US5754940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interactive subscription television terminal
Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1994-06-27
•
Granted: 1998-05-19
•
Expires: 2014-06-27
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing interactive services in a subscription television system includes a system controller for controlling the interactive services, a video signal source for transmitting a video signal and a subscriber terminal for receiving a downstream transaction from the system controller and the video signal. The system controller comprises a memory for storing subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a processor for generating a downstream transaction including subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a transmitter for transmitting the downstream transaction, and a receiver for receiving an upstream transaction. The subscriber terminal includes memory for storing the downstream transaction, an on screen display generator for overlaying data in place of or superimposed on the video signal, data input circuitry for generating upstream data, and an upstream transmitter for transmitting the upstream data to the system controller. The downstream transaction may include screen data which defines at least one screen to be overlaid in place of or superimposed on the video signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Elizabeth A. Smith
- 👤 Lee R. Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:45
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/21; H04N21/214; H04N21/2143; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/433; H04N21/4331; H04N21/4335; H04N21/47; H04N7/08; H04N7/084; H04N7/085; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0888; H04N7/162; H04N7/165; H04N7/167; H04N7/1675; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318; H04N21/478
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
System apparatus for providing interactive services in a subscription television system comprising, a system controller for controlling the interactive services, said system controller comprising: controller memory for storing subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a processor, coupled to said controller memory, for generating a downstream transaction having subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a first transmitter, coupled to said processor, for transmitting the downstream transaction, and a first receiver for receiving upstream data, a video signal source for transmitting a video signal, and a terminal apparatus, coupled to said first transmitter and said video signal source, for receiving the downstream transaction and the video signal, said terminal apparatus comprising: terminal memory for storing the transaction data associated with the downstream transaction received by said terminal apparatus, an on screen display generator for overlaying data in place of or superimposed on the video signal received by said terminal apparatus, a terminal controller, coupled to said terminal memory and said on screen display generator, for controlling said on screen display generator according to the transaction data stored in said terminal memory, data input circuitry, coupled to said terminal controller, for generating the upstream data, and an upstream transmitter for transmitting the upstream data to said first receiver of said system controller.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
System apparatus for providing interactive services in a subscription television system comprising, a system controller for controlling the interactive services, said system controller comprising: controller memory for storing subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a processor, coupled to said controller memory, for generating a downstream transaction having subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a first transmitter, coupled to said processor, for transmitting the downstream transaction, and a first receiver for receiving upstream data, a video signal source for transmitting a video signal, and a terminal apparatus, coupled to said first transmitter and said video signal source, for receiving the downstream transaction and the video signal, said terminal apparatus comprising: terminal memory for storing the transaction data associated with the downstream transaction received by said terminal apparatus, an on screen display generator for overlaying data in place of or superimposed on the video signal received by said terminal apparatus, a terminal controller, coupled to said terminal memory and said on screen display generator, for controlling said on screen display generator according to the transaction data stored in said terminal memory, data input circuitry, coupled to said terminal controller, for generating the upstream data, and an upstream transmitter for transmitting the upstream data to said first receiver of said system controller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller is part of a hotel subscription television system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller is part of a headend of a cable subscription television system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said first transmitter transmits the downstream transaction on a separate carrier outside a band of television channels utilized by said subscription television system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said separate carrier is at 108 MHz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said first transmitter transmits the downstream transaction within a particular television channel utilized by said subscription television system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said first transmitter transmits the downstream transaction within one of a vertical and a horizontal blanking intervals of the particular television channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said upstream transmitter transmits the upstream data on a separate carrier outside a band of television channels utilized by said subscription television system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 8, wherein the separate carrier is at 25 MHz.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said upstream transmitter transmits the upstream data over a separate telephone line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said upstream transmitter transmits the upstream data utilizing spread spectrum transmission techniques.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said processor of said system manager generates a second downstream transaction according to the upstream data received by said first receiver.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the transaction data of the downstream transaction comprises screen data which defines at least one screen to be overlaid in place of or superimposed on the video signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a screen number which uniquely identifies the particular screen defined by the downstream transaction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a priority number for use in determining whether to overwrite the screen data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a cannibal bit which aids in swapping screen data in and out of said terminal memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a type field which indicates a screen type.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a channel number indicating a channel of background video or audio associated with the at least one screen.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes an audio field for indicating whether background audio is to be used.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a feature number identifying a feature scenario.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a time out field for specifying a maximum viewing time of the at least one screen.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 13, wherein said data input circuitry of said terminal apparatus comprises a keypad having a plurality of keys, and the screen data includes a key template map for associating a particular key of said keypad with a particular operation to be performed by said terminal controller.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen data includes a text field which contains actual characters to be overlaid in place of or superimposed on the video signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the screen display data includes an attribute field for defining a screen display characteristic.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a subscription television system for providing interactive services including a first transmitter for transmitting a downstream transaction having subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a first receiver for receiving upstream data and a video signal source for transmitting a video signal, a subscriber terminal apparatus coupled to said first transmitter and said video signal source comprising: a second receiver for receiving the video signal transmitted by said video signal source and the downstream transaction transmitted by said first transmitter; memory for storing the transaction data associated with the downstream transaction received by said second receiver; an on screen display generator for overlaying data in place of or superimposed on the video signal received by said second receiver; a controller, coupled to said memory and said on screen display generator, for controlling said on screen display generator according to the transaction data stored in said memory; data input circuitry, coupled to said controller, for generating upstream data; and an upstream transmitter for transmitting the upstream data to said first receiver.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a subscription television system for providing interactive services including a first transmitter for transmitting a downstream transaction having subscriber terminal address data and transaction data, a first receiver for receiving upstream data and a video signal source for transmitting a video signal, a subscriber terminal apparatus coupled to said first transmitter and said video signal source comprising: a second receiver for receiving the video signal transmitted by said video signal source and the downstream transaction transmitted by said first transmitter; memory for storing the transaction data associated with the downstream transaction received by said second receiver; an on screen display generator for overlaying data in place of or superimposed on the video signal received by said second receiver; a controller, coupled to said memory and said on screen display generator, for controlling said on screen display generator according to the transaction data stored in said memory; data input circuitry, coupled to said controller, for generating upstream data; and an upstream transmitter for transmitting the upstream data to said first receiver.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said controller comprises a processor and gate array logic.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said subscriber terminal apparatus is part of a hotel subscription television system.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said subscriber terminal apparatus is part of a cable subscription television system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said second receiver receives the downstream transaction on a separate carrier outside a band of television channels utilized by said subscription television system.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 29, wherein said separate carrier is at 108 MHz.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said second receiver receives the downstream transaction within a particular television channel utilized by said subscription television system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 31, wherein said second receiver receives the downstream transaction within one of a vertical and a horizontal blanking intervals of the particular television channel.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said upstream transmitter transmits the upstream data on a separate carrier outside a band of television channels utilized by said subscription television system.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 33, wherein the separate carrier is at 25 MHz.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said upstream transmitter transmits the upstream data over a separate telephone line.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein said upstream transmitter transmits the upstream data utilizing spread spectrum transmission techniques.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
36 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transaction data of the downstream transaction comprises screen data which defines at least one screen to be overlaid in place of or superimposed on the video signal.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a screen number which uniquely identifies a particular screen defined by the downstream transaction.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a priority number for use in determining whether to overwrite the screen data.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a cannibal bit which aids in swapping screen data in and out of said terminal memory.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a type field which indicates a screen type.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a channel number indicating a channel of background video or audio associated with the at least one screen.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes an audio field for indicating whether background audio is to be used.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
19 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a feature number identifying a feature scenario.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
28 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a time out field for specifying a maximum viewing time of the at least one screen.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
48 words
The subscriber terminal apparatus of claim 37, wherein said data input circuitry comprises a keypad having a plurality of keys, and the screen data includes a key template map for associating a particular key of said keypad with a particular operation to be performed by said terminal controller.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
30 words
The subscriber terminal of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes a text field which contains actual characters to be overlaid in place of or superimposed on the video signal.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
The subscriber terminal of claim 37, wherein the screen data includes an attribute field for defining a screen display characteristic.
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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) | 2001-05-18 | 2001-11-17 | 2002-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-18 | 2005-11-17 | 2006-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-18 | 2009-11-17 | 2010-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |