`US007120871Bl
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Harrington
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,120,871 Bl
`Oct. 10, 2006
`
`(54) ENHANCED VIDEO PROGRAMMING
`SYSTEM AND METHOD UTILIZING A WEB
`PAGE STAGING AREA
`
`5,014,125 A
`5,114,155 A
`5,128,752 A
`
`511991 Pocock et al.
`511992 Tillery et al.
`7/1992 Von Kohorn
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Jeffrey M. Harrington, Brooklyn, NY
`(US)
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(73) Assignee: ACTV, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
`
`AU
`
`717399
`
`712000
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/397,298
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Sep. 15, 1999
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`G06F 15100
`(2006.01)
`H04N 71173
`(2006.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ................... 715/530; 715/513; 715/501.1;
`715/500.1; 725/110
`(58) Field of Classification Search ............. 715/500.1,
`715/501.1, 513, 523, 530; 725/110
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`Mannos, T.J.; "Re: Web page prefetching?"; DEJA News, (Online),
`the Internet:
`Dec. 1, 1997; XP002095977 Retrieved from
`<URL:http://dejanews.com> (retrieved on Oct. 4, 2002).
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner-Stephen Hong
`Assistant Examiner-Thu V. Huynh
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Morrison & Foerster LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A web page staging area for construction of web pages
`hidden from view of the user. Once the web page is
`constructed, it is displayed to the user based upon timer
`event information or receipt of a particular command
`instructing that it be displayed. Use of the staging area
`provides the user with a more television-like experience in
`viewing content from the Internet or other source in that the
`user need not view a web page being constructed on a
`display device. Use of timer event information for display(cid:173)
`ing the constructed web page permits synchronization of the
`web page with associated programming.
`
`29 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`«$e"R.'1C'?. ""jeN~ ~-'f"E"IC..\\
`'?-..16\1 c:o~~'f".~.ft> ...,..,,,\\ ~
`- Z."3'2..
`\J,~\
`~':::> \\~~\Z- \'\j~'fll''O~
`
`Apple 1107 - Page 1
`
`
`
`US 7,120,871 Bl
`Page 2
`
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`Apple 1107 - Page 2
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`Apple 1107 - Page 3
`
`
`
`US 7,120,871 Bl
`Page 4
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`31, 1996, XP002257234, Retrieved from the Internet: URL:www.
`exn.ca/stories/1999/03/01/04.asp> retrieved on Oct. 9, 2003.
`Wittig et al., "Intelligent Media Agents in Interactive Television
`Systems", Proceedings of the International Conference on Multi(cid:173)
`media Computing and Systems, Los Alamitos, CA, May 15, 1995,
`pp. 182-189, XP000603484.
`"Funkschau Fachzeitschrift fiir elektronische Kommunikation", vol.
`6196 of Mar. 1, 1996, pp. 70-7 5. and English Translation of extract
`from Funkschau Fachzeitschrift Fiir elektronische Kommunikation.
`Nikkei BP Corp., "Intercast Using Gap Television Signal'', Nikkei
`Electronics, Japan, Dec. 18, 1995, No. 651, p. 106.
`Television Society, "Interactive Television Broadcast Using Char(cid:173)
`acter Broadcast System, Video Information and Broadcast Technol(cid:173)
`ogy", Nov. 20, 1995, vol. 11, p. 1482-1487.
`Cline et al., "DirectShow RTP Support for Adaptivity in Networked
`Multimedia Applications", Multimedia Computing and Systems,
`1998, Proceedings, IEEE International Conference Jun. 28-Jul. 1,
`1998, pp. 13-22.
`Philippe Le Hegaret, "Document Object Module (DOM)", Archi(cid:173)
`tecture Domain, located atwww.w3.org/DOM/ retrieved on Jun. 22,
`2001, 2 pages.
`S. Gillich et al., "ATVEF Integration with DVB Using IP/MPE,"
`Dec. 20, 1999, retrieved from www.atvef.com/library/atvef-dub(cid:173)
`bindingR8.htrnl on Jun. 8, 2001, 5 pages.
`J. Steinhorn et al., "Embedded Systems Progranuning-Enhancing
`TV with ATVEF," retrieved from www.embedded.com/1999/9910/
`9910ial.htrn on Mar. 28, 2000, 10 pages.
`"Enhanced Content Specification,", ATVEF, 1998, retrieved from
`www.atvef.com/library/specl-la.htrnl. on Mar. 28, 2000, 38 pages.
`"Overview," located at www.claria.com/companyinfo/visited on
`Mar. 1, 2005.
