U.S. patent application number 12/388939 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-06 for secondary video supplements during vod services.
This patent application is currently assigned to Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. Invention is credited to Robert O. Banker, Dean F. Jerding, Arturo A. Rodriguez.
Application Number | 20090199249 12/388939 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37897723 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090199249 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rodriguez; Arturo A. ; et
al. |
August 6, 2009 |
SECONDARY VIDEO SUPPLEMENTS DURING VOD SERVICES
Abstract
A method for providing media to a user via an interactive media
services client device coupled to a programmable media services
server device includes receiving user input requesting on-screen
comments to be provided with a media presentation and providing the
user with a media presentation along with comments related to the
media presentation.
Inventors: |
Rodriguez; Arturo A.;
(Norcross, GA) ; Jerding; Dean F.; (Roswell,
GA) ; Banker; Robert O.; (Cumming, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD;SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA, A CISCO COMPANY
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc
Lawrenceville
GA
|
Family ID: |
37897723 |
Appl. No.: |
12/388939 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11678653 |
Feb 26, 2007 |
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12388939 |
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09693780 |
Oct 20, 2000 |
7200857 |
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11678653 |
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09590520 |
Jun 9, 2000 |
7010801 |
|
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09693780 |
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60214987 |
Jun 29, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/91 ;
725/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4722 20130101;
H04N 21/4312 20130101; H04N 21/435 20130101; H04N 21/475 20130101;
H04N 21/235 20130101; H04N 21/8126 20130101; H04N 21/6156 20130101;
G06F 40/169 20200101; H04N 21/4314 20130101; H04N 21/47202
20130101; H04N 21/42204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/91 ;
725/100 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/173 20060101
H04N007/173 |
Claims
1. A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (STT)
coupled via a bi-directional communication network to a
programmable remote server, wherein the STT is configured to
receive a video program from a remote server, said method
comprising steps of: providing a selectable option to enable
reception of a second video stream corresponding to a supplemental
view of the video program; receiving from the server via a tuner in
the STT that is tuned to a single transmission channel a first
plurality of streams corresponding to the video program, said first
plurality of streams including an audio stream, a first video
stream corresponding to a main view of the video program, and the
second video stream; receiving a viewer input from a viewer to
select the selectable option; responsive to receiving the viewer
input, enabling the STT to process the second video stream; and
outputting by the STT audio corresponding to the audio stream and a
composition corresponding to the first and second video streams as
a television signal, wherein the audio and composition of the first
video and second video are time synchronized according to time
stamps specifications.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video program is a
video-on-demand program established over a dedicated network
session between the remote server and the STT.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the composition of the first and
second video streams in the television signal is presented as a
split-picture.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the composition of the first and
second video streams in the television signal is presented as a
picture-in-picture.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second video
streams correspond to a first and second camera angle of the scene
contained in the video program, respectively.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving from the
server a supplementary data stream with respective portions
associated with the presentation time of respective portions of the
video program; and outputting by the STT a television signal that
contains the supplementary data stream and the first and second
videos; wherein the supplementary data stream and the first video
and second video streams are time synchronized according to time
stamps specifications.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a
dedicated network session between the server and the STT and
providing a rented video program through the established network
session.
8. A method implemented by a server coupled to a television set-top
terminal (STT) via a bi-directional communication network, the
method comprising the steps of: providing to the STT information
including respective descriptions of rentable video program;
providing a selectable option to receive from the server a first
supplemental data stream that is associated with the presentation
time of respective portions of a rented video program, said first
supplemental data stream being different to each stream in a first
plurality of streams corresponding to the rented video program;
receiving a request from the STT for the rented video program;
establishing a dedicated network session between the server and the
STT; providing the first plurality of streams through the
established network session; receiving a viewer input from a viewer
to select the selectable option; responsive to receiving the viewer
input, receiving from the server at least a portion of the first
supplemental data stream and at least a respective portion of each
stream in the first plurality of streams via a tuner in the STT;
outputting by the STT a composition of the received said portion of
the first supplemental data stream and the received said respective
portion of each stream in the first plurality of streams as a
television signal, wherein the composition of the received said
portion of the first supplemental data stream and the received said
respective portion of each stream in the first plurality of streams
are time synchronized according to time stamps specifications.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. utility application
having Ser. No. 11/678,653, filed Feb. 26, 2007, which is entirely
incorporated herein by reference, which is a continuation of
application Ser. No. 09/693,780 (now issued as U.S. Pat. No.
