US5614940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for providing broadcast information with indexing
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 1994-10-21
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Granted: 1997-03-25
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Expires: 2014-10-21
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus generates and transfers a stream of broadcast information which includes multiple video and audio information segments to a receiving device. Once received, the segments are stored in a cache and indexing information associated with the segments is made available to end users of the apparatus. The end users are then able to select which segment(s) they would like to receive, and the selected segment(s) is transmitted to the requesting user(s). In one embodiment, when a new segment is received, a determination is made as to whether it is a more recent version of another segment already stored by the apparatus. If it is a more recent version, then the older version is overwritten by the newer version.
Inventors
- 👤 David A. Cobbley
- 👤 John A. Throckmorton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/68; H04H60/73; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/70; G06F16/73; G06F16/735; G06F16/738; G06F16/78; H04H20/00; H04H20/40; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/426; H04N21/43; H04N21/433; H04N21/4331; H04N21/435; H04N21/442; H04N21/44213; H04N21/44222; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/454; H04N21/458; H04N21/4586; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/84; H04N21/845; H04N21/8456; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/163; H04H60/25; H04H60/35; H04H60/37
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for displaying broadcast information comprising the steps of: (a) receiving broadcast information including video image data; (b) storing at least on part of the video image data in a storage device; (c) displaying a set of indexing information associated with the at least one part of the video image data; (d) retrieving at least one portion of the at least one part of the video image data from the storage device based on selected indexing information, wherein the selected indexing information is part of the set of indexing information; and (e) displaying the at least one portion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for displaying broadcast information comprising the steps of: (a) receiving broadcast information including video image data; (b) storing at least on part of the video image data in a storage device; (c) displaying a set of indexing information associated with the at least one part of the video image data; (d) retrieving at least one portion of the at least one part of the video image data from the storage device based on selected indexing information, wherein the selected indexing information is part of the set of indexing information; and (e) displaying the at least one portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of: determining whether a first part of the video image data is a more recent version of a second part of the video image data, wherein the second part was previously stored in the storage device; and deleting the second part from the storage device, provided the first part is the more recent version.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: determining whether an end user is currently viewing the second part; and deleting the second part from the storage device, provided the end user is not currently viewing the second part, otherwise deleting the second part from the storage device when the end user completes viewing the second part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the deleting comprises overwriting the second part with the first part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises displaying the set of indexing information associated with the most recent at least one part of the video image data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying at least one portion of the video image data based on a selected subset of the set of indexing information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises displaying the set of indexing information in an order which is predetermined by a personal profile.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast information comprises a repeating news broadcast.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises receiving the set of indexing information during a vertical blanking interval (VBI) associated with the broadcast information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: receiving closed caption information as part of the broadcast information; and generating the set of indexing information from the closed caption information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step (a) further comprises receiving a set of text information associated with a first portion of the at least one part of the video image data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying the set of text information, provided the first portion is displayed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step (a) further comprises receiving a set of graphical images associated with a first portion of the at least one part of the video image data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of displaying the set of graphical images, provided the first portion is displayed.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for providing broadcast information to an end user comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a stream of broadcast information including a plurality of program segments; (b) storing the plurality of program segments in a storage device; (c) providing a set of indexing information associated with the plurality of program segments to the end user; (d) retrieving a subset of the plurality of program segments from the storage device based on selected indexing information, wherein the selected indexing information is part of the set of indexing information; and (e) providing the subset of the plurality of program segments for display.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for providing broadcast information to an end user comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a stream of broadcast information including a plurality of program segments; (b) storing the plurality of program segments in a storage device; (c) providing a set of indexing information associated with the plurality of program segments to the end user; (d) retrieving a subset of the plurality of program segments from the storage device based on selected indexing information, wherein the selected indexing information is part of the set of indexing information; and (e) providing the subset of the plurality of program segments for display.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast information also includes audio data.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
174 words
A system for displaying broadcast information comprising: a transmitting device for transmitting video image data and indexing information associated with the video image data; a capture device for receiving the video image data from the transmitting device; a storage device which stores at least one part of the video image data and at least one part of the indexing information; a storage manager coupled to the capture device for managing storing of both the at least one part of the video image data and the at least one part of the indexing information in the storage device; and a playback device, coupled to the storage device, for receiving a set of the at least one part of the indexing information from the storage device and for displaying the set of indexing information, wherein the playback device is also for receiving at least one portion of the at least one part of the video image data associated with the set of indexing information from the storage device and for displaying the at least one portion.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
