Multi-option sourcing of content and interactive television

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10779045-B2
Application number	US-201514812584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A content manager receives a request to display a content guide of available content. In response to receiving the request, the content manager initiates display of the content guide on a display screen. In the displayed content guide, the content manager initiates display of multiple selectable content viewing options. A first selectable channel viewing option of the multiple content viewing options can be configured to correspond to a television channel from which to view content originating from a content sponsor. A second channel viewing option of the multiple content viewing options can be configured to correspond to an auxiliary channel with respect to the television channel from which to access available over-the-top content associated with the content originating from the content sponsor. Accordingly, a user can be easily notified of the availability of content on a television channel and over-the-top content associated with the television channel.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method comprising:
while rendering playback of a video television program on a display screen, receiving a command to view supplemental content associated with the rendered video television program;
in response to receiving the command:
using a map to map an identity of the video television program being rendered on the display screen to a network address associated with the supplemental content;

retrieving the supplemental content from a server resource that serves the supplemental content associated with the video television program, the supplemental content being specified by the network address; and
in response to receiving the command while rendering playback of the video television program, initiating display of a rendition of the supplemental content on the display screen.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein initiating display of the rendition of the supplemental content includes: as specified by the supplemental content, initiating display of a set of selectable content viewing options on the display screen, the set of selectable content viewing options specifying different content available for selection and retrieval over a communication link; and
in response to selection of a given content viewing option from the set, transmitting a communication over a communication link to the server resource to retrieve content as specified by the given content viewing option.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: in accordance with control input received from a remote control device operated by a respective cable network subscriber, toggling between displaying a rendition of the video television program on the display screen and displaying the rendition of the supplemental content on the display screen.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: receiving feedback from multiple subscribers, the multiple subscribers producing the feedback based on viewing the video television program; and producing a portion of the video television program to include the feedback.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: mapping the identity of the video television program to the network address subsequent to and in response to receiving the command.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: storing the video television program; in response to receiving the command to view the rendition of the supplemental content, storing a pointer specifying a playback time of switching over to playing back the rendition of the supplemental content; and upon switchover back to viewing the video television program on the display screen, playing back the stored video television program at the playback time as specified by the pointer.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: initiating playback of the video television program in its entirety on the display screen even though a user at least temporarily switches over to viewing the rendition of the supplemental content on the display screen, the rendition of the supplemental content played back in between portions of playing back the video television program.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: wherein the supplemental content includes first supplemental content and second supplemental content, the first supplemental content pertaining to a first playable portion of the video television program, the second supplemental content pertaining to a second playable portion of the video television program.

9. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: prior to receiving the command to view the supplemental content: in response to detecting playback of the video television program on the display screen, displaying a symbol on the display screen, the symbol indicating availability of the supplemental content.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: initiating display of a content guide on the display screen to include time slots indicating availability of content, the content guide indicating which fewer than all portion of the time slots and corresponding available content for a particular channel in the content guide supports interaction with respective viewers.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising: initiating display of a content guide on the display screen to include multiple timeslots, the multiple timeslots indicating availability of content, the content guide indicating availability of a respective video program in a first time slot of the content guide via a corresponding primary channel; and
providing a notification in the content guide, the notification indicating in which less-than-all portion of the first time slot the respective video program supports interaction with viewers of the respective video program.

12. The method as in claim 11 , wherein the less-than-all portion of the first time slot is a first portion of the first time slot; and wherein the first time slot includes a second portion, the second portion indicating a respective portion of the first time slot that the respective video program does not support interaction with viewers of the respective video program.

13. A method comprising:
rendering content received over a cable network channel on a display screen, the cable network channel allocated to distribute content originating from a content sponsor assigned to the cable network channel;
while rendering the content on the display screen, receiving a request to access supplemental content associated with the cable network channel;
in response to receiving the request to access the supplemental content associated with the cable network channel:
via a map, mapping an identity of the cable network channel associated with the content being rendered on the display screen to a network address of a server resource that distributes the supplemental content;
retrieving the supplemental content from the server resource associated with the cable network channel, the supplemental content being specified by the network address; and
initiating display of a rendition of the supplemental content on the display screen, the rendition of the supplemental content including display of a set of selectable content viewing options, the set of selectable content viewing options specifying different content available for selection and retrieval over a communication link.

14. The method as in claim 13 , wherein receiving the request includes:
detecting selection of a button on a remote control device operated by a subscriber viewing the rendered content on the display screen, selection of the button indicating the request to access and display the rendition of the supplemental content associated with the cable network channel on the display screen.

15. The method as in claim 13 , wherein the content received over the cable network channel is a television program, the method further comprising: in accordance with control input received from a remote control device operated by a respective cable network subscriber, toggling between displaying a rendition of the television program on the display screen and displaying a rendition of the supplemental content on the display screen.

16. The method as in claim 13 , wherein the content originating from the content sponsor is broadcast content provided by the content sponsor for availability to multiple subscribers in a cable network environment over the cable network channel; and wherein the supplemental content includes complementary display information pertinent to the broadcast content.

17. The method as in claim 13 further comprising: prior to receiving the request, executing an application to communicate over a network and retri

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Stern Peter

Classifications

• H04N7/141

  between two video terminals, e.g. videophone (telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085) · CPC title

• H04N21/4788

  communicating with other users, e.g. chatting {(arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4821

  using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time · CPC title

• H04N21/4622

  Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859) · CPC title

• H04N21/4722

  for requesting additional data associated with the content · CPC title