7,200,857), filed Oct. 20, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of
application Ser. No. 09/590,520 (now issued as U.S. Pat. No.
7,010,801), filed on Jun. 9, 2000 and which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/214,987, filed on Jun. 29,
2000, each of which are entirely incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates in general to television systems, and
more particularly, to the field of media on demand.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] With recent advances in digital transmission technology,
cable television systems are now capable of providing much more
than the traditional analog broadcast video. In implementing
enhanced programming, the home communication terminal ("HCT"),
otherwise known as the set-top box, has become an important
computing device for accessing video services and navigating a
subscriber through a maze of available services. In addition to
supporting traditional analog broadcast video functionality,
digital HCTs (or "DHCTs") now also support an increasing number of
two-way digital services such as video-on-demand.
[0004] Typically, a DHCT is connected to a cable or satellite
television network and includes hardware and software necessary to
provide the functionality of the digital television system at the
client's site. Preferably, some of the software executed by a DHCT
is downloaded and/or updated via the cable television network. Each
DHCT also typically includes a processor, communication components
and memory, and is connected to a television or other display
device, such as a personal computer. While many conventional DHCTs
are stand-alone devices that are externally connected to a
television, a DHCT and/or its functionality may be integrated into
a television or personal computer, as will be appreciated by those
of ordinary skill in the art.
[0005] As the number of video-on-demand movie choices increases, it
is becoming increasingly important for video-on-demand providers to
distinguish their video presentations by providing viewers with
more options or features, along with the video-on-demand
presentations, that will make the viewing experience more
entertaining for the viewers. In addition, many viewers today are
interested in knowing more about the movies that they are watching
but simply do not have enough free time to locate and read such
information. Therefore there exists a need to make the
video-on-demand viewing experience more informative and
entertaining.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The preferred embodiment of the invention can be viewed as a
method for providing media to a user via an interactive media
services client device coupled to a programmable media services
server device, the method including steps of receiving user input
requesting on-screen supplementary information be provided with a
media presentation and providing the user with a media presentation
along with supplements valid during applicable time intervals of
the media presentation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The invention can be better understood with reference to the
following drawings. The components in the drawings are not
necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon
clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. In
the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the several views.
[0008] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a cable television system
in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 depicts a diagram of the headend 11 as depicted in
FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of selected elements of a
DHCT and related equipment, in accordance with one preferred
embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3A is another depiction of a block diagram of selected
elements of a DHCT in accordance with one preferred embodiment of
the present invention depicted in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 4 depicts a remote control device that can be used to
provide user input to the DHCT shown in FIG. 3.
[0013] FIG. 5 depicts an example video-on-demand (VOD) rental
selection window that illustrates a media rental list presented to
the user by the DHCT shown in FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 6 depicts an example rental period selection window
that is presented to the user after the user selects a media rental
via the rental selection window shown in FIG. 5.
[0015] FIG. 7 depicts an example rental options selection window
that is presented to the user after the user selects a rental
period via the rental period selection window shown in FIG. 6.
[0016] FIG. 8 depicts a stopped video window that is presented to a
user after the user stops a media presentation, containing added
comments, that was being provided to the user by the DHCT depicted
in FIG. 3.
[0017] FIG. 9 depicts a stopped video window that is presented to a
user after the user stops a media presentation, containing no added
comments, that was being provided to the user by the DHCT depicted
in FIG. 3.
[0018] FIG. 10 depicts a comments selection window after the user
requests added comments via the stopped video window depicted in
FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cable television system 10
that includes a headend 11 connected through a network 18 to
multiple DHCTs 16. The headend 11 receives and generates television
signals and transmits them as optical signals over fiber optic
cables 12. One or more optical nodes 13 are included in the system
10 for converting the optical signals to Radio Frequency (RF)
signals that are thereafter routed over other media, such as
coaxial cables 14. Taps 15 are provided within the cable system 10
for splitting the RF signal off, via cables 17, to subscriber
equipment such as DHCTs 16, cable-ready television sets, video
recorders, or computers. It should be appreciated, however, that
the cable television system 10 shown in FIG. 1 is merely
illustrative and should not be construed as implying any
limitations upon the scope of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of portions of a headend 11 that
is configured to provide media-on-demand (MOD) services in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. MOD
services include, among other things, video-on-demand (VOD)
services and respective MOD information suitable to be presented to
a user via display of an interactive media guide. MOD server
application 19 and a plurality of other server applications 20 are
connected to a digital network control system (DNCS) 23 via a
high-speed network such as an Ethernet connection 32. The MOD
server application 19 is responsible for reserving and configuring
system resources needed to provide MOD services and for providing
configuration and service data to an MOD client application 63
(FIG. 3), including MOD information comprising a catalog of titles
available for on-demand viewing and/or on-demand rental by a
user.
