Broadcast enhancement trigger addressed to multiple uniquely addressed information resources

Claim 2

In a system that includes a server system and a plurality of client receiver systems that are configured to receive i) broadcast video signals on one or more video channels, and ii) information content downloaded from the server system, a method for updating a plurality of information resources at the plurality of client receiver systems, but doing so in a manner that reduces bandwidth requirements, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of information resources that require updating; of those information resources that require updating, identifying which information resources have a data field that has at least one common attribute shared by at least one other data field of one of the other information resources that require updating; for each common attribute that is shared by at least one other data field, generating a collective resource identifier that exclusively identifies all information resources that share at least one common attribute with one other data field of another information resource; for each collective resource identifier, embedding an enhancement trigger into the broadcast video signal, the enhancement trigger comprising the collective resource identifier and enhancement data to be used to update the common attributes of the information resources; broadcasting, by the broadcast signal source, the video signal; and processing, at one or more of the plurality of client receivers, the enhancement triggers received with the broadcast video signal by updating the common attributes of the information resources with the enhancement data.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of information resources are each identified by a unique resource identifier having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portions are identical and the second portions are different.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the unique resource identifier uniquely identifies the information resources having a data field that has at least one common attribute.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 , wherein each collective resource identifier includes a collective resource identifier portion identical to the first portion of each respective unique resource identifier.

Claim 6

The method of claim 2 , wherein each collective resource identifier includes a collective resource identifier portion identical to the first portion of each respective unique resource identifier and a wildcard character.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast video signal comprises a data service channel, and wherein each collective resource identifier is embedded into the data service channel.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 , wherein the data service channel is selected from a captioning service channel or a text service channel.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , further comprising embedding a script in the broadcast video signal along with each collective resource identifier, thereby directing the script to the plurality of information resources.

Claim 10

The method of claim 2 , wherein the unique resource identifiers are URIs.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 , wherein each information resource is a web page.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a video portion of the broadcast video signal, wherein the enhancement trigger synchronizes two or more information resources with the video portion of the broadcast video signal.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of information resources includes a first information resource that is a first HTML page and a second information resource that is a second HTML page.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast video signal is broadcast as a National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) video signal including a vertical blanking interval (VBI).

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast video signal is broadcast as a signal selected from a group consisting Phase Alternate Lines (PAL), Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM), High Definition Television (HDTV), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), or Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC).

Claim 16

A computer program product for use in a system that includes a server system and a plurality of client receiver systems that are configured to receive i) broadcast video signals on one or more video channels, and ii) information content downloaded from the server system, the computer program product comprising: a computer readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions, where said computer-executable instructions implement a method for updating a plurality of information resources at the plurality of client receiver systems, but doing so in a manner that reduces bandwidth requirements, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of information resources that require updating; of those information resources that require updating, identifying which information resources have a data field that has at least one common attribute shared by at least one other data field of one of the other information resources that require updating; for each common attribute that is shared by at least one other data field, generating a collective resource identifier that exclusively identifies all information resources that share at least one common attribute with one other data field of another information resource; for each collective resource identifier, embedding an enhancement trigger into the broadcast video signal, the enhancement trigger comprising the collective resource identifier and enhancement data to be used to update the common attributes of the information resources; broadcasting, by the broadcast signal source, the video signal; and processing, at one or more of the plurality of client receivers, the enhancement triggers received with the broadcast video signal by updating the common attributes of the information resources with the enhancement data.

Claim 17

A computer program product for use in a system that includes a server system and a plurality of client receiver systems that are configured to receive i) broadcast video signals on one or more video channels, and ii) information content downloaded from the server system, the computer program product comprising: a computer readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions, where said computer-executable instructions implement a method for updating a plurality of information resources at the plurality of client receiver systems, but doing so in a manner that reduces bandwidth requirements, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of information resources that require updating; of those information resources that require updating, identifying which information resources have a data field that has at least one common attribute shared by at least one other data field of one of the other information resources that require updating; for each common attribute that is shared by at least one other data field, generating a collective resource identifier that exclusively identifies all information resources that share at least one common attribute with one other data field of another information resource; for each collective resource identifier, embedding an enhancement trigger into the broadcast video signal, the enhancement trigger comprising the collective resource identifier and enhancement data to be used to update the common attributes of the information resources; broadcasting, by the broadcast signal source, the video signal; and processing, at one or more of the plurality of client receivers, the enhancement triggers received with the broadcast video signal by updating the common attributes of the information resources with the enhancement data.

Claim 18

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of information resources are each identified by a unique resource identifier having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portions are identical and the second portions are different.

Claim 19

A computer program product as recited in claim 16 , wherein the second portion of the unique resource identifier uniquely identifies the information resources having a data field that has at least one common attribute.

Claim 20

A computer program product as recited in claim 16 , wherein each collective resource identifier includes a collective resource identifier portion identical to the first portion of each respective unique resource identifier.

Claim 21

A computer program product as recited in claim 16 , wherein each collective resource identifier includes a collective resource identifier portion identical to the first portion of each respective unique resource identifier and a wildcard character.

Claim 22

A computer program product as recited in claim 16 , wherein the unique resource identifiers are URIs.

Claim 23

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the broadcast video signal comprises a data service channel, and wherein each collective resource identifier is embedded into the data service channel.

Claim 24

A computer program product as recited in claim 21 , wherein the data service channel is selected from a captioning service channel or a text service channel.

Claim 25

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises embedding a script in the broadcast video signal along with each collective resource identifier, thereby directing the script to the plurality of information resources.

Claim 26

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein each information resource is a web page.

Claim 27

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises displaying a video portion of the broadcast video signal, and wherein the enhancement trigger synchronizes two or more information resources with the video portion of the broadcast video signal.

Claim 28

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of information resources includes a first information resource that is a first HTML page and a second information resource that is a second HTML page.

Claim 29

A computer program product as recited in claim 15 , wherein the broadcast video signal is broadcast as a signal selected from a group consisting Phase Alternate Lines (PAL), Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM), High Definition Television (HDTV), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), or Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC).