公开(公告)号：US06215483B1

公开(公告)日：2001-04-10

申请号：US09099481

申请日：1998-06-17

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond

IPC分类号： H04N710

CPC分类号： H04N21/462 ,  H04N5/4401 ,  H04N5/44543 ,  H04N7/088 ,  H04N7/17318 ,  H04N21/4331 ,  H04N21/434 ,  H04N21/435 ,  H04N21/4508 ,  H04N21/4622 ,  H04N21/4722 ,  H04N21/4884 ,  H04N21/6125 ,  H04N21/8133 ,  H04N21/8586

摘要： A method and apparatus for receiving logical address links in advance of a television program and combining such links with those that may be received in real-time during a television broadcast are provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, content associated with a television (TV) program may be automatically displayed by a client system, such as an Internet terminal or a computer equipped with a TV tuner. Prior to broadcast of a TV program, TV listing information is stored in the client system. The TV listing information includes one or more batch mode logical addresses, e.g., Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), that identify content, such as Internet content. The client system alerts the viewer of the existence of an active logical address associated with the current TV program by providing a visual indication. After the visual indication has been selected by the viewer, the client system displays the content identified by the logical address. Additionally, one or more real-time logical addresses may be received by the client system embedded in a video signal associated with the TV program. The real-time logical addresses may be embedded in either a text service channel (e.g., T1, T2, T3, T4) or a captioning service channel (e.g., CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4) of the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the video signal. When both real-time logical addresses and batch mode logical addresses are associated with a TV program, the client system determines which to bring to the attention of the user of the client system based upon a set of predefined rules. Importantly, features of the present invention are applicable to many broadcast television (TV) systems including National Television Standards Committee (NTSC), Phase Alternate Lines (PAL), and Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM) as well as the proposed High Definition Television (HDTV) standard.

摘要翻译： 提供一种用于在电视节目之前接收逻辑地址链路并将这些链接与在电视广播期间可实时接收的链接相组合的方法和装置。 根据本发明的一个方面，与电视（TV）节目相关联的内容可以由诸如因特网终端的客户系统或配备有电视调谐器的计算机自动显示。 在广播电视节目之前，电视列表信息被存储在客户端系统中。 电视列表信息包括标识诸如因特网内容的内容的一个或多个批处理模式逻辑地址，例如统一资源定位符（URL）。 客户端系统通过提供视觉指示来向观看者警告存在与当前TV节目相关联的活动逻辑地址。 在观看者选择了视觉指示之后，客户端系统显示由逻辑地址标识的内容。 此外，一个或多个实时逻辑地址可以由嵌入在与TV节目相关联的视频信号中的客户端系统接收。 实时逻辑地址可以嵌入垂直消隐间隔（VBI）的文本服务信道（例如，T1，T2，T3，T4）或字幕服务信道（例如，CC1，CC2，CC3，CC4） 的视频信号。 当实时逻辑地址和批处理模式逻辑地址都与电视节目相关联时，客户端系统基于一组预定义的规则来确定要引起客户端系统的用户注意的位置。 重要的是，本发明的特征可应用于许多广播电视（TV）系统，包括国家电视标准委员会（NTSC），相位交替行（PAL）和顺序Couleur Avec Memoire（SECAM）以及所提出的高分辨率电视 HDTV）标准。

公开(公告)号：US5594490A

公开(公告)日：1997-01-14

申请号：US247834

申请日：1994-05-23

申请人： William P. Dawson ,  Jay B. Schiller ,  Richard A. Schmelzer ,  Daniel J. Zigmond

发明人： William P. Dawson ,  Jay B. Schiller ,  Richard A. Schmelzer ,  Daniel J. Zigmond

IPC分类号： H04B7/185 ,  H04N7/173

CPC分类号： H04B7/18523 ,  H04L1/0083 ,  H04L1/1809 ,  H04L1/22 ,  H04N7/17336

摘要： A system and method for ensuring accurate reception of digitally encoded files that are transmitted in non-real time from a distribution station to a plurality of receiving stations, e.g. cable headends. Each file is divided into a plurality of data packets, with the packets being transmitted via satellite to the headends. Each headend determines which packets are in error (i.e. missing or jumbled) and need to be re-transmitted to the headend from the distribution station. After such a determination, each headend communicates a request over a land-link, e.g. telephone line or internet, to the distribution station requesting re-transmission of the packets in error. The distribution station then re-transmits these particular packets either via the land-link or the satellite. Re-transmission in non-real time via the land-link allows the headend to simultaneously receive packets via satellite and land-link so as to reduce the time taken to transmit files from the distribution station to the headends. The different land-links coupling the distribution station to each receiving station allow different data packets to simultaneously be re-transmitted to different receiving stations.

摘要翻译： 一种用于确保以非实时的方式从分发站传输到多个接收站的数字编码文件的准确接收的系统和方法，例如， 电缆头端。 每个文件被分成多个数据分组，其中分组通过卫星传送到头端。 每个头端确定哪个数据包是错误的（即丢失或混乱），并且需要从分发站重新发送到头端。 在这样的确定之后，每个头端通过陆地链路传送请求，例如， 电话线路或互联网，到分发站请求重新发送数据包错误。 分配站然后通过陆地链路或卫星重新发送这些特定分组。 通过陆地链路非实时重新传输允许头端通过卫星和陆地链路同时接收分组，以便减少从分发站向头端传输文件所需的时间。 将分配站耦合到每个接收站的不同的陆地链路允许不同的数据分组同时被重新发送到不同的接收站。

公开(公告)号：US08621501B2

公开(公告)日：2013-12-31

申请号：US12951974

申请日：2010-11-22

申请人： John R. Matheny ,  Daniel J. Zigmond

发明人： John R. Matheny ,  Daniel J. Zigmond

IPC分类号： H04N7/16 ,  H04N7/10 ,  H04N7/025

CPC分类号： H04H20/38 ,  G06Q30/0226 ,  G06Q30/0235 ,  G06Q30/0241 ,  H04H60/82 ,  H04N7/17309 ,  H04N21/42684 ,  H04N21/4331 ,  H04N21/435 ,  H04N21/4758 ,  H04N21/4784 ,  H04N21/6582 ,  H04N21/812 ,  H04N21/8586

摘要： Methods and apparatus for encouraging viewers to pay attention to commercials by incentivizing viewers to watch. Viewers are notified that they can receive rewards for answering one or more questions during or at the conclusion of the commercial. To verify that the viewer paid attention to the commercial, the answer to the question may be based on the content of the commercial. A sponsor might ask, for example, that the viewer identify the name of the sponsor or the color of an announcer's shirt. A correct answer indicates that the viewer watched the commercial, and the viewer is therefore entitled to some reward. For example, viewers who watch the commercial may be entered in a prize drawing, or may receive prize points, such as frequent-flier miles. In other embodiments, viewers may verify that they watched a given program by selecting an icon or pressing a button on a remote control.

摘要翻译： 鼓励观众注意广告的方法和手段，鼓励观众观看。 通知观众，他们可以在商业广告期间或结束时收到回答一个或多个问题的报酬。 为了验证观众注意商业广告，问题的答案可能是基于广告的内容。 赞助者可能会问，例如，观众识别赞助商的名字或播音员衬衫的颜色。 正确的答案表示观众观看了广告，因此观众有权获得一些奖励。 例如，观看商业广告的观众可以输入奖品，或者可以获得奖励积分，例如频繁飞行里程。 在其他实施例中，观看者可以通过选择图标或按下遥控器上的按钮来验证他们是否观看了给定的节目。

公开(公告)号：US20120260278A1

公开(公告)日：2012-10-11

申请号：US13083663

申请日：2011-04-11

申请人： Diane Lambert ,  Daniel J. Zigmond

发明人： Diane Lambert ,  Daniel J. Zigmond

IPC分类号： H04H60/32 ,  H04H60/33

CPC分类号： H04H60/45 ,  H04H60/66 ,  H04N21/2407 ,  H04N21/25883

摘要： Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for estimating demographic compositions of television audiences. In an aspect, audience demographics are estimated from viewing device log records and household demographic data describing demographic segments to which members of the households belong.

摘要翻译： 方法，系统和装置，包括在计算机存储介质上编码的计算机程序，用于估计电视观众的人口组成。 在一个方面，观众人口统计是通过查看设备日志记录和家庭成员数据来估计的，这些数据描述了家庭成员所属的人口统计部分。

公开(公告)号：US20120151513A1

公开(公告)日：2012-06-14

申请号：US13277827

申请日：2011-10-20

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Diane Lambert

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Diane Lambert

IPC分类号： H04H60/32

CPC分类号： H04N21/44213 ,  H04H60/33 ,  H04H60/45 ,  H04H60/64

摘要： Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for inferring a demographic composition of a television audience of a television program. In one aspect, a method extrapolates television audience demographics from rated programs to unrated programs by attributing demographics of rated programs to unrated programs when the rated and unrated program are related by demographically rated channel tunes.

摘要翻译： 方法，系统和装置，包括在计算机存储介质上编码的计算机程序，用于推断电视节目的电视观众的人口组成。 在一个方面，一种方法是将电视观众人口统计学从评级项目推广到未评级的节目，将评级节目的人口统计学归因于未评级的节目，当评分和未分级节目与人口统计的频道曲调相关时。

公开(公告)号：US07617510B2

公开(公告)日：2009-11-10

申请号：US10656884

申请日：2003-09-05

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  James Armand Baldwin ,  Peter T. Barrett ,  Steven Wasserman

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  James Armand Baldwin ,  Peter T. Barrett ,  Steven Wasserman

IPC分类号： H04N7/167

CPC分类号： H04N21/4147 ,  H04N5/44543 ,  H04N7/106 ,  H04N21/4122 ,  H04N21/43615 ,  H04N21/47214 ,  H04N21/482

摘要： Subject matter includes methods of using conventional set-top boxes that receive streaming video modulated on coaxial cable rather than over an IP-based LAN as nodes in a media network. In one implementation, an exemplary adapter is used to integrate a conventional set-top box into a media network. In one implementation, an exemplary filter is used to reserve frequencies for communications between a conventional set-top box and a hub and to prevent communications from leaving a media network. In one implementation, an exemplary content protection method provides a way of encrypting program content on the media network in a manner that a conventional set-top box can decode.

摘要翻译： 主题包括使用传统机顶盒的方法，其接收在同轴电缆上调制的流视频，而不是基于IP的LAN作为媒体网络中的节点。 在一个实现中，示例性适配器用于将常规机顶盒集成到媒体网络中。 在一个实现中，使用示例性滤波器来预留传统机顶盒和集线器之间的通信的频率并且防止通信离开媒体网络。 在一个实现中，示例性内容保护方法提供了以常规机顶盒可以解码的方式在媒体网络上加密节目内容的方式。

公开(公告)号：US07614064B2

公开(公告)日：2009-11-03

申请号：US10923955

申请日：2004-08-23

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond

IPC分类号： H04N60/33

CPC分类号： H04H60/31 ,  H04H60/37 ,  H04N7/17336 ,  H04N21/25866 ,  H04N21/2747 ,  H04N21/4325 ,  H04N21/4334 ,  H04N21/44213 ,  H04N21/4667 ,  H04N21/812 ,  H04N21/8456

摘要： Program boundaries are determined through viewing behavior. More specifically, edge and/or commercial boundaries of programs may be determined by monitoring viewing behavior of different video segments using forward and backward correlations between video segments. In a described implementation, a video portion is divided into segments. To monitor the viewing of the video portion, whether each particular segment is played by a viewer (as compared to being unviewed or viewed in an accelerated manner) is tracked for a number of different viewers. For each segment, correlations with previous and subsequent segments are calculated based on viewership. The segments may then be categorized. A segment that is strongly correlated with subsequent segments but not previous segments is categorized as a starting segment. A segment that is strongly correlated with previous segments but not subsequent segments is categorized as an ending segment. Middle and island segments may also be categorized.

摘要翻译： 程序边界通过查看行为确定。 更具体地，可以通过使用视频段之间的前向和后向相关性监视不同视频段的观看行为来确定节目的边缘和/或商业边界。 在所描述的实现中，视频部分被分成多个段。 为了监视视频部分的观看，对于多个不同的观看者，跟踪观看者是否观看每个特定片段（与被加以阅读或被加速观看相比）。 对于每个分段，根据观看次数计算与前一个和后续分段的相关性。 然后可以对这些段进行分类。 与后续段而不是先前段紧密相关的段被分类为起始段。 与先前段而不是后续段强关联的段被分类为结束段。 中部和岛屿部分也可以分类。

公开(公告)号：US07543323B1

公开(公告)日：2009-06-02

申请号：US10133554

申请日：2002-04-26

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Dean Blackketter ,  William M. Gillon ,  Phillip Goldman

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Dean Blackketter ,  William M. Gillon ,  Phillip Goldman

IPC分类号： G06F3/00 ,  G06F13/00 ,  H04N5/445 ,  H04N7/173 ,  H04N11/00 ,  H04N5/44

CPC分类号： H04N21/235 ,  H04N5/4401 ,  H04N5/44543 ,  H04N7/08 ,  H04N21/4622 ,  H04N21/8586

摘要： Displaying content associated with a television program using logical addresses identifying the content. Content associated with the television program is automatically displayed by a set top box. Before the broadcast of a program, television listing information, such as EPG data, is stored at the set top box. The listing information includes batch mode logical addresses or links. During the program, a viewer is notified about the link, enabling the content to be accessed and displayed concurrently with the program. In addition, real-time logical addresses or links, which are embedded in the program, may be extracted and displayed to the viewer. If both the real-time and batch mode links are available, a determination is made according to pre-defined rules regarding which link is brought to the attention of the viewer. In this manner, real-time links can be supplied with the broadcast to supplement or replace the batch mode links.

