CA2462292A1 - A method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive tv - Google Patents

A method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive tv Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2462292A1
CA2462292A1 CA002462292A CA2462292A CA2462292A1 CA 2462292 A1 CA2462292 A1 CA 2462292A1 CA 002462292 A CA002462292 A CA 002462292A CA 2462292 A CA2462292 A CA 2462292A CA 2462292 A1 CA2462292 A1 CA 2462292A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
event
content
viewer
display
priority
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002462292A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ludovic Pierre
Janice Mead
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
OpenTV Inc
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=25520185&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=CA2462292(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2462292A1 publication Critical patent/CA2462292A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/414—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
    • H04N21/4147—PVR [Personal Video Recorder]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
    • H04N21/4131—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/432—Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
    • H04N21/4325—Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk by playing back content from the storage medium
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/433—Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
    • H04N21/4333—Processing operations in response to a pause request
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/488—Data services, e.g. news ticker
    • H04N21/4882—Data services, e.g. news ticker for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H04N5/78—Television signal recording using magnetic recording
    • H04N5/782—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape
    • H04N5/783—Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing display of content and automatic pause of the display. The method and apparatus exists in a client device and/or ahead-end or network operator. Events are assigned a relative priority based on event type, originator and the type of current display so that a variable response level ranging from a required viewer action to the viewer completely ignoring an event is provided.

Description

TITLE: A METHOD AND APPARATUS AUTOMATIC PAUSE AND
RESUME OF PLAYBACK FOR A POPUP ON
INTERACTIVE TV
INVENTORS: LUDOVIC PIERRE AND JANICE MEAD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates generally to interactive television systems, and more particularly, to providing an automatic pause and possibly recording of broadcasts during servicing of specified event types and resuming playback of the broadcast after acknowledging the event.
Summary of the Related Art [0002] Interactive television systems are capable of displaying text and graphic images in addition to typical video program streams and provide a number of services l0 and interactive applications to viewers. Generally, a broadcast service provider generates an interactive television signal for transmission to a viewer's television.
The interactive television signal includes an interactive portion consisting of application code or system information, as well as an audio-video portion consisting of a television program. The broadcast service provider combines the audio-video 15 and interactive portions into a single signal for transmission to a receiver connected to the viewer's television. The signal is generally compressed prior to transmission and transmitted through typical broadcast channels, such as cable television (CATV) lines or direct satellite transmission systems.
[0003] A set top box connected to the television controls the interactive 2o functionality of the television. The set top box receives the signal transmitted by the broadcast service provider, separates the interactive portion from the audio-video portion, and decompresses the respective portions of the signal. The set top box uses the interactive information to execute an application while the audio-video information (after processing) is transmitted to the television, for example.
The set top box may combine the audio-video information with interactive graphics or audio generated by the interactive application prior to transmitting the information to the television. The interactive graphics and audio may present additional information to the viewer or may prompt the viewer for input. The set top box may provide viewer input or other information to the broadcast service provider via a modem connection.
[0004] The video, audio, and system information may be sent from a head end in various blocks of data via various transport mediums. For example, they may be sent from the head end via cable or satellite to the set top box. An example of the contents of such system information includes information regarding present or future events, to services that the user of the set top box may access, and the current time and date.
Examples of events include a television program (e.g., news, movie, sports), while an example of services includes a set of channels broadcast by the network (head end).
Information on events is contained within an Event Information Table (EIT).
This information is typically transferred from the head end to the set top box in EIT
15 sections. These EIT tables are continuously re-broadcast by the head end due to the fact that the head end does not lcnow when a set-top box is powered on.
[0005] The interactive television environment is rich and diverse in content and sources of content. A variety of inputs are available from a variety of sources, including email, voice mail, alternative broadcasting and numerous other devices.
2o Presently there is no known method of adequately servicing these inputs during live broadcast of a show or playback of a recorded show without either missing a portion of the show. For example, an important phone call may go unanswered while a viewer watches a three hour soccer match. Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus that handles incoming events during live broadcasts on interactive 25 television.
[0006] The above is a brief description of some deficiencies in the prior art and advantages of the present invention. Other features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those slcilled in the art from the following description, drawings, and claims.

Summary Of The Invention [0007] The present invention relates primarily to the use of a set top box that automatically pauses a playbaclc when a popup program is launched and resumes playbaclc when the popup has exited. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically pausing a video on demand program, or either a live or prerecorded broadcast of an interactive television program, or an application running on a set top box associated with the interactive television, to notify a viewer of an incoming event. The paused broadcast is recorded during the pause and is available for playback after the pause when the viewer returns from servicing or acknowledging the incoming message or event. Incoming events are assigned event identification codes and an associated priority. The present invention issues a non-obtrusive event notification during live programming for lesser priority events and interrupts playback for higher priority events. Playbaclc of live broadcast is at variable speed so that slow motion, freeze frame and accelerated playback are available. Accelerated playback may be automatically engaged so that the playbaclc eventually catches up to the live broadcast and recorded playback is terminated.
Brief Description Of The Drawings Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the distribution of interactive television applications, television programs, and system information from a source to a receiving station;
Figure 2 is a diagram of a Service Platform environment in which the present invention operates;
Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the present invention within a set top box;
and Figure 4 is an illustration of the processing that takes place in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Detailed Description of the Invention [0008] The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary slcill in the art to malce and use the present invention. Descriptions of specific embodiments and applications are provided only as examples and various modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The general principles described herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the 1o embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein. For purpose of clarity, details relating to technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention have not been described in detail.
[0009] Turning now to Figure 1, Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the 15 distribution of interactive television applications, television programs (audio and video) and system information (e.g., number of services, service names, event names, event schedules) from a source to a viewer. The system includes a head end 20, which may be coupled with a video and audio device (not shown) that feeds a particular video with associated audio to the head end. The audio-video-interactive 2o signal contains television programs or similar audio-video content, as well as interactive content such as control signals, system information, and interactive applications. The video information may be digitized at the head end 20 and transmitted via a transmitter to a receiving system 24. The information transmitted by the head end 20 may be transmitted to the receiving system 24 in various ways.
For 25 example, the transmitted information may be sent to the receiving system 24 via a broadcast signal such as a satellite transmission. The receiving station 24 may also be configured to receive signals via a modem channel, cable or terrestrial air waves. The receiving system 24 may include, for example, a television 26 connected to a set top box 28. If satellite transmission is used, the set top box 28 may include a receiving 3o antenna 30 for receiving information from a satellite 32. The receiving station antenna 30 passes the interactive television signal to the set top box 28, which performs the processing functions of the receiving station 24. Once information is received through the receiving antenna 30, it may be processed by the set top box 28 and displayed on the television set 26. W this manner, audio, video, and interactive data may be received and processed by the set top box 28. The signals transmitted via the broadcast or modem channels may embody various modules which comprise components of an interactive application. The modules may contain any type of data, such as application code, raw data, or graphical information.
[0010] System information provided to the set top box 28 also includes a list of l0 services (e.g., CNN, MTV, ESPN) available to a viewer, event names (e.g., Dateline, Star Trelc), and a schedule of the events (start time/date and duration). The service gateway 246 provides a communication link between the STB and service platform 50 as shown in Figure 2.
[0011] Turning now to Figure 2, the Service Platform (SP) in which the present i5 invention resides is presented. The present invention may alternatively reside in the STB. The SP 50 enables services 200 to interact with a client 212. The services 200 communicate through a communication link 265 to the SP 50. The SP 50 in turn communicates with a client 212. The client 212 may be a STB, a digital assistant, a cellular phone, or any other communication device capable of communicating with 2o the SP through communication link 210.
[0012] Figure 2 illustrates an example of a preferred implementation of Service Platform 50. Services 200 provide shopping, chat, and other services either over the Internet or over another network or communication channel accessible to the network operator. Using the SP, the network operator accesses those services. Business 25 functions 206, comprising service manager 238, interact with carousel manager 254 to retrieve content from a service 200. The carousel comprises a repeating stream of audio/video/interactive data broadcast to clients from the SP 50. Carousel manager 254, transaction manager 242 and service manager 238 control the content insertion and deletion from the broadcast carousel. Service content is retrieved and converted 30 into a SP suitable format by H2O 248. H20 248 is a possible implementation of content conversion. H20 converts HTML content into SP/client readable content.
The converted content is formatted into a data carousel and multiplexed by the Open Streamer 256 for broadcast to the client 212. Client 212 interacts with the services and if necessary communicates with the SP and the services 200. PTP
communication goes through SGW 246. SGW 246 performs transport conversion to convert the STB
DATP protocol into a standard communication protocol which the Platform Business Agents 226 and H20 248 understand. Client 212 and Service 200 interact via Point-to-Point linlc 210. The service 200 comprises shopping, audio/video, gaming, voting, advertisement, messaging, or any other service. Interactive applications are also l0 transmitted from the SP to the STB. User interactive inputs, to interactive programs running on the SP, are transmitted via communication link 210.
[0013] Viewer Manager 240 stores client/user information and viewer interruption scenarios (pause and playback) in User Data 220. Platform Business Agents 226 control the flow of viewer information to the Service 200.
Transaction Manager 242 records transactional information exchanged between the service and Client 212. Based on the Business'Rules 222 and the User Data 220, Advertising Manager 244 determines which advertisements and which type of advertisements will be presented to the client via Broadcast 234 link 241 and Point-to-Point 232 link 210.
The Service Platform Transaction Manager records all transactions, including 2o interruption, pause and playback scenarios in the Transaction and subscriber profiles in Viewer Profile 162 and Viewer Category 160 (viewer buying and viewing habits).
The SP gathers the viewer habits, for example, interruption scenarios or how a viewer reacts to an interruption, for statistical purposes and stores them in the User Data 220.
The SP enables the broadcaster to determine interruption policies depending on the users interruption scenarios and the program being broadcast or replayed. The STB
sends a message to the SP indicating that a particular program is being replayed to involve the same rules of interruption that were in effect when the program was originally broadcast. An email alert or other message or trigger is sent from the STB
to the SP through the SGW, for example, upon pause of the playback, to retrieve the 3o body of the email and then pause the playback to the user at the STB. For example, after a stoclc broker alert, a decision to buy/sell results in a connection of the STB to the SP through the SGW 246 to executer the order.
(0014] Turning now to Figure 3, a broadcast feed 30 provides live programming, prerecorded events and head-end generated or inserted special event notifications to the set top box 28. The Service Gateway, discussed above provides additional inputs to the STB. A hard dislc storage device 102 is connected to the set top box to store data acquired from incoming broadcast feed 30 for playback. A user 104 viewing or listening to the television 26 can communicate with the set top box 28 via viewer interface 106. Viewer interface 106 is preferably a wireless remote control with suitable viewer response buttons, suitable for making an appropriate response to an event notification, as discussed below.
[0015] External inputs 108 communicate with the set top box via external input interface 110. External inputs 108 comprise programmable signals from devices or other viewers, other than the local viewer, user 104. These external inputs comprise signals from such household devices as phone, oven timers, baby monitors, doorbells, burglar alarms, appliances or other computers connected via networks or carriers or additional head end feeds. The present invention resides in the set top box or other user device where it receives and processes the programming and applications from the broadcast feed 30, user input via viewer interface 106 from viewer/user 104 and external inputs 108 via interface 110.
[0016] The pause command from the user STB also pauses an interactive running on SP or STB. Pausing an interactive application comprises sending a message or signal to the application to tell the application to pause and then sending and then sending another message or signal telling the application to resume. As shown in Figure 4, the incoming event launches a popup application and is processed according to the present invention. The present invention processes incoming events preferably with a user watching 112 an interactive audio and/or video data stream at a television (TV) with a set top box having a processor and data storage 275 or at a personal data assistant (PISA) having a processor and data storage. The user device in 3o which the present invention operates and resides can also be a cell phone or other electronic device. The present invention may also run as a head-end application.
During a playbaclc or broadcast of a program , whether or not the viewer is watching, the present invention sends an event notification to the user device, preferably a STB
with which the viewer is associated.
[0017] The event notification includes an event identification code defining the type of event and a relative priority. The event can be an incoming email, a reminder for an upcoming show on TV, a phone call, or an appliance timer such as an oven timer. The priority can be assigned by the user or the head end operator or the entity originating the event. In a preferred embodiment, the incoming event is identified as to type, for example, email, phone call, reminder, etc. and assigned a priority based on the event type, the current viewing activity and the user's preferences regarding incoming messages and viewing rules. A viewer may decide to hold all calls during viewing of Seinfeld reruns. Thus, incoming events, that is, phone calls, emails, reminders, etc. are handled differently depending on who is calling and the assignment of priority to a call from that particular caller. Different callers may be assigned different priorities and handled differently depending on what program or application with which the viewer is currently engaged or is on the screen when the view is not watching.
[0018] For example, event priority is compared to a table of viewer priority and preferences 116 to determine what actions are appropriate for the event. The viewer priority and preference table 116 comprises event types, event originators, viewer interruption rules and relative priorities. Appropriate responses to incoming events are determined by looking at the event type (email, phone call, etc.) and event source (stoclcbrolcer, friend, boss, mom) to determine a relative priority or by looking for an event type and priority previously programmed and stored in a priority table.
The priority assignment decision further comprises consideration of interruption rules.
Interruption rules determine whether the current message type and originator warrant interruption of the current program. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention further comprises a neural network. Appropriate responses to incoming 3o events can be learned by a trained neural network provided by the present invention and executed by the present invention depending on what programming is currently being displayed at the STB, PDA or other user device. For, example, an incoming phone call from an unidentified number may be ignored, while a call from the viewer's mother causes a notification to be sent to the viewer and may even pause viewing or application running on the TV, to answer the call, depending on what the viewer is watching. Viewer preferences dictate interruption rules as to which phone numbers and email originators generate a notice only, which phone calls and emails interrupt viewing and under what circumstances. For example, a viewer may want to answer a call from his girlfriend unless he is watching soccer. In this case, the call would be unobtrusively noticed or ignored without a pause during a soccer match but would pause viewing otherwise.
[0019] Processing in the present invention proceeds depending on the event priority. Based on the event priority, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will issue one of four categories of event notification, as shown in Figure 4.
For an event originated from an external input 108, for example, the expiration of an oven timer, the user 104 will be presented with an appropriate response scenario based on the viewer preferences and interruption rules.
[0020] Of primary interest is the automatic pause scenario of block 120.
Pausing is the primary processing path, that is, that path which impacts the viewer the most.
This first category of notification is illustrated as block 120 in Figure 4.
When an event with a high relative priority occurs, the present invention, based on a balance between the nature of the event and the user's preferences or interests in the incoming event, the present invention will automatically pause the current broadcast and render the event to the viewer 120. The viewer responds to the event via a voice or digital command from a remote control, or by simply walking out of, or back into the room and being sensed by a motion sensor or camera/image recognition system provided by the present invention. Motion sensors (not shown) and cameras are well known in the art and are provided in an alternative embodiment of the present invention as an option in the STB.
[0021] For example, given a very high event priority, the present invention will 3o automatically pause the live broadcast when an oven timer times out, so that the viewer can run to the oven, take the roast out and then resume viewing the recorded portion of the live broadcast in time-shifted mode upon returning without missing anything. That is, the recorded portion of the live program, recorded during the pause, is played back after the automatic pause to enable the viewer time to respond to the oven time out and resume viewing without missing any part of his program.
The recorded program segment that was recorded during the pause, is played baclc when the viewer returns from the oven and clicks in a resume cormnand with the STB
to indicate he or she is now ready to begin watching the rest of the program, at the point where the program was paused. In an alternative embodiment, the viewer's to departure and return are also detected with a motion detector, an infrared scanner or with a camera and associated video image recognition system. When the viewer leaves and reenters the room, playback resumes.
[0022] As shown in bloclc 122, 124 and 126 the present invention issues less invasive, non-obtrusive notifications for events having a lesser priority than the primary events processed by block 120. Block 126 issues a non-obtrusive event notification that may be audio or visual or both. In any case, the non-obtrusive event notification is superimposed over the uninterrupted current program, be it a prerecorded or live broadcast or an application. It is at the viewer's discretion as to what further action, if any, is taken once the program is paused. The non-obtrusive 2o event notification can simply be ignored by the viewer and will time out and expire, unless its event relative priority is high enough to warrant retrying with additional emphasis. Events that are ignored with a medium-low priority expire. Initially ignored events, with a medium-high priority are first intensified before expiring.
Typical visual notification are graphical popups that are surimposed on the video program and/or interactive content of the program. Visual or aural intensification is accomplished in a preferred embodiment by adding audio to a visual notification;
adding visual notice to an audio notification; enlarging, brightening, reversing color, or flashing a visual notification; or increasing volume for an audio notification, until the event is aclmowledged or times out. Timed-out events either expire or are placed in a pending queue by placing the timed-out event in a retry queue, depending on to priority. An event having a medium-high priority is placed in the retry queue while a lower priority event expires and is not placed in the retry queue.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the stored program and subsequent time delayed broadcast can be replayed at an accelerated pace to catch up to view live broadcast and eliminate any time delay between the viewer and the live broadcast.
For example, if a viewer is watching world cup soccer and has to take a five-minute brealc to service an oven timer timeout notification, the viewer may resume watching the soccer game when he returns. By selecting accelerated playback, that portion of the live broadcast that occurred during the viewer's absence is played back at an to accelerated pace to make up the five-minute lag between the viewer and the live broadcast. Thus, the five-minute segment of recorded live broadcast can be played back in, for example, two and one-half minutes. That portion of the live or prerecorded broadcast that occurs during the accelerated playback is also stored for accelerated playbaclc until the accelerated playback catches up to the live broadcast.
[0024] In an alternative embodiment, the present invention calculates the optimal acceleration rate by sensing the duration of the pause, the remaining duration of the program and calculating an optimal acceleration rate. The duration of the program is determined from the start time and duration information retrieved from the System Information. The elapsed time is the difference between the start time and the current 2o time. The remaining duration is calculated by subtracting the elapsed time from the total program duration. To determine the optimal amount of acceleration required to catch up to live broadcast, the present invention assumes a default maximum acceleration value of 100%. This maximum acceleration value is programmable and can be adjusted by the~viewer. Applying this value, after a five-minute pause, if there are more two and one-half minutes to five minutes remaining in the program, the present invention would apply the maximum playbaclc acceleration rate to catch up to live programming in two and one-half minutes. Accelerated playback enables catching up playback to a live or real-time broadcast which accomplishes at least two objectives: (1) it enables the viewer to see the live ending of a live program without 3o delay (for example the last five minutes of the super bowl football game) and (2) it enables a prerecorded program to end on time so that it does not overlap a subsequent program. The playback automatically accelerates unless deselected by the viewer. If there are more than ten minutes remaining the program a slower acceleration rate of 50% is applied. If there are more than thirty minutes remaining in the program, a still slower acceleration rate of 25% is used. Different playback acceleration rates can be applied to different types of programming. For example, faster rates for live programming, where catching up quickly to see live action is imperative, and slower rates for prerecorded programming where the program just needs to end on time.
[0025] As shown in block 128, the user response to a Non-obtrusive Notification 126 is preferably generated from a viewer's remote control button, from a voice 1o command, or from a time out parameter. When a time out occurs, the event notification terminates, placed in a pending status and the present invention may retry the notification later. The remaining duration of the broadcast determines how often and at what time retries will be attempted. If five minutes are left, a single retry will occur at the three minutes remaining mark. If thirty minutes are left in the program, three retries, one every five minutes will be attempted. The amount of retries and time or retry attempts is programmable and depends on message type, priority and interruption rules. After the user response the present invention proceeds to either block 130 Do Nothing, block 132 Do Something or block 134 Go to New Action.
[0026] In block 130 Do Nothing, the viewer does not respond, the event is simply 2o placed in a pending queue and no further action is taken until timeouts occur and pended events are reevaluated to retry or expire. The viewer does nothing and programming continues uninterrupted. Certain medium-low priority events are allowed to expire after a programmable number of retries. Certain medium-high priority events are retried until acknowledged or a second retry time out value is exceeded, upon which occurrence the event notification expires. W block 132 the preferred embodiment of the present invention initiates a programmable response. In this case, playback of recorded programming broadcast, recorded during the pause resumes after the viewer acknowledges the event notification. The viewer can choose to resume viewing in real time and skip playbacle of recorded programming recorded during the pause. In block 134 the preferred embodiment goes to a new action. This new action might be to send a hardware command to a household device, such as turning off the oven or turning on a burglar alarm. In this case, playback of programming recorded during the pause, resumes after the viewer acknowledges the event notification.
[0027] All incoming events requesting resources are processed by process Checlc Resource Availability 118. The viewer priority and preferences 116 are factored into the event relative priority, so that an event identification indicating an urgent notice from his stockbroker to sell immediately,.interrupts at a high priority and a reminder from the dentist does not, based on the preferences and priorities the viewer chooses.
In that case, the dentist remainder popup would be interrupted by the stock broker to alert, while if the stock broker alert was displayed first, the dentist remainder would wait (put in a pending event queue) until the user is done with the stock brolcer alert.
Viewers can assign special codes to indicate urgency, which can given to an email originator who can use the code to get special attention or handling for a message.
An urgency code can be inserted into an incoming event, for example, an email subject line or message header encapsulating an email and decoded for special treatment by the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, a profile of the viewer's choices is collected and utilized to assign priority to events. In an alternative embodiment, a neural network can be utilized to learn a viewer profile and generate appropriate event priorities based on the incoming event priority and the viewer profile. Event priorities 124 that require no immediate feed back and are essentially ignored by the viewer 104 as shown in block 124. Other outputs 122 can be programmed for particular event types, for example, an oven time out can send a signal to the oven to turn it off. The user may or may not be notified when such operation occurs.
[0028] The above described method and apparatus also apply to the playback of a recording (e.g. from a video cassette recorder (VCR) or a personal video recorder (PVR) which may comprise audio, video as well as interactive data. Similarly to previous embodiments, the playback may be automatically interrupted (i.e.
paused) by external events. The above described method and apparatus may be implemented 3o in a computer program product having computer codes that perform the various steps of the methods. The computer codes are preferably stored in a computer readable medium, such as CD-ROM, zip disk, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, and data signal embodied in a carrier wave, such as over a network.
