US6061719A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Synchronized presentation of television programming and web content
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
•
Filing: 1997-11-06
•
Granted: 2000-05-09
•
Expires: 2017-11-06
Abstract
Abstract Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) or other network information identifiers are transmitted with television signals in order to permit web content to be displayed in synchronization with television programming. In an illustrative embodiment, URLs are embedded in a closed caption portion of a transmitted television signal, and delimited from the closed caption text using predetermined delimiting characters. A decoder extracts the URLs from the television signal, and supplies the URLs to a retrieval device which automatically retrieves corresponding web pages or other similar information over a network. The retrieved web pages are then displayed to a viewer in synchronization with related programming in the television signal. The retrieval device may be a set-top box associated with a television set that displays both a retrieved web page and the corresponding television picture portion of the television signal. Alternatively, the retrieval device may be a computer which retrieves and displays a web page, while the corresponding television picture is displayed on a television set.
Inventors
- 👤 Samuel J. Bendinelli
- 👤 Venkatesh Krishnaswamy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:39
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/80; H04N21/85; H04N21/858; H04N21/8586; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/4302; H04N21/4307; H04N21/43074; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N21/435; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/4722; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318; H04N21/488; H04N21/4884; H04N21/81; H04N21/812; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N5/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of accessing information over a computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes the network information identifier to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal; and allowing the viewer to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of continued display of the currently-display retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently received network information identifier.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of accessing information over a computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes the network information identifier to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal; and allowing the viewer to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of continued display of the currently-display retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently received network information identifier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the network information identifier is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying a web site.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step includes receiving the network information identifier in a closed caption portion of the television signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3 further including the step of decoding the closed caption portion of the television signal to recover the network information identifier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the network information identifier is embedded in a text stream of the closed caption portion of the television signal and delimited by one or more predetermined characters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes it to automatically retrieve information over the network further includes the step of supplying the network information identifier to a set-top box associated with a television set.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the set-top box establishes a connection over the network with a server which delivers a web page for display on the television set along with a picture portion of the television signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the set-top box includes a decoder for extracting the network information identifier from a closed caption portion of the television signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6 further including the step of displaying the retrieved information simultaneously with a picture portion of the television signal on the television set using a picture-in picture arrangement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 6 further including the step of permitting the viewer to select between display of the retrieved information and display of a picture portion of the television signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes it to automatically retrieve information over the network further includes the step of supplying the network information identifier to a computer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 further including the step of displaying the retrieved information on a display screen of the computer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 further including the step of preventing the retrieval and display of information corresponding to a particular network information identifier if the particular network information identifier has a predetermined form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further including the steps of storing a plurality of received network information identifiers, and allowing the viewer to select one or more of the plurality of identifiers for which corresponding retrieved information will be displayed in conjunction with the television signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: a decoder for processing at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; and a display device coupled to an output of the decoder and receiving at least a portion of the television signal therefrom, wherein the network information identifier is utilized to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the recieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with a display on the display device of related programs in the television signal, and the viewer is permitted to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information indentifier, and wherein selection of continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: a decoder for processing at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; and a display device coupled to an output of the decoder and receiving at least a portion of the television signal therefrom, wherein the network information identifier is utilized to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the recieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with a display on the display device of related programs in the television signal, and the viewer is permitted to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information indentifier, and wherein selection of continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the network information identifier is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying a web site.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the decoder is a closed caption decoder which extracts the network information identifier from a closed caption portion of the television signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the network information identifier is embedded in a text stream of the closed caption portion of the television signal and delimited by one or more predetermined characters.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the display device is a television set and the decoder is part of a set-top box associated with the television set.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the set-top box establishes a connection over the network with a server which delivers a web page for display on the television set along with a picture portion of the television signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the retrieved information is displayed on the television set simultaneously with a picture portion of the television signal, using a picture-in-picture arrangement.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the set-top box permits the viewer to select between display of the retrieved information and display of a picture portion of the television signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the decoder supplies the network information identifier to a computer which utilizes it to automatically retrieve information over the network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the display device on which the related programming is displayed is a television set, and the retrieved information is displayed on a display screen of the computer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the decoder prevents the retrieval and display of information corresponding to a particular network information identifier if the particular network information identifier has a predetermined form.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further including a memory for storing a plurality of received network information identifiers, wherein the viewer is permitted to select one or more of the plurality of identifiers for which corresponding retrieved information will be displayed in conjunction with the television signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the set-top box is configured to allow the viewer to select continued display of the retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the decoder is implemented in a tuner card in a computer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein a television picture generated by the tuner card is displayed in one window on a display screen of the computer, and the retrieved information is displayed in another window on the display screen.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
114 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: means for receiving at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; means for supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes the network information identifier to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal; and means for allowing the viewer to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of a continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
114 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: means for receiving at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; means for supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes the network information identifier to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal; and means for allowing the viewer to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of a continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: means for processing at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal, such that the network information identifier is utilized to automatically retrieve information over the network; and means for displaying the retrieved information to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal, such that the viewer is permitted to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of continued currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: means for processing at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal, such that the network information identifier is utilized to automatically retrieve information over the network; and means for displaying the retrieved information to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal, such that the viewer is permitted to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of continued currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of accessing information over a computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving a sequence of network information identifiers transmitted with a television signal; supplying the network information identifiers to a device which utilizes the network information identifiers to retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in synchronization with related programming in the television signal; and allowing the viewer to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of accessing information over a computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving a sequence of network information identifiers transmitted with a television signal; supplying the network information identifiers to a device which utilizes the network information identifiers to retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in synchronization with related programming in the television signal; and allowing the viewer to select continued display of currently-displayed retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, wherein selection of continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: a receiver for receiving a sequence of network information identifiers transmitted with a television signal; and a display for displaying network information retrieved using the network identifiers, wherein the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in synchronization with related programming the television signal, and the viewer is permitted to select continued display of currently-display retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, and further wherein selection of continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: a receiver for receiving a sequence of network information identifiers transmitted with a television signal; and a display for displaying network information retrieved using the network identifiers, wherein the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in synchronization with related programming the television signal, and the viewer is permitted to select continued display of currently-display retrieved information corresponding to a particular network information identifier, and further wherein selection of continued display of the currently-displayed retrieved information automatically interrupts display of additional retrieved information corresponding to at least one subsequently-received network information identifier.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of accessing information over a computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes the network information identifier to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal; and preventing the retrieval and display of information corresponding to a particular network information identifier if the particular network information identifier has a designated predetermined form.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of accessing information over a computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; supplying the network information identifier to a device which utilizes the network information identifier to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with related programming in the television signal; and preventing the retrieval and display of information corresponding to a particular network information identifier if the particular network information identifier has a designated predetermined form.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: a decoder for processing at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; and a display device coupled to an output of the decoder and receiving at least a portion of the television signal therefrom, wherein the network information identifier is utilized to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with a display on the display device of related programming in the television signal, and wherein the decoder prevents the retrieval and display of information corresponding to a particular network information identifier if the particular network information identifier has a designated predetermined form.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for accessing information over a computer network, comprising: a decoder for processing at least one network information identifier transmitted with a television signal; and a display device coupled to an output of the decoder and receiving at least a portion of the television signal therefrom, wherein the network information identifier is utilized to automatically retrieve information over the network, such that the retrieved information is displayed to a viewer in conjunction with a display on the display device of related programming in the television signal, and wherein the decoder prevents the retrieval and display of information corresponding to a particular network information identifier if the particular network information identifier has a designated predetermined form.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-09 | 2003-11-08 | 2004-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-09 | 2007-11-08 | 2008-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-09 | 2011-11-08 | 2012-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |