U.S. patent application number 10/918753 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-24 for television chat system.
This patent application is currently assigned to United Video Properties, Inc.. Invention is credited to DeWeese, Toby, Ellis, Michael D., McKissick, Pamela L., Thomas, William L..
Application Number | 20050262542 10/918753 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26795948 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050262542 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DeWeese, Toby ; et
al. |
November 24, 2005 |
Television chat system
Abstract
A television chat system is provided that allows television
viewers to engage in real-time communications in chat groups with
other television viewers while watching television. Users of the
television chat system may engage in real-time communications with
other users who are currently watching the same television program
or channel. The system allows real-time communications in a chat
group to be transmitted between users at user television equipment
devices via a television distribution facility. The television chat
system of the present invention permits users to join chat groups
related to television programs, channels, or categories of programs
that the user may be interested in. Real-time communications may be
textual messages, audio communications, or video communications.
The television chat system may also allow users to send chat
requests to ask other users to enter a chat group. The system also
permits users to establish chat groups that television viewers are
permitted to join. The television chat system may be based on an
interactive television program guide or set-top box application
implemented on a set-top box.
Inventors: |
DeWeese, Toby; (Tulsa,
OK) ; McKissick, Pamela L.; (Tulsa, OK) ;
Thomas, William L.; (Bixby, OK) ; Ellis, Michael
D.; (Boulder, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & NEAVE IP GROUP
ROPES & GRAY LLP
1251 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS FL C3
NEW YORK
NY
10020-1105
US
|
Assignee: |
United Video Properties,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
26795948 |
Appl. No.: |
10/918753 |
Filed: |
August 12, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10918753 |
Aug 12, 2004 |
|
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|
09356270 |
Jul 16, 1999 |
|
|
|
60099301 |
Aug 26, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/106 ;
348/E7.071; 348/E7.081; 715/758; 725/135 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4751 20130101;
H04N 21/84 20130101; H04N 21/431 20130101; H04N 21/6581 20130101;
H04N 21/4622 20130101; H04N 21/4758 20130101; H04N 21/454 20130101;
H04N 21/632 20130101; H04N 7/147 20130101; H04N 21/2408 20130101;
H04N 21/4782 20130101; H04N 21/4756 20130101; H04N 21/254 20130101;
H04N 21/4316 20130101; H04L 12/1818 20130101; H04N 21/2665
20130101; H04N 21/4223 20130101; H04N 21/4786 20130101; H04N
21/4788 20130101; H04N 21/812 20130101; H04N 7/17318 20130101; H04N
21/8545 20130101; H04N 21/4755 20130101; H04N 21/8173 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/106 ;
725/135; 715/758 |
International
Class: |
H04N 007/173; H04N
007/173; G06F 009/00; H04N 007/16 |
Claims
1-237. (canceled)
238. A chat system wherein a user at a user television equipment
that is connected to a television distribution facility by a
communications path may communicate with other users in chat
groups, the chat system comprising: a storage device that maintains
chat information data comprising a listing of currently available
chat groups; the user television equipment that is operative to
receive the listing from the storage device over the communications
path, store the listing, receive a first user selection of a
particular television program, determine whether there is at least
one chat group from the listing that is available for the
particular television program, provide the user with an opportunity
to join the chat group in response to determining that the chat
group from the listing is available for the particular television
program, receive a second user selection to join the chat group,
and send and receive real-time communications for the chat group
over the communications path; and chat equipment in communication
with, or located at, the television distribution facility that is
operative to distribute the real-time communications for the chat
group.
239. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the particular
television program is a current television program being displayed
on the user television equipment.
240. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the user
television equipment is further operative to provide the user with
an opportunity to send a chat request to the other users at other
user television equipment to ask the other users whether they wish
to join the chat group.
241. The chat system defined in claim 240 wherein the user
television equipment is further operative to provide the user with
an opportunity to send the chat request only to the other users who
are currently watching the particular television program.
242. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the user
television equipment is further operative to provide the user with
an opportunity to block or to only allow a chat request asking
whether the user wishes to join the chat group from at least one of
the other users.
243. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein an interactive
television program guide that allows the user to participate in the
chat group with the other users is at least partly implemented on
the user television equipment.
244. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the chat
equipment comprises a chat server that is operative to handle
real-time textual communications.
245. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the chat
equipment is further operative to support real-time audio
communications or real-time video communications.
246. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the user
television equipment is further operative to provide the user with
an opportunity to record a chat session.
247. The chat system defined in claim 238 wherein the user
television equipment is further operative to provide the user with
an opportunity to set a chat reminder.
248. A method for providing chat groups in a chat system in which a
user at a user television equipment may communicate with other
users in the chat groups, the user television equipment being
connected to a television distribution facility by a communications
path, comprising: receiving chat information data comprising a
listing of a plurality of currently available chat groups related
to television programming from a storage device over the
communications path; storing the listing; receiving a first user
selection of a particular television program; determining whether
there is at least one chat group from the listing that is available
for the particular television program; providing the user with an
opportunity to join the chat group in response to determining that
the chat group from the listing is available for the particular
television program; receiving a second user selection to join the
chat group; and sending and receiving real-time communications for
the chat group to chat equipment in communication with, or located
at, the television distribution facility over the communications
path.
249. The method defined in claim 248 wherein the particular
television program is a current television program being displayed
on the user television equipment.
250. The method defined in claim 248 further comprising providing
the user with an opportunity to send a chat request to the other
users at other user television equipment to ask the other users
whether they wish to join the chat group.
251. The method defined in claim 250 further comprising providing
the user with an opportunity to send the chat request only to the
other users who are currently watching the particular television
program.
252. The method defined in claim 248 further comprising providing
the user with an opportunity to block or to only allow a chat
request asking whether the user wishes to join the chat group from
at least one of the other users.
253. The method defined in claim 248 further comprising partly
implementing an interactive television program guide on the user
television equipment that allows the user to participate in the
chat group with the other users.
254. The method defined in claim 248 wherein the sending and
receiving further comprises sending and receiving the real-time
communications for the chat group to a chat server at the chat
equipment that is operative to handle real-time textual
communications.
255. The method defined in claim 248 wherein the sending and
receiving further comprises sending and receiving the real-time
communications for the chat group to the chat equipment that is
operative to support real-time audio communications or real-time
video communications.
256. The method defined in claim 248 further comprising providing
the user with an opportunity to record a chat session.
257. The method defined in claim 248 further comprising providing
the user with an opportunity to set a chat reminder.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
application Ser. No. 60/099,301 filed Aug. 26, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to television chat systems, and more
particularly, to techniques for supporting chat communications in a
television environment that may include an interactive television
program guide.
[0003] A popular aspect of the Internet relates to on-line chat
services. A user of such a service may join a chat group to discuss
any of a variety of topics. The participants in a chat are linked
to each other over the Internet. The participants in a chat may
view the comments of other participants in real time as the other
participants type in their comments using their computers.
[0004] Television programs are often discussed in chat groups.
However, there is generally no way in which a user of a traditional
chat service may easily view a television program while
participating in a chat about that program. A user might locate a
television in the same room as the user's personal computer, but
such an arrangement would be awkward to view. Moreover, many
households locate their televisions in the living room, but are
reluctant to locate their computers in the living room.
[0005] Although personal computers may be provided with tuner cards
that allow television signals to be displayed on the computer
monitor, many television viewers would prefer to view television on
a traditional television. Televisions generally offer greater
viewing areas than computer monitors, so that users need not sit
nearly as close to a television screen as they would a computer
monitor. Televisions are also typically located in rooms within the
home that are more suitable for watching television than where
computers are typically located.
[0006] A system that attempts to integrate aspects of the Internet
with the television viewing experience is available from WebTV
Networks, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif. The WebTV system permits
television viewers to access the Internet through a WebTV Plus
Receiver connected to their television sets. The WebTV Plus
Receiver enables users to surf the World Wide Web on their
television by connecting their televisions to the web-based WebTV
Network through a standard phone line. The WebTV System permits
users to view television program listings and web sites related to
television programs that appear in the program listings.
[0007] The WebTV system also provides TV Crossover Links that allow
users to access web sites that are related to television programs.
The WebTV Plus Receiver detects data such as web links (i.e.,
universal resource locators (URLs)) that is embedded in the video
broadcast and notifies users with a TV Crossover Link watermark on
their television screens. The TV Crossover Links permit users to
link to web sites through the Internet related to the television
program that the user is watching. The user can view the web site
and the television program simultaneously through the WebPIP
picture-in-picture function. If the web site supports chat
features, the user might then engage in an on-line chat through the
Internet while watching a television program. There is nothing in
the WebTV system, however, that ensures that participants in this
type of web-based chat are watching the same television programs as
the user. The chat may therefore be considerably less focused than
it would be if all the chat participants were actively viewing the
same television program.
[0008] During certain television programs, the MTV television
channel displays a scrolling chat message overlay on top of the
current MTV television program. Users can link to the chat that is
being displayed over the Internet. However, only those users whose
television sets are located in the same room as their personal
computers may participate in the chat. Moreover, all viewers of the
television program must watch the chat, even if they are not
interested in participating. The system can only accommodate one
chat group, so if more than a few viewers wish to chat, it may be
difficult or impossible to follow a particular chat thread of
interest.
[0009] Interactive television program guides implemented on set-top
boxes allow users to view television program listings on their
televisions. Such program guides allow users to view television
program listings in different display formats and to perform
various other functions. For example, a user may instruct the
program guide to display a channel-ordered grid of current program
listings. The user may also use the program guide to search for
programs in a desired programming category such as sports, movies,
news, or the like. If desired, the program guide may be used to
order pay-per-view programming. Interactive program guides have
not, however, been capable of providing chat related features.
[0010] Thus, previously known systems have generally not provided
television viewers with the opportunity to engage in real-time chat
communications with other television viewers without relying solely
on the Internet. Previously known systems also have not provided
television viewers with the opportunity to engage in chat groups
consisting exclusively of other viewers of a television program or
channel. Previously known interactive television program guides
have not supported chat features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
television chat system that does not rely solely on the Internet to
form chat connections and that permits users who are watching a
television program or channel to engage in real-time chat
communications with each other.
[0012] It is also an object of the present invention to provide an
interactive television program guide system that supports chat.
[0013] These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in
accordance with the principles of the present invention by
providing a television chat system that allows television viewers
to engage in real-time communications in chat groups with other
television viewers while watching television. Users of the
television chat system may engage in real-time communications with
other users who are currently watching the same television program
or channel.
[0014] The system allows real-time communications in a chat group
to be transmitted between users at user television equipment
devices via a server. For example, a cable system headend
containing a server may transmit such communications over coaxial
cables that also carry television signals or other such
communications paths. The system therefore may eliminate the need
for additional communications paths separate from the paths that
carry television signal broadcast channels for the transmission of
chat communications.
[0015] The television chat system of the present invention permits
users to join chat groups related to television programs, channels,
or categories of programs that the user may be interested in.
Real-time communications may be textual messages, audio
communications, or video communications.
[0016] The television chat system may also allow users to send chat
requests to ask other users to enter a chat group related to a
television program or channel. A chat request may be displayed
automatically upon a recipient's television screen or may be
accessed at the recipient's request. The system also permits users
to establish chat groups that television viewers are permitted to
join.
[0017] The television chat system may be based on an interactive
television program guide implemented on the set-top box. If
desired, the system may be implemented on other suitable user
television equipment such as a satellite receiver, an advanced
television receiver (e.g. a high definition television or HDTV
receiver), a television into which set-top box circuitry is
integrated or the like.
[0018] Further features of the invention, its nature and various
advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and
the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1A is a diagram of a television chat system in
accordance with the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 1B is a diagram of user television equipment having a
user interface based on a wireless keyboard in accordance with the
present invention.
[0021] FIG. 1C is a diagram of a television screen keyboard user
interface in accordance with the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 1D is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
containing a list of standard messages or words in accordance with
the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 2A is a system diagram showing how multiple television
distribution facilities may be connected via a communications
network in accordance with the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 2B is a system diagram showing how multiple user
television equipment devices may be connected to a television
distribution facility and a separate server via neighborhood
networks in accordance with the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a system configuration in which
multiple television distribution facilities are connected via a
television channel chat facility in accordance with the present
invention.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen for
entering household user profile information in accordance with the
present invention.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen that
allows a user to select a user profile in accordance with the
present invention.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen for
entering non-household user information in accordance with the
present invention.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a depiction of an illustrative program guide
address book for non-household users in accordance with the present
invention.
[0030] FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the steps involved in
creating user identities in accordance with the present
invention.
[0031] FIG. 9 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
containing video for a television program and a chat group display
region related to the program in accordance with the present
invention.
[0032] FIG. 10 is a diagram of an illustrative system for the
transmission of real-time audio chat communications to user
television equipment in accordance with the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 11 is an illustrative television display screen
displaying video images of the participants in a chat group in
accordance with the present invention:
[0034] FIG. 12 is a diagram of an illustrative system for the
transmission of video chat images in accordance with the present
invention.
[0035] FIG. 13 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
that allows a user to join a chat group in accordance with the
present invention.
[0036] FIG. 14 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
that allows a user to choose a chat group option in accordance with
the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 15A is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
for allowing a user to choose a chat group option related to the
current television program in accordance with the present
invention.
[0038] FIG. 15B is a depiction of an illustrative interactive
television program guide display screen for allowing a user to
select a scheduled chat group from a list to join, record, or set a
reminder for in accordance with the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 16 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
containing multiple chat groups along with a television program in
accordance with the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 17 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen for
allowing a user to enter a chat group related to a current
television program in accordance with the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 18A is a flow chart showing the steps involved in an
approach for providing a user with an opportunity to join a chat
group in accordance with the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 18B is a flow chart showing the steps involved in an
approach for providing a user with an opportunity to join a chat
group between users at other user television equipment devices in
accordance with the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 18C is a flow chart showing the steps involved in an
approach for providing a user who is watching a television program
with an opportunity to join a chat group only between users who are
watching the television program in accordance with the present
invention.
[0044] FIG. 19 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen
that allows a user to send a chat request to other users in
accordance with the present invention.
[0045] FIG. 20 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen for
displaying chat requests in accordance with the present
invention.
[0046] FIG. 21 is a depiction of an illustrative display screen for
displaying a chat request and permitting a user to join the chat
group and/or tune to the related channel in accordance with the
present invention.
[0047] FIG. 22 is a flow chart showing steps involved in an
approach for distributing a chat request and supporting a chat
group with the user and other users in accordance with the present
invention.
[0048] FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing steps involved in an
approach for establishing a chat group with the user and other
users in accordance with the present invention.
[0049] FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing steps involved in an
approach for joining the user to a chat group in response to a chat
request in accordance with the present invention.
[0050] FIG. 25 is a diagram of an illustrative two-way interactive
display remote control device for sending and receiving chat
messages in a chat group and chat requests in accordance with the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0051] An illustrative television chat system 10 in accordance with
the present invention is shown in FIG. 1A. Main facility 12 may
contain a program guide database 14 for storing program guide
information such as television program guide listings data,
pay-per-view ordering information, etc. Database 14 allows system
10 to support an interactive television program guide if desired.
Although the television chat features of the present invention may
be provided using a television chat system without a program guide,
certain aspects of the invention will be described primarily in the
context of an interactive television program guide system
configuration for specificity and clarity. Information from
database 14 may be transmitted to television distribution facility
16 via communications link 18. Link 18 may be a satellite link, a
telephone network link, a fiber optic link, a cable link, a
microwave link, a combination of such links, or any other suitable
communications path.
[0052] Television distribution facility 16 is a facility for
distributing television signals to users, such as a cable system
headend, a broadcast distribution facility, or a satellite
television distribution facility. Only one television distribution
facility 16 is shown in FIG. 1A to avoid over complicating the
drawings. In general, however, main facility 12 distributes
information to multiple television distribution facilities.
[0053] The program guide information transmitted by main facility
12 to television distribution facility 16 includes television
program listings data such as program times, channels, titles,
descriptions, etc. The information transmitted from main facility
12 may also include information on the chat groups that are
available for particular television programs or channels.
[0054] If desired, some of the program guide data and other
information may be provided using data sources at facilities other
than main facility 12. For example, data relating to available
program-specific chat groups may be provided by a television
channel chat facility or other facility that is separate from main
facility 12 and television distribution facility 16.
[0055] Television distribution facility 16 distributes program
guide data and other information to the user television equipment
20 of multiple users via communications paths 24. Communication
paths 24 preferably have sufficient bandwidth to allow television
distribution facility 16 to distribute scheduled television
programming, pay programming, real-time communications, chat
requests and other video and audio information to user television
equipment 20 in addition to non-video program guide information and
communications. The real-time communications supported by
communication paths 24 may be text-based or, if more bandwidth is
available, may be audio or video communications.
[0056] Multiple television and audio channels (analog, digital, or
both analog and digital) may be provided to set-top boxes 26 via
communications paths 24. If each path 24 includes a number of
traditional analog television channels, one or more of these
channels may be used to support a number of digital channels. The
bandwidth of each analog channel that is used to support digital
channels may support ten or more of such digital channels. Two-way
digital channels require more bandwidth than one-way digital
channels. Such two-way digital channels may support two-way
real-time communications between set-top boxes 26 and the
television distribution facility 16. If two-way between user
television 20 along a second communications path such as a
satellite link.
[0057] Each television distribution facility 16 may distribute
real-time communications and chat requests at least between the
user television equipment devices that are associated with that
facility. A television distribution facility may establish a forum
for real-time communications called television chat groups using
chat equipment 22 such as a chat server. A television chat group
(sometimes referred to herein as simply a chat group) is an
electronic forum in which a group of users are engaged in a
real-time discussion through their user television equipment.
Real-time communications such as chat messages are sent back and
forth between the participants of the chat group.
[0058] Television distribution facility 16 preferably has a server
or other suitable computing equipment or audio or video equipment
(herein collectively referred to as chat equipment 22) for
supporting real-time communications and the transmission of chat
requests between users. For clarity, certain aspects of the
invention are simply described as being implemented using a chat
server. If desired, however, these features may also typically be
implemented using chat equipment such as equipment based on audio
and video conferencing equipment (i.e., audio bridges, video
bridges and the like or using chat equipment based on other
suitable computing equipment or a combination thereof. The chat
equipment 22 (e.g., a chat server) is capable of handling real-time
communications and chat requests involving text, graphics, video,
or audio data. If desired, the bandwidth requirements of chat
equipment 22 may be reduced by restricting communications to text
and audio or only text, rather than including video. Chat equipment
22 in television distribution facility 16 may be configured in a
client-server arrangement in which each piece of user television
equipment 20 acts as a client processor.
[0059] Each user has a receiver, which is typically a set-top box
such as set-top box 26, but which may also be other suitable
television equipment into which circuitry similar to set-top box
circuitry has been integrated. For example, user television
equipment 20 may be based on an advanced television receiver such
as a high-definition television (HDTV) receiver or other such
television-based platform. A set-top box may include a DOCSIS modem
for use in two-way communication to and from a server or television
distribution facility. As defined herein, user television equipment
20 does not include equipment based on personal computers. For
clarity, the present invention will be described primarily in the
context of user television equipment 20 that is based on set-top
boxes 26. As shown in FIG. 1A, each set-top box 26 may have memory
25. Memory 25 may be used, for example, for maintaining a database
of program listings data.
[0060] Program guide information may be distributed to set-top
boxes 26 continuously (in real-time), periodically, on request
(using a client-server arrangement), or using a combination of
these techniques. Real-time communications and chat requests may be
distributed to set-top boxes 26 in real-time. Television
distribution facility 16 may also receive real-time communications
or chat requests from set-top boxes 26 in real-time or
periodically. Main facility 12 preferably contains a processor to
handle information distribution tasks. Each set-top box 26
preferably contains a processor to handle tasks associated with
implementing an interactive television program guide application
containing chat features (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a
program guide) or an independent chat application on the set-top
box 26. Television distribution facility 16 preferably contains one
or more processors (e.g., in chat equipment 22) for tasks
associated with the distribution of real-time communications and
chat requests and for tasks associated with providing program guide
data to the program guide on the set-top boxes.
[0061] It should be understood that some or all of the functions of
the program guide or the chat set-top box application hereinafter
described may be integrated into an operating system on the set-top
box, implemented as a stand-alone application on the set-top box,
or performed by chat equipment (e.g. a server, video bridge or
audio bridge) operating at the television distribution facility or
separate from the television distribution facility. In a client
server architecture, the set-top box sends data or requests to the
server for processing. The server can store data and send the
results of a request back to the set-top box for further
processing, display, or storage. Any of the functionality of the
set-top box application hereinafter described may be implemented on
client-server architecture.
[0062] Various mechanisms may be used for launching a chat
application from a program guide application on the user's set-top
box. One mechanism involves using a hot link to launch the chat
application. Hot linking involves invoking a non-program-guide
application such as a chat application with information such as a
web site address, e-mail address, program title, chat group, or
other information that has been preselected based on the current
content of the program guide or status of set-top box 26. For
example, if the user is watching a program, viewing a program
listing, viewing the description of a program, or taking other
action within the program guide related to a given program,
channel, type of channel, or the like and the user directs the
program guide to launch a non-program-guide application, the
program guide may launch that non-program-guide application and
direct that non-program-guide to take an action related to the
given program, channel, type of channel, or the like.
[0063] Hot links may be activated by dedicated buttons, a launch
button, menu options, or any other suitable technique. For example,
a remote control may be provided with a dedicated chat button, and
similar buttons associated with other non-program-guide
applications. When the user presses the chat button, the program
guide launches the chat application and directs the chat
application to set up a chat group with other users or a character
in the program, or join the user to an existing chat group. Further
features of an illustrative hot linking system are described in
Ellis et al. U.S. patent application Serial No. ______, filed
concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. UV-85), which is hereby
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0064] Each set-top box 26 is typically connected to an optional
videocassette recorder (VCR) 28 or other storage device in the home
or at a remote location so that selected television programs and/or
chat sessions may be recorded. When a user indicates to the set-top
box application to record a TV program which has one or more
associated chat sessions, the application may record the chat
session along with the audio and video for the program. When the
user plays back the program, the chat session may be accessible to
view, although not to actively participate in. The chat system may
be configured to play back the chat session in a format selected by
the user. For example, the chat session may be played back as an
overlay on top of the program, or the program and the chat session
may be displayed concurrently in reduced size windows on the TV
screen. Also, a user may be able to indicate to the set-top box
application at any time to record a chat session by itself, without
recording the program. That chat session may be stored (whether
text, audio, video, or a combination), and viewed at a later time.
Programs and chat sessions may also be recorded, for example, on a
DVD device, a hard disk in the set-top box, or on a remote
server.
[0065] Each videocassette recorder 28 (or set-top box 26) is
connected to a television 30. Further features of a program
recording system are described in Ellis et al. U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/332,244 filed Jun. 11, 1999, and Hassell et
al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/157,256 filed Jun. 17,
1998, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their
entirety. To record a program, set-top box 26 tunes to a particular
channel and sends control signals to videocassette recorder 28
(e.g., using an infrared transmitter) that direct videocassette
recorder 28 to start and stop recording at the appropriate
times.
[0066] During the use of the television chat systems, set-top box
26 displays real-time communications and chat requests on
television 30. If the television chat system includes an
interactive television program guide, the interactive television
program guide may display program listings on television 30. The
program guide may also be used to display the real-time
communications and chat requests. Each set-top box 26,
videocassette recorder 28, and television 30 may be controlled by
one or more user interfaces 32 which may involve a remote control,
mouse, trackball, microphone, digital video camera, dedicated set
of buttons, etc.
[0067] As shown in FIG. 1B, user interface 32 may contain a
wireless keyboard 34 that sends signals 36 (e.g. infrared signals)
to set-top box 38, which is connected to television 40. The user's
input may be displayed as part of a display screen on television 40
as the input is entered through wireless keyboard 34. If television
chat system 10 is based on an interactive television program guide,
the display screen provided on television 40 by set-top box 38 may
be on an interactive television program guide display screen
containing, for example, program listings.
[0068] User interface 32 may also be based on a television screen
keyboard 50 as illustrated in FIG. 1C. The user can select letters
from the displayed alphabet to compose a message 52. In particular,
the user may select letters from alphabet keys 54 and spaces from
space bar 56. The user may select a letter so that it becomes
highlighted (such as letter L 58) by pressing arrow keys and an
enter (or OK or select) key on a remote control. Pressing the enter
key on the remote control directs the program guide containing chat
features or the independent chat application to place the selected
letter adjacent to cursor 62. The user may select SHIFT option 51
to place a capital letter in message 52. In this way, a user can
compose the text of a chat message.
[0069] If desired, the user may compose messages by selecting from
a list of standard messages 70 or words 72 displayed in a display
screen such as display screen 75, as shown in FIG. 1D. A word or
message can be selected by pressing arrow keys on a remote control
to place highlight region 76 on top of a particular word or message
such as message 2 in FIG. 1D. The user can then select the
highlighted word or message by pressing a remote control enter (or
select or OK) key.
[0070] System 10 allows users at user television equipment 20 to
engage in television program-related real-time chat communications
while watching television, without the expense and complexity of
learning to operate a personal computer and the software that is
associated with it. In addition, System 10 allows users to retain
the high video quality and channel range of television viewing
while participating in real-time chat discussions with similarly
situated users.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 2A, real-time communications and chat
requests can be distributed along communication paths 24 from one
user television equipment device 20 associated with a given
television distribution facility 16 to another user television
equipment device 20 associated with that facility using a chat
server located at the facility. For example, the real-time
communications and chat requests sent between two or more user
television equipment 20 devices associated with television
distribution facility 16 of FIG. 2A may be handled by chat server
90 in television distribution facility 16. An advantage to limiting
operation of the chat system to individual television distribution
facilities is that it allows individual cable system operators (for
example) to control their systems and it does not involve
coordinating chats between areas or different time zones. If
desired, however, real-time communications and chat requests
exchanged by user television equipment 20 can be handled by a chat
server 88 that is connected to television distribution facility 16
via communications network 86. Communications network 86 may be any
suitable communications network such as the Internet, a public or
private telephone network, a network involving satellite or
wireless links, cable network, etc.
[0072] The chat system may also be configured so that users at one
or more user television equipment devices 84 may participate in a
real-time discussion or exchange chat requests with one or more of
user television equipment 20. User television equipment 84 is thus
associated with a different television distribution facility than
user television equipment 20. User television equipment devices 84
are connected to television distribution facility 80 via
communications paths 82. Chat server 92 is used to handle real-time
communications and chat requests for user television equipment
devices 84. The configuration of server 92 and user television
equipment 84 may be based on a client-server arrangement.
Television distribution facilities 80 and 16 are connected to each
other via communications network 86. Real-time communications and
chat requests sent between user television equipment 20 and user
television equipment 84 may be handled by chat servers 88, 90, or
92. If desired, numerous television distribution facilities may be
connected togther via communications network 86 or other such
communications networks to allow user television equipment from
these television distribution facilities to engage in real-time
communications with each other.
[0073] Real-time communications and chat requests may be handled on
a server that is not located at the television distribution
facility as shown in FIG. 2B. For example, real-time communications
and chat requests may be transmitted between user television
equipment devices 97 and 98 via neighborhood nodes 95 and 96. User
television equipment device 97 are connected to neighborhood node
95 via communications path 99, and user television equipment
devices 98 are connected to neighborhood node 96 via communications
path 101. Neighborhood nodes 95 and 96 decrease the bandwidth
requirements on communications paths 103 for a given number of user
television equipment devices 97 and 98. Neighborhood nodes 95 and
96 route television programming from television distribution
facility 93 to user television equipment 97 and 98. Neighborhood
nodes 95 and 96 also route chat requests, real-time communications,
chat group information, etc. between server 91 and user television
equipment 97 and 98. Neighborhood nodes 95 and 96 may also route
requests to perform many of the chat system functions described
herein from user television equipment 97 and 98 to server 91.
Responses from server 91 are routed back to the appropriate user
television equipment device via a neighborhood node.
[0074] As shown in FIG. 3, a television channel chat facility 100
that is associated with a particular television channel may contain
a chat server 102 to handle real-time communications and chat
requests sent between user television equipment 106, 108, and other
such user television equipment. User television equipment devices
106 and 108 are connected via communications paths 110 and 112 to
television distribution facilities 104 that are in turn connected
to television channel chat facility 100 via communications paths
114.
[0075] If desired, the user at a particular user television
equipment device may enter profile data that will form the identity
of a particular individual. The individual may be the user himself
or another member of his household. FIG. 4 illustrates an example
of a display screen 120 that may be provided by the interactive
television program guide with chat features or the separate chat
application to provide the user with an opportunity to enter
profile data information about a particular individual within the
household. The user profile data may include the user's name, which
may be entered in box 121. The user profile data may also include
the user's favorite program, which may be entered in box 122
(either directly or by selecting from a menu or other suitable list
of programs). The user's favorite programs associated with that
user's profile may be the same favorite television programs that
are saved in the program guide database, or a subset thereof. If
desired, the user profile favorite programs may be different from
the favorite television programs in the program guide database. The
user may also select option 124 to enter more favorite programs
(e.g. by providing more boxes 122).
[0076] The user profile screen 120 may also present the user with
an option to enter a favorite television channel such as ABC-W in
box 126. Television channels include television networks such as
ABC, local affiliates, local broadcast stations, pay-per-view
channels, cable channels such as HBO and CNN, etc. The user can
select option 130, so that additional favorite channels may appear
on user profile screen 120. The user profile screen may also
present the user with an option to enter favorite categories of
programs such as 1 sports programs, movies, news segments, sitcoms,
etc. The user has entered "movies" as a favorite category in box
132 of FIG. 4. The user can select option 136 so that additional
categories may be entered on user profile screen 120. If desired,
the program guide (or the stand-alone chat application) may present
the user with an optional unique user identification code
(displayed in box 138), to help the system distinguish the user
from other user's at the same user television equipment device when
receiving a real-time communication or chat request from the
outside. In this way real-time communications and chat requests can
be directed to specific users. The user may also enter a nickname
for himself in box 133. A nickname may used for anonymity in a chat
group or as a creative pseudonym related to the chat topic.
Alternatively, screen 120 may provide the user with an opportunity
to enter a icon that identifies the user in the chat room rather
than a nickname.
[0077] The user may select DONE option 140 when he has finished
entering his profile data or may press a remote control key (e.g.,
the EXIT key). Once a user has entered profile data, the data is
stored for later retrieval. User profile data may be stored in the
set-top box, at a server as described above, or elsewhere in user
television equipment 20 such as a separate storage unit connected
to the set-top box. Further features of an illustrative system for
entering user profile information are described in Ellis et al.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/034,934 filed Mar. 4, 1998,
which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
[0078] When the user is watching television, the program guide with
chat features or the stand-alone chat application (hereinafter
collectively referred to as the set-top box application) allows the
user to identify himself or herself by selecting one of the user
profile identities that were previously entered or by adding a new
user profile identity. Display screen 150 in FIG. 5 is an
illustrative display screen that may be used to show all of the
household members for whom user identities have been established
using the set-top box application.
[0079] The set-top box application may provide a display screen
such as display screen 150 of FIG. 5 whenever the user turns on the
set-top box 26 or whenever the user has indicated a desire to
identify himself or herself. For example, if Mom is watching
television, she will select box 152. The set-top box will then
access Mom's profile data. If desired, user identities may be
placed under password control. If a new member of the household is
watching television, that user may click on box 154 to add a new
user profile identity. The set-top box application will then
provide display screen 120 (FIG. 4), so that the user can enter his
profile data. If the user does not wish to identify himself or does
not wish to enter a new user profile, the user can select cancel
option 156 to cancel the display of display screen 150. If the
set-top box application includes a program guide, the user profiles
may be used for both chat-related functions and program guide
functions.
[0080] The program guide may also present the user with the option
of entering identity data that relates to users of other user
television equipment. Users of other user television equipment may
be recipients of real-time communications or chat requests sent by
a household user. These recipients of real-time communications or
chat requests are referred to as non-household users. Non-household
users may send real-time communications and chat requests that are
received by a household user.
[0081] FIG. 6 illustrates a display screen 160 that the set-top box
application may present on a user's television when the user
indicates a desire to enter identity data relating to a
non-household user. The non-household user's name may be entered in
box 162 and the non-household user's address may be entered in box
164. A user's address is a unique identifier assigned to a
particular user which allows a chat server to transmit real-time
communications and chat requests to the proper recipient.
[0082] A household user may enter a non-household user's favorite
programs, channels, and categories of programs in television
display screen 160. A household user may determine a non-household
user's preferences by chatting with that person in a chat group.
The non-household user's favorite programs may be entered in box
166, and additional empty boxes for entering more favorite programs
will be displayed on television display screen 160 if the user
selects more option 168. The non-household user's favorite channels
may be entered in box 170 such as channel 2. The user can select
option 174 so that additional channels may be entered on the
television display screen 160. The non-household user's favorite
categories of programs such as sports programs, movies, news
segments, sitcoms, etc. may also be entered in television display
screen 160. The user can enter a favorite category of programs such
as sports in box 172. The user can select more option 176 so that
additional categories of programs may be entered. The non-household
user preference information entered in display screen 160 may be
useful for sending chat requests to other users who may be
interested in chatting about the same programs, channels, or
categories of programs as the household user.
[0083] The user may also enter user information not related to
television programming such as a non-household user's birth date,
city and state of residence, favorite actor, favorite hobbies, etc.
In screen 160, the user may enter the non-household user's birth
date in regions 161, 163, and 165. The user can select option 178
to indicate that the non-household user's information is to be
added to a currently existing or new subgroup of identities. The
subgroup of identities will appear as a group of identities on an
address book screen (such as Members of Hiking Club in display
screen 180 of FIG. 7). If desired, the set-top box application may
automatically group individuals together as groups in the address
book based upon their viewing preferences. The user may select Done
option 179 when he has finished entering the non-household user's
information. The non-household user's data may be stored in the
set-top box, at a server, or elsewhere in user television equipment
20 such as a separate storage unit connected to the set-top box.
Furthermore, it should be understood that a chat system user
profile such as the ones described above could incorporate
information from a household and a non-household user into one
identity (e.g. a husband-wife couple).
[0084] In addition, the chat system may be configured similar to
the ICQ system so that a user may make his profile information
public so that it can be accessed by other users. ICQ is an
Internet tool that informs Internet user's who is on-line at any
time and enables users to contact them at will. ICQ can search for
an individuals on-line and alert a user when they log on. ICQ
allows a user to chat, send messages, files, URL's, play games, or
just hang out with fellow Internet users while surfing the
Internet.
[0085] A user may fill out a questionnaire through the chat system
which includes information regarding the user's television program
preferences as well as additional non-television related
information about himself such as his hobbies (e.g. using display
screen 120). The user profile information may be useful for forming
chat groups between users. The user profile information may be
stored at a remote server or jointly on the set-top boxes. A user
may access profiles which have been made public and form a "buddy
list" or address book of other users who have the same interests.
The buddy list can include a user's identity, TV preferences, and
other interests.
[0086] The chat system may be set up so that a user must obtain
permission from a second user before he is able to add the second
user to his buddy list. For example, the chat system may send the
second user a message indicating the first user has requested the
second user's profile information. If the second user accepts the
request, the chat system allows the first user to add the second
user to his buddy list so that he can have access to the second
user's profile information and can initiate chat sessions with that
user. In addition, the chat system may ask the second user if he
wishes to add the first user to his buddy list. A user may add
further information to the profile based on his knowledge of the
other user's preferences (e.g. through display screen 160). The
chat system may also allow users to search for chat buddies based
on a user ID number, an e-mail address, TV program preferences,
and/or other preferences.
[0087] The identities of non-household users whose names,
addresses, and other corresponding information have been entered
may be displayed by the set-top box application in an address book
format on the user's television screen. An example of an address
book display screen 180 is shown in FIG. 7. Address book display
screen 180 displays a list of identities 182 of non-household users
or subgroups of non-household users. The non-household users can be
individuals such as Mary Smith, or groups of individuals such as
the Jones Family as illustrated by the names in the list 182. An
individual user may be part of more than one group in the address
book. For example, Mary Smith may appear in the address book as an
individual, and be a member of the groups "Seinfeld Fan Club" and
"Movie Lovers."
[0088] The user may send a chat request by selecting an identity or
identities in the list. The list may contain groups of individuals
who are interested in a particular program, type of program, chat
group, or any other group identified by the user such as "Jones
Family," "Members of Hiking Club," "Seinfeld Fan Club," "Movie
Lovers," or "Dallas Cowboys Chat." The groups need not be
TV-related. If desired, the set-top box application may present a
pop-up option on the television screen to send a chat request to
the individuals in a list in the address book when the user is
watching a related television program (e.g. Seinfeld).
[0089] Option 184 is highlighted to indicate that the user has
chosen Friends Who Watch the News at 6. This may be a group of the
user's friends who enjoy watching the program "News at 6" and who
may wish to engage in a chat group with the user. The user may
choose as many recipients of the chat request as he desires by
selecting names from the list. The user may choose to enter
additional identities of non-household users by selecting option
186, which will take the user to television display screen 160 of
FIG. 6. When the user has selected the recipients of the chat
request, the user may select DONE option 188. The set-top box
application will then retrieve the address for each recipient of
the chat request and deliver the chat request to each of the
recipients. The user may select cancel option 189 to exit from
address book display screen 180.
[0090] An illustrative process for creating the identities for
household users and non-household users that have been discussed
with respect to FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 is shown in FIG. 8. At step
190, the set-top box application (i.e., the program guide with chat
functions or the stand-alone chat application) provides the user
with an opportunity to enter identity data with respect to a
household user or a non-household user by displaying, for example,
television user interface screens 120 or 160 respectively. The user
then enters the data that is called for by the television user
interface screen. Once the user has finished, the set-top box
application will create an identity data structure at step 192 that
contains the information that was entered for that particular
household user or non-household user. The set-top box application
will then append the data structure to the appropriate group at
step 194. The group to which the data structure is appended may be
a group of users of the household, the address book of
non-household users, or a subgroup of non-household users within
the address book. Steps 190, 192, and 194 of FIG. 8 may be
performed by the set-top box application implemented on the user
television equipment, but may also be at least partially
implemented by a chat server using client-server architecture. For
example, the data entered into screens 120 and 160 may be sent by
the set-top box to the server for processing.
[0091] A user may use the set-top box application to send and
receive real-time communications to and from other users within a
forum called a chat group. All of the users who are participants of
the chat group can send and receive real-time communications from
all of the other participants. The real-time communications in the
chat group may be messages or other communications that are text,
audio, video, or HTML. A user may enter a URL for a web page, for
example, as part of a chat message in a chat group using HTML so
that other users in the chat group can link to that web page
easily. Text has the advantage of low bandwidth requirements. Audio
may be desirable for users who like the immediacy of voice
communications, but may not be desirable for users who prefer the
anonymity of text. Video is similar to audio in this respect. The
choice of whether to support text, audio, or video in a particular
chat system depends on a variety of factors such as these. In
addition, a chat group may be set up as a mixed media chat so that
it accepts text, audio, video, and HTML input from different users.
For example, a chat group with three users may have one user
inputting audio communications, another inputting textual and HTML
communications, and another inputting video communications. The
real-time communications in a mixed media chat may be received in
the form that they are sent or converted into another form (e.g.
text converted to audio for a blind person). Aspects of the present
invention are applicable to all of these configurations, although
for clarity, the invention is described primarily in connection
with text-based chats.
[0092] Real-time communications are transmitted over the
communications paths shown and described in connection with FIGS.
2A, 2B, and 3. A chat group in which written real-time messages are
typed in by participants and transmitted in the form of text
messages to all of the other participants of the chat group is
called a chat room.
[0093] FIG. 9 is an example of how real-time communications may be
displayed by the set-top box application in the form of textual
messages in a chat room. Television program 202 may be displayed in
region 203 of display screen 200, while a chat room region 206 may
be displayed simultaneously in the lower portion of display screen
200. Advertisement 201 may also be simultaneously displayed in
region 205 of display screen 200. Advertisements may accompany any
of the display screens or user interface screens of the present
invention. This arrangement is merely illustrative. Any suitable
arrangement may be used to display chat messages and television
programming simultaneously. For example, chat room region 206 may
be displayed as an opaque or translucent overlay of television
program 202. Participants in the chat room send chat messages which
appear in region 206. A chat participant may send an HTML chat
message such as a URL for a web site.
[0094] In display screen 200, the chat topic 204 may be related to
the television program 202 as can be seen by the content of
messages 208 and 210. The user can enter messages using keyboard 34
(FIG. 1B) before they are displayed in the chat room at cursor 212.
The user's chat message may be sent to the chat server when the
user hits a Send button or other suitable buttons on a remote
control or keyboard. If desired, the chat system may be configured
such that characters are sent to the other participants in the chat
group one by one as the user types them in. With this
functionality, mistakes the user makes may be seen by the other
users in the chat group. If desired, the set-top box application
may permit the user to send real-time communications to a chat room
using an interactive television display screen such as keyboard
screen 50 (FIG. 1C) or display screen 75 (FIG. 1D).
[0095] The chat system may be configured so that a user can append
another user in a chat group to his buddy list or address book by
selecting that user's nickname (or icon) in the chat group. For
example, the set-top box application may recognize a command such
as "add Sally" as indicating that the user wishes to add Sally to
his buddy list. The chat system may require the first user to get
permission from the second user before the first user can add the
second user to his buddy list.
[0096] In addition, the chat system may be configured to allow a
user to block chat messages from specific users in a chat group
that he does not want to communicate with. For example, the set-top
box application may recognize a command from the user typed
adjacent to cursor 212 such as "block Joe" as indicating that the
user wishes to block out Joe's chat messages from now on. The user
can type in a command such as "unblock Joe" to start receiving
Joe's chat messages again. Other protection features may be built
into the chat system to protect children from obscenity. For
example, the chat system may be configured to block out certain
vulgar words in chat groups. As another example, parents may be
permitted to block out certain offensive chat groups so that their
children cannot enter them.
[0097] The divided nature of screen 200 allows users to
simultaneously watch a television program and send real-time
communications to other users who are viewing the same program at
the same time. In this way, chat room 206 is directly linked to the
on-going actions in program 202 in that a user can send and receive
comments about the content of the program as it unfolds on his
television screen. A chat room may terminate at the end of the
program or may continue beyond the end of the program until all of
the users have exited the chat room.
[0098] Real-time communications can be stored on a chat server
(e.g. located at a television distribution facility). The
communications paths illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 3 may be used
to route real-time communications to user television equipment
connected to different television distribution facilities. The
real-time communication system of the present invention therefore
allows real-time communications to be transmitted between users of
user television equipment that are connected via numerous
television distribution facilities such as the network in FIG.
2A.
[0099] If desired, a simpler system configuration may be used in
which all chat participants are linked to a common chat server and
a single associated television distribution facility. While this
arrangement is more limited than the more interconnected
arrangements involving multiple television distribution facilities,
it has the advantage of being easier to implement because there is
only a single time zone and potential participants all have access
to the same programming. A chat group maintained by a chat server
associated with a particular television distribution facility may
also be restricted to users connected to that particular television
distribution facility in order to limit the size of the chat group.
If-desired, a chat group can be limited to those television
distribution facilities that broadcast to users in a particular
time zone to ensure that all of the users who participate in the
chat group can watch the television program that is the topic of
the chat group at the same time. In addition, a chat group may be
limited to television distribution facilities that broadcast only
to users in a particular local area. This may be desirable, for
example, if the subject of the chat group is a local news segment
or a local television channel.
[0100] In another possible configuration, a chat session may be
recorded while a TV program is broadcast in one time zone and
played back while the program is broadcast at a later time in
another time zone. This allows users in the later time zone to see
comments previously entered by the users in the other time zone
while comments from users in the current time zone are entered.
Chat messages from the second time zone may be recorded also and
played back in a third time zone at a later time along with the
chat messages from the first time zone. However, users may not
communicate in real time with users from other time zones using
this system unless the program is broadcasted at the same time in
multiple time zones, or users participate in the chat group before
and/or after the program broadcasts in their area.
[0101] Another aspect of the present invention relates to using the
set-top box application to support real-time audio communications.
Real-time audio communications can be linked to a particular
television program. For example, a television talk show may have a
live question and answer session with various users who are
watching the talk show. Users can be given the opportunity to join
an audio chat group. A select group of users can then be joined in
the audio chat group. Participants of the audio chat group will be
given the opportunity to ask questions or to voice comments about
various issues discussed during the talk show. Participants of the
audio chat may also be permitted to send in questions in the form
of text and receive responses in the form of text as in a chat
room. Certain questions from the user participants of the chat may
be discussed live on the TV program. Participants of the audio chat
may also send in live video images (e.g. of themselves) as in video
chat, which is discussed further below). A video image of a user
participant may be played live on the TV program while that user's
question or comment is being discussed on the TV program.
[0102] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an audio chat system in
which real-time audio communications may be transmitted between
different user television equipment devices 226 via television
distribution facility 220. User television equipment devices 226
are connected to television distribution facility 220 via
communications paths 224. Real-time audio communications are
transmitted over communications paths 224 and processed by chat
server 222 or suitable audio conferencing equipment. Chat server
222 may be located at television distribution facility 220 as shown
in FIG. 10 or it may be separate from TDF 220. The audio chat
system may be configured to cancel out audio from the current TV
program in the send user's audio chat messages so that the
recipient user does not hear the TV program audio along with the
sender's audio messages. This procedure may be performed at the
microphone end using signal subtraction whereby the microphone
input is compared with the TV program audio and only the user's
input is passed to the chat server.
[0103] Real-time audio communications may also be transmitted
between user television equipment devices connected to different
television distribution facilities using communications networks
such as the ones shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 3. Real-time audio
communications may be transmitted from user television equipment
devices 226 to a television channel chat facility along a
communications network such as the one shown in FIG. 3, so that an
audio chat facilitator (moderator) or television personality can
participate in the chat group. The facilitator can determine who in
the chat group may speak at a given point in time. A text-based or
video chat may also have a facilitator, although this is less
desirable for a text-based chat group with a small number of
participants. If desired, a chat group may be configured such that
the participants are only allowed to send a chat message when it is
that person's turn. The determination of who is allowed to send a
chat message at any given time may be determined automatically.
[0104] The television distribution facility may provide telephone
service over the same communication lines that provides television
service. This type of television distribution facility is called a
central office (CO) for a telephone system. Audio chat may be set
up using the telephone facilities of that system. This would take
advantage of the telephone infrastructure that many cable systems
build over a broad band cable network. The television channels and
phone service can be transmitted along the same cable line,
although the information in each path would be logically
separable.
[0105] Each user television equipment device 226 in FIG. 10
contains a set-top box 228 that receives real-time audio
communications from chat server 222 and a television 230 for
viewing programs. Real-time audio communications can be sent by a
user by speaking into microphone 232. The user's voice is converted
into a signal that may be received by set-top box 228. Set-top box
228 transmits the user's voice signal to chat server 222. Chat
server 222 or other suitable equipment such as an audio bridge
(i.e., audio conferencing equipment) distributes the user's voice
signal to other users who are participants of the same audio chat
group. Real-time communications may then be heard by a user on
speaker 234 which is connected to television 230 or set-top box 228
or is a part of television 230.
[0106] The real-time audio communications system of the present
invention allows users who are watching a particular television
program to talk to each other while watching the program. It also
may allow users to talk with a chat facilitator located at a
television channel chat facility or a television distribution
facility. It also may allow users to talk with a television show
personality while the personality is appearing on the television
program. In these later two instances, audio chat communications
would involve connecting the user to the television channel chat
facility or distribution facility where the chat facilitator or
television show personality is located along communications paths
such as the ones shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 3.
[0107] Video chat images can also be transmitted as real-time
communications by the chat system if desired. The video chat images
may include audio or may be silent (e.g., if the participants use
sign language or body language or if there is accompanying chat
text). Video may also include accompanying textual communications.
FIG. 11 illustrates an example of how live video images of various
users in a chat group can be displayed on display screen 240 in
display regions 241-245. The video chat topic may be shown in
display region 246. This feature of the present invention allows
users to see images of other users that they are speaking to in the
chat group. If desired, the user may view video images of
participants in multiple chat groups. For example, display regions
241, 242 and 243 may contain video images of the participants of
one chat group while display regions 244 and 245 may contain video
images of the participants of another chat group. The set-top box
application may provide the user with an opportunity to select
which chat group he wishes to receive communications from. This
allows the user to watch video images from more than one chat group
while listening to a television program or the real-time audio
communications of one of the chat groups as the user desires.
[0108] Participants in a video chat may communicate with each other
in real-time through visual images and signals. For example, users
have the advantage of being able to see the reactions of others
users to comments made during a chat by observing their facial
expressions and body language. A video image of a chat facilitator
or a television show personality may be provided in one of display
regions 241-245. If desired, a television program may be displayed
in one of display regions 241 245. With this type of arrangement,
the chat group topic may be related to the action in the television
program or an issue discussed in the television program.
[0109] FIG. 12 is an example of user television equipment 250 for
implementing the video images feature of the present invention.
Signals containing video images from other users participating in a
chat group may be received by set-top box 252 from chat equipment
(e.g. a video bridge). The set-top box application displays the
images on television 254. The signals may contain audio
communications. Each user's image may be obtained using a video
camera such as video camera 256 connected to set-top box 252. The
set-top box application may transmit the signal containing the
user's image to chat equipment associated with the user television
equipment for redistribution to other participants of the chat
group via communications networks such as the ones shown in FIGS.
2A, 2B, and 3.
[0110] A user may obtain and transmit video images of any person or
object for transmission to the other participants in a chat group.
A user may communicate through video images. For example, a user
can display written messages in front of video camera 256 that may
be read by other users on their television screens. A single chat
group could be audio, video, text, HTML, or other any other means
of communication.
[0111] The chat equipment coordinating the video or audio chat may
implement the transmittal of messages between users using one of
the currently available technologies for handling video or audio
conferencing. For example, a chat system may be implemented by a
chat server to continuously route the real-time communications from
the participants in a chat group to the other participants in the
chat group. If desired, the originator of a message such as a text
message may be presented with all the messages from every
participant in the chat group, including his own message. With
respect to audio chat, there is generally no need to redistribute a
message back to its originator because a user does not want to
listen to his own voice repeated back to him. Therefore, an audio
chat system may ensure that the sender of a real-time communication
does not receive his own communication. In video chat, the chat
system may be configured, for example, to only display on the
television screen the image of the person who is currently
speaking.
[0112] The chat system can join a user to a chat group when the
user has indicated a desire to join a particular chat group. The
user's desires can be determined, for example, through a display
screen provided by the set-top box application such as display
screen 270 of FIG. 13. Television program 271 is overlaid by
interface region 274 so that only upper portion 272 of program 271
is visible. User interface region 274 provides the user with an
opportunity to indicate a desire to join a chat group by selecting
YES option 276. User interface screen 274 also allows the user to
not join a chat group by selecting NO option 278. If NO option 278
is selected, user interface screen 274 disappears. User interface
screen 274 can be displayed automatically by the set-top box
application whenever a chat group related to the television program
that the user is viewing is available or becomes available, or
could be displayed based on a reminder set earlier by the user.
Advertisement 275 may also be displayed in interface screen 274. If
desired, user interface screen 274 can be displayed when the user
selects a chat option from a program guide display screen or
presses a dedicated chat button on a remote control or uses any
other user interface to indicate a desire to join a chat.
Alternatively, this screen could be skipped and the user could
proceed directly to the chat group if the user has selected a chat
option. The chat group may continue beyond the end of program
271.
[0113] Referring now to FIG. 14, the set-top box application may
provide the user with an opportunity to join one or more chat
groups of the user's choice. The chat groups options that are
provided to the user by the set-top box application may be chat
groups that are related to a particular television program or
channel that the user is tuned to when the chat group options are
initially displayed.
[0114] Information regarding real-time communications such as
listings of chat groups that are available for a particular
television program or channel may be provided to the set-top box
application using any suitable data distribution technique. For
example, information on scheduled chat groups may be obtained
on-demand by the set-top box from a server or with the program
guide listings from the main facility. If desired, information on
available chat groups may be encoded digitally in-band with the
television program signal on a digital channel. The chat
information may be decoded by a digital set-top box along with the
TV program signal. As another example, information on which chat
groups are supported may be maintained at a television distribution
facility and distributed to set-top box applications over the
vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a standard analog television
signal. A VBI decoder located in the set-top box may be used to
decode data contained in the VBI of the received television
signal.
[0115] The decoded data may then be used by the set-top box
application to determine whether there are any chat groups
available for a program or channel based on the received data. If
desired, information regarding real-time communications such as
available chat groups may be provided using an out-of-band data
path. Such information may also be provided as a digital data
stream that accompanies other streams of digital data (such as
digital data for various television programs).
[0116] Display screen 280 is an example of an options screen that
the set-top box application may display to provide the user with an
opportunity to join various chat groups related to a program or
channel that is being viewed. If the user is watching the soap
opera Days of Our Lives on channel 3, the user may be given an
opportunity to join a Soap Opera Chat Group by selecting option
282, the Channel 3 Chat Group by selecting option 284, or the Days
of Our Lives Chat Group by selecting option 288. The user may join
multiple chat groups. Multiple chat groups may be selected with a
remote control or wireless keyboard. The chat system may join the
user to all of the selected chat groups. The user may also be
provided with an opportunity to create a new chat group by
selecting option 286. The user may search for more chat groups by
selecting option 290. The user may set a reminder for himself to
participate in a scheduled chat group by selecting option 281. If
option 281 is chosen, the chat system may set a reminder for a
previously selected chat group, or provide the user with a list of
chat groups to choose from. If the user does not wish to join a
chat group, the user may select exit option 292, which directs the
set-top box to exit display screen 280.
[0117] Another example of a way in which the user may be presented
with an opportunity to join various chat groups that are related to
a particular television program is shown in FIG. 15A. A
reduced-size version of a television program such as the 6 o'clock
News is displayed in portion 310 of display screen 300
simultaneously with a user interface region 312 in the lower
portion of display screen 300. Also, advertisement 311 may be
displayed in screen 300 along with user interface 312. User
interface region 312 may allow the user to join chat groups
relating to the news segments reported on the 6 o'clock News. The
user can join any one or more of chat groups (1), (2), (3) and (4)
(corresponding to options 302, 304, 306, and 308 respectively) by
pressing the appropriate number on his remote control. If the user
does not wish to enter a chat group, he can press (5)
(corresponding to Exit option 314) to exit display screen 300 and
return to a program guide menu or a full display screen of the 6
O'clock News. Display screen 300 may be displayed by the set-top
box application at the user's request or automatically at an
appropriate time during the television program. The chat groups may
continue beyond the end of the program to allow the participants to
discuss follow up issues. The chat group terminates when all of the
participants have exited.
[0118] Television display screen 500 of FIG. 15B is a interactive
television program guide display screen which provides a user with
an opportunity to view a schedule of upcoming chat groups related
to TV programs liked in the program guide. The user can scroll to
the appropriate time slot 506 by manipulating arrows options 508.
The TV programs are displayed in column 502 and the corresponding
chat groups are displayed in column 504. A user may select a chat
group by placing highlight region 509 on a chat group. The user may
then set a reminder to participate in the chat selected group by
selecting option 505. The user may join the selected chat group by
selecting option 503. The user may also record a chat session of
the selected chat group by selecting option 501. The user may view
additional programs and chat groups by manipulating arrows 510.
[0119] Television display screen 295 of FIG. 16 illustrates how the
set-top box application may allow the user to participate in a
plurality of chat groups concurrently. A television program called
News Program is displayed in upper left quadrant 315 of television
display screen 295. The user can watch News Program and participate
concurrently in three different chat groups displayed in quadrants
316, 317, and 318. Textual real-time communications from two chat
rooms are displayed in upper right quadrant 316 and lower left
quadrant 317. Each chat topic relates to issues discussed on News
Program. The topic of the chat room in quadrant 316 is Clinton's
Impeachment. The topic of the chat room in quadrant 317 is
Lewinsky's Testimony. The video image of a participant in a third
video chat group is displayed in quadrant 318. Audio messages to
and from the participants of the video chat room can be sent and
received as well. If multiple chat rooms joined by the user use
audio, the set-top box application may allow the user to toggle
between the various groups, so that the audio component of only one
group at a time is active.
[0120] Another example of a display screen that provides the user
with an opportunity to enter a chat group that is related to a
television program is shown in FIG. 17. The New Monica Lewinsky
Segment 321 on display screen 320 of FIG. 17 is overlaid by display
324 so that only upper portion 322 of program 322 is visible. When
the new Monica Lewinsky segment 321 of the television program
begins, the set-top box application will automatically prompt the
user to enter the Monica Lewinsky Chat Group by displaying the
message shown in display 324. The Monica Lewinsky Chat Group may be
a chat group of users who are watching the television program and
who wish to discuss issues relating to her that are being presented
on the program. The user can press the Chat button on his remote
control to enter the Monica Lewinsky Chat Group, or may press
cancel on his remote control to return to normal television viewing
by removing the message in display 324. The chat server may be
configured to support the Monica Lewinsky Chat Group only during
the duration of the news program or talk show. Alternatively, the
chat group may continue beyond the end of the program so that the
participants can discuss follow up issues. The Monica Lewinsky Chat
Group and any of the other illustrative chat groups discussed
herein may be textual chat groups, audio chat groups, video chat
groups (silent or with audio), or combinations of such chat
groups.
[0121] An illustrative process for permitting a user of user
television equipment to join a chat group is shown in FIG. 18A. At
step 340, the set-top box application implemented on the user's
television equipment provides the user with an opportunity to
indicate a desire to join a real-time chat group. The opportunity
may be provided automatically (e.g., at a particular time during
the course of a television program) or in response to a prompt by
the user (e.g., the user chooses an on-screen option or an option
on a program guide menu that indicates that he wishes to view
available chat groups). The real-time chat group may be in the form
of written, audio, or video (with audio or silent) communications
or a suitable combination of such communications.
[0122] The opportunity for the user to indicate a desire to join a
chat group may be provided, for example, using display screens,
such as display screens 270, 280, 300, 500, or 320 of FIGS. 13, 14,
15A, 15B, or 17 respectively, or any other such suitable display
screens. The set-top box application may also provide the user with
an opportunity to indicate a desire to join a chat group by being
able to respond to a signal from another type of user interface
mechanism (e.g., a dedicated chat button on a remote control).
[0123] The chat group that the user joins may be determined by the
user or by the program guide. The user may be provided with an
opportunity to select a chat group from a predetermined grouping or
list of available chat groups as described in connection with
display screens 280, 300, 500 of FIGS. 14, 15A, and 15B
respectively. Option 290 of FIG. 14 provides the user with an
opportunity search for more chat groups and to select a chat group
based upon the results of the search. The user may be provided with
an opportunity to search for a chat group based on a chat topic or
by typing in the name of the chat group and other information
necessary to identify the chat group. If desired, the chat system
may automatically determine which chat group the user should join.
For example, display screen 320 of FIG. 17 may provide the user
with an opportunity to indicate a desire to join an available chat
group that is related to the program being viewed. If desired,
information on which chat group the user should join may be based,
for example, on the number of current participants in a group,
which may be limited (e.g., to a maximum of 20 participants).
Information on available chat groups for may be maintained by the
television distribution facility or a chat server. When a user
directs a given set-top box application to join that user to a chat
group, the set-top box notifies the server, which may then join the
user to the next available group. Information identifying available
chat groups may be provided to the set-top box application along
with the television program broadcast signal and decoded by the
set-top box application on the user television equipment.
[0124] After the user has indicated a desire to join a chat group,
the chat system will join the user to the chat group and support
the chat group by distributing real-time communications to the
users in the chat group at step 342. For example, the set-top box
application may make a connection to the chat equipment maintaining
the real-time communications for the chat group, which then joins
the user to the chat group. After the user has been joined to the
chat group, the chat group is supported by the chat equipment (e.g.
the chat server), and the user can send and receive real-time
communications to and from other participants of the chat group.
Step 342 may be performed by chat equipment at the television
distribution facility, at a television channel chat facility, or
separate chat equipment. If desired, equipment such as an audio or
video bridge at a television distribution facility or other
suitable location may be used in forming and supporting chat
groups.
[0125] Referring now to FIG. 18B, an illustrative process for
permitting a user of user television equipment to join a chat group
restricted to users at user television equipment devices is shown.
At step 344, the set-top box application implemented on the user's
television equipment provides the user with an opportunity to
indicate a desire to join a chat group. The features of this step
are the same as the features described above with respect to step
340 of FIG. 18A.
[0126] After the user has indicated a desire to join a chat group,
the chat system will join the user to the chat group and support
the chat group by distributing real-time communications only
between users in the chat group who are at user television
equipment devices at step 346. The set-top box application will
indicate to the chat equipment to join the user to the chat group.
The chat equipment will then support the chat group by distributing
the real-time communications. Entry into the chat group is
restricted to users at user television equipment devices. Entry may
be restricted to users of user television equipment devices
connected to one particular television distribution facility or
users at user television equipment devices connected to one of a
limited number of television distribution facilities.
[0127] The chat equipment may monitor requests to enter the chat
group to ensure that all of the participants in the chat group are
at a user television equipment device, as opposed to e.g. a
personal computer. For example, the chat equipment could maintain
entry codes with television distribution facilities to restrict
access to a chat group to only users television equipment devices.
Each television distribution facility would transmit the entry code
along with a request from one of its user television equipment
devices to the chat equipment so that the user may be joined to the
chat group. Only requests to join the chat group that present a
valid entry code from a television distribution facility will be
recognized. If desired, access to a TV chat group may be restricted
to user television equipment devices by not making the chat group
available on the Internet.
[0128] Referring now to FIG. 18C, an illustrative process for
permitting a user of user television equipment to join a chat group
related to a television program that the user is watching is shown.
At step 348, the set-top box application implemented on the user's
television equipment provides the user who is watching a particular
television program with an opportunity to join a chat group related
to the program. Television display screen 300 in FIG. 15A, and
television display screen 320 in FIG. 17 are examples of how the
set-top application can provide the user with an opportunity to
join a chat group related to a particular television program while
the user is watching the program. The opportunity to join the chat
group may be provided by the set-top box application automatically
during the course of the television program, or upon prompting from
the user, e.g. by pressing a button on a remote control.
[0129] After the user has indicated a desire to join a chat group,
the chat system will join the user to the chat group and support
the chat group by distributing real-time communications only
between users in the chat group who are watching the same
television program at step 350. The set-top box application will
indicate to the chat equipment to join the user to the chat group.
The chat equipment will then support the chat group by distributing
the real-time communications only between users in the chat group
who are watching the program. Each set-top box application will
ensure that the user is not provided with an opportunity to join
the chat group unless the user has tuned into the channel that is
broadcasting the television program. If desired, the user can have
the option of joining the chat group related to the program at any
time, but the set-top box application will tune to the television
program as soon as the user indicates a desire to join the chat
group related to the program.
[0130] Another aspect of the present invention involves providing
the user with an opportunity to send a chat request to other users
who may be interested in joining a chat group. A chat request is a
request for other users (of e.g. a television set-top box
application or interactive television program guide) to join a chat
group. An illustrative chat request display screen 360 that may be
used to provide a user with an opportunity to chose groups of other
users who may be interested in joining a chat group from a list is
shown in FIG. 19.
[0131] The user may send a chat request to all other users
currently watching the same television program that the user is
tuned into by choosing option 362. The chat system would then
distribute the chat request to the recipients via the
communications pathways and networks shown in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 2B, or
3. The chat equipment may distribute all the chat requests it
receives that are addressed to users associated with a television
distribution facility to each set of user television equipment
connected to that television distribution facility. The chat
requests may then be filtered by the set-top box application at the
recipient's user television equipment. The set-top box application
may only display the chat request on the recipient's television
screen if the recipient user is watching the television program
related to the chat request. The user may also block at his set-top
box all incoming chat requests, or chat requests that are sent by
specific individuals. If desired, the set-top box may be configured
to only notify the user of chat request sent by certain
individuals. Also, the user may indicate to his set-top box
application that he only wishes to receive chat requests that are
related to particular programs, channels, or categories of
programs. The set-top box application would then only display
incoming chat requests on the television based upon the user's
indicated preferences.
[0132] If desired, any user may view all of the available chat
requests that are related to a given television program as a
potential recipient of a chat request. Display screen 380 of FIG.
20 is an example of a menu format that may be used to present
recipient users with an opportunity to accept a chat request
related to the current television program (option 382). The chat
requests displayed in display screen 380 may also be related to a
non-current television program chosen from the program listings, a
channel, or any category of programs. This information would also
be displayed as part of option 382. Incoming chat requests may be
displayed in a list as part of display screen 380. The recipient
user may accept a chat request and join the corresponding chat
group by choosing one of chat request options 384, 386 or 388. In
the example of FIG. 20, the recipient user may join a chat group by
entering the number of a desired chat request on the remote
control. The user may also have the ability to block all incoming
chat requests for a period of time or indefinitely by selecting
option 381. This feature allows a user to maintain privacy. The
user may block incoming chat requests from certain individuals by
entering their names or addresses in regions 383. The user may also
program the chat system so that it only allows chat requests from
certain individuals to be received by that user's set-top box. The
user may enter the names or addresses of these individuals in
regions 390. The user can decline to join any of the chat groups
that he is being requested to join by pressing a Cancel button on
the remote control.
[0133] Referring again to FIG. 19, a user who desires to send a
chat request may choose to send a chat request to other users who
are interested in the particular television program that the sender
user is tuned into by choosing option 364. Option 364 is
highlighted to indicate that it has been selected by the sender
user. The sender user can use arrow keys on his remote control to
select option 364. The user may then press an OK button on the
remote control to enter his selection. The sender user may select
option 366 to send a chat request to other users who are interested
in the channel broadcasting the current program. The sender user
may also select option 368 to send a chat request to other users
who are interested in the category of programs that matches the
category of the program the user is currently watching.
[0134] The chat request can be sent to chat equipment (e.g. server)
that forwards the chat request to the appropriate recipients. For
example, chat requests may be sent to users who have indicated to
the chat equipment or television distribution facility that they
have an interest in receiving chat requests regarding a particular
program, channel, or category of programs. If desired, the set-top
box application may assist in the filtering process used to ensure
that the chat requests are only delivered to the appropriate users.
For example, if a chat request is to be distributed to all users
tuned to channel 4, the chat server at a television distribution
facility may distribute a chat request to all users with
information that specifies that the request is to be restricted to
viewers whose set-top boxes are currently tuned to channel 4. The
set-top box application of each recipient user determines whether
the user is tuned to channel 4. If the set-top box is not tuned to
channel 4, the chat request is not displayed. Some filtering
operations may be performed at the server end.
[0135] If desired, users can specify certain chat preferences to
the chat equipment. For example, a user can specify that he wishes
to receive chat requests relating to particular programs, channels,
or categories of programs. The user may also specify that we wishes
to block at his set-top box all incoming chat requests, or chat
requests that are sent by specific individuals. The user may even
specify that he wishes to only receive chat request sent by certain
individuals. This information can then be sent to the chat
equipment, the television distribution facility, or the television
channel chat facility. Profile data regarding a household user's
preferences entered through a display screen provided by the
set-top box application such as display screen 120 of FIG. 4 can be
sent to the chat equipment associated with the household, so that
the chat equipment may use this information for filtering chat
requests that are related to television programs, channels, or
categories of television programs that a user is interested in.
With this arrangement, only the filtered chat requests are sent by
the chat equipment to the recipient user.
[0136] The chat system may allow a user to send a chat request only
to non-household users in the user's personal address book who have
been identified as having an interest in a program, channel, or
category of programs related to the chat request. The chat system
may filter out only those other users in the address book whose
preferences match the program, channel, or category of programs
related to the chat request. The preferences of other users may be
stored in the address book along with users' names and addresses. A
user interface such as display screen 160 of FIG. 6 may be provided
by the set-top box application to enter such user preference
information.
[0137] A user may select names of other users from his address book
by choosing option 370. In this case, the chat request would only
be sent to the particular people that the user individually chooses
from his address book. Such a chat request may be displayed on the
television screen of the user receiving the chat request
automatically as soon as the chat request is received. If desired,
the chat system may be configured to only have the ability to send
chat requests to people on the user's buddy list or address book.
In addition, the chat system may be configured so that a user only
receives chat requests from people on his buddy list or address
book. The functionality of the filtering operations described with
respect to the television chat system of the present invention may
be performed at a server, at the set-top box of the recipient, or
at the set-top box of the sender.
[0138] Display screen 360 may also present option 372 which allows
the user to send a chat request to a list of individuals that may
want to participate in a chat group related to the current program.
For example, the individuals in the list may be the usual
participants in a chat group related to a weekly sitcom. The list
may be created by the user as he determines the identities of the
weekly participants.
[0139] As shown in FIG. 21, display screen 400 may be used to
display a chat request 410 in the lower portion of the recipient
user's television screen. Chat request 410 overlays the television
program the user is watching. Chat request 410 may be translucent
so as to minimize interruption in the user's viewing of the
program. The program is still unobscured in upper portion 408. Chat
request 410 indicates the name of the chat group that the recipient
of the request is being asked to join and the name of the sender of
the chat request. The chat request recipient may accept the chat
request and join the chat group by selecting option 402. The chat
request recipient can tune to the channel that the program is
airing on by selecting option 404. The chat request recipient may
decline the chat request by selecting option 406. The recipient may
be allowed to block future requests from a recipient, or to go
"private" i.e. not allow any chat requests in from anybody until
further notice.
[0140] An illustrative process for permitting a user at user
television equipment to establish a chat group between himself and
other users is shown in FIG. 22. At step 420, the set-top box
application implemented on the user's television equipment provides
the user with an opportunity to set up a chat group with other
users. This opportunity may be provided by the set-top box using
any appropriate user interface. Display screen 360 of FIG. 19 is an
example of a user interface that provides the user with an
opportunity to set up a chat group with other users by sending them
a chat request. Other suitable arrangements may be used to
implement the feature of step 420 if desired.
[0141] Following step 420, the user may enter chat setup
information. The chat setup information may include, for example,
an identification of the intended recipients of the chat request,
the name of the chat group, an identification of the chat server
that will support the chat group, the television program that the
chat group will be related to, and the channel that the program is
being broadcasted on. If desired, at least some of this information
may be automatically inserted by the set-top box application. For
example, because the set-top box application knows the channel to
which the sender user's set-top box is tuned, the set-top box
application may automatically append this information to the chat
request. The set-top box application may also determine which
program the sender user is watching by accessing a database (e.g.,
a program listings database stored locally on the set-top box or on
a server) and using information on the current time (e.g. which the
set-top box or server has access to using a clock). If desired,
some of this type of information may be appended to the chat
request by the chat equipment or chat server. For example, the
set-top box application may provide the chat server with
information on which channel the sender user is currently tuned to
and the chat server may then determine which program is currently
being watched (from program listings information stored at the
television distribution facility) and may append this information
to the chat request.
[0142] At step 424, the chat system distributes the chat request to
the other users who may be interested in joining the chat group.
The actual recipients of the chat request can be determined by the
chat server, by the user television equipment, at the television
distribution facility, at the television channel chat facility, or
a combination thereof. If desired, the chat request that is
distributed may be blocked at the recipient's set-top box (e.g., if
that recipient has directed his set-top box application not to
accept such requests).
[0143] At step 426, the chat system supports the chat group with
the user and the other users who have decided to join the chat
group by distributing real-time communications from each user in
the chat group to the other users in the chat group. The chat group
may be supported by chat equipment such as a chat server. The other
users may be notified of the chat group and given an opportunity to
join it when the chat request appears on their television screens
as shown and described with respect to FIGS. 20 and 21. The group
of other users who have decided to join the chat group may be those
who have accepted the chat request or those who have previously
indicated a desire to join a chat group.
[0144] An illustrative process for establishing a chat group with
the user and other users is shown in FIG. 23. At step 430, the
set-top box application implemented on the user television
equipment provides the user with an opportunity to indicate a
desire to establish a chat group with other users or to indicate a
desire to join an existing chat group. Option 286 in television
display screen 280 of FIG. 14 is an example of how the set-top box
application may provide the user with an opportunity to indicate a
desire to create a new chat group. User interface region 274 of
FIG. 13 is an example of how the set-top box application may
provide the user with an opportunity to indicate a desire to join
an existing chat group or a chat group that is about to be formed.
Following step 430, users indicate their desire to establish a chat
group or to join an existing chat group or chat group that is about
to be formed, for example, by selecting option 276 in FIG. 13 or by
selecting option 286 in FIG. 14. The user may also enter chat set
up information such as the name of the chat group.
[0145] At step 434, the chat system establishes a chat group
joining the user and the other users who have decided to join. The
chat group may be a new chat group that is created, for example, on
a chat server, and the user may be joined to that new chat group.
The chat group may also be an existing chat group to which the user
is joined.
[0146] In the case of a new chat group, a new chat group is created
on a chat server or using other suitable equipment, such as an
audio or video bridge. The user is then joined to the chat group.
The other users who have decided to join are also joined to the new
chat group once it has been created. All of the users are now able
to send and receive real-time communications from the other
participants in the chat group. Step 434 may be performed by the
chat equipment (e.g., a server or an audio or video bridge), by the
set-top box application on the user television equipment, or a
combination of both.
[0147] Users can then access a list of currently available chat
groups related to a television program or channel from their
television distribution facility, from a television channel chat
facility, or directly from the chat equipment (e.g. server) through
the set-top box application. The chat system can join the user to a
selected chat group or groups through a process such as the ones
described in connection with FIGS. 18A and 23.
[0148] An illustrative process for joining a user to a chat group
in response to a chat request is shown in FIG. 24. At step 440, the
set-top box application on the user's television equipment displays
a chat request that asks the user to join a chat group. At step
442, the set-top box application provides the user with an
opportunity to indicate a desire to join the chat group. Display
screens 380 in FIGS. 20 and 400 in FIG. 21 are examples of how the
set-top box may display chat requests and provide the user with an
opportunity to join a chat group in response to a chat request.
[0149] Following step 442, when the user has decided to join a chat
group linked to a chat request, the chat system joins the user to
the chat group at step 446. For example, if the chat group is
running on a chat server, the user is linked to the chat group on
that server. If the chat group is implemented using audio or video
conferencing equipment, the user is linked to the chat group by
connecting the user to the group with the audio or video
conferencing equipment. The chat group information required to
connect the user to the chat group may be provided to the chat
equipment with the chat request. After the user is joined to the
chat group, the user may send and receive real-time communications
from the other participants in the chat group.
[0150] At step 448, the set-top box application provides the user
with an opportunity to tune to the television program that is the
subject of the chat. Option 404 of FIG. 21 is an example of how the
user may be provided with an opportunity to tune to the television
program that is the subject of the chat. If the user selects this
option, the set-top box will automatically tune to the television
channel that is broadcasting the television program that is the
subject of the chat. Information on which channel is broadcasting
the program related to the chat request may be provided to the
user's set-top box with the chat request. This feature allows the
user to participate in the chat group and to view the television
program that is the subject of the chat simultaneously. Step 448 is
optional and may be omitted if desired.
[0151] Many of the features of the present invention may be used
with a two-way interactive display remote control. An example of a
display remote control is shown in FIG. 25. Display remote control
480 contains display screen 482 which may be any suitable type of
display screen. A user may compose a chat message in a chat room to
another user using buttons 484. Pressing any of buttons 484 causes
the selected letter or number to simultaneously appear in input
region 483 and adjacent to cursor 491. The user may delete a letter
or number by pressing Backspace button 486, and may enter upper
case letters by pressing Shift button 488. The user may move the
cursor in display region 483 of display screen 482 using arrow
buttons 498. A user may use an icon such as the smiley face in
display screen 482 to represent himself. A display remote control
may also have a touch screen. Some or all of the keys (e.g. the
alphabet keys) may be presented on the display, rather than having
regular keys.
[0152] The display remote control gives the user additional privacy
when sending and receiving messages in a chat group. The display
remote may also be used for sending and receiving chat requests.
The display remote control is therefore a two-way interactive
remote in that messages may be composed and sent, as well as
received and read by the user. Further features of an illustrative
display remote control are described in Herrington et al. U.S.
provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/138,868, filed Jun. 11,
1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety. A display remote may also be used for sending messages
between users. Further features of an illustrative television
message system are described in McKissick et al. U.S. patent
application Serial No. ______, filed concurrently herewith
(Attorney Docket No. UV-128), which is hereby incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
[0153] The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of
this invention and various modifications can be made by those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of
the invention.
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