174 words
A system for displaying broadcast information comprising: a transmitting device for transmitting video image data and indexing information associated with the video image data; a capture device for receiving the video image data from the transmitting device; a storage device which stores at least one part of the video image data and at least one part of the indexing information; a storage manager coupled to the capture device for managing storing of both the at least one part of the video image data and the at least one part of the indexing information in the storage device; and a playback device, coupled to the storage device, for receiving a set of the at least one part of the indexing information from the storage device and for displaying the set of indexing information, wherein the playback device is also for receiving at least one portion of the at least one part of the video image data associated with the set of indexing information from the storage device and for displaying the at least one portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the indexing information comprises a plurality of titles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the transmitting device transmits a stream of repeating video and audio data.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the storage manager is also for determining whether a first part of the at least one part of the video image data is a more recent version of a second part of the at least one part of the video image data, and for overwriting the second part in the storage device with the first part, provided the first part is the more recent version.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the transmitting device transmits the indexing information during a vertical blanking interval (VBI).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the transmitting device transmits the video image data via radio waves.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the capture device is also for compressing the a least one part of the video image data.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for displaying broadcast information comprising: a receiving unit for receiving broadcast information which includes video image data; a transmitting unit for transmitting indexing information associated with the broadcast information to a playback device; and a processing unit which stores at least one part of the broadcast information in a storage device and determines whether a first part of the at least one part of the broadcast information is a more recent version of a second part of the at least one part of the broadcast information already stored in the storage device, and wherein the processing unit overwrites the second part in the storage device with the first part, provided the first part is the more recent version.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for displaying broadcast information comprising: a receiving unit for receiving broadcast information which includes video image data; a transmitting unit for transmitting indexing information associated with the broadcast information to a playback device; and a processing unit which stores at least one part of the broadcast information in a storage device and determines whether a first part of the at least one part of the broadcast information is a more recent version of a second part of the at least one part of the broadcast information already stored in the storage device, and wherein the processing unit overwrites the second part in the storage device with the first part, provided the first part is the more recent version.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processing unit also determines whether an end user is currently viewing the second part, and overwrites the second part in the storage device with the first part, provided the end user is not currently viewing the second part, otherwise deleting the first part from the processing unit.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processing unit also compresses the at least one part of the broadcast information prior to storing the at least one part of the broadcast information in the storage device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a capturing unit which digitizes and compresses the at least one part of the broadcast information.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for displaying broadcast information comprising: means for receiving broadcast information, wherein the broadcast information includes video image data; means for storing at least one part of the video image data in a storage device; means for displaying a set of indexing information associated with the at least one part of the video image data; and means for displaying at least one portion of the at least one part of the video image data based on selected indexing information, wherein the selected indexing information is part of the set of indexing information.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for displaying broadcast information comprising: means for receiving broadcast information, wherein the broadcast information includes video image data; means for storing at least one part of the video image data in a storage device; means for displaying a set of indexing information associated with the at least one part of the video image data; and means for displaying at least one portion of the at least one part of the video image data based on selected indexing information, wherein the selected indexing information is part of the set of indexing information.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 28, wherein the means for storing comprises: means for determining whether a first part of the video image data is a more recent version of a second part of the video image data, wherein the second part is already stored in the storage device; and means for deleting the second part from the storage device, provided the first part is the more recent version.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 29, wherein the means for determining determines whether an end user is currently viewing the second part, and the means for deleting deletes the second part from the storage device, provided the end user is not currently viewing the second part, otherwise the means for deleting deletes the first part from the means for storing.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 29, wherein the means for deleting overwrites the second part with the first part.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 28, wherein the means for displaying a set of indexing information displays the set of indexing information associated with the most recent at least one part of the video image data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 28, wherein the means for displaying a set of indexing information displays the set of indexing information in an order which is predetermined by a personal profile.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving receives the set of indexing information during a vertical blanking interval (VBI) associated with the broadcast information.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the broadcast information also includes audio data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4751578A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-03-24 | 2000-09-23 | 2001-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-03-24 | 2004-09-23 | 2005-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-03-24 | 2008-09-23 | 2009-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |