Patent Application
20070199018
The applications listed below are related to this application and are being filed on the same date as this application:
U.S. Patent Application No. ______, entitled “Systems and Methods for Providing Supplementary Television Content,” bearing attorney docket no. 04-8023;
U.S. Patent Application No. ______, entitled “Systems and Methods for Shared Viewing Via Television,” bearing attorney docket no. 04-8025;
U.S. Patent Application No. ______, entitled “Systems and Methods for Fantasy League Service Via Television,” bearing attorney docket no. 04-8026;
U.S. Patent Application No. ______, entitled “Television Integrated Chat and Presence Systems and Methods” bearing attorney docket no. 04-8027;
U.S. Patent Application No. ______, entitled “Systems and Methods for Providing a Personal Channel Via Television,” bearing attorney docket no. 04-8029; and
U.S. Patent Application No. ______, entitled “Systems and Methods for Providing a Shared Folder via Television,” bearing attorney docket no. 04-8030.
The present application is generally directed to communications networks having video transmission capabilities. The embodiments described herein are more specifically directed to systems and methods to receive and transmit enhanced television services over high bandwidth access networks.
Consumers and businesses today receive television services from a variety of sources. Using even the most basic television set, viewers can receive traditional television broadcasts via an antenna connected to the television set. The problems with traditional broadcast television are well known. To receive a television signal, the receiving antenna must be within the range of a broadcast transmitter, making it difficult to receive a signal in remote places. The quality of a broadcast picture can depend on the strength or position of the antenna, leading to fuzzy pictures and constant repositioning of the antenna. Furthermore, traditional broadcast television is limited to simple viewing. The television signal is received and a picture is displayed on the viewer's television. Aside from changing channels, there is no way for viewers to customize television content or to communicate with broadcasters.
Cable television and, later, satellite television were developed to solve some of the problems associated with traditional broadcast television. Cable television providers receive television content from a variety of programming sources and transmit the content via cables, such as coaxial cables, directly to subscribers' homes. In the home, a “set top box” is typically used to receive the cable signal and provide it to the televisions for display. Although cable television does not generally suffer from the picture quality problems of over-the-air broadcast television, the use of amplifiers to carry the cable signal over long distances can cause signal degradation and reliability problems. The typical cable set top box also offers limited options for customizing content because it relies on standard broadcast television content transmissions, has generally contained limited processing functionality and has limited network interactivity capabilities (e.g., pay-per-view requests, video on demand requests).
Satellite television provides high quality television picture because its signal travels through the air (i.e., a faster and more accurate delivery medium than cable) and it does not rely on an antenna's range to the content provider. Instead, satellite providers broadcast television content to a geosynchronous satellite that rebroadcasts the content to a satellite dish at a subscriber's home. The satellite dish is typically connected to a satellite receiver that decrypts and formats the television content and delivers it to the televisions for display. However, satellite television is not without its limitations. For example, like cable television services, satellite television relies on standard broadcast content transmissions. Furthermore, satellite receivers rely on low-bandwidth conventional “plain old telephone service” (POTS) telephone lines to provide a bidirectional communication path for requests from the satellite receiver and download of customized content, so download rates are slow and available content is limited.
Digital video recorders, available as standalone components or integrated in set top boxes and satellite receivers, enable viewers to record television content. Using a menu displayed on the television, viewers may be able to select programs to be recorded, order pay-per-view content, and set viewing preferences, such as parental controls. However, typical digital video recorders use low-bandwidth POTS phone lines as a bidirectional communication path to a cable, satellite or other service provider, limiting the ability to provide any content customized specifically for a particular user.
Over the years, broadcast, cable, and satellite television have steadily improved television picture quality and some providers have developed the capacity to deliver limited enhancements to video broadcast viewing, such as pay-per-view and video-on-demand. Digital video recorders enable viewers to receive content in a limited and delayed fashion. However, there remains a need for enhanced television services that are rich, reliable, and truly customized.
Most cable and satellite television systems have on-screen menus that provide access to an on-screen program guide as well as other functions. This system of on-screen menus and commands is often called an Interactive Program Guide, or IPG. The IPG is displayed on the television or other monitor. Program objects are included in the displayed guide. Using a remote control or other input device, the user can select different items, get more details on a television program, and record shows, among other functions. One limitation of IPGs is that they are purely visual. The user must be able to see the on-screen guide to use it. Therefore, there is a need to provide access to services offered by the IPG to users with visual impairments or other disabilities by allowing them to navigate and select objects displayed on a television IPG. If the user is not able to easily read menus, prompts, and commands, then he or she will not be able to use the advanced services provided by the IPG.
FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are detailed block diagrams of a subscriber consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.
Preferred methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide enhanced television services to subscribers using a high speed bidirectional connection such as a fiber optic network. A service provider transmits both general television content, such as broadcast television programs, and content that is customized for each subscriber. Subscribers communicate with the service provider to perform any number of tasks, including establishing an account, ordering customized content, and sharing content with other subscribers.
Reference will now be made in detail to various exemplary embodiments implemented according to the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
System Overview
Exemplary service provider 102 may include various systems and facilities to receive, store, process and transmit content for provision to subscribers 106. For example, exemplary service provider 102 may include a television content system 202, an enhanced television services system 204, a distribution system 206, a subscriber database 208, a portal 210, and an authentication system 212. Television content system 202 may receive, store, process and transmit broadcast television content originated by content providers 104. In one embodiment, service provider 102 may also create television content and store and transmit such content using television content system 202. Enhanced television services system 204 may receive, store, process and transmit data to support enhanced television services and provide subscriber interfaces for accessing enhanced television services (as further discussed below).
Distribution system 206 may distribute content and data, e.g., from television content system 202 or enhanced television services system 204, to subscribers 106. Distribution system 206 may perform broadcastimulticast delivery (e.g., to send the same information to many subscribers simultaneously) or unicast delivery (e.g., to send customized content to a single subscriber). Distribution system 206 may also provide an “upstream” communications path from subscribers 106 to, for example, enhanced television services system 204, such that subscribers may send requests and other information related to obtaining customized content, among other things.
Subscriber database 208 may store data about subscribers 106 such as name, address, subscriptions to enhanced services, etc. Portal 210 may provide an interface for communications with service provider 102 via an external network, such as the public switched telephone network or a wide area network such as the Internet. Authentication system 212 may process authentication and/or authorization information to enforce security and privacy for providing services to subscribers 106.
A skilled artisan will recognize that service provider 102 may include more or fewer components than are shown in
In another example, service provider 102 may include an interactive program guide server for transmitting an interactive program guide and related audio data to subscriber 106.
FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) illustrate block diagrams of a subscriber 106 consistent with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
Network terminal 302 processes data received via access network 108 and presents it to output devices 304. As such, network terminal 302 may include processors, storage systems, network interfaces (e.g., to access network 108) and device interfaces, as generally known. Output devices 304 can include any number of components with the capabilities to output audio and/or video, such as video displays, speakers, television sets, etc. Network terminal 302 is also connected to one or more input devices 306, which allow users to provide input data, for example, to control the network terminal 302 or output devices 304, or provide data for upstream transmission over access network 108. Input devices 306 can include devices such as keyboards, pointing devices, remote controllers, touch screens, etc. In certain embodiments, network terminal 302 may be integrated with any or all of the output devices 304, as well as any or all of the input devices 306 (an example of which would be a mobile telephone). In some embodiments, subscriber 106 may also use a separate computing system or telecommunications device such as a telephone (not shown) connected to an external network (e.g., PSTN, Internet, wireless network) to communicate with service provider 102 (e.g., via portal 210).
Subscriber 106 may set up an account with service provider 102 which enables and/or controls the ability to receive enhanced television services. For example, the subscriber account may be used by provider 102 to store subscriber identification information, such as a name and address, store indications of which services a subscriber is authorized to receive, such as premium broadcast channels or Internet access, and track and bill for enhanced services, such as viewing of personalized content, etc. The account may also store an identifier of the subscriber's network terminal 302 that allows for identification of the network terminal over the access network 108 (e.g., a unique identifier of a set top box 312 assigned to the subscriber), facilitating the delivery of enhanced television services to the subscriber. Subscriber 106 may access account information, for example, using portal 210 via voice communications (e.g., an interactive voice response system) or data communications (e.g., an interactive web interface over the Internet). Alternatively, a subscriber may use a phone integrated into set top box 312 or controls available in remote control 316 to communicate with service provider 102 over access network 108.
Subscriber 106 may include several users. For example, within a single household, different family members may desire to receive different content or subscribe to different enhanced television services from service provider 102. In one embodiment, a subscriber 106 (e.g., a household) may establish an account with service provider 102 and each user (e.g., family members in the household) is associated with that account and may have information stored in subscriber database 208. In another embodiment, each user may establish his own account with service provider 102.
Using the access network interface 402, network terminal 302 communicates with service provider 102 to send and receive high speed communications for television programming, enhanced television services, subscriber account management, etc., over access network 108. Access network interface 402 may include various components to allow for communications over access network 108 in one or more forms, depending on the implementation. For example, access network interface 108 may include an RF interface to receive RF signals and/or an optical interface to receive optical signals. Access network interface 402 may further include components to distinguish between and process various communications carried over access network 108. For example, access network interface 402 may include components to receive broadcast-television-formatted transmissions (e.g., NTSC, MPEG) and/or packet-data-formatted transmissions (e.g., Ethernet, IP). In some embodiments, access network interface 402 may also be connected to device interface 412, for example, to provide broadcast television transmissions to output devices 304.
Storage system 410 may include various modules executable by the control system 408 and implementing various features in the preferred embodiment. For example, storage system 410 stores a user interface 404 comprising one or more displays (e.g., an interactive program guide) which may be provided on output devices 304 to enable subscriber 106 to communicate with network terminal 302, select content for viewing, access enhanced viewing features, etc. User interface 404 may include various user interfaces to utilize enhanced television services available through service provider 102, for example, downloaded from service provider 102. Subscriber data 406 may also be stored in storage system 410 to support enhanced television services. For example, a subscriber's viewing preferences or settings may be stored as subscriber data 406. In another example, subscriber data 406 may be stored outside network terminal 302, such as at service provider 102 (e.g., in subscriber database 208) or on a computing system or other device controlled by the subscriber (e.g., a smart card).
Network terminal 302 may include fewer or more components than are shown in
Using the interface with service provider 402, set top box 312 communicates with service provider 102 to send and receive high speed data for television programming, enhanced television services, subscriber account management, etc. Information related to enhanced television services, such as, for example, audio representations of interactive programming guide display objects and program schedules for the interactive program guide, may be transmitted to the set top box 312 from service provider servers, such as, for example, enhanced television services server 204 or distribution server 206, over data channel 108. User interface 404 may include an interactive programming guide module to store and display menus, audio data, and other data to enable subscriber 106 to select content for viewing, select shows to record, etc. User interface 404 may be comprised of software, hardware, and/or a combination of software and hardware. Subscriber data 406 may be stored in network terminal 302 to support enhanced television services. For example, a subscriber's viewing preferences or settings may be stored as subscriber data 406. Device interface 412 may include a remote control receiver to receive input signals transmitted from a remote control device, which is a type of input device 306.
Enhanced Television Services
The preferred embodiment uses a high-bandwidth bi-directional access network 108 to provide enhanced television services. For example, a service provider may provide a multitude of enhanced services to a subscriber by allowing the subscriber to connect with the service provider via such a high-bandwidth bi-directional access network to obtain, configure and control the delivery of desired television content and related services. A preferred embodiment utilizes a fiber optic access network, although other high-bandwidth technologies could also be used (e.g., RF wireless, RF over coaxial cables). Fiber optic connections provide much more bandwidth for transmitting data than conventional connections using radio waves or coaxial cable. Fiber, for example, can easily carry hundreds or even thousands of channels of television content, telephone services, and data services (e.g., Internet access). To leverage the additional bandwidth and quality of fiber connections, service providers may offer a wide range of enhanced television services to attract and retain subscribers.