摘要翻译： 使用标识内容的逻辑地址显示与电视节目相关联的内容。 与电视节目相关联的内容由机顶盒自动显示。 在播放节目之前，诸如EPG数据的电视列表信息被存储在机顶盒中。 列表信息包括批处理模式逻辑地址或链接。 在程序期间，通知观众关于链接，使得能够与程序同时访问和显示内容。 此外，嵌入在程序中的实时逻辑地址或链接可以被提取并显示给观看者。 如果实时和批量模式链路都可用，则根据关于哪个链接引起观察者注意的预定义规则进行确定。 以这种方式，可以在广播中提供实时链路来补充或替换批模式链路。

公开(公告)号：US07492277B2

公开(公告)日：2009-02-17

申请号：US11275881

申请日：2006-02-01

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Dov Green

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Dov Green

IPC分类号： G08C19/00 ,  H04N5/44

CPC分类号： G08C17/02 ,  G08C2201/91 ,  G08C2201/92 ,  H04B1/202 ,  H04L12/2803 ,  H04L12/282

摘要： Subject matter includes a reprogrammer for roving remote controllers that are capable of being used in multiple locations with different devices to be controlled at each location. An exemplary roving remote controller changes control code sets to operate whatever devices are present in a particular room. In one implementation, an exemplary multimedia system has reprogrammers for one or more roving remote controllers that adapt to their setting. When a remote controller is moved from a first room to a second room, the program content being controlled in the first room is automatically transferred to the second room.

公开(公告)号：US07421728B2

公开(公告)日：2008-09-02

申请号：US11198088

申请日：2005-08-05

申请人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Dean J. Blackketter

发明人： Daniel J. Zigmond ,  Dean J. Blackketter

IPC分类号： H04N7/173 ,  H04N5/445 ,  G06F3/00 ,  G06F13/00

CPC分类号： H04N21/26275 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04L67/02 ,  H04L67/325 ,  H04L69/329 ,  H04N7/17318 ,  H04N7/17327 ,  H04N21/4331 ,  H04N21/4622 ,  H04N21/4722 ,  H04N21/47815 ,  H04N21/4782 ,  H04N21/6125 ,  H04N21/6175 ,  H04N21/6582 ,  H04N21/8543 ,  H04N21/858 ,  H04N21/8586

摘要： In interactive television, a broadcaster may broadcast triggers to a great many receiver units prompting the receiver units to attempt to send requests to a single destination on the Internet at roughly the same time. Such a large number of simultaneous requests can give rise to throughput problems and server overload. A receiver unit in accordance with the invention, rather than immediately attempting to send a request, waits a period of time (for example, a random period) before sending the request so as not to overload the server. In one embodiment, a trigger is received on an interactive television receiver unit prompting the viewer to select an icon. If the viewer selects the icon, then a browser in the receiver unit retrieves a web page on the Internet identified by a URL in the trigger. The web page includes an indication of a destination, scheduling information, and a form area. The viewer enters user information in association with the form area. The browser captures that user information, incorporates it into a request, and then stores the request in a queue along with the scheduling information. The browser periodically checks the scheduling information in the queue and determines from the scheduling information if it is time to send the request. When the browser determines the time has come to send a request in the queue, the browser retrieves the request and sends it to the destination. The browser may then receive a return response and display it.

摘要翻译： 在交互式电视中，广播者可以向许多接收机单元广播触发器，提示接收机单元大致同时在因特网上尝试向单个目的地发送请求。 如此大量的同时请求可能会导致吞吐量问题和服务器过载。 根据本发明的接收机单元，而不是立即尝试发送请求，在发送请求之前等待一段时间（例如，随机时段），以免使服务器过载。 在一个实施例中，触发器被接收在交互式电视接收机单元上，提示观众选择图标。 如果观众选择图标，则接收器单元中的浏览器检索由触发器中的URL识别的因特网上的网页。 网页包括目的地，调度信息和表单区域的指示。 观众与表单区域相关联地输入用户信息。 浏览器捕获用户信息，将其并入到请求中，然后将请求与调度信息一起存储在队列中。 浏览器定期检查队列中的调度信息，并从调度信息确定是否是发送请求的时间。 当浏览器确定在队列中发送请求的时间到来时，浏览器检索请求并将其发送到目的地。 然后，浏览器可以接收返回响应并显示它。