[0029] Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations made to the embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims (20)

1. A method for automatically pausing the display of content and processing events at a client device, said content being provided by a server at a head-end operator, broad-caster, web content provider or network operator, said method comprising:
displaying content on a client drvice;
receiving an event at the client device during the display of the content;
assigning a priority to the event, said priority being selected from a plurality of properties which may be assigned to an event;
pausing display of the content and recording the content while the display is paused, wherein said pausing is automatically performed in response to determining said primority is relatively high with respect to said plurality of priorities;
continuing display of the content in response to determining said priority is relatively low with respect to said plurality of priorities; and providing a viewer discernable notification of the event.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said priority is based at least in part on either the subject matter ref the content currently being displayed, or a viewer profile.
3. the method of claim 1 further comprising:
resuming display of the paused content, in response to detecting an acknowledgement of said event from the viewer.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein resuming display of the paused content comprises replaying the recorded content at an accelerated rate until the playback of recorded content synchronises with the provided content so that the display switches back to display of the provided content.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the accelerated playback rate is automatically determined based on the duration of the pause and the duration of the content renmaining so that the content display ends at the same time it would have ended without a paused interruption in the display.
6. The method o~ claim 1 wherein the step of assigning a priority further comprises either:
identifying an originator of the event, identifying a viewer preference for the originator, and assigning a priority based on the viewer preference with regard to the originator;
or identifying an event type, identifying a viewer preference for the event type, and assigning a priority based on the viewer preference with regard to the event type.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of assigning a priority further comprises applying an interruption rule based an the current content displayed.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
removing the viewer discernable notification of the event and placing the event in a pending queue, in response to detecting said priority is relatively low and a timeout for acknowledgement of said event has expired.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising retrying the event in the pending queue, wherein said retrying comprising providing an additional viewer discernable notification of the event.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said viewer discernable notification comprises an audible and/or visible notification:
and wherein said retrying further comprises providing said audible and/or visible notification with an increased intensity.
11. An apparatus for automatically pausing the display of content provided by a server at a head-end operator, broadcaster, web content provider or network operator and processing incoming events, said apparatus comprising:
a display device for displaying content;
an interface for receiving an event during the display of the content;
a storage device for storing received content: and a processing unit configured to:
assign a priority to the received event, said priority being selected from a plurality of priorities which may be assigned to an event;
automatically pause display of the content and record the content an the storage device while the display is paused, in response to determining said priority is relatively high with respect to said plurality of priorities;
continue display of the content, in response to determining said prioxity is relatively low with respect to said plurality of priorities; and provide a viewer discernable notification of the event.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said processing unit is configured to assign said priority based at least in part on either the subject matter of the content currently being displayed, or a viewer profile.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said processing unit is further configured to resume display of the paused content which as recorded on the storage device, in response to detecting an acknowledgement of said event from the viewer.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing unit is further configured to replay the recorded content at an accelerated rate until the playback of the recorded content synchronises with the provided content so that the display switches back to display ref the provided content.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 further wherein said processing unit is configured to automatically determine the accelerated playback rate based in part upon the duration of the pause and the duration of the display content remaining.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:
a data structure for identifying an originator of the event and a viewer preference for the originator; and a processor for examining the data structure identifying originator of the event, the viewer preference for the originator and assigning a priority based can the viewer preference with regard to the originator.
17. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions for performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 10.
18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said processing unit is further configured to remove the viewer discernable notification of the event , and place the event in a pending queue, in response to detecting said priority is relatively low and a timeout for acknowledgement of said event has expired.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processing unit is configured to retry the event in the pending queue by providing an additional viewer discernable notification of the event.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said viewer discernable notification comprises an audible and/or visible notification and wherein said retrying further comprises providing said audible and/or visible notification with an increased intensity.
CA002462292A 2001-10-05 2002-10-03 A method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive tv Abandoned CA2462292A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/972,821 US7536704B2 (en) 2001-10-05 2001-10-05 Method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive TV
US09/972,821 2001-10-05
PCT/US2002/031505 WO2003032634A2 (en) 2001-10-05 2002-10-03 A method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive tv

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2462292A1 true CA2462292A1 (en) 2003-04-17

Family

ID=25520185

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002462292A Abandoned CA2462292A1 (en) 2001-10-05 2002-10-03 A method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive tv

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US7536704B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1436986B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2462292A1 (en)
ES (1) ES2389538T5 (en)
PT (1) PT1436986E (en)
WO (1) WO2003032634A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (214)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6769128B1 (en) 1995-06-07 2004-07-27 United Video Properties, Inc. Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with data feed access
US5940073A (en) 1996-05-03 1999-08-17 Starsight Telecast Inc. Method and system for displaying other information in a TV program guide
US9113122B2 (en) * 1997-04-21 2015-08-18 Rovi Guides, Inc. Method and apparatus for time-shifting video and text in a text-enhanced television program
BRPI9812104B1 (en) 1997-07-21 2016-12-27 Guide E Inc method for navigating an interactive program guide
US7162532B2 (en) 1998-02-23 2007-01-09 Koehler Steven M System and method for listening to teams in a race event
CN1867068A (en) 1998-07-14 2006-11-22 联合视频制品公司 Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording
US6898762B2 (en) 1998-08-21 2005-05-24 United Video Properties, Inc. Client-server electronic program guide
US8401371B1 (en) 2000-08-24 2013-03-19 Ati Technologies Ulc Method and apparatus for automatic time-shifting for a content recorder
US7103906B1 (en) 2000-09-29 2006-09-05 International Business Machines Corporation User controlled multi-device media-on-demand system
KR101399240B1 (en) 2000-10-11 2014-06-02 유나이티드 비디오 프로퍼티즈, 인크. Systems and methods for delivering media content
CA2348353A1 (en) * 2001-05-22 2002-11-22 Marc Arseneau Local broadcast system
US20030097659A1 (en) * 2001-11-16 2003-05-22 Goldman Phillip Y. Interrupting the output of media content in response to an event
US7058963B2 (en) * 2001-12-18 2006-06-06 Thomson Licensing Method and apparatus for generating commercial viewing/listening information
US20030121059A1 (en) * 2001-12-21 2003-06-26 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Method and apparatus for providing a reminder message to display
US8832754B2 (en) * 2002-05-03 2014-09-09 Tvworks, Llc System and method for providing synchronized events to a television application
US8577983B2 (en) * 2002-07-12 2013-11-05 Pace Plc System and method for notifying an instant message recipient of receipt of a message
US8589971B1 (en) * 2002-12-31 2013-11-19 Arris Enterprises, Inc. Method and apparatus for an external event ticker
US7493646B2 (en) 2003-01-30 2009-02-17 United Video Properties, Inc. Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders
MXPA05008287A (en) 2003-02-10 2005-09-20 Nielsen Media Res Inc Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data.
US20040163115A1 (en) * 2003-02-18 2004-08-19 Butzer Dane C. Broadcasting of live events with inserted interruptions
US7762665B2 (en) 2003-03-21 2010-07-27 Queen's University At Kingston Method and apparatus for communication between humans and devices
JP4073819B2 (en) * 2003-04-10 2008-04-09 エボリウム・エス・アー・エス Push-type distribution method of video information to mobile phones
EP1665769B1 (en) * 2003-09-12 2014-03-19 OpenTV, Inc. Method and system for controlling recording and playback of interactive applications
US20050132420A1 (en) * 2003-12-11 2005-06-16 Quadrock Communications, Inc System and method for interaction with television content
US8406341B2 (en) 2004-01-23 2013-03-26 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Variable encoding and detection apparatus and methods
KR100561417B1 (en) 2004-02-09 2006-03-16 삼성전자주식회사 Information storage medium recorded interactive graphic stream for the transition of AV data reproducing state, and reproducing method and apparatus thereof
KR100747444B1 (en) * 2004-02-24 2007-08-09 엘지전자 주식회사 Moving picture transmission method for mobile communication terminal
US8271681B2 (en) * 2004-02-25 2012-09-18 Teamon Systems, Inc. Communications system using hierarchical queue structure for email message delivery and related methods
JP4295644B2 (en) * 2004-03-08 2009-07-15 京セラ株式会社 Mobile terminal, broadcast recording / playback method for mobile terminal, and broadcast recording / playback program
US20050245240A1 (en) * 2004-04-30 2005-11-03 Senaka Balasuriya Apparatus and method for storing media during interruption of a media session
JP4505257B2 (en) * 2004-05-12 2010-07-21 京セラ株式会社 Mobile phone with broadcast reception function
US20060015580A1 (en) * 2004-07-01 2006-01-19 Home Box Office, A Delaware Corporation Multimedia content distribution
WO2006037014A2 (en) * 2004-09-27 2006-04-06 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. Methods and apparatus for using location information to manage spillover in an audience monitoring system
WO2006061770A1 (en) * 2004-12-07 2006-06-15 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Intelligent pause button
CN102932618B (en) * 2004-12-17 2016-08-10 汤姆森许可贸易公司 Apparatus for () and method therefor for the time-shifted playback of multi-medium data
KR100595708B1 (en) * 2004-12-30 2006-07-20 엘지전자 주식회사 Apparatus and method for pause function of broadcasting streaming in mobile communication terminal
EP1868386B1 (en) * 2005-03-15 2013-09-11 Panasonic Corporation Television system, broadcast reception device, and operation terminal
DE602006003646D1 (en) * 2005-04-18 2008-12-24 Home Box Office Inc CONTINUING AND RECOVERING CONTENT STREAMING IN WIRELESS DEVICES
EP2463820A3 (en) * 2005-07-22 2012-09-12 Kangaroo Media, Inc. System and methods for enhancing the experience of spectators attending a live sporting event
US8042140B2 (en) 2005-07-22 2011-10-18 Kangaroo Media, Inc. Buffering content on a handheld electronic device
US20070033607A1 (en) * 2005-08-08 2007-02-08 Bryan David A Presence and proximity responsive program display
KR20070040285A (en) * 2005-10-11 2007-04-16 엘지전자 주식회사 Mobile device having digital broadcasting receiver
US20070098357A1 (en) * 2005-10-28 2007-05-03 Microsoft Corporation DVR content skip navigation
US20100153836A1 (en) * 2008-12-16 2010-06-17 Rich Media Club, Llc Content rendering control system and method
BRPI0620622A2 (en) 2005-12-24 2011-11-16 Rich Media Club Llc system and method for the creation, distribution and monitoring of advertising via electronic networks
US11468453B2 (en) 2005-12-24 2022-10-11 Rich Media Club, Llc System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks
US10380602B2 (en) * 2005-12-24 2019-08-13 Rich Media Club, Llc System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks
US11004090B2 (en) 2005-12-24 2021-05-11 Rich Media Club, Llc System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks
US9681105B2 (en) 2005-12-29 2017-06-13 Rovi Guides, Inc. Interactive media guidance system having multiple devices
US9497423B2 (en) * 2006-02-06 2016-11-15 Koninklijke Philips N.V. USB-enabled audio-video switch
MX2007015979A (en) 2006-03-31 2009-04-07 Nielsen Media Res Inc Methods, systems, and apparatus for multi-purpose metering.
WO2007113881A1 (en) * 2006-04-06 2007-10-11 Gabriele Goffredo Method for interacting with a tv system
US20070256113A1 (en) * 2006-04-28 2007-11-01 Esteban Jairo O Methods and devices for accessing content
US20070274486A1 (en) * 2006-05-03 2007-11-29 General Instrument Corporation Call-Control Features Based on Television Programming Events
US9277060B2 (en) * 2006-06-23 2016-03-01 Nokia Technologies Oy Presenting to a user contextual information regarding a communication before the user takes action concerning the communication
TW200805111A (en) * 2006-07-14 2008-01-16 Asustek Comp Inc Method for controlling the function of application software and computer readable recording medium for storing program thereof
JP2008040666A (en) * 2006-08-03 2008-02-21 Hitachi Ltd Screen-design support device
US7962932B2 (en) * 2006-09-27 2011-06-14 Scenera Technologies, Llc Methods, systems, and computer program products for presenting a message on a display based on a display based on video frame types presented on the display
US20090103891A1 (en) * 2006-09-29 2009-04-23 Scott C Harris Digital video recorder with advanced user functions and network capability
US9124767B2 (en) * 2006-10-25 2015-09-01 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Multi-DVR media content arbitration
KR20080044684A (en) * 2006-11-17 2008-05-21 삼성전자주식회사 Controlling method for temporarily recording according to variable temporary record time and broadcast receiving apparatus thereof
US8046803B1 (en) * 2006-12-28 2011-10-25 Sprint Communications Company L.P. Contextual multimedia metatagging
US10885543B1 (en) 2006-12-29 2021-01-05 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Systems and methods to pre-scale media content to facilitate audience measurement
KR100864849B1 (en) * 2007-02-13 2008-10-23 주식회사 알티캐스트 Apparatus and method for playing contents of personal video recorder
US20080215745A1 (en) * 2007-03-01 2008-09-04 Gray Thomas A System and method for mediation of user attention for presentational media
US8776149B1 (en) * 2007-03-05 2014-07-08 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Preference-based media alerts
US7801888B2 (en) 2007-03-09 2010-09-21 Microsoft Corporation Media content search results ranked by popularity
US9819984B1 (en) 2007-03-26 2017-11-14 CSC Holdings, LLC Digital video recording with remote storage
KR101391752B1 (en) 2007-07-11 2014-05-07 삼성전자 주식회사 Image Processing Apparatus And Control Method Thereof
US20090019492A1 (en) 2007-07-11 2009-01-15 United Video Properties, Inc. Systems and methods for mirroring and transcoding media content
US20090025027A1 (en) 2007-07-20 2009-01-22 Michael Craner Systems & methods for allocating bandwidth in switched digital video systems based on interest
US8060407B1 (en) 2007-09-04 2011-11-15 Sprint Communications Company L.P. Method for providing personalized, targeted advertisements during playback of media
US8782119B2 (en) * 2007-10-19 2014-07-15 Koninklijke Kpn N.V. System for managing service interactions
US8949870B2 (en) * 2007-12-19 2015-02-03 Dish Network L.L.C. Transfer of information from an information node to a broadcast programming receiver
US20090193101A1 (en) * 2008-01-24 2009-07-30 Panasonic Corporation Multimedia data transmitting apparatus and multimedia data management method
US8806530B1 (en) 2008-04-22 2014-08-12 Sprint Communications Company L.P. Dual channel presence detection and content delivery system and method
US8601526B2 (en) 2008-06-13 2013-12-03 United Video Properties, Inc. Systems and methods for displaying media content and media guidance information
WO2010020890A1 (en) * 2008-08-20 2010-02-25 Nds Limited Receiving device
GB2463108B (en) * 2008-09-05 2012-08-29 Skype Communication system and method
GB2463124B (en) 2008-09-05 2012-06-20 Skype Ltd A peripheral device for communication over a communications sytem
GB2463103A (en) * 2008-09-05 2010-03-10 Skype Ltd Video telephone call using a television receiver
GB2463110B (en) * 2008-09-05 2013-01-16 Skype Communication system and method
GB2463107A (en) * 2008-09-05 2010-03-10 Skype Ltd A remote control unit of a media device for placing/receiving calls, comprising activating one of the two wireless transceivers when needed.
GB2463105A (en) * 2008-09-05 2010-03-10 Skype Ltd Viewer activity dependent video telephone call ringing
GB2463104A (en) * 2008-09-05 2010-03-10 Skype Ltd Thumbnail selection of telephone contact using zooming
GB2463109B (en) * 2008-09-05 2013-03-13 Skype Communication system and method
US8781082B1 (en) * 2008-10-02 2014-07-15 United Services Automobile Association (Usaa) Systems and methods of interactive voice response speed control
US9021042B2 (en) * 2008-11-15 2015-04-28 Adobe Systems Incorporated Media response to social actions
JP5156594B2 (en) * 2008-11-19 2013-03-06 キヤノン株式会社 Reproducing apparatus and control method thereof
US10063934B2 (en) 2008-11-25 2018-08-28 Rovi Technologies Corporation Reducing unicast session duration with restart TV
US8356247B2 (en) * 2008-12-16 2013-01-15 Rich Media Worldwide, Llc Content rendering control system and method
US8843975B2 (en) * 2009-04-10 2014-09-23 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Method and apparatus for presenting dynamic media content
US8584189B2 (en) * 2009-06-11 2013-11-12 Centurylink Intellectual Property Llc System and method for emergency communications through a set-top box
EP2445399A1 (en) * 2009-06-26 2012-05-02 Widex A/S Eeg monitoring apparatus and method for presenting messages therein
KR101613931B1 (en) * 2009-09-10 2016-04-20 엘지전자 주식회사 Mobile terminal and control method thereof
US9166714B2 (en) 2009-09-11 2015-10-20 Veveo, Inc. Method of and system for presenting enriched video viewing analytics
US9014546B2 (en) 2009-09-23 2015-04-21 Rovi Guides, Inc. Systems and methods for automatically detecting users within detection regions of media devices
US8990104B1 (en) 2009-10-27 2015-03-24 Sprint Communications Company L.P. Multimedia product placement marketplace
US9167312B2 (en) * 2009-11-24 2015-10-20 Verizon Patent And Licensing Inc. Pause-based advertising methods and systems
US20110178880A1 (en) * 2010-01-15 2011-07-21 Jeyhan Karaoguz System and method for monitoring and reporting presentation of recorded advertising content
US9571782B2 (en) * 2010-02-17 2017-02-14 CSC Holdings, LLC Feature activation on occurrence of an event
US8855101B2 (en) 2010-03-09 2014-10-07 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods, systems, and apparatus to synchronize actions of audio source monitors
US8855470B2 (en) * 2010-04-06 2014-10-07 Time Warner Cable Enterprises Llc Use of multiple embedded messages in program signal streams
US9709981B2 (en) * 2010-06-29 2017-07-18 Orange Managing application failures in a system of domestic appliances
US20120081615A1 (en) * 2010-09-30 2012-04-05 Starr Ephraim D Remote control
TWI415427B (en) 2010-11-04 2013-11-11 Ind Tech Res Inst System and method for peer-to-peer live streaming
US8885842B2 (en) 2010-12-14 2014-11-11 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to determine locations of audience members
GB2489399A (en) * 2011-03-21 2012-10-03 Sony Corp Suppression of further notifications during initial notification handling and automatic recording of parallel video/audio upon notification display
JPWO2012157739A1 (en) * 2011-05-19 2014-07-31 日本放送協会 Signal processing apparatus and program
US8805418B2 (en) 2011-12-23 2014-08-12 United Video Properties, Inc. Methods and systems for performing actions based on location-based rules
US20150271465A1 (en) * 2014-03-18 2015-09-24 Vixs Systems, Inc. Audio/video system with user analysis and methods for use therewith
US9282366B2 (en) 2012-08-13 2016-03-08 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to communicate audience measurement information
US9137570B2 (en) 2013-02-04 2015-09-15 Universal Electronics Inc. System and method for user monitoring and intent determination
US9706252B2 (en) 2013-02-04 2017-07-11 Universal Electronics Inc. System and method for user monitoring and intent determination
US9021516B2 (en) 2013-03-01 2015-04-28 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and systems for reducing spillover by measuring a crest factor
US9118960B2 (en) 2013-03-08 2015-08-25 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and systems for reducing spillover by detecting signal distortion
US9219969B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2015-12-22 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and systems for reducing spillover by analyzing sound pressure levels
US9191704B2 (en) 2013-03-14 2015-11-17 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and systems for reducing crediting errors due to spillover using audio codes and/or signatures
US20140373074A1 (en) * 2013-06-12 2014-12-18 Vivint, Inc. Set top box automation
US9247273B2 (en) 2013-06-25 2016-01-26 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to characterize households with media meter data
JP6186509B2 (en) 2013-08-13 2017-08-23 マーサー （ユーエス） インク．Ｍｅｒｃｅｒ （Ｕｓ） Ｉｎｃ． Mapping pension plans to metaphors
US9167300B2 (en) * 2013-10-24 2015-10-20 VIZIO Inc. Muting notification system
US9674563B2 (en) 2013-11-04 2017-06-06 Rovi Guides, Inc. Systems and methods for recommending content
KR20150056397A (en) * 2013-11-15 2015-05-26 삼성전자주식회사 broadcast receiving apparatus and method for displaying notice message using the same
US9431002B2 (en) 2014-03-04 2016-08-30 Tribune Digital Ventures, Llc Real time popularity based audible content aquisition
US9454342B2 (en) 2014-03-04 2016-09-27 Tribune Digital Ventures, Llc Generating a playlist based on a data generation attribute
US9798509B2 (en) 2014-03-04 2017-10-24 Gracenote Digital Ventures, Llc Use of an anticipated travel duration as a basis to generate a playlist
US10798459B2 (en) 2014-03-18 2020-10-06 Vixs Systems, Inc. Audio/video system with social media generation and methods for use therewith
JP6318751B2 (en) * 2014-03-20 2018-05-09 富士通株式会社 Information processing apparatus, action switching method, and action switching program
US9699499B2 (en) 2014-04-30 2017-07-04 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to streaming media
US9510047B2 (en) * 2014-08-20 2016-11-29 Rovi Guides, Inc. Systems and methods for automatically performing media actions based on status of external components
US10999627B2 (en) * 2015-01-30 2021-05-04 Arris Enterprises Llc Playback manipulation in response to notification
WO2016130125A1 (en) * 2015-02-12 2016-08-18 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development Lp Applying a degree of transparency
US9924224B2 (en) 2015-04-03 2018-03-20 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to determine a state of a media presentation device
US9848222B2 (en) 2015-07-15 2017-12-19 The Nielsen Company (Us), Llc Methods and apparatus to detect spillover
US10609454B2 (en) * 2015-07-31 2020-03-31 Promptu Systems Corporation Natural language navigation and assisted viewing of indexed audio video streams, notably sports contests
US9942696B2 (en) 2015-09-14 2018-04-10 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Communicating event data from an event device to an action device
US9877055B2 (en) 2015-12-18 2018-01-23 Google Llc Computer system and method for streaming video with dynamic user features
US10261963B2 (en) 2016-01-04 2019-04-16 Gracenote, Inc. Generating and distributing playlists with related music and stories
US9965247B2 (en) 2016-02-22 2018-05-08 Sonos, Inc. Voice controlled media playback system based on user profile
US10264030B2 (en) 2016-02-22 2019-04-16 Sonos, Inc. Networked microphone device control
US10095470B2 (en) 2016-02-22 2018-10-09 Sonos, Inc. Audio response playback
US9947316B2 (en) 2016-02-22 2018-04-17 Sonos, Inc. Voice control of a media playback system
US10743101B2 (en) 2016-02-22 2020-08-11 Sonos, Inc. Content mixing
US9811314B2 (en) 2016-02-22 2017-11-07 Sonos, Inc. Metadata exchange involving a networked playback system and a networked microphone system
US20170332139A1 (en) * 2016-05-10 2017-11-16 Rovi Guides, Inc. System and method for delivering missed portions of media assets to interested viewers
US9978390B2 (en) 2016-06-09 2018-05-22 Sonos, Inc. Dynamic player selection for audio signal processing
US10152969B2 (en) 2016-07-15 2018-12-11 Sonos, Inc. Voice detection by multiple devices
US10115400B2 (en) 2016-08-05 2018-10-30 Sonos, Inc. Multiple voice services
US9942678B1 (en) 2016-09-27 2018-04-10 Sonos, Inc. Audio playback settings for voice interaction
US9743204B1 (en) 2016-09-30 2017-08-22 Sonos, Inc. Multi-orientation playback device microphones
US10181323B2 (en) 2016-10-19 2019-01-15 Sonos, Inc. Arbitration-based voice recognition
US10419508B1 (en) 2016-12-21 2019-09-17 Gracenote Digital Ventures, Llc Saving media for in-automobile playout
US10019225B1 (en) 2016-12-21 2018-07-10 Gracenote Digital Ventures, Llc Audio streaming based on in-automobile detection
US10565980B1 (en) 2016-12-21 2020-02-18 Gracenote Digital Ventures, Llc Audio streaming of text-based articles from newsfeeds
US10904329B1 (en) 2016-12-30 2021-01-26 CSC Holdings, LLC Virtualized transcoder
US10475449B2 (en) 2017-08-07 2019-11-12 Sonos, Inc. Wake-word detection suppression
US10048930B1 (en) 2017-09-08 2018-08-14 Sonos, Inc. Dynamic computation of system response volume
US10446165B2 (en) 2017-09-27 2019-10-15 Sonos, Inc. Robust short-time fourier transform acoustic echo cancellation during audio playback
US10482868B2 (en) 2017-09-28 2019-11-19 Sonos, Inc. Multi-channel acoustic echo cancellation
US10621981B2 (en) 2017-09-28 2020-04-14 Sonos, Inc. Tone interference cancellation
US10466962B2 (en) 2017-09-29 2019-11-05 Sonos, Inc. Media playback system with voice assistance
US20190182645A1 (en) * 2017-12-08 2019-06-13 Qualcomm Incorporated Provisioning mechanism to trigger a subscription download at a user equipment
US10880650B2 (en) 2017-12-10 2020-12-29 Sonos, Inc. Network microphone devices with automatic do not disturb actuation capabilities
US10818290B2 (en) 2017-12-11 2020-10-27 Sonos, Inc. Home graph
CA3083352A1 (en) * 2017-12-12 2019-06-20 Rovi Guides, Inc. Systems and methods for modifying playback of a media asset in response to a verbal command unrelated to playback of the media asset
US10425247B2 (en) 2017-12-12 2019-09-24 Rovi Guides, Inc. Systems and methods for modifying playback of a media asset in response to a verbal command unrelated to playback of the media asset
US11343614B2 (en) 2018-01-31 2022-05-24 Sonos, Inc. Device designation of playback and network microphone device arrangements
GB2571106A (en) * 2018-02-16 2019-08-21 Sony Corp Image processing apparatuses and methods
EP3564888A1 (en) * 2018-05-04 2019-11-06 Hotmart B.V. Methods and systems for displaying a form associated with a video
US11175880B2 (en) 2018-05-10 2021-11-16 Sonos, Inc. Systems and methods for voice-assisted media content selection
US10847178B2 (en) 2018-05-18 2020-11-24 Sonos, Inc. Linear filtering for noise-suppressed speech detection
US10959029B2 (en) 2018-05-25 2021-03-23 Sonos, Inc. Determining and adapting to changes in microphone performance of playback devices
US10681460B2 (en) 2018-06-28 2020-06-09 Sonos, Inc. Systems and methods for associating playback devices with voice assistant services
WO2020047086A1 (en) * 2018-08-28 2020-03-05 Sonos, Inc. Audio notifications
US10461710B1 (en) 2018-08-28 2019-10-29 Sonos, Inc. Media playback system with maximum volume setting
US11076035B2 (en) 2018-08-28 2021-07-27 Sonos, Inc. Do not disturb feature for audio notifications
US10587430B1 (en) 2018-09-14 2020-03-10 Sonos, Inc. Networked devices, systems, and methods for associating playback devices based on sound codes
US11024331B2 (en) 2018-09-21 2021-06-01 Sonos, Inc. Voice detection optimization using sound metadata
US10811015B2 (en) 2018-09-25 2020-10-20 Sonos, Inc. Voice detection optimization based on selected voice assistant service
US11100923B2 (en) 2018-09-28 2021-08-24 Sonos, Inc. Systems and methods for selective wake word detection using neural network models
US10692518B2 (en) 2018-09-29 2020-06-23 Sonos, Inc. Linear filtering for noise-suppressed speech detection via multiple network microphone devices
US11899519B2 (en) 2018-10-23 2024-02-13 Sonos, Inc. Multiple stage network microphone device with reduced power consumption and processing load
US10805651B2 (en) * 2018-10-26 2020-10-13 International Business Machines Corporation Adaptive synchronization with live media stream
EP3654249A1 (en) 2018-11-15 2020-05-20 Snips Dilated convolutions and gating for efficient keyword spotting
US20200160404A1 (en) * 2018-11-16 2020-05-21 Actv8, Inc. Method for enabling advertising or promotional information presented during content being played to be saved in a digital wallet for later access
US11183183B2 (en) 2018-12-07 2021-11-23 Sonos, Inc. Systems and methods of operating media playback systems having multiple voice assistant services
US11132989B2 (en) 2018-12-13 2021-09-28 Sonos, Inc. Networked microphone devices, systems, and methods of localized arbitration
US10992490B2 (en) * 2018-12-17 2021-04-27 Rovi Guides, Inc. System and method for controlling playback or recording of media assets based on a state of a secondary device
US10602268B1 (en) 2018-12-20 2020-03-24 Sonos, Inc. Optimization of network microphone devices using noise classification
US11315556B2 (en) 2019-02-08 2022-04-26 Sonos, Inc. Devices, systems, and methods for distributed voice processing by transmitting sound data associated with a wake word to an appropriate device for identification
US10867604B2 (en) 2019-02-08 2020-12-15 Sonos, Inc. Devices, systems, and methods for distributed voice processing
US11120794B2 (en) 2019-05-03 2021-09-14 Sonos, Inc. Voice assistant persistence across multiple network microphone devices
US10586540B1 (en) 2019-06-12 2020-03-10 Sonos, Inc. Network microphone device with command keyword conditioning
US11200894B2 (en) 2019-06-12 2021-12-14 Sonos, Inc. Network microphone device with command keyword eventing
US11361756B2 (en) 2019-06-12 2022-06-14 Sonos, Inc. Conditional wake word eventing based on environment
US11138975B2 (en) 2019-07-31 2021-10-05 Sonos, Inc. Locally distributed keyword detection
US10871943B1 (en) 2019-07-31 2020-12-22 Sonos, Inc. Noise classification for event detection
US11138969B2 (en) 2019-07-31 2021-10-05 Sonos, Inc. Locally distributed keyword detection
KR20220105154A (en) 2019-08-06 2022-07-26 듀레이션 미디어 엘엘씨 Skills for content presentation
US11189286B2 (en) 2019-10-22 2021-11-30 Sonos, Inc. VAS toggle based on device orientation
US11200900B2 (en) 2019-12-20 2021-12-14 Sonos, Inc. Offline voice control
