U.S. patent application number 09/843296 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-31 for apparatus and method to provide supplemental content from an interactive television system to a remote device.
Invention is credited to Mitchell, Slade.
Application Number | 20020162120 09/843296 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25289565 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020162120 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mitchell, Slade |
October 31, 2002 |
Apparatus and method to provide supplemental content from an
interactive television system to a remote device
Abstract
A remote device is capable to receive network address
information that is sent along with an audiovisual television
signal. A set top box coupled to a television receives the network
address information along with triggers, and transmits the network
address information to the remote device. After receiving the
network address information, a web browser of the remote device can
navigate to the address specified by the network address
information to obtain supplemental content. The web browser of the
remote device can automatically navigate to the address
independently of user action. The web browser may also navigate to
the address in response to user action or "keyed navigation." At
least some of the supplemental content may also be pre-loaded into
the remote device prior to presentation of the supplemental content
to the user, thereby reducing latency in the rendering of the
supplemental content by the web browser.
Inventors: |
Mitchell, Slade; (North
Bend, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SEED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW GROUP PLLC
701 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 6300
SEATTLE
WA
98104-7092
US
|
Family ID: |
25289565 |
Appl. No.: |
09/843296 |
Filed: |
April 25, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/135 ;
348/461; 348/473; 348/487; 348/E7.063; 348/E7.07; 725/32;
725/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4782 20130101;
H04N 21/4622 20130101; H04N 7/17309 20130101; H04H 20/93 20130101;
H04N 7/165 20130101; H04N 21/41265 20200801; H04N 21/8586 20130101;
H04N 21/4331 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/135 ; 725/32;
725/43; 348/487; 348/461; 348/473 |
International
Class: |
H04N 007/025; H04N
007/10; G06F 003/00; H04N 005/445; G06F 013/00; H04N 007/16; H04N
007/12; H04N 007/00; H04N 011/00; H04N 007/087 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method, comprising: receiving address information from an
interactive television system; obtaining an address from the
received address information; accessing the address obtained from
the address information to retrieve supplemental content related to
a television program transmitted from the interactive television
system; and presenting the obtained supplemental content on a
display remote from a television that displays the television
program.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the address from the
received address information includes extracting the address from a
trigger embedded in a signal corresponding to the television
program.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the address from the
received address information includes obtaining the address from a
stream separate from a signal corresponding to the television
program.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving address information from
the interactive television system includes receiving the address
information at a set top box coupled to the television, the method
further comprising: transmitting the obtained address from the set
top box to a remote device having the remote display; and accessing
the address via the remote device to retrieve the supplemental
content.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein a browser of the remote device
retrieves the supplemental content from a network.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the network comprises an
Internet.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein a browser of the remote device
retrieves the supplemental content from a local storage
location.
8. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting at least
a portion of the supplemental content from the set top box to the
remote device.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the obtained
supplemental content on the display includes automatically
presenting the obtained supplemental content without user
action.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the obtained supplemental content
is automatically displayed in a first browser window, the method
further comprising automatically displaying additional supplemental
content retrieved from another address in a second browser window,
concurrently with displaying the supplemental content in the first
browser window.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the obtained supplemental content
is automatically displayed in a browser window, the method further
comprising automatically displaying additional supplemental content
retrieved from another address in the browser window to replace the
previously displayed supplemental content.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the obtained
supplemental content on the display includes presenting the
obtained supplemental content in response to user action.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising queuing a plurality
of addresses.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising obtaining
supplemental content corresponding to at least one of the queued
addresses in response to user selection of that address from among
the queued addresses.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing metadata
related to the address information to provide a context for the
obtained address.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the metadata is received from
the interactive television system in addition to the address
information.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the metadata is added to the
received address information.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the metadata includes at least
one of an expiration date of the address, an expiration time of the
address, a description of the address, a source of the address, a
category of the supplemental information available at address, a
type of media available at the address, a keyword related to the
address, or an importance of the address.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving the supplemental
content includes pre-loading at least a portion of the supplemental
content in a storage location prior to activation of a link
corresponding to the address.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: retrieving any
remaining portions of the supplemental content subsequent to
activation of the link; and rendering the pre-loaded portion and
any of the retrieved remaining portions of the supplemental content
in response to selection of the link.
21. The method of claim 19, further comprising: initially obtaining
addresses corresponding to inactive links, including instructions
as to when to display the links to indicate activation of the
links; pre-loading at least some of the supplemental content from
the addresses corresponding to the inactive links; and based on the
instructions, subsequently displaying the links to indicate their
activation and rendering the pre-loaded supplemental content.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the instructions are obtained
from same triggers that include the addresses.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the instructions are obtained
from triggers that are different from triggers that include the
addresses.
24. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the links
to allow a user to preview the links, prior to providing the links
during specific times of the television program.
25. An article of manufacture, comprising: a machine-readable
storage medium having stored thereon instructions to: obtain an
address from address information received from an interactive
television system; access the address obtained from the address
information to retrieve supplemental content related to a
television program transmitted from the interactive television
system; and present the obtained supplemental content on a display
remote from a television that displays the television program.
26. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein the instructions
to present the obtained supplemental content on the display
includes instructions to automatically present the obtained
supplemental content without user action.
27. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein the instructions
to present the obtained supplemental content on the display
includes instructions to present the obtained supplemental content
in response to user action.
28. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein the instructions
to present the obtained supplemental content on the display
includes instructions to pre-load at least a portion of the
supplemental content in a storage location prior to activation of a
link corresponding to the address.
29. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein the
machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored
thereon to process metadata related to the address information to
provide a context for the obtained address.
30. A set top box, comprising: a network interface to receive
address information from an interactive television system; a
converter coupled to the network interface to obtain an address
from the received address information; and a transmitter coupled to
the converter to transmit the obtained address to a remote device
to allow the remote device to access the address to retrieve
supplemental content related to a television program transmitted
from the interactive television system to the network interface,
and to allow the remote device to present the obtained supplemental
content on a display remote from a television that displays the
television program.
31. The set top box of claim 30, further comprising a digital
storage device coupled to the converter to store at least a portion
of the supplemental content available from the address and
retrieved by the network interface, the transmitter capable to
transmit the stored supplemental content in the digital storage
device to the remote device.
32. The set top box of claim 30 wherein the network interface is
capable to provide the remote device with access to the address to
allow the remote device to obtain the supplemental content via the
network interface.
33. The set top box of claim 30 wherein the converter is capable to
obtain metadata related to the received address information and
that is transmitted by the interactive television system along with
the address information, and wherein the transmitter is capable to
transmit the obtained metadata to the remote device along with the
obtained address.
34. The set top box of claim 30, further comprising a controller to
cooperate with software to add metadata to the received address
information, wherein the transmitter is capable to transmit the
metadata to the remote device along with the obtained address.
35. The set top box of claim 30 wherein the converter is capable to
obtain link activation information transmitted from the interactive
television system, the transmitter capable to transmit the obtained
link activation information to the remote device to cause the
remote device to pre-load supplemental content from a link
corresponding to the link activation information, the set top box
further comprising a controller to cooperate with software to use
the link activation information to subsequently activate the link
and to provide the activated link to the remote device via the
transmitter.
36. An apparatus, comprising: a receiver to communicate with a set
top box to receive an address sent from an interactive television
system to the set top box in addition to a television program; a
storage medium coupled to the receiver to store a browser; a
network interface capable to cooperate with the browser to receive
supplemental content from the address, the supplemental content
related to the television program transmitted from the interactive
television system to the set top box; and a display responsive to
the browser to present the supplemental content received from the
address independently of a television that displays the television
program transmitted from the interactive television system.
37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the browser is capable to
cause automatic presentation of the supplemental content on the
display subsequent to reception of the address from the set top
box.
38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein in response to user action,
the browser is capable to cause presentation of the supplemental
content on the display subsequent to reception of the address from
the set top box.
39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the browser is capable to
retrieve the supplemental content from the storage location.
40. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the browser is capable to use
metadata received from the set top box and related to the received
address to provide context to the received address.
41. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the browser is capable to
pre-load at least a portion of the supplemental content into the
storage medium prior to activation of a link associated with the
address, and in response to activation of the link, the browser
being further capable to retrieve from the address any additional
portion of the supplemental content and to render the retrieved and
pre-loaded portions on the display.
42. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising: a transmitter to
send signals to the set top box; and a plurality of control buttons
coupled by way of a bus to the transmitter to send the signals,
including control signals from the transmitter to the set top box
to control program content presented on the television.
43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the plurality of control
buttons are configured to control additional home media equipment
coupled to the interactive television system, the home media
equipment including a digital video disc player.
44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the receiver further
communicates with the digital video disc player to receive
supplemental content from a digital video disc in the digital video
disc player, and wherein the display presents the supplemental
content that relates to primary content on the digital video
disc.
45. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the supplemental content
comprises a purchase offer, the apparatus further comprising: a
transmitter to send signals to the set top box; and at least one
input mechanism coupled by way of a bus to the transmitter to send
communications from the transmitter to the set top box to indicate
acceptance by a user of the purchase offer presented in the
supplemental content.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to transmission and
reception of information, and in particular but not exclusively,
relates to the transmission and reception of information related to
content available from the Internet via interactive television.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Television and Internet technologies are beginning to
converge. With the increasing use of interactive television,
viewers can now access Internet content via use of their
television. Indeed, with the convergence of these two types of
technologies, viewers with widely varied interests can now have
access to the virtually limitless amount of information available
on the Internet.
[0003] Many interactive television systems utilize a set top box to
receive television signals and to provide the television signals to
a television. As its name implies, a set top box is typically
placed in close proximity to a television, and provides the viewer
with control over the selection of television programs to view. Set
top boxes that are compatible with the particular interactive
television system can also operate to allow the viewer to access
the Internet via their television. Thus, when a television program
is transmitted to the set top box along with an Internet uniform
resource locator (URL) address, the set top box can display some
sort of visual indicator to the viewer to allow the viewer to
navigate to that URL address, and then displays content available
from that URL address.
[0004] There are some drawbacks, however, with use of a set top box
in this manner to "surf" the Internet while viewing the television
program. For instance, the Internet content retrieved from the URL
address is rendered on the same television screen as the television
program. This can be very distracting to the viewer, particularly
if the television program is completely obscured by the Internet
content rendered on the television screen. Even if the television
has "picture-in-picture" capability that allows multiple images to
be displayed, the overall image from the television screen can
still be very distracting. Furthermore, text or graphics of the
Internet content, especially if rendered in a picture-in-picture
arrangement may be difficult to read by the viewer if the viewer is
sitting some distance away from the television screen.
[0005] As an alternative to displaying Internet content on the
television screen, the viewer may choose to access the URL address
via a remote personal computer (PC) or laptop. However, this can
often be clumsy and inconvenient to the viewer. In a typical case,
the viewer has to "watch for" a URL address once it is displayed by
the television program to indicate the availability of Internet
content or other supplementary information/content, and then
quickly write down the URL address on a piece of paper before the
URL address disappears from the television screen. Next, the viewer
has to launch a web browser at the PC or laptop, and then manually
key in the URL address from the piece of paper. By the time that
the web browser renders the Internet content from the URL address,
additional URL addresses may have been displayed by the television
program or the original URL address may no longer be relevant or of
interest.
[0006] Therefore, improvements are needed in the accessing of
Internet content for interactive television.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present
invention are described with reference to the following figures,
wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
various views unless otherwise specified.
[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an interactive television system
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic block showing a client-side portion of
the interactive television system of FIG. 1 according to an
embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a set top box
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a remote device
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for providing supplemental
content from the interactive television system of FIG. 1 to the
remote device of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Embodiments of an apparatus and method to provide
supplemental content from an interactive television system to a
remote device are described herein. In the following description,
numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough
understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the
relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be
practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with
other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,
well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or
described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the
invention.
[0014] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment"
or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,
the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an
embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the
particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined
in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0015] As an overview, when network address information (such as
URL addresses) is provided along with television programming, an
embodiment of the invention integrates the supplemental content
(e.g., Internet content) associated with the network address
information with the television program viewing experience. In an
embodiment, a remote device is capable to receive the network
address information as the information is transmitted to the remote
device from a set top box coupled to a television. After receiving
the network address information, a browser, such as a web browser,
of the remote device can navigate to the URL address or other
address specified by the network address information. In this
manner, a user of the remote device can be presented with
supplemental content associated with the network address
information, alternatively or in addition to having the
supplemental content presented on a display screen of the
television.
[0016] In one embodiment, the web browser of the remote device
automatically navigates to the URL address independently of user
action. In another embodiment, user action or "keyed navigation,"
such as clicking on the URL address by the user, initiates
navigation to the URL address. In yet another embodiment at least
some of the supplemental content may be pre-loaded into the remote
device prior to explicit navigation to the specific URL address,
thereby reducing latency in the rendering of the supplemental
content by the web browser. For these various embodiments, metadata
or other data related to the URL address or to the supplemental
content can be transmitted to the remote device by the set top
box.
[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an interactive
television system 100, including a cable television (CATV) network,
according to an embodiment of the invention. In one implementation,
the system 100 includes a plurality of set top boxes 102 or other
customer premises equipment (CPE) located, for instance, at
customer homes.
[0018] A set top box 102 (hereinafter "STB 102") comprises a
consumer electronics device that serves as a gateway between a
customer's television and a broadband communication network, such
as a cable network. As its name implies, an STB 102 is typically
located on top of, or in close proximity to, the customer's
television. In general, an embodiment of the STB 102 operates in
conjunction with data streams encoded using the MPEG standard,
although it is to be appreciated that other standards may be used
as well. STBs 102 are also capable of two-way data streams,
allowing consumers to access services such as electronic shopping
and video-on-demand.
[0019] In one embodiment, an STB 102 receives encoded television
signals from the system 100 and decodes the same for display on the
television. Additionally, an STB 102 receives commands from a user
(via a remote control in one embodiment) and transmits such
commands back to the system 100.
[0020] In various embodiments, each STB 102 is connected to a
headend 104. In the context of a cable network, a headend 104 is a
centrally located facility where CATV transmissions are received
from a local CATV satellite downlink and packaged together for
transmission to customer homes.
[0021] Headends 104 may be coupled directly to one another or
through a network center 106. In some cases, headends 104 may be
connected via a separate network, one particular example of which
is an Internet 108. Of course, the illustrated network topology is
provided for example purposes only, and other networks and network
configurations may be used within the scope of the invention.
[0022] In one embodiment of the invention, supplemental content
(such as Internet content, streaming media, GIF files, JPEGs, audio
files, or other information or resources available from the
Internet 108) can be made accessible or available along with the
television program signal via use of triggering techniques. A
suitable type of triggering technique that can be used by an
embodiment of the invention is based on the Advanced Television
Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) triggers. Similar alternative techniques
include the triggering mechanism available from Wink Communications
of Alameda, Calif.
[0023] With ATVEF's Transport Type A implementation, trigger
information is inserted in the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of
the television program signal. The trigger information (or
"triggers") includes URL addresses, Internet Protocol (IP)
addresses, file transfer protocol (FTP) locations, local or remote
cache locations or other address information of the Internet 108
(or other address locations) where supplemental content associated
with the television program can be obtained. For the sake of
simplicity of explanation, URL addresses will be used herein when
describing embodiments of the invention, and it is understood that
other types of addresses may also be processed.
[0024] If the viewer desires to view such supplemental content, the
corresponding URL address can be accessed by a web browser to
retrieve the supplemental content for rendering. Transport Type A
implementations have an advantage in that the triggers can be
synchronized with a particular subject-matter segment of the
television program by being inserted into the appropriate VBI
locations.
[0025] With ATVEF's Transport Type B implementations, a trigger
steam is sent separately form the audiovisual stream (e.g., the
television program signal). There may also be separate resources
and announcement streams. Other triggering mechanisms that can be
used by embodiments of the invention include the Wink and WorldGate
triggering mechanisms. It is to be appreciated that embodiments of
the invention can operate based on any of these triggering
techniques, their variations or combinations, or other triggering
techniques that make addresses of supplemental content
available.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a client-side
portion 200 of the interactive television system 100 according to
an embodiment of the invention. The portion 200 includes, in one
implementation, a television 202, an STB 102, and a remote device
204. In various embodiments, the portion 200 may also include a
videocassette recorder (VCR) 205 or other recording device.
[0027] The television 202 may be configured to display television
signals in a variety of formats, including standard analog or
digital television formats or high-definition television (HDTV)
formats. The television 202 may utilize various technologies to
display the television signals, such as standard cathode ray tube
(CRT) technology, liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, liquid
plasma technology, or projection techniques.
[0028] As illustrated, the television 202 can be coupled to the STB
102 in order to receive and display television signals received
from the system 100, and more specifically, from a headend 104. In
one embodiment, the STB 102 includes a converter 206 for converting
digitally encoded (e.g., MPEG) television signals from the system
100 into signals of a form suitable for use by the television 202.
Additionally, the converter 206 may decode network address
information or other data received from the system 100. For
example, the converter 206 can extract trigger information,
including URL addresses, from the VBI of the received television
signals. The converter 206 can also otherwise process or sort URL
addresses that are received via a stream separate from the
television signals or received via some other connection to the
Internet 108 or head-ends 104 (e.g., via cable modem). In addition
to URL addresses, the converter 206 can also process supplemental
content that may be received by the STB 102.
[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the STB 102 is equipped with
a receiver 210, such as an infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF)
receiver 210. In alternative embodiments, the receiver 210 may be
configured to receive other frequencies of the electromagnetic
spectrum, such as UHF, VHF, microwave, or the like. The receiver
210 can receive control signals from the remote device 204 for
operating the STB 102 and the television 202. The receiver 210 may
also receive other types of data, such as information requests,
e-mail, and the like, for transmission to the system 100.
[0030] In one implementation, the STB 102 also includes a
transmitter 212, such as an IR or RF transmitter 212. The
transmitter 212 is configured, in one embodiment, to broadcast
various types of information to the remote device 204, such as
trigger information including URL addresses, Internet content,
hypertext markup language (HTML) files, e-mail, other supplementary
content, and the like.
[0031] As noted, the remote device 204 provides convenient remote
operation of the STB 102 and the television 202. Unlike
conventional television remote controls, however, an embodiment of
the remote device 204 includes a remote display 220 for displaying
supplemental content 246 and/or 248, such as web page content, as
described in greater detail below.
[0032] In an embodiment, the remote device 204 is of a size and
weight convenient to be conveniently held in a viewer's hands or
lap. For instance, the remote device 204 may be approximately 8
inches wide and 11 inches tall, or about the size of a conventional
paper notebook. In an embodiment, the remote device 204 is
comparatively lightweight, for example, under three pounds.
[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the remote device 204
includes a receiver 226, such as an RF or IR receiver 226, for
receiving signals sent by the transmitter 212 of the STB 102. As
mentioned above, these signals may include the trigger information
retrieved by the STB 102 from the system 100. Additionally, the
remote device 204 may include a transmitter 228, such as an RF, IR,
or other transmitter 228, that transmits control signals and other
data to the receiver 210 of the STB 102, as well as to the
television 202 (e.g., to adjust the television's 202 volume).
[0034] In one embodiment, the transmitters 212, 228 modulate
signals with a carrier frequency to enable transmission of
information, such as URL addresses, between the STB 102 and the
remote device 204. For example, the transmitters 212, 228 may
operate according to the IEEE 802.11a or 802.11b Wireless
Networking standards. Alternatively, the transmitters 212, 228 may
utilize DECT or "Bluetooth" or other standard or proprietary
protocols. In an embodiment, the transmitters 212, 228 may be
configured to transmit other frequencies of the electromagnetic
spectrum, such as UHF, VHF, microwave, or the like.
[0035] To perform modulation and transmission, the transmitters
212, 228 may include various additional components not specifically
illustrated. For example, the transmitters 212, 228 may include
source encoders to reduce the amount of bandwidth required, channel
encoders to modulate the transmitted information with a carrier
wave, and transmission antennas to broadcast the information. The
antennas may be substantially two-dimensional structures formed as
part of a printed circuit board within the remote device 204 and
STB 102 in one embodiment. Such integrated antennas are
advantageously compact and efficient to manufacture. The
transmitters 212, 228 may further include amplifiers to increase
the transmission signal strength to an appropriate power level.
[0036] The receivers 210, 226 may further include components not
specifically illustrated but well known in the art. For example,
the receivers 210, 226 may include antennas for receiving the
transmission, amplifiers for increasing the strength of the
received signal, and decoders for separating and demodulating
information from the carrier signal. These antennas may also be
integrated into printed circuit boards of the remote device 204 and
STB 102.
[0037] As previously noted, the remote device 204 includes, in one
embodiment, a remote display 220, which is compact yet large enough
to be easily readable in one embodiment. For example, the remote
display 220 may comprise a screen having a 10.4-inch diagonal
measure with a standard 4:3 aspect ratio. The remote display 220
may be embodied as a monochrome or color liquid crystal display
(LCD) screen. To implement a color remote display 220, a number of
technologies may be utilized, including passive matrix, dual scan,
HPA, TFT, or liquid plasma LCD technology. The remote display 220
may advantageously utilize TFT LCD technology to achieve high
brightness, clear motion, and a comparatively large viewing
angle.
[0038] Display buttons 232 may be provided and conveniently located
on the remote device 204 to control various aspects of the remote
display device 220. The display buttons 232 may include buttons to
vertically or horizontally scroll material on the remote display
220, to adjust the brightness, contrast, and coloration of the
remote display 220, or to place the remote display device 220 in an
"on," "off," or "standby" setting. For instance, one of the display
buttons 232 may be used to set the remote device 204 in a "receive"
mode to receive URL addresses transmitted from the STB 102. Another
one or more of the display buttons 232 may be used for web browsing
activities, such as clicking on hypertext links, launching web
browsers, selecting URL addresses from a list or menu, sorting
favorite URLs, navigating to a web site, entering URL addresses
(for example if the display buttons 232 comprise part of an
alphanumeric keyboard), or other activities associated with
accessing and viewing supplemental content. The remote device 204
may also include a Sony "Vaio".RTM.-style mechanical wheel to
select items from a menu. As used herein, the term "button"
contemplates other types of controls, such as switches and the
like. In addition, multiple buttons or controls may be provided for
performing a particular function. Thus, the term "button" means one
or more controls for performing the stated function.
[0039] Additionally, control buttons 234 may also be provided on
the remote control 204 to control the operation of the STB 102
and/or the television 202. The control buttons 234 may include
channel selection, volume adjustment, power on/off, brightness,
contrast, and coloration, and the like. The control buttons 234 may
also be configured to control other devices, such as the VCR 205, a
digital video disc (DVD) player, a compact disc (CD) player, a
tuner, an amplifier, or a receiver. One of the control buttons 234
may also be used to set the remote device 204 to the receive
mode.
[0040] Optionally, the remote display device 220 may provide touch
sensitivity, which may be implemented using technologies well known
or available to those skilled in the art. Thus, a user may press
against a particular portion of the screen with a finger or other
object, such as a stylus, to select "virtual" buttons or controls
displayed upon the remote display device 220. If the remote display
device 220 is configured as a touch screen, many, or possibly even
all, of the buttons 232, 234 may not be needed. For instance, touch
sensitivity techniques may be used to provide mouse cursor
functionality.