[0021] The DNCS 23 provides complete management, monitoring, and
control of the network's elements and broadcast services provided
to users. In one implementation, the DNCS 23 uses a data insertion
multiplexer 29 and a data QAM 30 to insert in-band broadcast file
system (BFS) data into an MPEG-2 transport stream that is broadcast
and received via DHCT's communication interface 42 and tuner system
45. The DNCS 23 also contains a session manager 34 that uses
Digital Storage Media Command and Control (DSMCC) protocol to set
up and maintain MOD sessions. The session manager 34 processes user
to network (U-N) session signaling messages, manages allocation of
session-related network resources, supports network management
operations, acts as a point of contact to the network for the
DHCT's 16 in the network 18 to establish individual sessions, and
supports MOD services by providing the signaling interface to
establish, maintain and release client initiated exclusive
sessions.
[0022] A service application manager (SAM) server 25 is a server
component of a client-server pair of components, with the client
component being located at the DHCT 16. Together, the client-server
SAM components provide a system in which the user can access
services, which are identified by an application to run and a
parameter, such as particular data content, specific to that
service. The client-server SAM components also manage the life
cycle of the applications on the system, including the definition,
activation, and suspension of services they provide and the
downloading of the applications into the DHCT 16 as necessary.
MPEG-2 transport may be used to multiplex video, audio, and data in
digital transmission channels such as channels transmitted
downstream employing quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). An
MPEG-2 transport stream allows multiplexing of digital video,
digital audio, and data. Multiple different video programs, each
with one or more digital video streams, one or more digital audio
streams, and/or multiple data streams can be multiplexed and
transmitted over the same 6 MHz (or 8 MHz) RF frequency in which
the DHCT's tuner tunes to. Hence, a digital transmission channel
can carry the video, audio and data streams of programs of multiple
television (TV) stations or on-demand video programs.
[0023] Applications on both the headend 11 and the DHCT 16 can
access the data stored in a broadcast file system (BFS) server 28
in a similar manner to a file system found on operating systems.
The BFS server 28 is a part of a broadcast file system that has a
counterpart BFS client module 43 (FIG. 3) in a DHCT 16 connected to
the network 18. The BFS server 28 repeatedly sends data for
applications on a data carousel (not shown) over a period of time
in cyclical repeated fashion so that a DHCT 16 that is in need of
reading any particular data file or parts thereof may receive it
when requested by a user or one or more of its internal running
processes.
[0024] A VOD content manager 21 is responsible for managing the
content on the VOD content servers 22. The MOD server application
19 controls both the VOD content manager 21 and the VOD content
servers 22 and utilizes them to help deliver the video and audio
streams that make up VOD services. In one embodiment, an MOD
content manager and MOD content servers (not shown) could run
respectively in parallel to the VOD content manager 21 and VOD
content servers 22 to manage other types of on-demand media
content. In an alternate embodiment an MOD content manager replaces
the VOD content manager 21 and the MOD content servers replaces the
VOD content servers 22. The QAM modulators that comprise the QAM
group 24 receive the MPEG-2 transport streams from the VOD content
servers 22, convert them into encrypted RF signals at a specified
frequency (channel), and transmit them to a DHCT 16 via the network
18.
[0025] The QPSK modem 26 is responsible for transporting the
out-of-band IP (internet protocol) datagram traffic between the
distribution headend 11 and a DHCT 16. Data from the QPSK modem 26
is routed by headend router 27 within the headend 11. The headend
router 27 is also responsible for delivering upstream application
traffic to the various server applications 19 & 20.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a DHCT 16 that is
coupled to a headend 11 and to a television 41. Some of the
functionality performed by applications executed in the DHCT 16
(such as the MOD client application 63) may instead be performed at
the headend 11 and vice versa. A DHCT 16 is typically situated at a
user's residence or place of business and may be a stand alone unit
or integrated into another device such as, for example, a
television set or a personal computer. The DHCT 16 preferably
includes a communications interface 42 for receiving signals
(video, audio and/or other data) from the headend 11 through the
network 18 and for providing any reverse information to the headend
11 through the network 18. The DHCT 16 further includes at least
one processor 44 for controlling operations of the DHCT 16, an RF
output system 48 for driving the television display 41, and a tuner
system 45 for tuning into a particular television channel to be
displayed and for sending and receiving various types of data or
media from the headend 11. The tuner system 45 includes, in one
implementation, an out-of-band tuner for bi-directional quadrature
phase shift keying (QPSK) data communication and a quadrature
amplitude modulation (QAM) tuner for receiving television signals.
Additionally, a receiver 46 receives externally-generated
information, such as user inputs or commands from other
devices.
[0027] The DHCT 16 may also include one or more wireless or wired
interfaces, also called ports, for receiving and/or transmitting
data to other devices. For instance, the DHCT 16 may feature USB
(Universal Serial Bus), Ethernet (for connection to a computer),
IEEE-1394 (for connection to media devices in an entertainment
center), serial, and/or parallel ports. The user inputs may, for
example, be provided by a computer or transmitter with buttons or
keys located either on the exterior of the terminal or by a
hand-held remote control device or keyboard that includes
user-actuated buttons.
[0028] In one implementation, the DHCT 16 includes system memory
49, which includes flash memory 51 and dynamic random access memory
(DRAM) 52, for storing various applications, modules and data for
execution and use by the processor 44. Basic functionality of the
DHCT 16 is provided by an operating system 53 that is primarily
stored in flash memory 51. Among other things, the operating system
53 includes at least one resource manager 67 that provides an
interface to resources of the DHCT 16 such as, for example,
computing resources.
[0029] An application referred to as navigator 55 is also resident
in flash memory 51 for providing a navigation framework for
services provided by the DHCT 16. The navigator 55 registers for
and in some cases reserves certain user inputs related to
navigational keys such as channel increment/decrement, last
channel, favorite channel, etc. The client applications may be
resident in flash memory 51 or downloaded into DRAM 52. The
navigator 55 also provides users with television related menu
options that correspond to DHCT functions such as, for example,
providing an interactive program guide, blocking a channel or a
group of channels from being displayed in a channel menu, and
displaying a video-on-demand purchase list.
[0030] The flash memory 51 also contains a platform library 56. The
platform library 56 is a collection of utilities useful to
applications, such as a timer manager, a compression manager, a
configuration manager, an HTML parser, a database manager, a widget
toolkit, a string manager, and other utilities (not shown). These
utilities are accessed by applications via application programming
interfaces (APIs) as necessary so that each application does not
have to contain these utilities. Two components of the platform
library 56 that are shown in FIG. 3 are a window manager 59 and a
service application manager client (SAM) 57.
[0031] The window manager 59 provides a mechanism for implementing
the sharing of the screen regions and user input. The window
manager 59 on the DHCT 16 is responsible for, as directed by one or
more applications, implementing the creation, display, and
de-allocation of the limited DHCT 16 screen resources. It allows
multiple applications to share the screen by assigning ownership of
screen regions, or windows. The window manager 59 also maintains,
among other things, a user input registry 50 in DRAM 52 so that
when a user enters a key or a command via the remote control device
80 or another input device such as a keyboard or mouse, the user
input registry 50 is accessed to determine which of various
applications running on the DHCT 16 should receive data
corresponding to the input key and in which order. As an
application is executed, it registers a request to receive certain
user input keys or commands. When the user presses a key
corresponding to one of the commands on the remote control device
80, the command is received by the receiver 46 and relayed to the
processor 44. The processor 44 dispatches the event to the
operating system 53 where it is forwarded to the window manager 59
which ultimately accesses the user input registry 50 and routes
data corresponding to the incoming command to the appropriate
application.
[0032] The SAM client 57 is a client component of a client-server
pair of components, with the server component being located on the
headend 11. A SAM database 60 in DRAM 52 includes a data structure
of services and a data structure of channels that are created and
updated by the headend 11. Many services can be defined using the
same application component, with different parameters. Examples of
services include, without limitation and in accordance with one
implementation, presenting television programs (available through a
WatchTV application 62), pay-per-view events (available through a
PPV application 64), digital music (not shown), media-on-demand
(available through an MOD application 63), and an interactive
program guide. In general, the identification of a service includes
the identification of an executable application that provides the
service along with a set of application-dependent parameters that
indicate to the application the service to be provided. As a
non-limiting example, a service of presenting a television program
could be executed with a set of parameters to view HBO or with a
separate set of parameters to view CNN. Each association of the
application component (tune video) and one parameter component (HBO
or CNN) represents a particular service that has a unique service
I.D. The SAM client 57 also interfaces with the resource manager
67, as discussed below, to control resources of the DHCT 16.
[0033] Application clients can also be downloaded into DRAM 52 at
the request of the SAM client 57, typically in response to a
request by the user or in response to a message from the headend.
In this non-limiting example DRAM 52 contains a media-on-demand
application (MOD) 63, an e-mail application 65, and a web browser
application 66, among others (not shown). It should be clear to one
with ordinary skill in the art that these applications are not
limiting and merely serve as examples for this present embodiment
of the invention. Furthermore, one or more DRAM based applications
may, as an alternative embodiment, be resident in flash memory 51.
These applications, and others provided by the cable system
operator, are top level software entities on the network for
providing services to the user.
[0034] In one implementation, applications executing on the DHCT 16
work with the navigator 55 by abiding by several guidelines. First,
an application utilizes the SAM client 57 for the provision,
activation, and suspension of services. Second, an application
shares DHCT 16 resources with other applications and abides by the
resource management policies of the SAM client 57, the operating
system 53, and the DHCT 16. Third, an application handles
situations where resources are only available with navigator 55
intervention. Fourth, when an application loses service
authorization while providing a service, the application suspends
the service via the SAM (the navigator 55 will reactivate an
individual service application when it later becomes authorized).
Finally, an application client is designed to not have access to
certain user input keys reserved by the navigator (i.e., power,
channel +/-, volume +/-, etc.).
[0035] The MOD client application 63 provides the user with lists
of available media titles to choose from and with video
presentations requested by the user. The MOD client application 63
provides video presentations to the user by engaging, preferably,
in a direct two-way IP (Internet Protocol) connection with VOD
content servers 22 (FIG. 2).
[0036] FIG. 3A is another depiction of selected elements of DHCT
16. DHCT 16 includes a tuner system 45 that can select one of a
plurality of transmission channels provided by a broadband network
such as a Digital cable TV network or a Digital Broadband Delivery
System (DBDS). Tuner system 45 enables the DHCT of the present
invention to tune to downstream media and data transmissions,
thereby allowing a user to receive digital or analog video programs
and associated content transmitted in the downstream transmission
via the DBDS.
[0037] The DHCT 16 includes demultiplexing system 200 comprising
functionality for QAM demodulation, forward error correction (FEC),
transport demultiplexing and parsing. Transport demultiplexing may
include MPEG-2 transport demultiplexing. The DHCT 16 also includes
a digital video decoding system 210, a digital audio decoding
system 220, a display output system such as RF output system 48, an
"audio player and output system" 230 that can feed audio samples to
RF output system 48, and a processor 44.
[0038] The demultiplexing system 200 in communication with
communication interface 42, tuner system 45 and processor 44
effects reception of compressed video streams, compressed audio
streams, and data streams corresponding to a first video program to
be separated from other programs and/or streams transported in the
tuned transmission channel and to be stored in a first part of DRAM
52 of DHCT 16 assigned to receive packets of a first video
program.
[0039] The demultiplexing system 200 in communication with the
digital video decoding system 210 and processor 44 effect
notification and/or transfer of received packets of one or more
compressed video streams corresponding to a first video program
from a first part of DRAM 52 to a second part of DRAM 52 assigned
to digital video decoding system 210.
[0040] The demultiplexing system 200 in communication with the
digital audio decoding system 220 and processor 44 effects
notification and/or transfer of received packets of one or more
compressed audio streams corresponding to a first video program
from a first part of DRAM 52 to a third part of DRAM 52 assigned to
digital audio decoding system 220.
[0041] The demultiplexing system 200 in communication with
processor 44 and/or other data parsing and interpretation device
(not shown) in DHCT 16 effects notification and/or transfer of
received packets of one or more data streams corresponding to a
first video program from a first part of DRAM 52 to a fourth part
of DRAM 52 assigned for reception of data affiliated with a first
video program.
[0042] The digital video decoding system 210 reads compressed video
stored in a second part of DRAM 52 assigned to digital video
decoding system 210 and effects decompression and reconstruction of
compressed digital video streams into an assigned fifth part of
DRAM 52, and in communication with the display output system (such
as RF output system 48) effects presentation of video pictures in
television 41.