US11562740B2 (en) 2020-01-07 2023-01-24 Sonos, Inc. Voice verification for media playback
US11556307B2 (en) 2020-01-31 2023-01-17 Sonos, Inc. Local voice data processing
US11308958B2 (en) 2020-02-07 2022-04-19 Sonos, Inc. Localized wakeword verification
US11727919B2 (en) 2020-05-20 2023-08-15 Sonos, Inc. Memory allocation for keyword spotting engines
US11308962B2 (en) 2020-05-20 2022-04-19 Sonos, Inc. Input detection windowing
US11482224B2 (en) 2020-05-20 2022-10-25 Sonos, Inc. Command keywords with input detection windowing
CN113840176B (en) * 2020-06-24 2023-05-23 京东方科技集团股份有限公司 Electronic apparatus and control method thereof
US11272254B1 (en) * 2020-08-05 2022-03-08 Amdocs Development Limited System, method, and computer program for using user attention data to make content recommendations
US11698771B2 (en) 2020-08-25 2023-07-11 Sonos, Inc. Vocal guidance engines for playback devices
US11381887B2 (en) * 2020-12-07 2022-07-05 Rovi Guides, Inc. Systems and methods for managing interruption of content presentation
US11551700B2 (en) 2021-01-25 2023-01-10 Sonos, Inc. Systems and methods for power-efficient keyword detection
US11284165B1 (en) * 2021-02-26 2022-03-22 CSC Holdings, LLC Copyright compliant trick playback modes in a service provider network

Family Cites Families (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998051076A1 (en) † 1997-05-01 1998-11-12 Daniels John J Time-shifting apparatus and auto-edit system
US20020032907A1 (en) * 1993-03-29 2002-03-14 Daniels John J. Initiating record from an electronic programming schedule
US5650776A (en) * 1993-09-23 1997-07-22 Motorola, Inc. Communication receiver having user configuration control functions
JPH07219970A (en) * 1993-12-20 1995-08-18 Xerox Corp Method and apparatus for reproduction in acceleration format
US5742845A (en) 1995-06-22 1998-04-21 Datascape, Inc. System for extending present open network communication protocols to communicate with non-standard I/O devices directly coupled to an open network
US6002393A (en) 1995-08-22 1999-12-14 Hite; Kenneth C. System and method for delivering targeted advertisements to consumers using direct commands
US5708845A (en) 1995-09-29 1998-01-13 Wistendahl; Douglass A. System for mapping hot spots in media content for interactive digital media program
US6141058A (en) 1996-12-16 2000-10-31 Thomson Licensing S.A. Television receiver having a user-editable telephone system caller-ID feature
US6128653A (en) 1997-03-17 2000-10-03 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for communication media commands and media data using the HTTP protocol
US5870562A (en) 1997-03-24 1999-02-09 Pfn, Inc. Universal domain routing and publication control system
US6385647B1 (en) 1997-08-18 2002-05-07 Mci Communications Corporations System for selectively routing data via either a network that supports Internet protocol or via satellite transmission network based on size of the data
US6487277B2 (en) * 1997-09-19 2002-11-26 Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc. Apparatus and method for improving the user interface of integrated voice response systems
US6385693B1 (en) 1997-12-31 2002-05-07 At&T Corp. Network server platform/facilities management platform caching server
US7260610B2 (en) * 1998-02-10 2007-08-21 Gateway Inc. Convergence events notification system
US6131163A (en) 1998-02-17 2000-10-10 Cisco Technology, Inc. Network gateway mechanism having a protocol stack proxy
US6459427B1 (en) 1998-04-01 2002-10-01 Liberate Technologies Apparatus and method for web-casting over digital broadcast TV network
US6762797B1 (en) 1999-04-14 2004-07-13 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Method and apparatus for catch-up video viewing
US6339832B1 (en) 1999-08-31 2002-01-15 Accenture Llp Exception response table in environment services patterns
US6542868B1 (en) * 1999-09-23 2003-04-01 International Business Machines Corporation Audio notification management system
US6389467B1 (en) 2000-01-24 2002-05-14 Friskit, Inc. Streaming media search and continuous playback system of media resources located by multiple network addresses
WO2001095694A2 (en) * 2000-06-13 2001-12-20 Isurftv System and method for insertion of recorded media into a broadcast
US20020186257A1 (en) * 2001-06-08 2002-12-12 Cadiz Jonathan J. System and process for providing dynamic communication access and information awareness in an interactive peripheral display
US7164678B2 (en) * 2001-06-25 2007-01-16 Intel Corporation Control of processing order for received network packets

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
PT1436986E (en) 2012-09-21
US20030070182A1 (en) 2003-04-10
ES2389538T5 (en) 2017-02-27
WO2003032634A2 (en) 2003-04-17
EP1436986A2 (en) 2004-07-14
EP1436986B2 (en) 2016-08-31
EP1436986B1 (en) 2012-07-18
WO2003032634A3 (en) 2003-10-30
US7536704B2 (en) 2009-05-19
ES2389538T3 (en) 2012-10-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7536704B2 (en) Method and apparatus automatic pause and resume of playback for a popup on interactive TV
US20030041332A1 (en) System and method for mitigating interruptions during television viewing
US11134304B2 (en) Methods and apparatus that facilitate channel switching during commercial breaks and/or other program segments
US7792410B2 (en) Playback diagnostics
US6609253B1 (en) Method and system for providing interactive media VCR control
US5995134A (en) Method and apparatus for enticing a passive television viewer by automatically playing promotional presentations of selectable options in response to the viewer's inactivity
US6298482B1 (en) System for two-way digital multimedia broadcast and interactive services
US20030041333A1 (en) System and method for automatically answering and recording video calls
US8699861B2 (en) Recorded content management
US20030097659A1 (en) Interrupting the output of media content in response to an event
US20120314134A1 (en) Systems and methods for providing a multi-perspective video display
EP1312402A1 (en) Digital video receiver that generates background pictures and sounds for games
US20040073437A1 (en) Methods and systems for providing enhanced access to televised sporting events
JP2005505192A (en) System for displaying group viewing statistics while watching TV
EP1578120A2 (en) Method and apparatus for generating a program guide
US8358909B2 (en) Coordinated output of messages and content
WO2007113580A1 (en) Intelligent media content playing device with user attention detection, corresponding method and carrier medium
US20130276012A1 (en) Method, Apparatus and Computer Program for Triggering an Event
US20030041331A1 (en) System and method for mitigating interruptions during television viewing
WO2003019945A1 (en) System and method for mitigating interruptions during television viewing
US20040128700A1 (en) Viewing selection management system
JP2009514315A (en) Customized commercials with MHP applications
US9148704B1 (en) Method and apparatus for an external event ticker
WO2003058965A1 (en) Conferencing with synchronous presention of media programs
JP2004166256A (en) Receiving apparatus, receiving method, program and recording medium

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Discontinued
FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20061003