Patent Application
20050273804
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to polling. More particularly, the present invention relates to conducting interactive polls in an interactive television environment.
2. Related Art
Early, polls were compiled manually by such organizations as media groups and publishers. With the advent of widespread use of interactive television (ITV) and the Internet, polling of viewers or of a television audience can now be performed in an automated fashion along with programming content.
Polling can be used in combination with various conventional types of TV programming. For example, polls can be taken about events. More particularly, polls can also be taken about live events. One type of event about which a poll can be taken is a sporting event. Examples of other types of TV programming, about which one might want to take a poll include, e.g., news, sports, weather, politics, sitcoms, soap operas, elections, reality-based, game shows, movies, dramas, children's programming, and educational programming. There are various subcategories of programming as well. For example, sports programs may include, e.g., boxing, baseball, basketball, football, tennis, golf and the like.
Unlike conventional broadcast television, ITV provides a means for receiving user feedback over, e.g., a back channel, enabling interactivity. ITV clients can be used to distribute content to and to receive responses from viewers. Content can include, for example, television programming such as, e.g., a programming service. An example of a programming service is a subscription programming service, such as, e.g., SHOWTIME, available from SHOWTIME NETWORKS INC. of New York, N.Y., USA. A programming service can deliver via a content distributor various types of programming content for viewing by viewers. Content can also include ITV data. Exemplary ITV technology providers include, e.g., WINK and OPENTV available from Liberty Broadband Interactive Television of Tulsa, Okla. USA. Content providers can distribute content by uploading content to any of various content distributors who can deliver the content to viewers. Examples of content distributors include, e.g., COMCAST CORPORATION of Philadelphia, Pa., USA, DIRECTV of El Segundo, Calif. USA; and TIME WARNER CABLE of Stamford, Conn. USA. Conventionally, content is distributed over various network platform types including, e.g., voice, data, cable television (CATV), wireless communications networks, satellite TV, multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) and wireless fidelity (WI-FI).
Conventional polls provide only a static representation of poll results. What is needed then is an improved technique of collecting polling results that overcomes shortcomings of conventional solutions.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed to a system, method, and computer program product for animated interactive polling.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is directed to a system for conducting a poll. The system may include a first network operations center (NOC) for providing content. The content includes television programming and/or data. The data may include the poll and/or a polling response. The system also may include a plurality of client devices. Each of the plurality of client devices may be for a respective one of a plurality of users. Each of the plurality of client devices may include a display, a receiver, and an interactive input device, such as a remote control, personal digital assistant, or other wireless device, and may be adapted to present the poll to the user, to receive the polling response from the user, to transmit the polling response from the user to the first NOC, to receive aggregated polling responses from the first NOC, to calculate a range of aggregated poll results, and to display in an animated, continually-updated fashion the range of aggregated poll results to the user. The system may also include distribution network facilities and the first NOC may be adapted to receive the polling responses from each of the client devices, to compile the aggregated polling responses, and to transmit the aggregated polling responses to the plurality of client devices.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a method for polling may be provided. The method may include the steps of presenting the poll to a plurality of users, receiving a response from each of the plurality of users, compiling an aggregated polling result, and displaying an animated, continually-updated depiction of the aggregated polling result.
In still a further embodiment of the invention, a further method for polling is provided. The method may include the steps of providing content to a plurality of users, the content including programming or data, wherein the data may include a poll, presenting the poll to each of the plurality of users, collecting votes for the poll, or providing an animated, continually-updated depiction of aggregated polling results to the plurality of users.
Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digits in the corresponding reference number. A preferred exemplary embodiment is discussed below in the detailed description of the following drawings:
A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art can recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Content provider NOC 101 can include, e.g., a software module 102 and a middleware module 103 running on top of a hardware module 104. The content provider NOC 101 can also include a master control system 105 for assembling programming service content stored in a content storage facility 107 for distribution. The content provider NOC 101 can also include a communications link 106, which may be a distribution uplink, that can be used to upload content to the content distributor for distribution to ITV clients 116a, 116b.
Content distributor NOC 108 can include a software module 109, a middleware module 110, and an access control system 111a including, e.g., a conditional access subsystem 111b, running on a hardware module 112. A communications link 113, which may be a distribution downlink, can be used, in an exemplary embodiment, to download content from the content providers to the content distributor NOC 108, for temporary storage in content storage facility 114, prior to distribution via the content distributor network 115 to ITV clients 116a, 116b for viewing by viewers.
As shown in
Alternatively, as is shown in
The prompt subsystem 401 can work in coordination with software modules 204 on ITV clients 116a, 116b, to prompt viewers of televisions 201 or other client devices such as, e.g., a display, to provide input in response to a poll question. In an exemplary embodiment of
The input aggregation subsystem 402, in an exemplary embodiment, can aggregate input collected, compiled and analyzed from multiple viewers using, e.g., interactive input device 207 and ITV clients 116a, 116b, from multiple content distributors similar to the exemplary content distributor described. Advantageously, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, results can be aggregated from various content distributors and can be analyzed at the content provider. Exemplary analysis can include, e.g., creating graphical charts, visualizations, statistical analyses, and/or graphical renderings for later distribution.
The output rendering subsystem 403, in an exemplary embodiment, can take aggregated polling results from various viewers, on various content distributor networks, and can in coordination with ITV clients 116a, 116b, generate graphical visualization renderings for display on televisions 201, which may be in realtime, of the results of the interactive poll. These graphical visualization renderings, can be animated, continually-updated depictions of the polling result. For example, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the graphical visualization rendering can be a continually-updating bar graph, pie chart, line graph, sliding indicator, or the like. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, output rendering subsystem 403 can be located on ITV client 116a, 116b (collectively 116). In another exemplary embodiment, the output rendering subsytem may include a component executing at the content provider and another component executing on the client 116.
In one exemplary embodiment, if a user does not have a receiver capable of providing return feedback to the content provider NOC 101, the client software 204 can take aggregated results from the content provider NOC 101 and may add the user's individual vote into the results and may display the final aggregated results on the user's ITV client 116.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, ITV clients 116a, 116b can receive content from content provider NOC 101. Content can include, for example, television programming such as, e.g., a programming service. An example of a programming service is a subscription programming service, such as, e.g., SHOWTIME, available from SHOWTIME NETWORKS INC. of New York, N.Y., USA. A programming service can deliver via a content distributor various types of programming content for viewing by viewers. Examples of programming included in a programming service may include movies and television programs. Examples of television programs can include, but are not limited to: sports programs, news broadcasts, reality television shows, a concert, a live event, a series episode, movies, game shows, or the like. Sports programs can include, e.g., boxing, baseball, basketball, football, tennis, golf and the like. Content may include, e.g., questions and responses. Content can also include ITV data, such as, e.g., an ITV application to conduct a poll. Exemplary ITV technology providers include, e.g., WINK and OPENTV available from Liberty Broadband Interactive Television of Tulsa, Okla. USA.
As will be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art, content provider NOC 101 can distribute content via a communications link 106, e.g., such as a distribution, uplink to content distributor NOC 108. Content distributor NOC 108 can receive the content from content provider NOC 101 via a communications link 113 such as, e.g., a distribution downlink. Content distributor NOC 108 can then distribute content to ITV clients 116a, 116b through content distributor network facilities 115. In another exemplary embodiment, the content provider can directly transmit content and information to and receive content and information from ITV clients 116a, 116b. Examples of content distributors include, e.g., COMCAST CORPORATION of Philadelphia, Pa., USA, DIRECTV of El Segundo, Calif. USA; and TIME WARNER CABLE of Stamford, Conn. USA. Conventionally, content is distributed over various network platform types including, e.g., voice, data, cable television (CATV), wireless communications networks, satellite TV, multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) and wireless fidelity (WI-FI). The content can then be distributed directly, or via, e.g., content distributor network facilities 115 and/or content distributor NOC 108 to ITV clients 116a, 116b.
To conduct an exemplary ITV poll according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a user can be polled, e.g., before, during, or after viewing a television program or event, such as, e.g., a sporting event, news broadcast, reality television show, a concert, a live event, a series episode, movie, game show, or the like and may simultaneously interact with the television using interactive input device 207. Events can also include, for example, a debate, an election, a current event, a newsworthy event, or the like. Polls may be taken in relation to an event, however, polls according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention need not be tied to an event and may instead be a prediction, opinion poll, quiz, and/or questionnaire seeking one or more responses that may be later tabulated into aggregated results for presentation in a manner according to the present invention. Interactive input device 207 can be, for example, a conventional remote control, a remote keyboard, a mouse, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or other wireless or wired device, and the like. Events may include any type of conventional programming event, including, e.g., live TV programming events. In the case of a sporting event, the sporting event can be any sporting event, such as, e.g., a boxing match, a horse race, an OLYMPIC games event, a basketball game, or any other similar sporting event.