`* cited by examiner
`
`Apple 1107 - Page 4
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2006
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`Sheet 1 of 9
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`FIG. 1
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`Apple 1107 - Page 5
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2006
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`Sheet 2 of 9
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`US 7,120,871 Bl
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`GET URL
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`Oct. 10, 2006
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`Sheet 4 of 9
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`Apple 1107 - Page 13
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`
`
`US 7,120,871 Bl
`
`1
`ENHANCED VIDEO PROGRAMMING
`SYSTEM AND METHOD UTILIZING A WEB
`PAGE STAGING AREA
`
`REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
`
`The present application is related to U.S. application of
`Craig D. Ullman, Michael R. Abato, Jeffrey M. Harrington,
`and Carl R. Duda, entitled "ENHANCED VIDEO PRO(cid:173)
`GRAMMING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVID(cid:173)
`ING A DISTRIBUTED COMMUNITY NETWORK," and
`filed on even date herewith, which is incorporated herein by
`reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`medium, or particular content from the Internet, or video
`programming at a video server (hereinafter "video program(cid:173)
`ming"), with the massive Internet, creating a new and
`powerful educational and entertainment medium. The sys(cid:173)
`tem allows consumers to receive more information in a more
`efficient manner than either television or the Internet alone.
`Consumers not only can see a news report on television, but
`they can also read pertinent information about the report, as
`well as explore related information about the story. The
`10 program becomes the introduction to a particular subject,
`rather than the entire subject itself. The act of viewing a
`program has now become a more engaging, enriching expe(cid:173)
`nence.
`The system can also create a more intimate relationship
`15 between the viewer and the program. The user might be
`solving problems or performing virtual experiments on the
`Internet site that a teacher is discussing in an educational
`television program. Similarly, the consumer might be solv(cid:173)
`ing problems that the fictional characters in a television
`20 program must solve. In both cases, the consumer is an active
`participant in the process, rather than a passive observer.
`Instead of an undirected and unfocused exploration of
`Internet sites, by synching specific Internet pages to the
`video signal, the system puts the Internet in context. The
`25 television program producers now can decide what addi(cid:173)
`tional information to offer their audience. This material can
`now be seen in the context of the television program.
`An additional advantage is that consumers don't have to
`search through the literally hundreds of millions of pages on
`the Internet to find appropriate material. The material has
`already been filtered by the program producers and delivered
`to the consumer automatically.
`Another advantage of the system is that it changes the
`nature of advertising. Since additional information can be
`given to consumers automatically, advertising can now be
`more substantive, allowing customers to make more
`informed choices. Now, the act of purchasing a product seen
`on television can be streamlined-the consumer can be
`given the choice of buying the product instantly using the
`two-way capabilities of the system.
`In addition, users can take advantage of the two-way
`capabilities of the Internet to respond to polls, to send e-mail
`or to link to additional sites. For example, a viewer watching
`a television news program, through the system of the inven(cid:173)
`tion, can receive a stream of Web pages which provide
`additional, specific information relating to the news con-
`tent-whether background on the Presidential primaries or
`the latest change in interest rates.
`The video programming and corresponding Internet pages
`can be viewed on personal computers equipped with a
`television card, but the open software-based approach
`enables anyone with a television set and JAVA enabled PC
`to experience the system of the invention.
`By marrying the appeal of video with the two-way data
`transfer capabilities of the Internet, the system creates a
`powerful new medium: Video producers and Internet site
`creators can enhance their content to extend their brand
`identity and differentiate their program offerings to the
`60 millions of people who are spending more time navigating
`through the resources of the World Wide Web rather than
`watching television; advertisers can speak more directly to
`consumers by directly sending Web pages to the consumer
`instead of only displaying Web addresses in their commer-
`65 cials; and consumers can gain a new level of interest and
`interactivity over a video-based medium. In addition to
`providing significant and immediate benefits to broadcasters
`
`35
`
`Today, the capabilities of computers to provide massive
`amounts of educational and entertainment information has
`exploded with the Internet. The Internet has the power to
`transform society through unprecedented levels of informa(cid:173)
`tion flow between members. Currently, on-line systems offer
`a variety of different services to users, including news feeds,
`electronic databases (either searchable by the user directly
`on the on-line system, or downloadable to the user's own
`computer), private message services, electronic newsletters,
`real time games for play by several users at the same time,
`and job placement services, to name a few. However, today,
`most on-line communications occur merely through text.
`This currently stands in great contrast to the audio/visual
`presentation of the alternative electronic medium, television. 30
`However, it is expected that as multi-media's incessant
`growth continues, audio/visual programs will proliferate and
`text will become less and less dominant in the on-line
`environment. Even though these programs will be intro(cid:173)
`duced, the Internet, will remain essentially user unfriendly
`due to its very massiveness, organization, and randomness.
`Simply stated, there is no order or direction in the Internet.
`Specific pieces of information are many times hard to find,
`and harder yet, is the ability to put that piece of information
`into a meaningful context.
`Television, on the other hand, has been criticized for being
`a passive medium-"chewing gum for the eyes," as Fred
`Allen once observed. Television has always been something
`you watched, not something you do. Many social critics
`believe that the passivity television depends on has seeped 45
`into our entire culture, turning a nation of citizens into a
`nation of viewers. While interactive television systems have
`increased the level of user interaction, and thus, provided
`greater learning and entertainment opportunities, vast infor(cid:173)
`mation resources such as databases are inaccessible from 50
`such a medium.
`What is needed is a means to close the gap between video
`programming and the information superhighway of the
`Internet. What is needed is a wider, richer experience
`integrating audio/visual and textual database elements into 55
`an organized unique interactive, educational, entertainment
`experience. Currently, the Internet is a repository of infor(cid:173)
`mation on virtually any subject. However, what is needed is
`a mechanism for combining the user-friendly visual expe(cid:173)
`rience of television with the vast information resources of
`the Internet.
`
`40
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The system of the present invention combines broadcast
`television programming and/or video programming which
`appears on a VHS or Beta tape, CD-ROM, DVD or other
`
`Apple 1107 - Page 14
`
`
`
`US 7,120,871 Bl
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`4
`information uniquely relevant to their interests, demograph(cid:173)
`ics, history, etc. This embodiment makes the transmission of
`URLs to the user even less complex than the first embodi(cid:173)
`ment disclosed herein.
`In another embodiment of the present invention, a web
`page staging area is used on a client's machine to construct
`a web page hidden from view. The machine receives from a
`server a pre-fetch push command along with a URL and
`timer event information. Ahidden staging frame is set-up in
`memory for constructing the web page, and a timer is
`initialized using the timer event information. A web browser
`uses the URL to retrieve content and construct the web page
`in the hidden staging frame. After the web page is con(cid:173)
`structed and the timer expires or other relevant timer event
`occurs, the web browser retrieves the constructed web page
`and displays it to the user. Therefore, the user is provided
`with a more television-like experience in viewing content, as
`the user need not view the web pages being constructed.
`Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide
`20 order and direction to the Internet by using television signals
`to place, orient and control such information in a meaningful
`context.
`It is an object of the present invention to create a more
`intimate relationship between the viewer and the program by
`enriching the learning experience through the provision of
`more in-depth information.
`
`3
`and advertisers, the system will also present educational
`programmers with a way to more effectively use Internet
`resources in the classroom.
`Recently, several media companies have joined to create
`a system for linking the Internet and television on the
`personal computer, called "Intercast." In this system, content
`will be provided simultaneously with the TV video signal.
`This system, however, requires that stripped down Web
`pages be sent in the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the
`video signal, using up to three scan lines limiting effective 10
`bandwidth to approximately 28.8 kbps. This approach, how(cid:173)
`ever, requires specialized hardware to both insert the Web
`pages into the VBI and extract these codes at each PC since
`it takes up to three scan lines of the VBI. Thus, the
`complexity and cost of the PC is increased. Because the Web 15
`pages are transmitted with the video signal, the Intercast
`system is not a true "two-way" system, but merely a
`one-way "piggyback" system. In addition, the Intercast is an
`analog video product, and thus, cam10t handle digital video
`data.
`The system of the present invention, on the other hand, is
`a much more flexible, but less complex, system. The present
`invention supports either analog or digital television broad(cid:173)
`casts without broadcasters or end-users having to alter their
`existing systems, thus enabling broadcasters to reach a wide 25
`audience within a short time.
`In a first embodiment, the actual Web pages are not forced
`into the very limited bandwidth of the vertical blanking
`interval (VBI). Instead, merely eight fields of line 21 of the
`FIG. 1 is a diagram of the system design, showing the
`VBI are used to deliver the relevant Internet Web page 30
`receipt and decoding of video signals at the subscriber
`addresses to the PC. These addresses are called "uniform
`location using the method of the present invention.
`resource locators" (URLs). The system then directs the
`FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an alternative system
`particular Web browser to retrieve the identified Web pages
`embodiment to achieve the integration of the Internet infor(cid:173)
`from the Internet. Upon receipt of the particular Web
`mation with the video content by decoding the uniform
`page(s), the system syncs the Web page(s) to the video 35
`resource locators at a server site and then transmitting the
`signal, and at the appropriate times, presents the Web pages
`URLs to the subscriber stations via the Internet.
`on one portion of the computer screen with the television
`FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the basic software design of
`video signal, shown in a window on another portion of the
`the present invention.
`screen, and thus, provides the synergistic Internet and tele(cid:173)
`FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another system embodiment
`vision experience. One of the advantages of the system of 40
`to achieve the direct transmission ofURLs over the Internet
`the present invention is that no speci