[0041] In one embodiment, a viewer selects a URL address to
navigate to by touching a corresponding indication displayed on the
remote display 220. In one embodiment, navigation to a URL address
may be performed automatically by a browser of the remote device
204, as will be described below. Optionally, a user may activate an
on-screen keyboard, by which a user may input letters, numbers, or
other symbols. Such a configuration is useful if a user wishes to
use the remote device 204 to send e-mail or for other text-based
applications.
[0042] The remote device 204 need not be limited to reception of
URL addresses, but may also be used for more varied,
higher-bandwidth applications. For example, the STB 102 may be
configured to send to the remote control 204 background information
for television programs, such as pictures of actors and actresses,
video previews, and audio/video interviews with people associated
with the program. In one embodiment, the STB 102 may send
supplemental content itself, alternatively or in addition to URL
addresses, to the remote device 204.
[0043] In such an embodiment, the transmitters 212, 228 and
receivers 210, 226 may be configured for high-bandwidth
transmission and reception, which may use, for example, frequency
division multiplexing (FDM) or other techniques. Transmission of
video and audio between the STB 102 and the remote device 204 may
operate according to various standard protocols, such as MPEG and
video over IP.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown an expanded block
diagram of one possible embodiment of the STB 102. As shown in FIG.
3, the STB 102 may include a number of additional components beyond
those depicted in FIG. 2. For example, the STB 102 may include a
storage interface 302, which provides an interface with a digital
storage device 304, such as a hard disk drive or other memory
device. In one embodiment, the storage interface 302 receives
triggers including network address information and/or supplemental
content, from the converter 206 and delivers the same to the
digital storage device 304 for storage thereof. When a user desires
to review the stored information in the digital storage device 304,
the information may be transmitted by the transmitter 212 of the
STB 102 to the receiver 226 of the remote device 204 for display on
the remote display 220. It is to be appreciated, however, that in
another embodiment, information may be directly transmitted to the
remote device 204 by the STB 102 without being previously stored in
the digital storage device 304.
[0045] In one embodiment, the STB 102 further includes a controller
306 that is in communication with the storage interface 302 and the
converter 206. The controller 306 may be embodied as a
microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) or
other device known in the art. The controller 306 may manage the
operation of the STB 102, including, for example, reception of
trigger information from the system 100, transmission of the
trigger information to the remote device 204, the storage and
retrieval of supplemental content, and the like. As noted above,
the controller 306 may perform these and other operations based
upon control signals generated by the remote device 204 and
transmitted to the receiver 210.
[0046] In one embodiment, the STB 102 includes a separate network
interface 308 for providing access to the system 100. The type of
network interface 308 can vary depending on the underlying system
100. In a cable network, for instance, the network interface 308
may comprise a cable modem or the like. In alternative embodiments,
the functionality of the network interface 308 may be provided by
the converter 206.
[0047] FIG. 4 provides a more detailed schematic representation of
the remote device 204, including the receiver 226, transmitter 228,
and the remote display 220. As shown in FIG. 4, addition components
may be included. For example, the remote device 204 may include a
bus 402 to enable data transfers between the various components of
the remote device 204.
[0048] The bus 402 may be electrically connected to random access
memory (RAM) 404, configured to store data for temporary use, such
as URL addresses and supplemental content retrieved from the URL
addresses. Similarly, a read-only memory (ROM) 406, may be provided
to store more permanent data, such as fixed code and configuration
data. In one embodiment, the ROM 406 may be configured to store an
operating system for the remote device 204.
[0049] The remote device 204 may also include a processor 408 for
performing high-level processing functions, such as preparing and
formatting URL addresses and supplemental content for display on
the remote display 220. The processor 408 may also sense a user's
operation of the control buttons 234 or the "virtual" buttons
displayed on the remote display 220, and generate appropriate
command signals for transmission to the STB 102 and/or television
202. The processor 408 may be embodied as a microprocessor,
microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable
gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC),
or other suitable device.
[0050] Additionally, the remote device 204 may include a
machine-readable storage medium, such as a digital storage device
410 for storage of network address information, supplemental
content, video/audio information, and the like.
[0051] Like the digital storage device 304 of the STB 102, the
digital storage device 410 may comprise a hard disk drive or other
memory storage device, such as "flash" memory.
[0052] The digital storage device 410 may also store an operating
system for the remote device 204, such as Windows.RTM., Mac
O/S.RTM., or UNIX.RTM.. In one embodiment, the operating system
comprises a comparatively compact and customizable platform such as
Windows CE.RTM. or Linux.RTM.. The operating system may be
configured to use the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) to access
information remotely from the STB 102 and/or the network 100. The
digital storage device 410 can also store a web browser to retrieve
supplemental content from the Internet 108 (or from some other
location) and to render the supplemental content on the remote
display 220. The digital storage device 410, the RAM 404, or other
machine-readable storage medium of the remote device 204 may be
used to cache or load supplemental content.
[0053] Additionally, the remote device 204 may have a battery 412
to provide power for the remote device 204. In one embodiment, the
battery 412 is a rechargeable battery having a comparatively long
life, such as 4 or more hours. The battery 412 may utilize various
advanced storage technologies, such as Lithium Ion technology, to
provide enhanced power output, durability, and recharge times.
[0054] The battery 412 may be recharged through the use of a power
source 414. The power source 414 may be embodied in number of
different configurations. For example, the power source 414 may
comprise a power cord designed to be plugged into a conventional,
household power outlet. Alternatively, the power source 414 may be
part of a charging unit (not shown), in which the remote control
204 may be stored and recharged. The power source 414 may then
comprise contacts configured to mate with corresponding contacts of
the charging unit. Alternatively, a magnetic coupling, such as a
transformer, may be used to energize the remote device 204 without
the use of exposed electrical contacts on the remote device 204 or
the charging unit. The charging unit may hold the remote control
204 at an orientation convenient for viewing so that the remote
device 204 can be used while in the charging unit.
[0055] In one embodiment, the remote device 204 can be provided
with access to the Internet 108 or to another location where
supplemental content can be obtained based on the address
information received from the STB 102. In the embodiment of the
remote device 204 shown in FIG. 4, the remote device 204 can be
provided with a network interface 416 (which can include a modem)
that communicatively couples the remote device 204 to the Internet
108. Such a communicative coupling may be a hardwired connection
(e.g., xDSL, ISDN, twisted pair, and the like) or a wireless
connection to the Internet 108, including conventional
communication techniques. Thus in this embodiment, the remote
device 204 has a connection to the Internet 108 that is
distinct/separate from the STB's 102 connection to the Internet
108. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various
components of the remote device 204 may be embodied in a number of
different configurations for ergonomics and ease-of-use.
[0056] In another embodiment, the remote device 204 may connect to
the Internet 108 via the cable modem in the network interface 308
of the STB 102. Thus in this embodiment, the connection to the
Internet by the remote device 204 is "tied to" the STB 102, with
Internet information (e.g., URL addresses and supplemental content)
being exchanged between the STB 102 and the remote device 204 via
the transmitters 212, 228 and the receivers 210, 226. In an
embodiment, it is also possible for a web browser in the STB 102 to
retrieve the supplemental content from the Internet 108 and store
at least a portion of the supplemental content in the digital
storage device 304. The stored supplemental content can then be
subsequently transmitted to the remote device 204 for display on
the remote display 220.
[0057] An embodiment of the invention provides more automated
methods of navigation to the supplemental content than existing
techniques described in the background section above where the user
has to manually enter URL addresses. According to first embodiment,
the web browser in the remote device 204 automatically navigates to
the web site associated with the URL address that was received from
the STB 102. Once the web browser has navigated to that URL address
via a connection to the Internet 108 established by the network
interface 416, the supplemental content from the corresponding web
site can be retrieved and rendered on the remote display 220 by the
web browser.
[0058] In operation, the remote device 204 can be placed in a
"standby" or "receive" mode, such that any time a URL address is
received by the receiver 226 from the transmitter 212 of the STB
102, the web browser automatically navigates to the corresponding
web site. As described above, the STB 102 receives URL addresses as
part of triggers embedded in the television signals or as a
separate stream. Once obtained by the converter 206, the URL
addresses can be transmitted to the remote device 204 via the
transmitter 212.
[0059] For this automated navigation embodiment, the current web
browser instance (or browser window) can be re-used each time a new
URL address is received from the STB 102. That is, the same web
browser window renders new supplemental content, replacing the
currently rendered supplemental content, as new URL addresses are
received. In another implementation, a new web browser instance can
be created each time a new URL address is received. This
implementation allows the viewer to continue viewing the original
supplemental content in one window, while the new supplemental
content is rendered in another window. This multiple-window
implementation is represented symbolically in FIG. 2, where the
supplemental content 246 and 248 are both rendered concurrently on
the remote display 220.
[0060] According to a second embodiment, keyed navigation features
can be provided to the remote device 204. The keyed navigation
feature provides the viewer with more control over the selection of
the supplemental content that may be rendered on the remote display
220. Additionally, the keyed navigation feature can help prevent
potential viewer confusion, which may occur if the web browser
automatically navigates from one URL address to another. In short,
the keyed navigation feature gives the viewer the option to ignore
some of the URL addresses received by the remote device 204.
[0061] One embodiment of the keyed navigation implementation can be
responsive to user action, such as a "click" or activation of a
dedicated button (or other interface) to cause navigation to the
supplementary content when an icon or prompt is presented to the
viewer on the remote display 220 to announce the availability of
the supplemental content. For instance, one or more of the display
buttons 232 can be used to "accept" a displayed URL address once it
is received by the remote device 204, resulting in navigation to
that URL address. One or more of the display buttons 232 can also
be used to scroll through a list of displayed URL addresses, and
then select one of the URL addresses by clicking.
[0062] One embodiment of the keyed navigation implementation can
further provide a queuing feature to store or record past URL
addresses received from the STB 102. This queuing feature can be
embodied in software or other machine-readable instructions stored
on a machine-readable medium, such that the software stores the
received URL addresses in the digital storage device 410 or other
storage location of the remove device 204. The stored URL addresses
can be indexed, placed in a directory, or otherwise organized so
that the URL addresses can be presented to the viewer.
[0063] For instance, the URL addresses can be placed in a list and
displayed to the user via a drop-down menu or in a window, and then
selected via "point and click" techniques or with the use of a
Vaio.RTM.-style wheel. Alternatively or in addition, identifiers or
descriptions can be provided for the displayed URL addresses so as
to give the viewer some kind of context for the URL address. As an
example, instead of displaying the URL address itself on the
drop-down menu, the remote display 220 can display a hypertext link
labeled as "Additional information about salmon as seen on the
Nature Program on Channel 5." This descriptive labeling provides
the viewer with some context or other information to assist the
viewer in remembering URL addresses and/or supplemental content
that may be of interest. This may be particularly useful, for
instance, if the viewer is "channel surfing," and all the while,
the remote device 204 is receiving URL addresses associated with
the different television channels being surfed. The queuing feature
conveniently provides the viewer with the opportunity to track and
view supplemental content from previous television channels, or to
otherwise view the supplemental content after having viewed the
original television program.
[0064] To further assist the viewer in placing the received URL
addresses in context, metadata can be extracted from or added to
the URL addresses. For instance, the original triggers received by
the STB 102 from the system 100 may include metadata that
identifies the URL addresses to the particular television channel,
the particular program, and the time of broadcast. The controller
306 of the STB 102 (or other component of the STB 102) can extract
this metadata and provide it to the remote device 204.
Alternatively or in addition, the web browser of the remote device
204 can extract this metadata itself from the address information
transmitted from the STB 102.
