EP0901284A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internet linkage with broadcast TV
Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1998-08-26
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-08-26
Abstract
Abstract Signals corresponding to Uniform Resource Locators (URL's) are inserted directly into a broadcast television signal, advantageously in portion of the vertical blanking interval available for closed captioning information. When a television signal with the embedded URL is received in an Internet capable television, the presence of the URL is indicated to the viewer, such as by causing a small, transparent, overlay icon to be displayed on the TV screen. When a viewer thereafter actuates a special button on their wireless (infrared), or wired, remote control, the URL information contained in the television signal is extracted and sent to the portion of the television, or auxiliary device, used to establish an Internet connection. The viewer is then able to gain access to the Internet site having the address specified by the URL, which site will generally contain information associated with the television programming.
Inventors
- 👤 John Alson Hicks Iii
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 09:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of providing a television viewer access to an Internet site
associated with programming displayed on an Internet capable television set,
comprising the steps of inserting a signal corresponding to a URL into a broadcast television signal, indicating the presence of said inserted signal to said viewer, detecting occurrences of a viewer generated input control signal during a time
period when said URL is present, and responsive to detection of said input control signal, displaying on said
television for said viewer, the Internet site addressed by said URL.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of providing a television viewer access to an Internet site
associated with programming displayed on an Internet capable television set,
comprising the steps of inserting a signal corresponding to a URL into a broadcast television signal, indicating the presence of said inserted signal to said viewer, detecting occurrences of a viewer generated input control signal during a time
period when said URL is present, and responsive to detection of said input control signal, displaying on said
television for said viewer, the Internet site addressed by said URL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said inserting step includes inserting said
URL in a specific field within the vertical blanking interval of said broadcast
television signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said specific field is the field ordinarily
reserved for closed captioning information
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein different URL's are inserted in different
portions of a single program or advertisement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 wherein each of said different URL's corresponds
to a specific item being described in said television program.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said indicating step includes displaying an
icon on said television set.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said input signal is generated in response
to actuation by said viewer of a control disposed on a wireless (an infrared) remote
control device, or wired remote control device, used to control said television set.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said remote control device is arranged to
transmit wireless infrared signals to said television.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said detecting step includes detecting
actuation of said remote control.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the URL information contained in the
television signal is extracted and sent to the portion of the television used to establish
an Internet connection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the information embedded in said
television signal is associated with the television programming.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of displaying information from a specific Internet site on an
Internet capable television set, comprising the steps of encoding information specifying a URL in a broadcast television signal, transmitting said signal to said television set, displaying an icon on said television set indicating the presence of said URL,
and responsive to an input control signal generated during a time period when said
URL is present, transmitting a message from said television set to an Internet host
requesting that information at the Internet site addressed by said URL be transmitted
to said television set.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of displaying information from a specific Internet site on an
Internet capable television set, comprising the steps of encoding information specifying a URL in a broadcast television signal, transmitting said signal to said television set, displaying an icon on said television set indicating the presence of said URL,
and responsive to an input control signal generated during a time period when said
URL is present, transmitting a message from said television set to an Internet host
requesting that information at the Internet site addressed by said URL be transmitted
to said television set.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of accessing an Internet site associated with programming
displayed on a television set, comprising the steps of displaying on said television set, an indication that a URL has been inserted a
broadcast television signal received by said television set, detecting occurrences of an input control signal during a time period having a
specified relationship to the time period when said URL is present, and responsive to detection of said input control signal, causing the display on said
television for said viewer, of the Internet site addressed by said URL.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of accessing an Internet site associated with programming
displayed on a television set, comprising the steps of displaying on said television set, an indication that a URL has been inserted a
broadcast television signal received by said television set, detecting occurrences of an input control signal during a time period having a
specified relationship to the time period when said URL is present, and responsive to detection of said input control signal, causing the display on said
television for said viewer, of the Internet site addressed by said URL.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of accessing a world wide web (WWW) page associated with
programming displayed on an Internetcapable television set, comprising the steps of displaying to a viewer on said television set, an icon indicating that the address
of a WWW page has been recovered from the television signal received by the
television set, responsive to detection of an input control signal generated by said viewer,
transmitting said address to a WWW host, and displaying on said television the WWW page having said address.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of accessing a world wide web (WWW) page associated with
programming displayed on an Internetcapable television set, comprising the steps of displaying to a viewer on said television set, an icon indicating that the address
of a WWW page has been recovered from the television signal received by the
television set, responsive to detection of an input control signal generated by said viewer,
transmitting said address to a WWW host, and displaying on said television the WWW page having said address.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of accessing a world wide web (WWW) page associated with
programming displayed on an Internetcapable television set, comprising the steps of recovering from a received television signal, the address of a WWW page, said
address being encoded in the vertical blanking interval; displaying an icon to a viewer on said television set, said icon indicating that
said address has been recovered; responsive to detection of an input signal generated by said viewer,
transmitting said address from said television set to a WWW host, receiving at said television set from said WWW host, a WWW page having
said address, and displaying said WWW page on said television.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of accessing a world wide web (WWW) page associated with
programming displayed on an Internetcapable television set, comprising the steps of recovering from a received television signal, the address of a WWW page, said
address being encoded in the vertical blanking interval; displaying an icon to a viewer on said television set, said icon indicating that
said address has been recovered; responsive to detection of an input signal generated by said viewer,
transmitting said address from said television set to a WWW host, receiving at said television set from said WWW host, a WWW page having
said address, and displaying said WWW page on said television.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of accessing a world wide web (WWW) page associated with
programming displayed on an Internetcapable television set, said method comprising
the steps of encoding in the vertical blanking interval of a television signal, encoded
information identifying the URL of an Internet website, said website containing
information associated with the television image displayed when said television signal
is processed in a television receiver and displayed on a display device; responsive to receipt at said television set of said television signal including
said encoded information, displaying an icon on said display device, said icon
indicative of the presence of said URL in said vertical blanking interval; monitoring for actuation of a viewer generated signal during a time interval
during or shortly after said displaying step is performed; responsive to receipt of said viewer generated signal, extracting said URL
from said received television signal, transmitting said URL to an Internet host; receiving from said Internet host information for displaying a WWW page;
and using said received information to display said information on said display
device.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of accessing a world wide web (WWW) page associated with
programming displayed on an Internetcapable television set, said method comprising
the steps of encoding in the vertical blanking interval of a television signal, encoded
information identifying the URL of an Internet website, said website containing
information associated with the television image displayed when said television signal
is processed in a television receiver and displayed on a display device; responsive to receipt at said television set of said television signal including
said encoded information, displaying an icon on said display device, said icon
indicative of the presence of said URL in said vertical blanking interval; monitoring for actuation of a viewer generated signal during a time interval
during or shortly after said displaying step is performed; responsive to receipt of said viewer generated signal, extracting said URL
from said received television signal, transmitting said URL to an Internet host; receiving from said Internet host information for displaying a WWW page;
and using said received information to display said information on said display
device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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