MXPA01006281A - Television receiver and method of using same for displaying information messages - Google Patents

Abstract

A receiver and its method of usage is provided for controllably displaying informational messages, comprising a display device data for receiving first data corresponding to main programming content and second data corresponding to messaging information, and a controller for receiving input regarding changes in the main programming and, upon receipt of such input, coordinating a gradual or piecemeal visual transition to and from the messaging information displayed in the time interval between separate main program pictures. This invention provides smooth visual transitions between main programs and informational messages, such as commercial advertising, using zooms, wipes, dissolves or puzzle constructions/deconstructions and so forth of an introduced informational message by triggering portal applications during, for instance, channel tuning.

Description

RECEIVER AND METHOD OF TELEVISION TO USE THEM TO DISPLAY INFORMATION MESSAGES The present invention relates generally to an arrangement and method for displaying information messages in a television receiver.

The conventional television transmission systems transmit advertising commercials to transmit during the spaces in the scheduled regular programming that is being transmitted in a given transmission channel. The image of the program that was previously being viewed is abruptly suspended and replaced by the audiovisual content of commercial images, which, in turn, are abruptly suspended and replaced by another program image until completion of the commercial message (s). It has also been proposed the automatic insertion of commercials when a viewer changes between the different programming channels. In conventional transmission involving encoded compressed data transmissions used for digital television (DTV), channel switching does not occur instantaneously due to the time delays associated with the tuning and processing of compressed compressed signals. Therefore, during the tuning of channels by the viewer, that is, the change from one channel to another, a visually noticeable blank screen appears on the television screen for a short but conspicuous time interval after a selection is made. channel has been selected by the user and until the tuning acquires and completes the processing of the new channel selection to deploy it. Blank screen intervals, while notable and disconcerting to the viewer, typically last less than a second. The previous art has proposed filling these brief blank screen interludes with commercial messages.

For example, EPO pat. Request 0 712 242 has proposed inserting a commercial on the television screen during the aforementioned blank screen time intervals, referred to herein as "erase time". When the cable subscriber switches to a new channel, the screen of the regular programming of cable in the channel is suspended and commercial, they are pre-stored in the receiver or they are fed simultaneously and continuously in the cable network, they unfold until the television tunes in and acquires the new selected channel, from which the commercial display stops and the programming associated with the new channel is deployed. Separate commercials can be associated with separate channels, basic commercials can be deployed, or commercial ones can be directed to certain subscribers. A processor is included in the receiver and tuner that can process the messages as needed or instructed. The EPO Pat. Request 0 712 242 then describes an approach to fill the "erase time" with audiovisual content of a commercial message in which abrupt changes will occur in the images that the user is seeing during transitions from one channel to another, interspersing short commercials. The EPO Pat. Request 0 554 577 describes the generation of commercials in television receivers by means of the local storage of commercials in the television receiver as original or updatable content, which is deployed either in a manner depending on the time or that can be activated by the operation of a TV receiver control function such as switching on, changing channel, changing volume, etc. Memory processing and storage capabilities are provided to manage the multiple commercial deployment and user programmable import. The display of commercials can be on the entire screen for a predetermined period of time or, as during a channel change, it can be displayed as a small insert, or as an advertisement along a portion of the screen, or as an "on-screen box" (PIP), along with, if available, the channel display on the screen.

As explained above, blank screen intervals occur when changing channels when watching television, where digital and / or encoded transmission signals are involved. Therefore, inserting the entire screen or any insertion and operation of a small image or advertisement or PIP function for commercials during a channel change according to the EPO Pat. Request 0 554 577 will not be perceived as involving perfect audiovisual transitions for the viewer. The U.S. Pat. 5,805,974 discloses a method and apparatus for synchronizing commercials across multiple communication channels so that commercials can be presented in a "partial way block" form or even in a total "road block" for viewers requesting changes of channels. The EPO Pat. Request 0 663 769 describes smooth fade transitions when switching from one channel to another. To achieve this, an image of the previous channel transmission is frozen or stored for the smooth fade transition to be made with the new selected live broadcast image. Alternatively, two separate receivers are provided to simultaneously handle two live transmission supplies separately to drive the image transition. In the previous case, the single display of a frozen image or still image stored from the previous channel on the screen while a new supply image appears on the screen may leave something to be desired visually. In the latter case, the need to provide two receiver units separately would considerably increase the cost of the television receiver. The inter-PCT Public. No. WO 98/30025 describes a method and system for implementing interactive broadcast programs and commercials using a receiver configured to receive a multiplexed data stream including one or more main programs and a plurality of different commercials. During commercial spaces, a choice or menu of different commercials available and that the viewer can select is displayed on the television monitor. Basic commercials can be shown if the viewer does not select their own commercial choice within a given period of time. None of the references discussed above addresses satisfactorily the subject of abrupt transitions that visually disconcert between regular programming and commercial spaces. What is needed are high-quality production transitions, smoother and more perfect between normal and commercial programming. Therefore, a more aesthetic, stimulating and effective introduction and exit from a commercial to another message is desired, presenting during or among program selections that will create a more effective and visual or visual impact on the viewer. The present invention fulfills the above and other needs in the art.

According to the present invention, a television receiver array is provided to implement the visually enhanced transitions between information messages. In a characterization, the present invention relates to a digital television receiver that controllably displays information messages, including a display device and a message controller to manage the presentation of commercials or other information messages during spaces or interruptions in programming. principal. The deployment device is used to display data corresponding to the main programming content and also data corresponding to the content of information messages. The controller is used to receive inputs with respect to changes in the main programming and, upon reception of said input, it coordinates a gradual or little by little visual transition between the information messages displayed in the time interval separating the program images. main.

In particular, an information message that includes at least one information message image structure is inserted between separate main program images, where a message image is gradually constructed on the screen of the display image to then replace portions of the image. current main program image until the message image is gradually deconstructed on the image screen while another main program image gradually fills the image screen in the locations where the message picture is disappearing until the assembly of the new image of the new main program is complete. In this way, the viewer sees no abrupt changes in the image screen when the information message is presented and instead provides a visually entertaining and stimulating experience. The information message that is inserted with the special visual effects by this invention includes, for example, commercial (still structured or animated), logos (for example, a logo of a new channel selection), closed caption text (subtitles) , etc.

In a favorable implementation, the inventive digital television receiver includes a television signal demultiplexer for receiving a multiplexed data stream, where the demultiplexer operates to separate the audiovisual content data corresponding to the main multimedia data programming corresponding to the information message content and presentation protocol. The informational message transitions are used in combination with the activation of the portal applications. By this terminology, it refers to JAVA and JAVA type software applications invoked to present the information messages. These software applications are triggered by the occurrence of certain actions controlled by the user that are detected by the receiver, such as each time the user tunes to a specific or new channel, or, alternatively, when certain events occur within the same program main that are detected by the receiver, such as a commercial space or a video cut. These portal applications carry a form of information, which is "mapped" for the transition. Portal applications are usually transmitted as part of the continuous multiplexed data stream sent to the television receiver. For example, the private data section of a transport stream portion of a multiplexed data stream comprising the digital signal that can be used to carry port applications concerning the information messages to the receiver. Since digital TV allows data to be transmitted along with audio and video, the binary files of the portal applications as well as the related content (eg, graphics, sound files) can be transmitted as data streams.

When the viewer is watching television, the audiovisual processor receives the audiovisual content data from the demultiplexer, decodes the audiovisual content data to produce decompressed audiovisual data, and produces the decompressed audiovisual data for the deployment. An application administrator receives the multimedia data corresponding to the information messages of the demultiplexer, and also receives the input regarding the changes in the main programming. Sensitive to receiving information about such a change, the application manager coordinates transitions of gradual images in the display, first of a main program image to an information message and then secondly of returning an image of information message to another image. of the main program. In this way, the construction and deconstruction content and time of the commercial or other information message with regular programming can then be controlled by the transmitter via instructions that are included in the transmission data stream. These instructions can be extracted from the data stream in real time by the receiver in the case of message insertions made during the same program, or message output with respect to the current programming during channel tuning. Alternatively, to prevent any possible delay in cases where the message inserts have content related to a new channel selection during channel tuning, the instructions are downloaded in advance and stored in the memory in the receiver that can be accessed immediately through the application administrator when necessary. For such channel tuning applications where it is desired to relate the information message to a new channel selection, the portal applications and instructions can be periodically downloaded (eg, nightly) to the receiver for later implementation (eg. example, the next day) when certain channels are tuned by the viewer.

Also, the receivers of this invention can be provided with the ability to allow the user a certain degree of control and manipulation of the information message scenarios in such a way that the user can adjust and preset certain message presentation scenarios, such as which concern visual effects of message transitions, which are then stored in the receiver and applied from there as user preferences. This invention represents a significant advance over the conventional state of the television experience. The present invention makes favorable use of the digital TV technology structure with the purpose of improving the tuning experience of channels. As can be appreciated, this invention creates a new advanced and sophisticated technique for marketing products and provides informative messages during television broadcasting.

The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description with respect to the illustrative drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a generalized block diagram illustrating the main components of the invention. digital receiver according to this invention that has the ability to send and display portal applications that impart special visual transition effects for informational messages and from them in a timely and synchronized manner. Figs. 2A through 2J schematically illustrate a sequence of image screens showing a gradual transition from a main program image to a commercial image and back to a different main program image according to a characterization of this invention. Within Figs. 2A - 2J, the shaded areas represent the main program images and the dark areas represent the commercial images.

With respect to fig. 1, a transport stream TS is received by a receiver 100 from a transmitter source 19 (eg, cable TV broadcast station, DBS satellite, multimedia server, or other source of multimedia program material). The transmitter 19 transmits a data stream 10, e.g., a multiplexed MPEG encoded multimedia data stream, over a designated transmission channel via any suitable transmission means (e.g., air, coaxial cable, or fiber optic cable). The digital television receiver 100 is programmed to implement the method of the present invention as described herein. The digital video receiver can usually be an ATV or HDTV receiver, which includes, among other things described herein, an MPEG or ATSC decoding capability for decoding a digital streaming video stream, for example, a digital video stream. Digital video data MPEG-2 or ATSC. In any case, the transport stream 10 is received as input to the demultiplexer 15, which then separates the audiovisual data content 11 from the stream from the information message data 12. The audiovisual content 11 is handled by a processor audiovisual 16 and the visual content 13 is displayed on the monitor 24 (e.g., a TV monitor or other suitable display device). The information message data 12 is composed of related images (raw data) and transition application (e.g., JAVA byte codes), as well as administrative information about the portal application (e.g. the time of sending the application). That is, as a digital TV allows the data to be transmitted along with audio and video data, the binary files of the portal application as well as the related content (eg, graphics, sound files, etc.) are they can transmit as data streams captured and implemented by the receiver 100. The information message data can have a content related to one or more commercials, a logo that identifies a channel selection (current or new selection), or other information to transmit to the viewer other programming than the regular one. To facilitate a better description of the present invention, the term "main program" is used in this document to refer to the primary program of interest to the viewer, that is, regular programming. In this connection, in a typical television program, the television program or movie will be the main program, with commercials that will be broadcast during the interruptions or commercial spaces in the main program. Hereinafter, the characterization illustrated will often characterize the content of the data 12 as a commercial, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. The commercial data 12 is handled by the application manager 18, which triggers the portal application to detect an event that triggers and displays the transition to a commercial of a main program image as a transparency 14 on the monitor 24. Based on the size and planning of the portal application, the application manager 18 can optionally use a memory unit 17 to temporarily store and retrieve the commercial or other information message data related to the application components. In the case of portal applications that are sent in a channel change according to a characterization of this invention, the application manager 18 will receive input from a tuner (not shown). That is, during the operation of a television having a receiver according to this invention, a tuner unit of the receiver is tuned to a channel in response to a selection made by the viewer (user). The viewer can make a selection by operating a keyboard mounted on the receiver or a remote control unit. Then, the event and drive mechanisms of a DTV presentation engine, that is, the application manager, can be used to send the portal application in a timely and synchronized manner. Where the information message relates to the new channel selection, the multimedia data that governs the portal application is usually downloaded periodically to the receiver (eg, every night). This download can be done with the scanning of all the channels and downloading the updated portal application information in the memory unit 17. The update information is transmitted from the source of the transmitter 19, as a cable TV transmission station, DBS satellite, multimedia server, or other suitable sources for the multimedia program material.However, the present invention is also applicable for sending portal applications in information messages during the transmission of a single main program, such as during commercial spaces or driven by a detectable change in the main program signal being transmitted, such as a video cut. That is, "mapping" applications for transitions can also be used within the same program. For example, the aforementioned transitions that trigger portal applications can be used to link video slices (for example, different scenes or camera views) or during commercial spaces of a program that is being viewed to create "instant announcements" during The program Another implementation of the invention is for instant deployments and introduction of the next channel by its logo in an inserted message, each time the user enters the new channel This logo may remain static or a fixed image for the duration of the message once formed, or visual effects such as flicker for the duration of the message can be improved Conventional means and methods are known to those skilled in the art to implement detections in the receiver of said changes when they occur during main programming, for example, in response to information learned from a structure P. Alternatively, a URL could be e to integrate in the transmitted signal TS (10) that will recover the portal application of a server via a return channel when the user executes a command such as channel tuning. Figs. 2A through 2J schematically illustrate a sequence of image screens showing a gradual transition from a first main program image 20 to a commercial one and back to a different main program image 23 according to this invention. Fig. 2A indicates the main program image 20 that is currently being viewed. When the viewer executes a channel change command, for example, the change is reported to the application manager 18 (Fig. 1) immediately. Based on the data and data instructions already provided as a portal application stored in the receiver 100, the application administrator 18 immediately implements the appropriate commercial when starting the formation of a small region of a commercial image 21a on the main program image 20.

As can be seen in Figs. 2B-2E, the overlapping commercial region grows gradually through the areas 21a, 21b, 21c as it is constructed in a visually perceptible manner within a given amount of time after the channel change command was given ( for example, generally less than several seconds) until the commercial image is completed 21 d completely or substantially fills the entire available image area. The entire commercial image 21 d is not required to fill the entire display image area of the display, although it would be preferred in many cases because this allows a smooth visual transition to be made on the new main program. At the end of the construction of the commercial image 21 d, the commercial can be presented as a commercial static structure, or as an animated video running through a short clip. If a static structure commercial is used, the commercial image 22a will be the same as the image 21 d after the pre-selected period of commercial time has elapsed. For example, a static poster type (static structure) or magazine type advertisement or an animated description of a product can be created in the form of puzzles, during the transition, on the screen, and after that the commercial image at the end will be can dissolve visually or otherwise can be eliminated gradually through special effects giving way to the program of the new channel that the user has tuned. If an animated commercial is presented, then the final commercial image 22a will typically not be the same as the initial image 21d. At the conclusion of the commercial in each case, the image 22a will deconstruct according to the portal application instructions as when shrinking the size gradually in a visually perceptible manner (eg, in less than several seconds) through regions 22b , 22c and 22d shown in Figs. 2G-2J until a second main program fills the entire screen. The tuner is controlled by a microprocessor in the receiver to then delay the sample of the new selected channel until the commercial or other information message is completed, as when the static image is fully constructed and appears for a given period of time. Then, the channel transmission passage is reopened and the commercial or other information message is deconstructed as discussed above. The commercials and other messages may be displayed in accordance with this invention as it is programmed to be associated with the new channel selection or the output channel selection. Alternatively, a basic commercial or other message may be displayed each time the channel is changed, or another criterion may be implemented. As can be appreciated, this invention constructs an information message image on a main program image and, thereafter, deconstructs the information message image at the conclusion of the message in a transitive manner. It will also be appreciated that this invention encompasses the implementation of algorithms that can make different types of transitions for commercial and other information messages and from them. So that various visual effects, such as zooms (zooming), deletions, dissolutions, constructions and deconstructions of puzzle-like images, etc., can be used with the purpose of improving the user's visual experience. This construction and deconstruction of commercials and other information messages of preference are assembled and later disassembled by zooms / fades or little by little as geometric shapes, such as squares, triangles, circles, ellipses, etc. Also, the transitions that enter and leave a given information message may be the same or different to the extent of the visual effects. For example, as suggested above, a "poster-type" or "magazine-type" commercial of some product (for example, Cocal ColaR) can be created as a puzzle, during a transition, on the display screen, and then dissolve giving way to a channel program that the user has tuned. The software (application program) for implementing the method of the present invention can be transmitted appropriately in the transmission channel, and / or it can be pre-selected by the receiver manufacturer, and / or can be downloaded periodically so that reside in the digital video receiver 100, depending on the intended implementation (s). For example, the construction and deconstruction content and time of the commercial or other information message with regular programming can be controlled by the transmitter via instructions that are included in the transmitted data stream. These instructions can be extracted from the data stream in real time by the receiver in the case of insertions of messages made during the same program, or message output related to the current programming during channel tuning. Alternatively, to prevent any possible delay in cases where the message inserts have a content related to a new channel selection during channel tuning, instructions are downloaded in advance and stored in the memory in the receiver that can be accessed immediately by the application administrator when necessary. For said channel tuning applications where it is desired to relate the information message to the new channel selection, the portal applications and instructions can be downloaded periodically (for example, every night) in the receiver for a later implementation (for example, the next day) when the viewer tunes to certain channels. Preferably, each packet of data commercial D (12) is preferably provided with a respective Packet Identification Code (PID) or other suitable identification code to enable the commercial packets corresponding to the commercial selected by the software (program of application) for the viewer to be identified and separated from the current D derived from the multiplexed data stream TS, and then reassembled and displayed as a continuous image with the transitive special effects on the screen or monitor TV. Also, the transition application itself may reside in a user preference module (not shown) of the receiver 100, in which case it would be controlled by the user and would be applied to the raw commercial data downloaded. That is, the user can be provided with control means to control certain aspects of the visual effects associated with the transition according to the user's own preferences and scenarios. In such characterization, the persistent storage capacities of the receiver would be used. Primarily, if the receiver provides local storage facilities (e.g., memory 17), the transition of the applications can be stored and reside in the receiver 100. As can be seen from the aforementioned descriptions, this invention provides smooth visual transitions between main programs and information messages using zooms, deletions, solutions or constructions / deconstructions of puzzles, etc., of a commercial introduced through the activation of portal applications during, for example, the tuning of channels. While the present invention is described herein with respect to illustrative characterizations for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those who have ordinary skills in the art and access to the teachings provided in this document will recognize the additional modifications, applications and characterizations within the vision of this and additional fields presented by the invention and will be of significant use. For example, although the specific characterizations described above are especially suitable for a system that uses either MPEG-2 or ATSC specifications for compression-encoding of the video and associated audio data comprising the transmitted data stream, it will be Immediately apparent to those skilled in the pertinent art that the present invention is equally applicable to systems that use any other suitable multimedia data coding scheme. Furthermore, although the present invention has been described using a digital television receiver, it will be apparent that any other suitable device having the ability to receive, process and display encoded multimedia data may likewise be used. For example, a personal computer (PC) connected via modem to the service provider or transmitter can be used. Also, a conventional NYSC analog television receiver (or PAIJSECAM) equipped with a suitable digital set-top-box can also be used in the practice of the present invention. Additionally, the operating system may or may not have a return channel available to retrieve portal applications. If the return channel is present, it may be in the form of a cable return channel (for example, in a cable system equipped with countercurrent cable modems) or a modem connected via a standard telephone line or a transmission line of high-speed data (for example, an ISDM line or T-3) to a multimedia server or to the WWW. If the reverse channel is available, a navigation program that resides in the receiver or in a peripheral device connected to the receiver can be used to directly access the material of the server or the WWW.

Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover any and all such applications, modifications and characterizations within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

CHAPTER CLAIMING Having described the invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content is claimed in the following:
1. CLAIMS 1. A receiver (100) for displaying in a controlled manner an information message (21 d), characterized by: a display device (24) for receiving first data (11) corresponding to the main programming content and second data (12) ) corresponding to an information message; and a controller (18) for receiving an input with respect to changes in the main programming and, upon receipt of said input, for coordinating a change from a first main program image (20) to a second main program image (23). ), different from the first one, in which at least one information message (21 d) is inserted between the first and second main program images (20, 23), wherein transitions of gradual images (21a-21d, 22a- 22d) respectively a first main program image (20) is provided to a first information message image (21 d) and a second information message image (22a) to a second main program image (23).
2. 2. A receiver (100) according to claim 1, characterized by the change comprising the exchange of a first channel that displays the first main program image (20) to a second channel that displays the second main program image (23) .
3. 3. A receiver (100) according to claim 1, characterized by the change comprising a transition in the same channel of a first program image (20) showing a first camera angle of a scene to a second program image ( 23), different from the first, which shows a second camera angle, different from the first.
4. 4. A receiver (100) according to claim 1, characterized by the information message (21 d) comprising a commercial.
5. 5. A receiver according to claim 1, characterized by the information message (21 d) comprising a channel logo.
6. 6. a digital television receiver (100), characterized by; a display / television screen (24); a television signal demultiplexer (15) for receiving a multiplexed data stream (10), said demultiplexer (10) is operated to separate separate audiovisual content data (11) corresponding to different corresponding main multimedia data programs (12) to an information message (21 d); an audiovisual processor (16) for receiving the audiovisual content data (11) of the demultiplexer (15), for decoding the audiovisual content data (11) to produce decompressed audiovisual data, and for emitting the decompressed audiovisual data (13) for the deployment (24); an application manager (18) to receive the multimedia data (12) corresponding to an information message (21 d) of the demultiplexer (15), to receive an input with respect to the changes in the main programming and, sensitive to said changes, coordinating a change of a first channel that displays a first program image (20) to a second channel that displays a second program image (23) in which at least one information message including a first message image (21) d) and a second message image (22a) is inserted between the first and second program image (20, 23) in such a way that gradual image transitions (21a-21d, 22a-22d) are respectively provided from the first image of program (20) to the first message image (21 d) and of the second message image (22a) to the second program image (23).
7. 7. A digital television receiver according to claim 6, characterized by multimedia data (12) corresponding to the information message (21 d) comprising a portal application operated in response to said change.
8. 8. A digital television receiver according to claim 6, characterized by multimedia data (12) corresponding to the information message (21 d) comprising a JAVA application triggered in response to said change.
9. 9. A digital television receiver according to claim 6, further characterized by a memory (17) that communicates with the application manager (18) to receive and periodically store updated information regarding the multimedia content (12). ), wherein the coordination comprises a transition (21a-21d, 22a-22d) of a first channel that displays a first program image (20) to a second channel, different from the first, which displays a second program image ( 23), different from the first.
10. 10. A method of displaying an information message (21 d) when watching television, characterized by the steps of: receiving a multiplexed data stream (10) in a television receiver (100), said data stream (10) includes audiovisual data (11) corresponding to at least one main program and multimedia data (12) corresponding to at least one information message (21d); display of an information message (21 d) based on said multimedia data (12) during an interruption in at least said main program comprising the coordination of a change of a first main program image (20) present when the interruption begins a second main program image (23) appearing at the conclusion of the interruption when inserting at least one information message including a first information message image (21 d) and a second information message image (22a) between the first and second main program image (20, 23) in such a way that gradual image transitions (21a-21d, 22a-22d) are respectively provided from the first main program image (20) to the first message image of information (21 d) and of the second information message image (22a) to the second main program image (23).