream from the TV stream server 20.

If the betting server 23 is not provided as part of the mobile network 13 or otherwise does not have readily available to it information concerning the type of data link between the mobile device 11 and the base station 12, the type of channel may instead be inferred. For instance, the betting server 23 or the TV stream server 20 may perform a connection speed test at a suitable time. This time may be before streaming of data from the TV stream server 20 to the mobile device 11 for instance, or else the connection speed test may be performed at some other suitable time, during a commercial break in the content which is carried by the television stream. The betting server 23 then uses the result of the betting speed test to determine whether the detailed information can be transmitted quickly to the mobile device 11 or whether trickling of the data would be necessary to avoid the transmission of the detailed information causing a disruption in the streaming from television content of the TV stream server 20. The detailed race information and the basic race information together constitute race data. The media player application or the mobile device 11 is operable to use the race data to allow the user of the mobile device to place a bet with the betting server 23. The exact way in which a bet is placed is not essential to this invention so is not explained in any detail. However, it will be appreciated that the betting server 23 communicates with the betting account server 25 so as to ensure that the user of the mobile device has sufficient credit to make the requested bets.

The result of this is in a betting surface with relatively low data overheads. In particular, the XML data streamed from the TV stream server 20 is the minimum amount of data needed to allow the mobile device 11 to determine whether or not it is possible to place a bet and to allow the mobile device 11 to obtain detailed race information 11 should the user of the mobile device 11 be interested in placing a bet.

Furthermore, the invention results in the provision to the mobile device 11 of betting information, but without requiring the detailed race information to be streamed along with the television content. Since the detailed information can constitute a significant amount of data, this scheme results in less data being transmitted to the mobile device, unless the user requests the detailed bet information in respect of every race. In turn, this allows an improved quality of TV stream for a given channel bit rate. Furthermore, this is achieved whilst providing the user with information allowing them to determine whether or not it is possible to place a bet on a particular race without having to request that information from a remote location, for instance, the betting server 23. Thus, the user is provided with an improved service.

The media player application residing in the mobile device 11 is operable so that, once the bet has been placed, a user interface provided in order to allow the user to place the bet ceases being displayed, thereby allowing the video forming part of the television stream to be rendered on the display 16. Once the bet has been placed, a small icon (not shown) is located in one corner of the display 16. Preferably, this is a different corner to the corner which indicates that a bet can be placed. Activation - 1 L* ~

of a suitable key on the keypad 15 causes the media player application to provide the results of races which the user previously has bet on. This information may be obtained from the betting server 23 in response to a request from the media player application on the mobile device 11. Alternatively, the betting server 23 may transmit to the mobile device 11 information identifying the results of races which the user has bet on. Since the media player application can obtain information about the results of races sometime after the results have been made available, the media player application does not need to remain active and can be closed down between the placing of a bet and the making available of results of the corresponding race.

The above-described system provides some significant advantages for the operator of the betting server 23.

In particular, the fact that the detailed information provided by the betting server includes rules for the bets allows the betting service to be modified easily to accommodate different bet types. For instance, handicap bets can easily be accommodated, which is convenient with regard to rugby and hockey matches.

The system further is susceptible to allowing bets to be placed on the identity of the next points scoter in a sports event, for instance the identity of the next goal scorer in a football (soccer) match.

The system further is susceptible to allowing bets to be placed on roulette games and similar. In the case of roulette, all possible bets and outcomes are the same each time, so the detailed informing part of the betting information transmitted from the betting server 23 to the mobile device 11 does not vary significantly between successive events. Through suitable provision in the media player application, this can allow relatively little data to be transmitted from the betting server 23 to the mobile device 11 in respect of second and further games.

The system furthermore is susceptible for use with different laws and customs. For instance, fractional odds are used in the US and the UK, whereas decimal odds are used in most countries of Europe. Differences between the representation of the odds are straightforward to accommodate through relatively simple modification of the XML data forming the detailed information. Similarly, different languages can be accommodated by relatively minor changes in the XML data.

The functionality of the TV stream server 20, the betting server 23, the betting account server 25 and the mobile device 11 is provided by computer programs stored in the respective memories 22, 24, 26 and 40 thereof. The computer programs implement methods for responding to the functionality of the relevant apparatus.

The invention has broader applicability than betting services. For instance, the inventors consider that the system is useable with any interactive television service. Examples include voting services (for instance to allow users to vote on reality television shows), and interactive or participative competitions and game shows. The system is useable also with television shopping (retail) services, in terms of both fixed-price and bidding or auction-type retail services.

It will be appreciated that numerous changes may be made to the above embodiments without departing from the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

, .- 14 -Claims

1. A method of providing a service, the method comprising: streaming simultaneously to a mobile device over a single wireless data channel: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including service availability data indicating whether one or more services are available in respect of a subject of the video and audio streams and including identification data comprising an identifier which identifies the subject of the video and audio streams; and responding to a request including the identifier received from the mobile device over the wireless data channel by communicating to the mobile device, over the wireless data channel, data including service data, the service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the service stream includes mark-up language data.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mark-up language data is tokenised mark-up language data.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising making a determination or estimation as to a maximum data rate of the wireless data channel, and providing an amount of service data, in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams, which is dependent on the determined maximum data rate.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein making a determination as to a maximum data rate of the wireless data channel comprises making a determination or estimation as to whether the maximum data rate exceeds or does not exceed a threshold, and wherein providing an amount of service data comprises streaming a relatively small amount of service data or a relatively large amount of service data dependent respectively on whether or not the threshold is exceeded.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the method comprises, when the threshold is not exceeded, providing for streaming audio, video and service streams having a combined data rate which is less than the data rate threshold.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the service is a betting service and the service data comprises information concerning participants in the subject of the video and audio streams.

8. A method of operating a mobile device to participate in services, the method comprising: receiving simultaneously over a single wireless data channel streamed data comprising: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including an identifier identifying a subject of the video and audio streams; analysing the service stream to determine whether services are available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams; responding to a user input by sending over the wireless data channel a request including the identifier forming part of the service stream; and subsequent to the responding step, receiving over the wireless data channel service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the service stream includes mark-up language data.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mark-up language data is tokenised mark-up language data.

11. Service provision apparatus comprising: - -

streaming means for streaming simultaneously to a mobile device over a single wireless data channel: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including service availability data indicating whether one or more services are available in respect of a subject of the video and audio streams and including identification data comprising an identifier which identifies the subject of the video and audio streams; and means responsive to receiving a request including the identifier received from the mobile device over the wireless data channel to communicate to the mobile device, over the wireless data channel, data including service data, the service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the service stream includes mark- up language data.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the mark-up language data is tokenised mark-up language data.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13, comprising means arranged to make a determination or estimation of a maximum data rate of the wireless data channel, and being arranged to provide an amount of service data, in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams, which is dependent on the determined maximum data rate.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein means arranged to make a determination or estimation is arranged to determine or estimate whether the maximum data rate exceeds or does not exceed a threshold, and to provide an amount of service data by streaming a relatively small amount of service data or a relatively large amount of service data dependent respectively on whether or not the threshold is exceeded.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, arranged, when the threshold is not exceeded, to stream audio, video and service streams having a combined data rate which is less than the data rate threshold.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 11 to 16, wherein the service is a betting service and the service data comprises information concerning participants in the subject of the video and audio streams.

18. A mobile device arranged: simultaneously to receive over a single wireless data channel streamed data comprising: a video stream, and a service stream, the service stream including an identifier identifying a subject of the video and audio streams; to analyse the service stream to determine whether services are available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams; to respond to a user input by sending over the wireless data channel a request including the identifier forming part of the service stream; and subsequently to receive over the wireless data channel service data including detailed information concerning one or more services available in respect of the subject of the video and audio streams.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the service stream includes mark-up language data.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mark-up language data is tokenised mark-up language data.