Interactive system

Abstract

An interactive video platform device which is configured to aggregate any type of content received from one or more sources into a common format, and distributes the aggregate content to a network for interactive communication among one or more remote video devices. The platform has particular applicability to on-line, interactive contest management.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing FIGURE is a schematic block diagram of an interactive video display system in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An interactive video display system is illustrated in the schematic block diagram of the drawing FIGURE. The FIGURE exemplifies operation in the context of a real-time interactive contest. User sessions are indicated to facilitate explanation of operation. It is to be understood that the system may be used for any interactive communication application, the illustrated interactive contest being merely one example.

Interactive video device platform 20 is coupled to network 12 for communication with information providers, which may include contest providers in the present example, and also coupled to network 10 for communication with end user interactive video display devices capable of sending commands back through the communication network. Such devices may include, for example, personal computers or television receivers at contestant premises, mobile phones, PDAs or any other communications device.

Networks 10 and 12, although represented as separate networks to facilitate description of operation, both collectively represent a wide range of communication media, including cable, satellite, telephone and mobile networks, Internet, and wireless communication. The same or different communication providers may be active as networks 10 and 12 in any particular interchange among remote sites.

Interactive video device platform 20 comprises input translator coupled to network 12 and provisioning engine 24 coupled to network 10. Input translator 22 and provisioning engine 24 are each coupled to a processor 26 that, in this example, maintains a real-time contest database. The processor 26 is coupled to correlation engine 28.

The input translator 22 can receive one to an unlimited number of simultaneous sessions that may comprise feeds of real-time stats and/or real-time fantasy contest scores. Each input set of input data may be processed via a single thread and correlated by correlation engine 28 with any sponsorship or advertisement by an embedded software engine. Other content, such as ads, promotions, notices, messages, or other items of interest can be added. The input translator determines the communications protocol of the input data and collects other pertinent information about the input data source. The input translator aggregates all feeds into a standard format and assigns a unique ID Container Tag and constructs a confidence level for a potential predicted response. For example, the confidence level assigned by the ID Container Tag enables the input translator to act as an agent to position the data within a contest database for correlation and a quick response or feed directly to the provisioning engine for a more immediate response.

The contest database 26 stores contextual user information, associated content, and real-time contest information. It develops a profile of each unique contest requester and associates pertinent information from one or more contests. It issues requests to the correlation engine 28 and identifies any promotions specific to the contest and contest requestor profile. The output is generated through the provisioning engine 24 for delivery over multiple communication network protocols

The correlation engine 28 serves as an intelligent marketing, sales and advertising engine. It processes requests from the contest database 26 and correlates any sponsorship, advertisement or sales promotion by an embedded software engine. For instance, the correlation engine may combine the appropriate local, regional or national promotion by associating the contest with the contest requestor's database profile. Correlation engine 28 aggregates content for a session and converts the content to a standardized format. The output is generated through provisioning engine 24 for delivery over multiple communication network protocols.

The input translator determines the communications protocol of the input data and collects other pertinent information about the input data source. The input translator assigns a unique ID Container Tag to the input data and constructs a confidence level for a potential predicted response. Based on the confidence level assigned by the ID Container Tag, the input translator either positions the data within the Contest Database for correlation and a quick response or feeds directly to the Correlation Engine for a more immediate response.

The term “contest service request” illustrated in the drawing FIGURE indicates any type of request or instruction sent from a communication device to another device via the network. Similarly, the term “contest service response” indicates any type of information provided in response to the contest service request. Thus, the terms contest service request and contest service response may be associated with both networks 10 and 12.

The provisioning engine 24 receives information from the Contest Database or Correlation Engine and issues a contest service response in a format acceptable by the communications network and Interactive Video Display. Thus, from the perspective of the Contest Requestor, connections with, for example, a Cable Operator are established in the sense that the Contest Requestor receives the appropriate login requests and content as needed.

As an example, a contest service request can be a request to a web site based on http protocol. In this example, the content fetched from the web site based on the contest service request is the contest service response. Alternatively, a contest service request can be, for example, an instruction to a software application. In the latter example, the contest service request can be an instruction to conduct a fantasy sports line-up change, which will change the contest data in one or more contests to the communication device based on the instruction. In this example, the revised contest data is the contest service response.

Claims

1. An interactive video device platform for real time, on-line, contest service, adapted for coupling on one or more networks to contest providers, the platform comprising: an input translator for receiving one or a plurality of simultaneous sessions received from the one or more networks, and aggregating the sessions into a common format;a database storing real time contest information and information for developing a user profile for correlation with sponsorship or advertisement data;a correlation engine coupled to the database for correlating said one or more sessions with the sponsorship or advertisement data to be associated with users; anda provisioning engine coupled to the database for aggregating content for a session and converting the aggregated content to a prescribed format for delivery over one or more prescribed communication network protocols to the users.