System and method for providing program-related content in a multi-services distribution system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10080057-B2
Application number	US-201715495101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Jun 1, 2007
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

In an embodiment of the present invention, programming content and program-rated content (PRC) cues are delivered to a subscriber via an interactive multi-service distribution network. The PRC cues comprise interactive visual elements that may be used to create a PRC object that is selectable by a subscriber. Upon selection of a PRC object, the subscriber receives PRC through a communication service separate from the video programming delivery service, VOD service, PVR service, and NDVR service.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A video termination device (VTD) for facilitating delivery of program related content (PRC) to a subscriber device comprising:
a processor configured with processor executable instructions to cause the VTD to perform operations comprising:
receiving a video programming stream from a video delivery resource device over a multi-service distribution network, wherein the video programming stream includes a PRC cue that comprises a communication service identifier identifying a communication service for transport of the PRC and view-by data comprising a link to a PRC server device storing a status identifier, wherein the status identifier is indicative of whether the PRC is available for delivery to the subscriber device;
acquiring the view-by data from the PRC cue;
determining from the view-by data if the PRC has expired;
disregarding the PRC cue in response to determining that the PRC has expired;
displaying a PRC object on a display device based on the PRC cue to indicate-an availability of the PRC in response to determining that the PRC has not expired;
receiving a user input selecting the displayed PRC object;
sending a PRC request signal including the communication service identifier identifying the communication service to the PRC server device to initiate transport of the PRC contained in the PRC cue via the communicate service to the subscriber device in response to receiving the user input selecting the displayed PRC object;
receiving configuration data that comprises a PRC object display interval, a PRC object opacity, a PRC object size, a PRC object display location, a disable-PRC-objects function or any combination thereof;
displaying the PRC object based on the received configuration data;
determining whether the disable PRC object function is selected; and
ceasing to process PRC cues and generate PRC objects in response to determining that the disable PRC object function is selected.

2. The VTD of claim 1 , wherein the communication service comprises an e-mail service, a text-messaging service, a cellular telephone service, a digital telephone service, or any combination thereof.

3. The VTD of claim 1 , wherein the VTD comprises a set-top box, a cable-ready television, a personal computer, or any combination thereof.

4. A system for delivering program related content (PRC) to a subscriber device comprising:
a video termination device (VTD); and
a PRC server device;
wherein the VTD comprising a processor configured with processor executable instructions to cause the VTD to perform operations comprising:
receiving a video programming stream from a video delivery resource device over a multi-service distribution network, wherein the video programming stream includes a PRC cue that comprises a communication service identifier identifying a communication service for transport of the PRC and view-by data comprising a link to the PRC server device, the PRC server device storing a status identifier, wherein the status identifier is indicative of whether the PRC is available for delivery to the subscriber device;
acquiring the view-by data from the PRC cue;
determining from the view-by data if the PRC has expired;
disregarding the PRC cue in response to determining that the PRC has expired;
displaying a PRC object on a display device based on the PRC cue to indicate-an availability of the PRC in response to determining that the PRC has not expired;
receiving a user input selecting the displayed PRC object; and
sending a PRC request signal including the communication service identifier identifying the communication service to the PRC server device to initiate transport of the PRC contained in the PRC cue via the communicate service to the subscriber device in response to receiving the user input selecting the displayed PRC object;
receiving configuration data that comprises a PRC object display interval, a PRC object opacity, a PRC object size, a PRC object display location, a disable-PRC-objects function or any combination thereof;
displaying, by the processor, the PRC object based on the received configuration data;
determining, by the processor, whether the disable PRC object function is selected; and
ceasing, by the processor, to process PRC cues and generate PRC objects in response to determining that the disable PRC object function is selected; and

wherein the PRC server device comprises a processor configured with processor executable instructions to cause the PRC server device to perform operations comprising:
receiving the PRC request signal, wherein the PRC request signal further comprises an identifier of the VTD;
obtaining subscriber identifying data related to the communication service from a datastore based on the identifier of the VTD; and
transporting the PRC via the communication service to the subscriber device based on the subscriber identifying data.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a PRC cue injection device comprising a processor configured with processor executable instructions to cause the PRC cue injection device to inject the PRC cue into the video programming stream.

6. A method for delivering program related content (PRC) to a subscriber device, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor of a video termination device (VTD), a video programming stream from a video delivery resource device over a multi-service distribution network, wherein the video programming stream includes a PRC cue that comprises a communication service identifier identifying a communication service for transport of the PRC and view-by data comprising a link to a PRC server device storing a status identifier, wherein the status identifier is indicative of whether the PRC is available for delivery to the subscriber device;
acquiring, by the processor, the view-by data from the PRC cue;
determining, by the processor, from the view-by data if the PRC has expired;
disregarding, by the processor, the PRC cue in response to determining that the PRC has expired;
displaying, by the processor, a PRC object on a display device based on the PRC cue to indicate-an availability of the PRC in response to determining that the PRC has not expired;
receiving, by the processor, a user input selecting the displayed PRC object;
sending, by the processor, a PRC request signal including the communication service identifier identifying the communication service to the PRC server device to initiate transport of the PRC contained in the PRC cue via the communication service to the subscriber device in response to receiving the user input selecting the displayed PRC object;
receiving configuration data that comprises a PRC object display interval, a PRC object opacity, a PRC object size, a PRC object display location, a disable-PRC-objects function or any combination thereof;
displaying, by the processor, the PRC object based on the received configuration data;
determining, by the processor, whether the disable PRC object function is selected; and
ceasing, by the processor, to process PRC cues and generate PRC objects in response to determining that the disable PRC object function is selected.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the communication service comprises an e-mail service, a text-messaging service, a cellular telephone service, a digital telephone service, or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the VTD comprises a set-top box, a cable-ready television, a personal computer, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Stern Peter
• Gillman Joan

Classifications

• H04N21/262

  Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists {(scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62)} · CPC title

• H04N21/44204

  Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31) · CPC title

• H04N21/25435

  involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising · CPC title

• H04N21/84

  Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} · CPC title

• H04N21/23424

  involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement · CPC title