[0065] If such metadata is not otherwise present in the triggers
received from the system 100, the controller 306 (or other
component of the STB 102) can add such metadata to the URL address
information (separately or concatenated). For instance, by
monitoring the television channel that a tuner of the STB 102 is
tuned to, the controller 306 can correlate a URL address associated
with the received trigger to a specific television program, to the
television channel, to the time of broadcast, or to some other
usable characteristic. An electronic program guide (EPG) may be
accessed to obtain some of the television program information for
correlation purposes. Then, this metadata can be sent to the remote
device 204 along with the corresponding URL address. The web
browser of the remote device 204 can use the metadata to place the
URL in an appropriate list, folder, or directory organized based on
characteristics such as time, date, television channel, television
program, subject matter, and the like. With the URL addresses being
organized or otherwise identified according to these
characteristics, the web browser can display the URL addresses to
the viewer in a context that the viewer can understand. As such,
the viewer need not access the various URL addresses in the
sequence that they are received, but instead can randomly pick and
choose from among the available URL addresses.
[0066] With the automatic navigation and the keyed navigation
embodiments described above, the remote device 204 first receives a
URL address and then automatically or in response to user action,
the web browser retrieves the supplemental content from the URL
address. In a typical case, this retrieval involves retrieval of an
HTML file by the web browser, which is then followed by the web
browser's parsing through the HTML file to find tags, locations of
other resources to be retrieved, and other embedded information.
The web browser then generates one or more hypertext transfer
protocol (HTTP) "gets" to obtain these resources in order to
complete the rendering of the supplemental content.
[0067] The reception of the URL address by the remote device 204,
the retrieval of the HTML file, the parsing through the HTML file
to locate resources, and the HTTP "gets" can all add latency to the
ultimate rendering of the supplementary content on the remote
display 220. Therefore, to improve performance, a third embodiment
uses pre-loading or pre-caching of supplementary content. With this
embodiment, the supplementary content at the destination URL
address begins pre-loading into the web browser's local cache
(e.g., the digital storage device 410) when the URL address is
received by the remote device 204 from the STB 102, even though the
user has not yet explicitly activated the link (e.g., has not yet
clicked on the URL address) or even though the link has not yet
been activated by a component of the STB 102 or the remote device
204. This embodiment can thus help provide a very high performance
response for the viewer, if or when the viewer chooses to view the
supplemental content, since at least some of the supplemental
content can be quickly retrieved from the local cache instead of
having to be retrieved from the Internet 108.
[0068] In one embodiment of the pre-loading technique, the remote
device 204 receives URL addresses from the STB 102, and software of
the remote device 204 predicts that the viewer will wish to view
the supplemental content associated with the received URL
addresses. This prediction can involve simply receiving the URL
address, and then causing the web browser to pre-fetch the
supplemental content from the URL addresses. Later, when the user
selects the URL address (or when the web browser automatically
navigates to the URL address), the web browser first checks the
local cache to determine if any of the supplemental content is
present there. If the supplemental content or a portion thereof is
not present in the local cache, then the web browser retrieves the
supplemental content from the Internet 108. Accordingly, the
latency to render the supplemental content can be dramatically
improved if at least a portion of the supplemental content is found
in the local cache, and if the supplemental content is not there
(such as if the supplemental content was not pre-loaded, or if it
was pre-loaded but then subsequently removed from the local cache)
and needs to be retrieved from the Internet 108, the latency is no
worse than normal. Additional portions of the supplemental content
that are not in the local cache may be retrieved from the Internet
108 by the web browser as needed.
[0069] Various caching techniques may be used by an embodiment of
the invention. One example is to cache as much supplemental content
as possible, with the possible exception of resources that may be
tagged as non-cacheable. First-in-first-out (FIFO) caching
techniques may also be used. As variations to FIFO caching
techniques, "most recently used" or "least recently used" caching
techniques may be implemented as well. In one example
implementation, a first caching can be performed when the HTML file
is retrieved from the URL address, and a second caching can be
preformed when retrieving the resources embedded in the HTML
file.
[0070] In an embodiment of the pre-loading technique, software of
the remote device 204 can instruct the web browser to begin
pre-loading the supplementary content at some time before the
actual URL address or link becomes active. This helps to ensure
that at least some of the supplemental content is cached before the
viewer sees the URL address or before the remote device 204
receives an active URL address. One technique to accomplish this is
to first transmit trigger information that includes inactive URL
address. These inactive URL addresses can be used to initiate the
web browser to perform pre-loading, and can be sent in advance of
their corresponding segment in the television program. Later,
active versions of the previously transmitted URL addresses (or
instructions to activate the previously sent URL addresses) can be
sent via triggers to actually announce the availability of the
supplemental content at the appropriate time during the television
program.
[0071] As an extension to this embodiment, all or at least a
plurality of the URL addresses that are to be used or displayed by
the television program can be provided "up front" for caching
purposes, instead of having the remote device 204 receive the URL
addresses at the exact particular time that they are displayed by
the television program. The URL address provided up front can be
accompanied by instructions (which may also be provided via
triggers or which may be concatenated with the URL addresses) not
to display the URL address (or other visual indication to inform
the user of the active URL address) until later in the television
program.
[0072] Providing the URL addresses up front with instructions as to
when they can be later displayed/activated gives a wider range of
time in which URL addresses or links can be activated, and thereby
increases the likelihood that the corresponding supplemental
content will be cached. This provides an improvement over
implementations where triggers having URL addresses are present in
the VBI of the television signal only at the times when the URL
addresses are appropriate. In addition to allowing pre-loading to
occur, providing URL addresses up front helps to ensure that the
viewer does not miss links while channel surfing, and also allows
the viewer to preview the links (from a list, for example), instead
of having to wait for the portion of the television program where
the links would have been otherwise provided.
[0073] As previously described above, metadata can be provided
along with the URL addresses to assist the viewer in placing the
supplemental content in context, or to otherwise enhance the
integration of the supplemental content with the viewing
experience. Examples of metadata include, but are not limited to,
expiration date/time of the URL address, description of the link,
copyright/source information, category or class of information at
the URL address, type of media at the URL address, keywords,
importance (e.g., a "high priority" URL address), or other metadata
of interest. The metadata indicative of the expiration date of the
URL address can be used, for instance, to delete the URL address
from a menu or to delete its corresponding supplemental content
from the local cache, if the URL address is no longer relevant or
has exceeded an active time frame.
[0074] Various techniques can be used to provide this metadata as
part of the information sent to the STB 102 from the system 100, or
to add this metadata (by the STB 102, for instance) to the received
trigger information. The metadata may be concatenated with the URL
address in one embodiment. The metadata can be sent along with the
same trigger as the URL address, but occupy a different block of
data in the trigger in another embodiment. It is also possible to
send the metadata in triggers that are separate from the triggers
that have the URL addresses. In such an implementation, trigger IDs
or other type of correlation technique can be used to synchronize
the metadata triggers with the URL address triggers. Components of
the STB 102, such as the controller 306 working in cooperation with
software, can process the metadata.
[0075] Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a flowchart of one
possible embodiment of a method 500 for providing supplemental
content from the system 100 to the remote device 204. At least some
of the elements of the method 500 can be embodied in software or
other instructions stored on a machine-readable medium of the STB
102, the remote device 204, or both. The method 500 begins, in one
embodiment, when a user activates 502 the remote device 204. As
described above, the remote control 204 may be activated by
pressing a designated button 232, 234 to place the remote device
204 in the receive mode to receive URL addresses from the STB
102.
[0076] In one embodiment, the remote device 204 transmits 504 a
request signal to the STB 102 to request URL addresses. In an
alternative embodiment, the STB 102 may transmit URL addresses to
the remote device 204 at specific times when the URL addresses
become available, obviating the need to make a specific request to
the STB 102. In certain embodiments, the STB 102 may be in a
"standby" mode until the request signal is received, in which case
the STB 102 is placed in a "ready" or fully-functional mode in
response to the request signal.
[0077] The STB 102 may receive 506 trigger information including
URL addresses from the system 100 (e.g., from headends 104, the
network center 106, or the Internet 108) along with an audiovisual
television signal. In one embodiment, the STB 102 extracts 508 the
URL addresses from the audiovisual television signal, or otherwise
obtains the URL addresses (such as from a separate trigger stream).
The STB 102 then transmits the URL addresses or other address
information, including metadata, to the remote device 204 using a
wireless method, as described above. The remote device 204 receives
and processes 512 the address information in the processor 408 in
order to access the Internet 108 to obtain the corresponding
supplemental content. The remote device 204 then renders or
displays 514 the supplemental content on the remote display
220.
[0078] As described above, the accessing of the Internet 108 at 512
and the rendering of the supplementary content at 514 can involve
automatic navigation, keyed navigation, or pre-loading. In one
implementation, the user may select 516 a URL address from a list
in order to change the supplemental content displayed on the remote
display 220, or perform other navigation, sorting of URL addresses,
previewing URL addresses, and the like. In an embodiment in which
the remote display 220 is a touch screen, a user may simply touch
an indication on the remote display 220 in order to display the
corresponding supplemental content.
[0079] In conclusion, supplemental content related to a television
program can be provided from an interactive television system to
the remote device 204. The STB 102 can obtain URL addresses
associated with the supplemental content from triggers that are
sent in addition to an audiovisual television signal. The STB 102
transmits the URL addresses to the remote device 204, and the web
browser of the remote device 204 can perform automatic navigation
or respond to keyed navigation to the URL address to obtain the
corresponding supplemental content. Pre-loading and processing of
metadata can also be implemented to enhance performance.
[0080] The above description of illustrated embodiments of the
invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise
forms disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for,
the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes,
various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of
the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will
recognize.
[0081] For instance, while the remote device 204 has been described
in various embodiments above as being a device about the size of a
notebook, it is to be appreciated that other types of remote
devices may be implemented in other embodiments. For example, a
laptop, PC, or wireless handheld device capable of communicating
with the STB 102 can be used in other embodiments. Other types of
suitable devices, which are not necessarily PC-grade devices with a
full operating system, can be used as the remote device 204 if they
can render Internet-hosted content or other supplemental content.
In an embodiment, even the STB 102 can be used to perform at least
some of the operations described above, including obtaining the
supplemental content (including pre-loading) and transmitting the
supplemental content to the remote device 204 along with or instead
of the URL addresses.
[0082] As described, the remote device 204 includes the transmitter
228 to send signals to the STB 102. The control buttons 234 are
coupled by way of the bus 402 to the transmitter 228 to send
signals from the transmitter 228 to the STB 102 (such as control
signals to control program content presented on the television
202). The control buttons 234 may be configured, in an embodiment,
to control additional home media equipment coupled to the
client-side portion 200 of the interactive television system 100,
such as a digital video disc player.
[0083] The receiver 226 of the remote device 204 may further
communicate with the digital video disc player to receive
supplemental content from a digital video disc in the digital video
disc player. The remote display 220 presents the supplemental
content, which may relate to primary content on the digital video
disc.
[0084] In yet another embodiment, the supplemental content
described throughout this disclosure may comprise a purchase offer
(e.g., for "e-commerce"). The transmitter 228 of the remote device
204 sends signals to the STB 102. At least one input mechanism
(such as the control buttons 234 or the display buttons 232) is
coupled by way of the bus 402 to the transmitter 228 to send
communications from the transmitter 228 to the STB 102 to indicate
acceptance by the user of the purchase offer presented in the
supplemental content.
[0085] These modifications can be made to the invention in light of
the above detailed description. The terms used in the following
claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the
specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims.
Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined entirely by
the following claims, which are to be construed in accordance with
established doctrines of claim interpretation.
* * * * *