During, before, or after a broadcast, a user can be prompted to participate in an interactive poll. An interactive poll can include, e.g., any question that may elicit a response from a viewer. For example, an interactive poll can be an opinion poll, a viewer's prediction, a “quiz”, and/or questionnaire where the viewer is asked to test his or her knowledge in a multiple choice question, for example. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the interactive poll can occur before, during, or after the event, and can be related to the broadcast, or some other event, such as, e.g., a debate, an election, or some other current event. Further, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary interactive poll can include, e.g., providing continually-updated results, which may be in realtime, or near realtime, along with a program. In the exemplary embodiment, polling results may be obtained from viewers in response to the questions posed via ITV clients 116a, 116b and may be collected, temporarily stored, forwarded to the content provider, aggregated by the content provider, and/or aggregated results may be transmitted, and/or displayed for viewing by the viewers in enhanced content that may be delivered via facilities 115 of the content distributors. A boxing example is used for illustrative purposes in this application, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that the boxing illustration is provided as an example only and is equally applicable to any other sports programming event, other television programming event, or other event, topic, or issue. The exemplary boxing example of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to
To display an animated, continually-updated results depiction 506, ITV client 116a, 116b can receive instances of aggregated poll results 505, can continually recalculate a range of updated intermediate results, using, for example, interpolation and/or extrapolation, and may create an animated transition from the currently displayed result to a new result or over a range of results. Using animation techniques, the ITV client 116 can continually display an animation of the transition from one data point to the next. To the extent that extrapolation of trend information is used, upon receipt of a next instance of aggregated results, a transition to the new value can be created, in an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment, two values may initially be provided. Using the two initial values, a transition may be shown.
In yet a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, instead of polling users during a broadcast, users can be polled prior to, or after a broadcast. In such an exemplary embodiment, each users' vote can be stored by content provider NOC 101 or by an ITV client application (not shown) or on ITV client 116a, 116b until the end of the broadcast or until when needed. In the example given, users may be polled prior to the event. Based on the accumulated polling results, odds may be determined. In addition to casting a vote, a user can also, for example, wager “points” with his or her vote based on those odds. For example, using the boxing example described above, a group of users can be polled prior to a fight to determine who the users believe will win the fight. Each user can then wager points on the fight and can cast their vote before the fight begins. During, at the end, or after the fight, results can be displayed on television 201. During or after a fight, or series of fights, for example, results can be tallied and may be superimposed in a broadcast using an ITV environment as described above, for example. When results are superimposed in the broadcast, the results can be superimposed using, e.g., a traditional video feed (i.e., on-air graphics), for example, or alternatively, using an enhanced ITV experience.
The computer can, in an exemplary embodiment, execute a browser application program that can be used to enter responses to poll prompts, as well as to display information such as polling results for later output using information from databases. Databases can include any of various databases. The data can be retrieved from disk storage units 610 on the computer, or on another computer system such as, e.g., an application server, a provisioning server, a billing system, an access control system, a content streaming server, a data server, a video server, or other computer or server. In an exemplary embodiment, the search results can be displayed using a television, a display, a monitor, or a graphical user interface, or using an application program such as, e.g., one written in, e.g., a combination of Flash and Java programming language and can be implemented as a web browser enabled application or applet. The application program can include, e.g., a series of instructions that can cause the computer via, e.g., a browser, to retrieve documents, or parts thereof, which can be stored in one or more databases coupled to a server computer system such as, e.g., an application server. The GUI can advantageously display the polling results on display 620 for manipulation of the results by using, e.g., mouse 616. The GUI can be manipulated via other common devices such as, e.g., or an interactive remote device 207, or a keyboard 618, such as, e.g., the cursor arrow keys on the keyboard. Although the invention is described in reference to an ITV client 116, computer, or a computer workstation, another computing or communication device is equally suitable to using the present invention, such as, e.g., a wireless device, a communications device, a television and/or receiver, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an ITV client, a digital video recorder (DVR), a thin client, fat client, x-station, browser, or other network appliance.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. While this invention has been particularly described and illustrated with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood to those having ordinary skill in the art that changes in the above description or illustrations may be made with respect to formal detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
