DE29624326U1 - Subtitle system for electronic discussion group - Google Patents

Description

RO/tf97600G
24 August 2001

State of the art and summary of the invention

The present invention relates generally to electronic discussion group technology in computer networks, and more particularly to a system for providing closed captioning from television programming directly to an electronic discussion group.

Closed captioning (or "closed captioning") has recently achieved much greater acceptance in television programming. Subtitles involve the transcription of a conversation in a television program to appear in small blocks, or "titles," on the bottom or top of a television screen while the television program is in progress. Typically, subtitles follow only a few seconds of the ongoing conversation in the television program. Closed captioning is generally a word-for-word transcription of the conversation as it takes place between the participants in a television program.

Subtitling is not limited to the television environment. For example, films intended for the big screen in movie theaters have from time to time used subtitles in foreign language films to provide a translation for viewers who may not understand the foreign language. In recent years, court proceedings broadcast on television have used subtitles.

Computer networks are also becoming increasingly popular, as very large networks now provide information to millions of participants.

: : ' 97600G

information services. A popular feature of such networks are electronic discussion groups, sometimes referred to as "bulletin boards," or FORUMS® (a registered trademark of CompuServe Incorporated). In these discussion groups, two or more users (typically using their home office microcomputers connected by modem to the network and/or bulletin board) exchange messages over the network on a variety of topics. Some discussion groups are limited to a particular topic, while others are unrestricted.

The discussion begins when one user sends a message in the particular electronic format used. This message can then be viewed by a second user accessing the discussion group on the second user's microcomputer terminal. The second user can then respond to the first user's message by entering a response through the second user's keyboard. The second user's response can then be viewed by the first user on the first user's microcomputer. Additional users can access the discussion group in the same way.

Although the above-described methods of closed captioning and electronic discussion groups have been provided for background purposes, they should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention to the particular descriptions that have been provided. There remain other embodiments of closed captioning and electronic discussion groups that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art and which are suitable for use as part of the present invention.

•"&Zgr; .**· ·"' ^: ·· ^R °/tf 97600G

etc.

invention and as such are within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is a unique system for providing closed captioning directly to a discussion group in substantially real time. With the present invention, a person who has subscribed to an electronic discussion group about a particular television program can receive closed captioning from the television program directly into his or her microcomputer. The person can then respond, through his or her microcomputer, to persons in the television program (who receive the responses through a terminal or other data receiving device in the television studio) while the program continues. Thus, the participants in the television program can "interact" with the electronic discussion group. This interaction can include ongoing electronic discussion between the participants in the television program and the members of the electronic discussion group.

In addition, video clips can be incorporated with the present invention. For example, members of the electronic discussion group can receive graphic images of the television studio in the members' microcomputer terminals. The video clips or images can be periodically transmitted to the members' screens to enable them to view the television program without the need for a television in their microcomputer. The microcomputers are preferably capable of showing the video clips in one section of the terminal's screen while another section of the screen displays subtitles and typed messages. ...

The present invention provides a system as defined in claim 1.

Short description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention for use in providing closed captioning to a computer network;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of another preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention for use in providing video clips to a computer network, and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of another preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention for use in providing both closed captions and video clips to a computer network.

RO/tf97600G

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Figure 1, β shows a computer network wherein users 5 are involved in an electronic discussion group or conference. A network conference provides an electronic means for participants in a discussion to see each other's statements and to communicate thoughts to all participants. Each member of a conference has a computer which is connected to all other computers such that his comments are automatically sent to all parties. Preferably, he also receives all comments from all other parties. In addition to viewing what has been said previously, the text 10 of a television talk show, for example, is displayed in a section of each computer screen.

The following steps allow a user to join a conference:

1. Start the information manager connected to the user's network service.

2. Gain access to the information service.

3. Select and enter the discussion group that scheduled the conference.

4. Enter the desired conference room.

At this point, Conference Manager 4 has compiled the connection details and names of all participants. Whenever a line of information is received from a participant, a copy of the name of the

·: .**. ."' · " RO/tf 97600G

sender and the information is sent to all other participants. When each participant's display program receives this information, it displays the information at suitable locations on the screen, preferably separately.

After the above mentioned steps 1 to 4 are performed and a connection is established from a UT formatter 3, the manager 4 does the following:

For lines of information received by each subscriber, a copy of the sender's name and the information is sent to all other subscribers; .

for UT text lines received from the UT formatter, the name of the formatter and the UT information 9 are sent to all participants;

Each information manager preferably separates the name of the sender from the information lines and places the participant information in a "conference room window" 8. Similarly, it separates the name of the UT formatter from the UT text and places the UT information in a UT window 10.

A conference involving closed caption monitoring may begin by the closed caption formatting system 3 accessing the information service and entering a particular discussion group and closed caption conference room. It provides the group with a "closed caption identification" which is used for subsequent messages. This is accomplished by connecting via the network 6 to the conference manager 4.

&bgr;·

The subtitle formatting system 3 receives further data from a subtitle decoder 2, rearranges the data for display in a title window 10, and sends it through the network 6 to the conference manager 4. A decoder 2 can be purchased from a number of companies, such as EEG Enterprises, Inc., of Farmingdale, N.Y.

The subtitle decoder 2 is connected to a television video signal receiver 1 tuned to a channel having subtitles suitable for the upcoming conference. It extracts the UT characters from the NTSC signal and sends them to the UT formatting system 3.

Users 5 join the conference by calling an information manager on their personal systems and instructing it to join the same discussion group and enter a user conference room. They select a "user identification" that will be used during the conference. They can choose to monitor both the UT conference room and the user conference room. The users use the services of the network 6 and the conference manager 4.

At this point, all elements of a conference enhanced with subtitles are active. Whenever a user 5 completes a line of text in his user conference window 8, his information manager sends it through the network 6 to the conference manager 4. The conference manager 4 appends the user conference room identity as well as the user identification in front of it and transmits the user's line through the network to all other participants attending the particular user conference.

:.··..** ''"RO/tf 97600G

IiIII t ·· · · * · *

conference room 5. The user identification and the user's text are received by the user information managers and displayed in the conference section of the user conference window 8.

Whenever the Conference Manager 4 receives a line from the UT formatting system
3, it attaches the UT conference room identity,
and the UT identification before it and transmits the UT line through the network to all participants who have chosen to monitor GT conference room 5. This text and identification are
by the information managers of the users in the UT conference section
their user conference window 10.

Users can instruct their information managers to
Require conference managers to provide concurrent conference state updates to them.
This information is provided by the information managers in
a conference status window 9.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a conference enhanced by video is shown. The following
Steps to enter a user into a conference:

1. Start the information manager.

2. Gain access to the information service.

3. Select and enter the discussion group that scheduled the conference.

4. Enter the desired conference room.

At this point, the conference manager has compiled the connection details and names of all participants.

RO/tf97600G

Whenever a line of information is received from a participant, a copy of the sender's name and the information is sent to all other participants. When each participant's information manager receives the information, he displays the parts separately at appropriate places on the screen.

After the above mentioned steps 1 to 4 are completed and a connection is established between the video formatting system and the UT formatting system, the manager does the following:

For lines of information received by each participant, a copy of the sender's name and information is sent to all other participants;

For image protocol data units received from the video formatting system, the image protocol data unit is sent to all participants;

Each information manager preferably separates the name of the sender from the information lines and places the participant information in a "conference room window," places a copy of the image in an image window, and separates the name of the UT formatter from the UT text and places the UT information in an UT window.

A conference involving TV image monitoring can begin by the video formatting system 3 gaining access to the information service and entering a particular discussion group and image conference room. This is achieved by a connection via the network 6 to the conference manager .4.

*4 '

The video formatting system 3 receives further data from the video recording interface 2, puts the image data into image protocol data units for display in an image window 10, and sends them through the network to the conference manager 4.

The video recording interface 2 is connected to a television video signal receiver 1 tuned to a channel containing video material suitable for the upcoming conference. It extracts the image data from the NTSC signal and makes it available to the video formatting system 3.

Users 5 join the conference by calling an information manager who is instructed to join the same discussion group and enter a user conference room. They may choose to monitor the video conference room. The users use the services of network 6 and conference manager 4.

At this point, all elements of a video-enhanced conference are active. Whenever a user 5 completes a line of text in his user conference window 8, his information manager sends it through the network 6 to the conference manager 4.

The conference manager 4 appends a user conference room identity and the user identification to it and transmits the user's line through the network to all other participants who have selected the particular user conference room 5. The user identification and the user's text are transmitted through the information

RO/tf97600G

manager of the user and displayed in the conference section of the user conference window 8.

Whenever the conference manager 4 receives a video log data unit from the video formatting system 3, it transmits it through the network to all other participants who have elected to monitor the video conference room 5. The video log data units are received by the users' information managers and displayed in the video conference section of the user conference window 10.

Users may instruct their information managers to request that the conference manager 4 provide them with concurrent conference status updates. This information is displayed by the information managers in a conference status window 9.

Referring now to Figure 3, a conference is shown which includes closed captioning and video clips. A conference which includes TV video monitoring may begin by the video formatting system 3 accessing the information service and entering a particular discussion group and video conference room. This is accomplished by connecting via the network 6 to the conference manager 4.

The video recording interface 2 is connected to a television video signal receiver 1 tuned to a channel containing video material suitable for the upcoming conference. It extracts the image data from the NTSC signal and makes it available to the video formatting system 3.

RO/tf97600G

A conference, which also includes closed caption monitoring, can proceed by the UT formatting system 13 accessing the information service and entering the particular discussion group and a UT conference room. It provides a "UT identification" for the discussion group, which is used for subsequent messages. This is achieved by a connection via the network 6 to the conference manager 4.

The video formatting system 13 receives data from the video recording interface 12 to put the image data into image protocol data units for display in an image window 10 and sends them through the network 6 to the conference manager 4.

Users 5 join the conference by calling an information manager who is instructed to join the same discussion group and enter a user conference room. They can choose to monitor the video conference room and/or the UT conference room. The users use the services of the network 6 and the conference manager 4.

At this point, all elements of a video enhanced conference are active. Whenever a user 5 completes a line of text in his user conference window 8, his information manager sends it through the network 6 to the conference manager 4. The conference manager 4 appends the user conference room identity as well as the user identification and transmits the user's line through the network to all other participants who have the particular user

_> ... ^R O/tf 97600G

conference room 5. The user identification and the user's text are received by the user information managers and displayed in the conference section of the user conference window 8.

Whenever the conference manager 4 receives a picture log data unit from the video formatting system, it transmits it through the network to all other participants who have elected to monitor the picture conference room 5. The picture log data units are received by the users' information managers and displayed in the picture conference section of the user conference window 10. ■ ■ .

Whenever the conference manager 4 receives a line from the UT formatting system 13, it appends the UT conference room identity as well as the UT identification and transmits the UT line through the network to all participants who have elected to monitor the UT conference room 5. This text and identification are displayed by the users' information managers in the UT conference section of their user conference windows 11.

Users may instruct their information managers to request that the conference manager 4 provide them with concurrent conference status updates. This information is displayed by the information managers in a conference status window 9.

The conference manager 4 can be enabled to analyze the text coming from the UT formatting system 12. If it is so enabled, it categorizes the

RO/tf97600G

appropriate UT text and selects the data routing measures accordingly. These measures are:

1. Redirect the UT data to a specific UT conference room.

2. Redirect the incoming image protocol data units to a specific image conference room.

The present invention has been described in terms of several embodiments. It is to be recognized that variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are intended to fall within the scope of the following claims. Many of the features described above are not needed to benefit from the present invention, but are described merely to show a preferred mode of carrying out the invention.

RO/tf97600G

Claims (5)

1. System comprising:
a plurality of computers which are connected to one another by a computer network ( 8 ),
the computers being programmed to enable users to send each other electronic messages which are displayed on the screen,
the system being arranged to display subtitles on the screen of the computer, subtitles being associated with the language content of a television program, and
the system being further arranged to enable users to send electronic messages in response to the content of the subtitles,
where the subtitles are displayed simultaneously on the screen with at least one electronic message. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a video clip of the television program is recorded and displayed on the screen in the computers. 3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the subtitles are decoded with a subtitle decoder ( 12 ) which is in electronic connection with a video signal receiver ( 1 ). 4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a subtitle formatting system ( 13 ) which supplies the computer network ( 8 ) with the subtitles from the television program. 5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a conference manager ( 4 ) in connection with the computer network ( 8 ).