Enhanced television services may include, for example, personalized television channels, synchronized sharing of personal content among subscribers, direct access to supplemental television content, integrated chat and presence information on television, and interactive entertainment. Subscribers may enjoy these services from their premises using familiar devices (e.g., a set-top box, a television, a remote control, etc.). In some embodiments, subscribers may have the option of using a computer or other device connected to the Internet to further customize or enhance television services.
Audio Interactive Programming Guide
One enhanced television service provided by preferred systems and methods implemented consistent with the present invention is an audio interactive programming guide (IPG). The audio interactive programming guide provides an enhanced interface for presenting program information to the user and receiving user input. One embodiment provides audio representations of display objects that are part of the interactive programming guide presented to the user as he or she interacts with the IPG. The IPG may be displayed (including playing audio data) on output device 304. Display objects may be any visual objects presented as part of the IPG. Audio representations may include any audible content or representative description associated with display objects.
A user may interact with the IPG displayed on output device 304 using, for example, input device 306. For example, the user may select, using input device 306, an object displayed on the IPG. A user may select a display object by, for example, moving a cursor highlight to the display object, by “tabbing” through a series of displayed objects, or by some other method. Input device 306 may communicate with network terminal 302, output device 304, or both. In one embodiment, network terminal 302 may transmit an audio representation associated with a display object to output device 304 to be played for the user when triggered by certain user inputs, such as, for example, upon selection of a display object by the user, or when the user places the cursor on, or changes the focus to, a display object.
There are many ways to present an audio representation associated with an object. The audio representation may be created by network terminal 302, provided by service provider 102, or provided in some other manner. The audio representation may be generated by a text-to-voice converter, may be a pre-defined audio file, may be generated based on previous and current user inputs, or may be created in some other manner. The audio representation may be identified by a tag associated with a display object, identified by a global system variable, or identified in some other manner. Further, the audio could be played by speakers within any output device 304, directly attached to the network terminal 302, located within an input device 306, or located in some other auxiliary device, including, for example, special purpose headsets.
Certain examples of methods and systems will now be described with reference to
In one embodiment, set top box 312 may request program guide data from service provider 102. Service provider 102 may transmit program guide data to set top box 312 from a service provider system such as, for example, distribution system 206. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that any type of system may be used, such as, for example, television content system 202 or enhanced television services system 204. In another embodiment, the program guide data may be transmitted from a third party such as, for example, a TV guide service.
In some embodiments, program guide data may be stored in set top box 312. For example, set top box 312 may periodically (e.g. once per day) receive program guide data and store such data within set top box 312 (e.g., in storage system 410). In such a case, IPG module 405 may obtain relevant program guide data from the stored local program data.
Once the program guide data is retrieved, IPG module 405 may use the data to populate the fields of the IPG and create the completed IPG display (step 606). The completed IPG display may then be transmitted to television 314 to be displayed to the user (step 608).
One skilled in the art will recognize that there may be many types of display events associated with a display object that trigger the inquiry into whether an audio representation is required for that display object or make a specific selection for audio associated with a display object. For example, a display event may be created when the user highlights a display object. A display event may also be created when the user highlights the first object in a group of objects. Additionally, a display event may also be created when a display object is first loaded or when the main IPG display is first loaded for display.
One skilled in the art will also recognize that there are many ways by which IPG module 405 may determine whether a display object requires an audio representation. In one embodiment, IPG module 404 may determine whether a display object requires an audio representation by checking a global audio representation system variable representing whether subscriber 106 wishes the IPG to produce audio representations of display objects. The global audio representation system variable may be stored as part of subscriber data 406. Subscriber 106 may set this variable in many different ways such as, for example, when he or she initially sets up the system or by accessing a preferences menu of user interface 404.
In another embodiment, IPG module 405 may check for the existence of an audio representation tag to determine whether an audio representation is required for a display object. The audio representation tag may be attached or otherwise associated with display objects that require an audio representation. The audio representation tag may be part of the program guide data or may be associated to a display object in some other way.
Furthermore, one skilled in the art will also recognize that many types of display objects can require audio representations. For example, display objects that cannot be highlighted by a user (e.g., textual instructions, program preview information) may also require audio representations.
In one embodiment, IPG module 405 may generate an audio representation of a display object by utilizing a text-to-speech converter (not shown) to convert the text associated with the display object into audible speech. For example, if a user highlights a button labeled “Channel 7” on the IPG display and an audio representation is required for that button, then IPG module 405 may utilize a conventional text-to-speech converter to convert the text “Channel 7” into the audio representation. This audio representation may then be transmitted to the television and the user may hear the words “Channel 7” from the television speakers.
In another embodiment, IPG module 405 may not generate the audio representation of a display object but may instead receive the audio representation from service provider 102. Service provider 102 may transmit the requested audio representation to set top box 312 from a service provider server such as, for example, enhanced television services system 204. Enhanced television services system 204 may utilize a text-to-speech converter (not shown) to convert the text associated with the display object into an audio representation of the display object. Enhanced television services system 204 may then transmit the audio representation to IPG module 405. Alternatively, enhanced television services system 204 may contain an audio representation database (not shown) that contains the audio representations associated with display objects. Enhanced television services system 204 may locate the audio representation associated with the specific display object requested by IPG module 405 in the audio representation database and transmit it to IPG module 405.
One skilled in the art will also recognize that any information may be used as an audio representation for a display object, not only the text that is displayed within the display object. In one embodiment, information related to other display objects may be combined with information displayed within the display object to create the audio description of that display object. For example, if a user highlights a cell in a program schedule table for a television program labeled “The Price is Right,” the system may incorporate the information stored in the channel row and time column of the program schedule into the audio description as well as the text displayed within the button. Therefore, if the user highlights a cell labeled “The Price is Right” in a channel row labeled “Channel 4” and a time column labeled “12pm,” the system may combine the information and the audio representation may include “Channel 4, 12pm, The Price is Right.”
Furthermore, a display object need not display any text in order for it to be associated with an audio representation. In one embodiment, contextual information related to a display object but not displayed anywhere on the screen may be used to create the display object's audio representation. This type of contextual information is typically referred to as “alt text.” For example, if a right arrow is displayed on the screen that, in context, means to the user, “if I click on this icon, the program guide will display the next hour of programming,” then the alt text for the icon may be “display next hour.” This alt text may not displayed, but it may nevertheless be associated with the right arrow icon and incorporated into the display object's audio representation by the system when the right arrow is highlighted by the user. In another embodiment, descriptive information related to a display object's environment but not displayed anywhere on the screen may be used to create the display object's audio representation. For example, if all the choices are sports related and there are images of various sports surrounding the choices to indicate visually to a user then descriptively to the user it may say, “now in the sports channel area of the program guide.”
Additionally, one skilled in the art will recognize that IPG module 405 does not have to be implemented in set top box 312. For example, IPG module 405 may be implemented on a service provider server such as, for example, an audio IPG system (not shown) or enhanced television services system 204; or it may be implemented in television 314. In one embodiment, enhanced television services system 204 may transmit IPG display information to set-top box 312 over access network 108 to be output on television 314.
The preferred embodiments described herein provide a technique that enhances the IPG interaction of typical users and enables disabled users with visual impairments and/or users who cannot read (e.g., children) to use services offered by a service provider through the television by being able to navigate and select options from an IPG displayed on the television.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments implemented consistent with the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the preferred embodiments. For example, in one possible variation, there may be two separate interactive programming guides: a visual IPG, and an audio IPG. In this embodiment, if the user chooses audio IPG, then the entire IPG may be provided by a remote audio IPG server (not shown) over access network 108. When the user interacts with the IPG using, for example, remote control 316, requests may be made to the audio IPG server to play certain audio files and to wait for additional input. The audio IPG may work independent from and differently than a visual IPG and may have a completely different logic and flow than a visual IPG. Additional modifications and variations may be realized, for example, by implementing the described embodiments in hardware modules alone, in a combination of hardware and software modules, or in a software module that runs on a general purpose processor.
Other embodiments implemented consistent with the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
