EP1098533A2
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EP
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An interactive television system
Assignee: ACTV Inc
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Filing: 1996-05-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-05-17
Abstract
Abstract An interactive cable television system utilizes a standard cable television distribution network for simultaneously providing a plurality of viewers with an interactive television program comprising a plurality of signals related in time and content. Video signals (1) are transmitted in a digital format, more than one signal being multiplexed onto a data stream on a single channel. The video signals (1) may be compressed for efficiency. A receiver (7), in conjunction with a signal selector (8), selects a particular NTSC channel for playback, then selects a particular video signal from the data stream, and decompresses the video signal for playback. Seamless switching between video signals on different channels is provided. In an alternative embodiment, the various signals which comprise the interactive program are switched at the head end (300) rather than at the receiver (7). The multiple choice control unit (9) selects a desired signal by relating the multiple choice selections of the user through a relay box (17) back to a remotely located switching station. The switching station routes the correct video signal down the appropriate cable channel for the particular user.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory W. Harper
- 👤 Michael J. Freeman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:16
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H20/00; H04H20/28; H04H20/30; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/40; H04H20/10; H04H20/103; H04H20/106; H04H20/38; H04H60/00; H04H60/29; H04H60/33; H04N; H04N11/00; H04N11/04; H04N11/042; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/234; H04N21/23424; H04N21/236; H04N21/2365; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/426; H04N21/42607; H04N21/4263; H04N21/43; H04N21/434; H04N21/4347; H04N21/438; H04N21/4383; H04N21/4384; H04N21/44; H04N21/44004; H04N21/44016; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/454; H04N21/60; H04N21/63; H04N21/643; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/812; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/0806; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0882; H04N7/10; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318; H04N7/17345; H04N7/17354; H04H20/65; H04H20/76; H04H20/77; H04H20/81; H04H20/86; H04H20/95; H04N5/00; H04N5/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
An interactive television reception system for receiving interactive
television programming, the interactive television programming comprising one
or more interactive program signals placed at one or more communication
frequencies, each interactive television program signal comprising a data stream
containing a plurality of digitally compressed video signals, and the reception
system comprising: a user interface (130) for receiving subscriber selections; a microprocessor (108), connected to the user interface, for selecting one
of the video signals and directing a seamless switch to the selected video signal; means for independently receiving (7) and demodulating (102) an
interactive program signal from one or more communication frequencies; means for demultiplexing (106) received interactive program signals into
two video signals; a pair of digital video buffers (164, 165), each buffer receiving one video
signal from the demultiplexing means and buffering the demultiplexed video
signal; a pair of decompressor/decoders (110A, 110B), each
decompressor/decoder connected to one digital video buffer, for decompressing
the buffered video signals and converting the decompressed signals into
standard video signals; a pair of synchronization means (151, 152, 153, 154), each
synchronization means connected to the decompressor/decoder, for
synchronizing the standard video signals; and a vertical blanking interval switch (180), connected to each
synchronization means, for switching between the synchronized signals during
the vertical blanking interval of the current synchronization signal; and means (10), connected to the vertical blanking interval switch, for
displaying said selected video signal; wherein subscribers in said interactive television system independently
select said interactive television programming.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein
one of the digital video signals contains a standard broadcast signal of an event.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim
2, wherein one of the digital video signals contains a close-up view of an event.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any preceding
Claim, wherein one of the digital video signals contains a continuously updated
view of event highlights.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any preceding
Claim, wherein one of the digital video signals contains statistical information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any preceding
Claim, wherein the multiplexed digital video signals have been transmitted over
a single cable channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to
6, wherein the digital video signals have been transmitted over a cable television
system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to
6, wherein the digital video signals have been transmitted over a broadcast
television system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to
6, wherein the digital video signals have been transmitted over a direct
broadcast satellite.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
An interactive television reception system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to
6, wherein the digital video signals have been transmitted over a six MHz NTSC
channel.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of receiving interactive television programming, where the
interactive television programming is comprised of one or more interactive
program signals located on one or more communication frequencies, wherein
the interactive program signals comprise digitally compressed video signals, the
method comprising the steps of: receiving one or more selections from a user; receiving an interactive program signal; demultiplexing the received interactive program signal to obtain first and
second compressed video signals; independently decompressing and decoding the first and second
compressed video signals to obtain the first and second video signals; independently frame synchronizing the first and second video signals to
obtain first and second synchronized video signals; passing the first and second synchronized video signals through a vertical
blanking interval switch; and seamlessly switching between the first and second synchronized video
signals by: determining whether a switch is necessary by processing the user
selections and first and second command information in a processor; and instructing the vertical blanking interval switch (180) to switch between the
first and second video signals only if the processor determines that a
switch is necessary; and displaying the video signal that passes through the vertical blanking
interval switch.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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