[0043] The digital audio decoding system 220 reads compressed audio
stored in a third part of DRAM 52 assigned to the digital audio
decoding system 220 and effects decompression and reconstruction of
compressed digital audio streams into an assigned sixth part of
DRAM 52, and in communication with the audio player and output
system 230 effects presentation of audio sample to television 41
and/or other audio output interfaces (not shown) in DHCT 16.
[0044] An executable program or algorithm corresponding to an
operating system (OS) component, or to a client platform component,
or to a client application, or to respective parts thereof, can
reside in and execute out of DRAM 52 and/or flash memory 51.
Likewise, data inputted into or outputted from any executable
program can reside in DRAM 52 or flash memory 51. Furthermore, an
executable program or algorithm corresponding to an OS component,
or to a client platform component, or to a client application, or
to respective parts thereof, can reside in flash memory 51, or in a
local storage device connected to DHCT 16 and can be transferred
into DRAM 52 for execution. Likewise, data input for an executable
program can reside in flash memory 51 or a storage device and can
be transferred into DRAM 52 for use by an executable program or
algorithm. In addition, data outputted by an executable program can
be written into DRAM 52 by an executable program or algorithm and
can be transferred into flash memory 51 or into a storage device
for storage purposes. The present invention is not limited by where
or how data and/or applications are stored or retrieved.
[0045] Each of the above mentioned applications comprises
executable instructions for implementing logical functions and can
be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in
connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or
device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing
system, or other system that can fetch and execute the
instructions. In the context of this document, a "computer-readable
medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate,
propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection
with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The
computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an
electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or
semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium.
More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the
computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical
connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable
computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM)
(electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable
programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (electronic),
an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only
memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium
could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the
program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured,
via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium,
then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable
manner, and then stored in a computer memory.
[0046] FIG. 4 is a non limiting example of a remote control device
80 that is used to provide user input to the DHCT 16. The arrow
buttons 82 include an up arrow button 83, a down arrow button 84, a
left arrow button 85, and a right arrow button 86 that are used to
scroll through options and/or to highlight an option. The select
button 87 may be used to select a currently highlighted option that
is provided to the user. Other buttons that are available on the
remote control device will be discussed further below. Many
alternative methods of providing user input may be used including a
remote control device with different buttons and/or button layouts,
a keyboard device, a voice activated device, etc. The invention
described herein is not limited by the type of device used to
provide user input.
[0047] With continued reference to FIGS. 3, 3A and 4 throughout the
remaining figures, FIG. 5 depicts an example VOD rental selection
window 100. As with other window examples discussed below,
processor 44 executes program instructions of MOD client
application 63 that cause it to direct the window manager 59 to
create window 100 via display data that is formatted for television
41. Processor 44 stores the display data or parts thereof in DRAM
52 (as necessary) and transfers the display data to a display
output system such as RF output system 48 wherein display data is
converted to respective television signals and transmitted to
television 41. Of course, the scope of the invention also includes
any other method of causing the described windows to appear to the
user.
[0048] A user may utilize the rental selection window 100 in order
to request a video-on-demand rental. Top portion 101 of example
window 100 typically contains one or more headings, while the
bottom portion 102 typically illustrates relevant navigation
buttons available on the remote control device 80. Video rental
list 103 contains the titles of video presentations, such as video
title 104, that are available for rent as well as a highlighted
title area 105.
[0049] A user may scroll through the video rental list using the up
and down arrow buttons 83, 84 on the remote control device 80 and
may request a currently highlighted video title by activating the
select button 87. For example, a user may activate the down arrow
button 84 on the remote control device 80 until the selection
"You've Got Mail" 109 is displayed in the highlighted title area
105 and then request to see the video titled "You've Got Mail" 109
by activating the select button 87. In an alternative embodiment,
activating the up and down arrow buttons 83, 84 on the remote
control device 80 results in the shifting of the highlighted title
area 105 rather that the shifting of the video titles (at least
until the top or bottom video titles are reached). A reduced screen
area 106 displays an image corresponding to the video title
displayed in the highlighted title area 105. As the user scrolls
through the video rental list 103, the image displayed in the
reduced screen area 106 changes accordingly. Without any limitation
to other scrolling and selection forms, the scrolling and selection
mechanism described above is similarly applicable to other lists
and windows herein.
[0050] FIG. 6 depicts an example rental period selection window 110
that is presented to a user after the user selects a movie from the
rental selection window 100. The user is presented with a rental
period list 111 containing rental periods 112, rental prices 113,
and a highlighted selection area 113. Rental period information
section 114 provides information about the rental period displayed
in the highlighted selection area. A user may scroll to the desired
rental period until it becomes highlighted and may then select a
highlighted rental period by activating the select button 87 or may
cancel the rental request by activating the exit button 91.
[0051] FIG. 7 depicts an example rental options selection window
120 that is presented to a user after the user selects a rental
period via the rental period selection window 110. Rental options
list 122 contains rental options, such as option 123, and a
highlighted option area 126. The user may use the up and down
arrows 83, 84 to designate a rental option as the highlighted
rental option and may use the left and right arrow buttons 85, 86
in order to hop over to the setting list 125 and change the setting
of the highlighted rental option 123. Example rental options
include subtitles, pop-up comments, and letterbox display.
[0052] Information supplements such as pop-up comments settings may
include comments from the director, the producer, actors, critics,
or other viewers that are displayed at designated time intervals of
the on-demand media presentation simultaneously with the on-demand
media presentation.
[0053] Information supplements comprise media such as textual,
graphical, video, or audio information, each to be presented as a
single supplement or as a combined set of supplements with the VOD
presentation. Information supplements comprise a specification of
start time and duration interval in relation to the start of the
on-demand title for which they are presented to the user or in
relation to some other accessible starting point of the on-demand
title such as a chapter. Herein such specification is referred to
as the active time interval of the information supplement. An
information supplement may exhibit one or more active time interval
specifications during the course of the VOD title presentation. The
time interval specification enables an information supplement to be
presented to the user in a time-synchronized fashion.
[0054] Information supplements also comprise other specifications
such as screen positioning relative to the picture display of the
on-demand title enabling a supplement's respective presentation to
overlay the picture display in a predetermined manner to minimize
occlusion of the picture.
[0055] Popup alerts are optional graphical supplements such as
arrows that point attention to inconspicuous parts of the on-demand
video picture presentation. They possess active time interval and
screen location specifications.
[0056] Auditory alerts are optional supplements that are mixed with
the audio of the on-demand video program and possess active time
interval designation of one or more speaker channels for which to
mix the audio supplement, and volume specification.
[0057] Multiple video views are optional supplements that provide
different camera angles of the media presentation. Their
presentation is accomplished with a split-picture display
presentation or a picture-in-picture (PIP) presentation. The
specification for a multi-video view supplement comprises an active
time interval, a screen position, and whether the presentation is
effected as a split-screen or PIP supplement.
[0058] Advertisement pop-ups are optional supplements that enable
the user to receive product information during the on-demand video
presentation in exchange for a lower rental fee. The advertisements
may be specific to products inherent during the course of the
on-demand movie such as a watch worn by a leading actor.
Furthermore, the advertisement supplement's active time interval
may be concurrent to the time in the movie that the leading actor
reads the time on the watch.
[0059] Upon a user setting an optional request for one or more
information supplements, the MOD client application 63 initiates
processor 44 to enable data streams carrying information
supplements corresponding to an on-demand video program to be
received by demultiplexing system 200, to be transferred to the
fourth part of DRAM assigned for reception of data. Supplementary
textual or graphical data is then decoded, parsed and interpreted
by processor 44 and/or other data parsing and interpretation device
(not shown) in DHCT 16 and transferred into a graphics display
buffer 240 as graphics data.
[0060] Alternatively, if the supplementary data or parts thereof
comprise a digital audio component, it is decoded by a first
digital audio decoding system 220 or a second digital audio
decoding system (not shown) and the supplementary audio is
transferred to an assigned Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) audio buffer
250 in DRAM 52. The audio player and output system 240 effects
mixing of the supplementary audio stored in the PCM buffer with the
designated audio channel of the reconstructed digital audio of the
on-demand video program stored in the sixth part of DRAM 52.
[0061] Alternatively, if the supplementary data or parts thereof
comprise a digital video component, it is received as a video
stream of the on-demand video program and processed in DHCT 16 as
described above, each processing operation is performed by an
aforementioned first processing component in DHCT 16, respectively,
or a similar second processing component in DHCT 16 (not
shown).
[0062] A supplementary video picture may be decompressed by digital
video decoding system 210 and scaled down as it is being
reconstructed in a procedural fashion with video scaling unit 260
to effect a picture in picture presentation. The scaled down
reconstructed picture can be stored in a scaled video picture
buffer 270 in DRAM 52. Simultaneous display of the on-demand video
picture with a supplementary scaled down video picture 270 can be
constructed with supplementary graphical and textual information
stored in graphics display buffer 240.
[0063] Downscaled video pictures overlay on-demand video
presentation by the composition capabilities of DHCT 16 (not shown)
and positioned (likely at a corner of screen) as specified by the
information supplement specification and only visible during the
respective specified active time interval.
[0064] Graphical and textual data corresponding to a pop-up
supplement overlay the on-demand video presentation on designated
screen location per their respective specification and are only
visible during their respective specified active time interval
[0065] The DHCT 16 has an internal clock 280 and timers 290 that
enable computation of the time relationship between its internal
clock and clock specified by digital video program. Hence, by
reading and interpreting the clock and time stamps specifications
intrinsic in the digital video program (for example, as provisioned
in MPEG-2), DHCT 16 can effect an output as a synchronized
presentation to the user that includes the reconstructed on-demand
video pictures, the reconstructed digital audio samples, and
supplementary information.
[0066] FIG. 8 depicts an example stopped video window 130 that is
presented to the user after the user stops the presentation of a
video rental for which actors' pop-up comments had been activated.
The reduced screen area 106 displays an image from the media rental
that was being presented to the user prior to example window 130
being displayed. Information section 131 contains information
related to the media rental associated with the image displayed in
the reduced screen area 106, including numerical and graphical
indications 136 as to the playing time and rental time remaining
for the media rental. Rental control options list 133 contains
rental control options, such as the option to "De-activate
comments" 134, and a highlighted option area 135. A user can
de-activate pop-up comments by selecting the "De-activate comments"
option 134 via the remote control device 80. Once this option is
selected, the "Actor's comments activated" message 132 is replaced
with a message indicating that pop-up comments have been
de-activated, and pop-up comments are no longer presented to the
user during the remainder of the rental period unless the user
subsequently requests otherwise.
[0067] FIG. 9 depicts an example stopped video window 140 that is
presented to the user after the user stops the presentation of a
video rental for which pop-up comments are not activated. Rental
control options list 133 contains rental control options, such as
the option to "Activate pop-up comments" 144, and a highlighted
option area 135. A user can activate pop-up comments by selecting
the "Activate pop-up comments" option 144 via the remote control
device 80. In one embodiment, the user may select an "Add comments"
option 145 which enables the user to add comments to the rental
selection via the keyboard 73 (FIG. 3) or via an infra-red keyboard
(not shown). Comments added by a user during a video presentation
are displayed on the television 41 and are stored by the MOD client
application 63 in the application memory 70. Once the rental period
expires, user comments are transmitted by the MOD client
application 63 to the MOD server application 19 (FIG. 2) which
edits them (if necessary), integrates them with comments from other
users associated with the same video title, and stores them in
memory (not shown) at the headend 11. User comments may be edited
for things such as vulgar language and excessive length. Integrated
user comments associated with a specific media rental may then be
presented to a subsequent user who request such comments along with
the media rental. In one embodiment, user comments are edited or
screened by a system operator.
[0068] FIG. 10 depicts an example pop-up comments selection window
150 that is presented to the user after the user selects the
"Activate pop-up comments" option 144 via stopped video window 140.
Pop-up comments selection list 153 contains pop-up comments types
such as director's comments 154, producer's comments 155, actors'
comments 156, critics' comments 157, and viewers' comments 158.
Once the user selects the type of comments that the user desires to
view along with the video rental, such comments are displayed with
the video rental the next time that the video rental is presented
to the user, unless the user subsequently requests otherwise. The
comments may be displayed at the bottom of the television screen or
may be proximally located to a displayed item or actor to
which/whom the comments respectively pertain.
[0069] It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments
of the present invention, particularly any "preferred embodiments",
are merely possible examples of the implementations, merely setting
forth a clear understanding of the principles of the inventions.
Many variations and modifications may be made to the
above-described embodiments of the invention without departing
substantially from the spirit of the principles of the invention.
All such modifications and variations are intended to be included
herein within the scope of the disclosure and present invention and
protected by the following claims.
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