HK1165605B - Automatic contact information transmission system - Google Patents

Description

Automatic contact information transmission system

Technical Field

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to Digital Video Recorders (DVRs). Embodiments of the present invention more particularly relate to techniques for automatically transmitting contact information of a DVR user to an interested party (interest) so that the interested party can contact the DVR user.

Background

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, any methods described in this section should not be construed as prior art, merely as included in this section.

As used herein, "program" refers to any visual and/or auditory content presented through a television screen and/or speakers. For example, a program may be one of a series of episodes, a movie, a sporting event, or a news report, but this is not an exclusive listing of "programs". When a digital video recorder ("DVR") schedules a program for future recording, the DVR attempts to add the program to a "to execute" list that it maintains in its own storage mechanism. Whenever a program in the DVR's "to execute" list is broadcast, the DVR automatically records the program.

People are watching programs or advertisements on television and often see things they are interested in obtaining more information about them. A person may even see something he wants to buy. However, people often cannot get any hints about how to get more information (or purchase) about what he sees on the television. For example a program or advertisement might only refer to a product but give no indication as to where or how to purchase the product.

Sometimes, a program or advertisement may display a telephone number that a person may call in order to obtain more information or to purchase a product. However, some people may be too lazy or enthusiastic about the program they are watching and do not like to go to the phone (which may not be located near the television) and dial the displayed phone number. Some people find telephone numbers difficult to remember and may forget the number they wish to dial by the time they have had an opportunity to make a telephone call.

As a result, people eventually do not obtain the information or product they are interested in, and the supplier of the information or product is likely to lose business from which the supplier may otherwise be able to profit.

Drawings

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a technique for obtaining, storing, and providing DVR user's contact information to interested parties, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary system in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented; in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing an overall overview of the components of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR);

fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a digital video recorder on which embodiments may be implemented.

Detailed Description

Methods and apparatus for scheduling the recording of upcoming programs, and for extending the duration of a time interval in which those programs are to be recorded, are described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.

Here, the embodiments are described according to the following outline:

1.0 general overview

2.0DVR overview

3.0 automatic contact information Transmission System

4.0 implementation mechanisms-hardware overview

5.0 expansion and deformation

1.0 general overview

The needs identified in the foregoing background, and other needs and objects that will become apparent for the following description, are achieved in the present invention, which comprises, in one aspect, a technique in which a DVR sends DVR user's contact information (e.g., name, telephone number, street address, email address, etc.) to a product provider, a service provider, and/or an information provider over a network (e.g., the internet).

In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR prompts a DVR user (e.g., the DVR owner) to enter contact information for the DVR user. Contact information may include, among other information items, the DVR user's name, one or more telephone numbers of the DVR user, the DVR user's home street address (i.e., the address at which the DVR user lives), and/or other information about the DVR user. In response to the DVR's prompt, the DVR user provides the requested contact information to the DVR. For example, a user may provide contact information to the DVR by means of buttons on the DVR's remote control and selectable numbers, letters, and other characters that may be included in the contact information shown on the screen. After the DVR user provides the DVR with the requested contact information, the DVR stores the contact information in the DVR's hard drive or other persistent storage mechanism.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the broadcaster of the television program (e.g., via a cable or satellite signal) or some other party includes a "tag" encoded in the television program or advertisement (e.g., in the closed caption stream) or other encoding or signal that the DVR is capable of interpreting. The tag is a type that indicates to the DVR that the interested party wishes to receive the DVR user's contact information. More information about tags that may be included or co-broadcast by television programs or advertisements is described IN U.S. patent application No. 09/665,921 entitled "closed caption tagging system" (closed caption tagging system) and U.S. patent application No. 11/473,543 entitled "IN-band data identification and synchronization system" (IN-band data identification and synchronization system). U.S. patent application No. 09/665,921 and U.S. patent application No. 11/473,543 are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. In one embodiment of the invention, the tag is a special DVR-recognizable code that is contained in a closed caption stream that accompanies a television program or commercial; the tag may be embedded in the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) of an analog signal, or in a dedicated data channel in MPEG 2. Although in one embodiment of the present invention the tag is explicitly inserted into the closed caption stream (in addition to other text already contained in the stream), in another alternative embodiment of the present invention the tag is derived from inputting the general content portion of the closed caption stream into a hash function that produces a hash code, at least a portion of which represents the tag. In such an alternative embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to insert tags into the closed caption stream; instead, the tags are derived from text already contained in the stream. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the tags are derived from information contained in the video content's own frames and/or from audio accompanying the video content. Such video and/or audio data may similarly be passed through a hash function to produce a hash encoding, at least a portion of which may be mapped to a tag with particular characteristics. In one embodiment of the invention, the tag also identifies a Universal Resource Locator (URL) and/or an email address of the provider of the information, service and/or product (e.g., the information, service or product shown in the program or advertisement containing the tag). In such embodiments of the invention, upon determining that the television program or advertisement contains such a tag, the DVR displays an icon and/or a verbal cue to the DVR user that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the DVR user's contact information to the provider. For example, a DVR may display such icons and/or reminders overlaid on a portion of a television screen in a manner that does not significantly interfere with a television program or advertisement being played. In this manner, the DVR may display the icons and/or prompts without interfering with the DVR user's viewing experience. A tune that the DVR plays audibly may accompany the DVR in displaying the icon and/or alert, which helps alert the DVR user that the icon and/or alert is now present.

According to one embodiment of the invention, in response to the DVR displaying the previously described icons and/or cues, the DVR user has an opportunity to (a) allow the DVR to send the DVR user's contact information to the provider, or (b) deny the DVR from sending the DVR user's contact information to the provider. The DVR receives input from the DVR user, e.g., via the DVR's remote control. If the DVR user, via input, indicates a denial of permission to send the DVR user's contact information, the DVR prevents the provider from accessing the DVR user's contact information (by not sending the DVR user contact information to the provider).

Alternatively, if the DVR user indicates, via input, that the DVR user is allowed to send DVR user contact information to the provider, then in one embodiment of the invention, the DVR reads the DVR user's contact information from the DVR's hard drive or other persistent storage device and sends the DVR user's contact information to the URL and/or email address indicated in or accompanying the tag, which is encoded in the television program or advertisement. In one embodiment, the DVR initially sends such information over the Internet through an Ethernet port or wireless communication interface, through which the DVR is communicatively coupled to the Internet.

In one embodiment of the invention, when the DVR sends the DVR user's contact information to the provider's URL and/or email address, the provider's personnel or automated mechanism receives the DVR user's contact information and performs some responsive action-for example, the personnel or mechanism may initiate a call to the DVR user's contact information with one or more telephone numbers indicated in the contact information. In such a call, a person or mechanism may provide the DVR user with more information about the products or services being shown in the television show or advertisement. Additionally or alternatively, in such a call, a person or mechanism may invite the DVR user to purchase a product or service that is shown in a television show or advertisement. In another example, a person or mechanism may send an email message over the Internet to one or more DVR user email addresses that are specified in the DVR user's contact information. In yet another example, a person or mechanism may send one or more instructions to the DVR over the Internet that cause the DVR to display information to a DVR user on a television screen, and/or cause the DVR to request more information from the DVR user via a user interface that the DVR generates and displays and a DVR remote control.

As a result of the foregoing techniques, DVR users may obtain information for products and services seen on a television without having to worry about obtaining or remembering certain details related to how the information is obtained. In one embodiment of the invention, inviting the provider to contact the DVR user may be accomplished simply by the DVR user pressing a button on the DVR remote control. Thus, the DVR user does not have to go unnoticed to write down a phone number or look up information related to the product or service he sees. The foregoing techniques potentially provide benefits to suppliers and advertisers of information, products, and services that otherwise they may miss business opportunities that the DVR users provide to those suppliers and advertisers with DVR user contact information in such a way that enables them to do so.

In other aspects, embodiments of the invention include a computer apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium configured to perform the foregoing techniques.

2.0DVR overview

FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary system in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented, according to an embodiment. The system includes at least one client device, such as DVR202, communicatively connected to network 205 through any communication interface, such as an Ethernet interface or a wireless communication port. The functionality of a DVR is described in U.S. patent No. 6,233,389, which is owned by the present applicant and incorporated herein by reference. In another embodiment, DVR102 is replaced with a device that is capable of receiving content via broadband download or streaming. The system also includes a service provider 204, a content provider 206, a personal computer 208 and a portable device 210.

The personal computer 208 may be a personal computing device, such as a desktop or laptop computer, and is also connected to the network 205 through any communication interface, including wirelessly. The portable device 210 may be any handheld computing device, cellular telephone, portable media player, or any other portable device capable of displaying multimedia content, and may also be connected to the network 205 through any communication interface, including wirelessly. DVR202, personal computer 208, and portable device 210, each communicate with service provider 204 through network 205. In another embodiment, DVR202, personal computer 208, and portable device 210 each communicate with content provider 210 over network 205.

Network 205 may be implemented by any medium or mechanism that provides for the exchange of data between devices of a communication system. Examples of network 205 include, without limitation, a network such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the internet, one or more terrestrial, satellite, or wireless links, and so forth. Alternatively or additionally, any number of devices connected to the network 205 may also be directly connected to each other via a communication link.

In one embodiment, content provider 206 provides broadcast program content to DVR202 via cable, satellite, terrestrial communication, or other transmission methods. The broadcast program content may include any multimedia content such as audio, image or video content. In another embodiment, the content provider 206 provides multimedia content, such as any downloadable content, to the DVR202, personal computer 208, or portable device 210 via the network 205.

In one embodiment, DVR202 communicates with service provider 204, and service provider 204 provides program guide data, graphical resources (e.g., fonts, pictures, etc.), service information, software, advertisements, event identifier data, and other forms of data, such that DVR202 operates independently of service provider 204 to meet the interests of the user. In another embodiment, DVR202, personal computer 208, and portable device 210 may be capable of communicating with each other over network 205, a communication connection, or any local network to transfer content, metadata, or any other data.

In another embodiment, the content provider 206 may provide content data or any metadata, including promotional data, icons, network data, and other information to the service provider 204. Service provider 204 may then interpret the metadata and provide the content data metadata to DVR202, personal computer 208, or portable device 210.

Referring to fig. 2B, in one embodiment, DVR202 generally includes a number of components, represented by signal converter 254, that are necessary to digitize the analog television signal and convert the analog television signal into a digital data stream or to accept a digital data stream. Examples of the internal structure and operation of a DVR are further described in U.S. patent No. 6,233,389.

DVR202 receives a broadcast signal from a cable television system, satellite receiver, or the like, from an antenna via input 252A. Input 252A may include one or more tuning modules that allow one or more signals to be received and recorded simultaneously. For example, the television input stream received by input 252A may be in the form of a National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) compliant signal or a PAL compliant broadcast signal. As another example, the television input stream received by input 252A may be in digital form, such as in the form of a Digital Satellite System (DSS) system compliant signal, a Digital Broadcast Service (DBS) system compliant signal, or an Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) system compliant signal. DBS, DSS, and ATSC are based on standards known as motion Picture experts group (MPEG-2) 2 and MPEG-2 transport. MPEG-2 transport is a standard for formatting digital data streams from television source transmitters so that television receivers can decompose the input stream to find programs in a multiplexed signal.

MPEG-2 transport multiplexing supports multiple programs in the same broadcast channel with multiple video audio feeds and private data. Input 252A tunes to a particular program in a channel, extracts a specified MPEG stream from the channel, and supplies the MPEG stream to the rest of the system. Analog television signals are encoded into a similar MPEG format using separate video and audio encoders so that the rest of the system does not know how the signal was acquired. Information may be modulated into the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) of an analog television signal in some standard manner; for example, the north american teletext standard (NABTS) may be used to modulate information onto a particular line of an NTSC signal for which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grants another particular line for Closed Caption (CC) and Extended Data Services (EDS). Such signals are decoded by input 252A and passed to other modules as if the signals had been delivered via an MPEG-2 private data channel.

Recording module 260 records the incoming data stream by storing the digital data stream on at least one storage device labeled as memory 264A/264B designed to retain segments of the digital data stream. The memory 264A/264B may be one or more non-volatile storage devices (e.g., hard disk, solid state drive, USB external hard disk drive, USB external memory stick, USB external solid state drive, network access storage device, etc.) that may be internal 264A and/or external 264B. Signal converter 254 retrieves a segment of the data stream, converts the data stream to an analog signal, and then modulates the signal onto an RF carrier via output 252B, which is delivered to a standard television set via output 252B. Output 252B may optionally pass the digital signal to a television or video monitor. For example, DVR202 may utilize a digital video interface port (DVI) for sending digital signals to a television via a DVI cable.

DVR202 also includes a communication interface 262 through which DVR202 communicates with network 205 via ethernet, wireless network, modem, or other communication standard. In addition, DVR202 may be integrated into a television system such that the aforementioned components are housed in a television set that is capable of performing the functions of each of the components of DVR 202.

In another embodiment, DVR202 generally comprises a plurality of components necessary to receive, record, store, transmit, and play back digital data signals from a plurality of sources (e.g., a PC, DVR, service provider, or content server). DVR202 is capable of transmitting digital data signals to another DVR or PC. DVR202 may encode or decode the digital signal into multiple formats for playback, storage, or transmission via encoder 256A and decoder 256B. According to one embodiment of the invention, encoder 256A generates an MPEG stream. According to another embodiment of the present invention, encoder 256A produces streams that are encoded using different codecs. Decoder 256B decodes the stream encoded by encoder 256A or the stream stored in the received format using an appropriate decoder. DVR202 is also capable of encrypting or decrypting digital data signals using encryptor/decryptor 258 for storage, transmission or playback of the digital data signals.

In one embodiment, DVR202 communicates with a service provider 204 that provides program guide data, graphical resources (e.g., branding icons and pictures), service information, software programs, advertisements, and other forms of data that enable DVR202 to operate independently of service provider 204 to perform autonomous recording functions. Communication between DVR202 and service provider 204 utilizes a secure, distributed architecture to transfer data between DVR202 and service provider 204 such that both service data and user privacy are protected.

3.0 automatic contact information Transmission System

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a technique for obtaining, storing, and providing DVR user's contact information to interested parties, according to an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the steps of the illustrated technique are performed by the DVR shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. According to various alternative embodiments of the invention, alternative techniques may contain fewer, more, or different steps than those shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, in block 102, the DVR requests contact information from the DVR user. For example, DVRs request information by sending a verbal request for the information to a television screen or monitor. In one embodiment, the DVR displays a user interface on a television screen or monitor that depicts the numbers and letters that the user may select. By selecting these numbers and letters using navigation buttons on the DVR's remote control, the DVR user provides his or her own contact information to the DVR. The user interface may include separately labeled areas in which the user may enter his name, one or more street addresses, one or more telephone numbers, one or more email addresses, one or more instant message identifiers, one or more credit card numbers, and the like. In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR user is allowed to remain blank in a particular area.

The DVR initially requests contact information when it is first started. Additionally or alternatively, the DVR may request contact information as part of the DVR user's subscription to a DVR service agreement (which typically requires DVR users to subscribe to some service so that their DVRs can obtain electronic program guide information, which the DVRs need to determine the date, time, and channel on which programs will be broadcast). In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR user may choose to approve or reject the DVR from automatically using the user's personal information each time a contact information request is displayed. In one embodiment, the DVR does not request contact information until it is needed (e.g., in a process described later below), and only if the contact information is not stored on the DVR's hard drive or other persistent storage device.

In block 104, the DVR receives contact information for the DVR user from the DVR user. For example, the DVR may receive contact information for the DVR user via a user interface generated and displayed by the DVR as described above. Alternatively, the DVR may automatically retrieve DVR user contact information from the DVR service provider. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of different user profile are stored on the DVR, and different user contact information associated with each user profile is received; at any particular time, the current user may select which of a plurality of user personal profiles is active. In one embodiment of the invention, each user of the DVR has a different remote control that can be programmed to send to the DVR a user identifier that is only associated with the remote control. Each user identifier may be associated with different user personal configuration information and different user contact information. In such embodiments of the invention, the DVR stores the received user contact information in a user profile, the user identifier of which is sent by a programmed remote control that is currently being used to enter user contact information.

In block 106, in response to receiving the DVR user's contact information, the DVR persistently stores the DVR user's contact information in its hard drive or other persistent storage device.

In block 108, the DVR detects a television signal (or other signal, such as a signal that the DVR receives over the Internet, or a signal contained in the DVR's recorded content that the DVR is playing, or a signal that the DVR receives from a cable or satellite antenna), which includes (or from which may be derived) some specified type of encoding or tagging. In response to detecting the code or tag in the signal, the DVR displays a verbal or textual prompt or icon on the television screen. The content of the prompt may be based on a value described in the tag; the DVR may determine which alert of a plurality of stored alerts is associated with the detected tag and then retrieve the associated alert from the storage device for display. The voice or text prompt or icon informs the DVR user that there are some providers or other interested parties that wish to receive the DVR user's contact information. Typically, the provider or interested party is a person, organization or other entity associated with the information, product or service present in the television program, the signal being representative of or associated with the program or advertisement. As mentioned previously, in one embodiment of the invention, the DVR causes the television to emit an audible sound to the DVR user that indicates that an icon or prompt is being displayed on the television screen (so that the icon or prompt is more noticeable to the DVR user). In one embodiment of the invention, the prompt is in the form of a question that identifies the requesting provider or interested party and asks the DVR user whether the DVR user is allowed to send the provider or interested party's contact information for the SVR user. The DVR may present the icons and/or prompts (e.g., in a semi-transparent overlay and occupying only a portion of the television screen) in a manner that is not significantly intrusive or disruptive to the DVR user's television browsing process.

In block 110, the DVR receives user input from the DVR user that indicates whether the DVR user authorizes the DVR user to permit the sending of the DVR user's contact information to the vendor or interested party. In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR user provides this user input by selecting the "Yes" or "No" button using a button on the DVR remote control that is displayed on a user interface that the DVR generates and displays. In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR user provides this user input by pressing either the "Yes" button or the "No" button on the DVR remote control. In one embodiment of the invention, if a predetermined amount of time elapses after the DVR causes the display icon or alert, and if the DVR has not received user input from the DVR user, the DVR treats the lack of user input as an indication that the DVR user has selected "NO," or otherwise denied permission to the DVR to send the DVR user contact information. In an embodiment of the invention, the DVR records the number of times "yes" and "no" were selected. In such embodiments of the invention, the DVR sends the record information to the DVR service provider so that the DVR service provider can inform the associated advertiser how many users selected "Yes" and how many users selected "No". An example of a REAL-time DVR usage reporting system is described in U.S. patent application No. 12/190,519 entitled "REAL-time DVR usage and reporting system".

In block 112, the DVR determines whether the user input allows the DVR user to send the DVR user's contact information to the vendor or interested party. If the DVR determines that the user input indicates that the DVR user has agreed to allow the DVR to send contact information, then control passes to block 116. Otherwise control passes to block 114.

In block 114, in response to the DVR user denying permission (or denying granting permission) that the DVR user send contact information, the DVR prevents the vendor or interested party from accessing the DVR user's contact information. In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR prevents this by refraining from sending the DVR user's contact information to the provider or interested party. The DVR may remove the icon or cue from the television screen or monitor and continue normal program browsing in the same manner as before the icon or cue was displayed. When the DVR next detects another tag or code of a particular type in the television signal (or other signal, such as a signal that the DVR receives via the internet, or a signal contained in the content that the DVR is recording on, or a signal that the DVR receives from a cable or satellite antenna), control eventually passes back to block 108.

Alternatively, at block 116, the DVR user grants the DVR user permission to send contact information, the DVR reads the DVR user's previously stored contact information (if already stored at that time) from one or more storage devices (e.g., a hard drive or other persistent device) of the DVR, and sends the DVR user's contact information to the provider, service, or interested party associated with the tag or encoding described above via the Internet. In one embodiment of the invention, the tag or code contains or specifies a URL, email address or instant messaging identity of the provider or interested party. Under such conditions, the DVR sends the DVR user's contact information (or at least specified portions) to the URL, email address, or instant messaging identity contained or specified by the tag or encoding. In one embodiment of the invention, the DVR sends the DVR user's contact information over the Internet or other network (e.g., LAN, WAN, etc.). In one embodiment, different programmed remote controls correspond to different user profiles established on the same DVR, the DVR determines which user identifier was received from the programmed remote control (the permission granted by the user was received from the control), and sends contact information associated with the user identifier.

In one embodiment of the invention, if the DVR determines that the DVR user's contact information has not been stored on the DVR's hard drive or other persistent storage device at that time, the DVR then requests the DVR user's contact information from the DVR user at that time (e.g., using the techniques described above with reference to block 102 and 104), and stores the contact information on the DVR's hard drive or other storage device for present or later use. Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, the DVR requesting and/or receiving the DVR user's contact information for the first time is the DVR user's first consent to allow the DVR to send the DVR user's contact information to some provider or interested party. After the DVR has completed the initial storage of the DVR user's contact information, the DVR need not request the DVR user's contact information from the DVR user.

In one embodiment of the invention, the contact information for the DVR user is received by the provider or interested party over the Internet. In response to receiving the contact information, a person or mechanism at the vendor or interested party may initiate contact with the DVR user using the data contained in the contact information. For example, a person or mechanism may initiate a telephone call with a DVR user by entering (or "dialing" as it is commonly called) the person's telephone number (as indicated in the contact information) into the person's or mechanism's telephone. In another example, a person or mechanism may send an email message to an email address specified in the contact information. An instant messaging application may be executed locally on the DVR to allow instant messaging with DVR users, and may also run on a computer that is also owned and/or used by DVR users. In another example, a person or mechanism may send a letter, DVD, CD, trial, coupon, catalog, and/or other printed or encoded information to the street address specified in the contact information. In one embodiment of the invention, a person or mechanism initiates a voice over IP ("VOIP") session with a DVR of a DVR user using data contained in contact information (e.g., an Internet Protocol (IP) address) that the DVR sends over the internet. A person or mechanism may then communicate with the DVR using a VOIP session.

Regardless of the manner in which a person or mechanism uses to initiate communication with a DVR user, the person or mechanism may send the DVR user a wide variety of communication information. For example, when the DVR asks the DVR user to allow the contact information to be sent, a person or mechanism may send more information about the product or service that was being viewed in the television program or advertisement that the DVR user is watching. In another example, a person or mechanism may invite a DVR user to purchase such services and products. In one embodiment of the invention, the person or mechanism charges the DVR user for the service or product that the user purchases when communicating with the person or mechanism using credit card or banking information contained in the contact information (although in alternative implementations of the invention, the contact information may omit such credit card or banking information).

4.0 implementation mechanisms-hardware overview

FIG. 3 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 300 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Computer system 300 includes a bus 302 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 304 coupled with bus 302 for processing information. Computer system 300 also includes a main memory 306, such as a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 302 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 304. Main memory 306 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 304. Computer system 300 further includes a Read Only Memory (ROM)308 or other static storage device coupled to bus 302 for storing static information and instructions for processor 304. A storage device 310, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to bus 302 for storing information and instructions.

Computer system 300 may be coupled via bus 302 to a display 312, such as a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device 314, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus 302 for communicating information and command selections to processor 304. Another type of user input device is cursor control 316, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor 304 and for controlling cursor movement on display 312. The input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), which allows the device to specify positions in a plane.

The present invention relates to the use of computer system 300 for selecting a frame in a multi-frame video program based on a selected trick play mode of a DVR. According to one embodiment of the invention, selecting a frame of a multi-frame video program in accordance with a selected trick play mode of a DVR is performed by computer system 300 in response to processor 304 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 306. Such instructions may be read into main memory 306 from another computer-readable medium, such as storage device 310. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 306 causes processor 304 to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to processor 304 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 310. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 306. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 302. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during acoustic and infrared data communications.

Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a flash EPROM, or any other memory chip or cartridge.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 304 for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer system 300 can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receive the data carried in the infra-red signal and appropriate circuitry can place the data on bus 302. Bus 302 carries the data to main memory 306, and processor 304 retrieves the instructions from main memory 306 and executes the instructions. The instructions received by main memory 306 may optionally be stored on storage device 310 either before or after execution by processor 304.

Computer system 300 also includes a communication interface 318 coupled to bus 302. Communication interface 318 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 320, and network link 320 is connected to a local network 322. For example, communication interface 318 may be an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communication interface 318 may be a Local Area Network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. But may also be implemented as a wireless link. In any such implementation, communication interface 318 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

Network link 320 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, network link 320 may provide a connection through local network 322 to a host computer 324 or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 326. ISP326 in turn provides data communication services through the world wide packet switched data communication network now commonly referred to as the "Internet" 328. Local network 322 and internet 328 both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link 320 and through communication interface 318, which carry the digital data to and from computer system 300, are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information.

Computer system 300 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link 320 and communication interface 318. In the Internet example, a server 330 might transmit a requested code for an application program through Internet 328, ISP326, local network 322 and communication interface 318.

The received code may be executed by processor 304 as it is received, and/or stored in storage device 310, or other non-volatile storage for later execution. In this manner, computer system 300 may obtain application code in the form of a carrier wave.

5.0 expansion and deformation

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

For example, in one embodiment of the invention, as described above, after the DVR has provided the DVR user's contact information to an interested party (e.g., a vendor), the interested party initiates a Voice Over IP (VOIP) session with the DVR using the computer of the interested party. After such a session is initiated, the interested party dialogues directly with the DVR user's DVR and the VOIP packets transmitted over the internet by the television. In such embodiments of the invention, the contact information that the DVR transmits to the interested party includes the DVR's IP address and/or an identifier that is unique to the DVR, such that the interested party's computer can establish a VOIP connection with the DVR over the Internet.

In one such embodiment of the invention, a microphone is connected to or built into the DVR so that the DVR can collectively receive speech from the DVR user. In such embodiments of the invention, the DVR transmits the audible speech uttered by the DVR user to the computer of the interested party over the VOIP connection. Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, the DVR user and interested party may communicate with each other's voice without using the DVR user's phone, the DVR itself acting as the voice communication role that the phone would otherwise play.

In a similar embodiment of the invention, the interested party establishes an internet videoconference between the computer of the interested party and the DVR. The interested party and the DVR user communicate with each other during the videoconference. The DVR may optionally be connected to or have a video camera and microphone built in so that the interested party can see and hear what the DVR user is doing and saying at the same time. In such embodiments of the invention, the DVR user may be presented with the actions and speech of the party concerned by means of a screen and a speaker to which the DVR is connected.

In a similar embodiment of the invention, the interested party establishes an instant messaging connection between the computer of the interested party and the DVR. The interested party and the DVR user communicate with each other in the video conference.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to a DVR, alternative embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in or used in connection with devices other than DVRs. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a portable storage device is used in place of the DVR discussed above. Examples of such portable storage devices and other possible applications of such devices for transferring content are described in U.S. patent application No. 12/191,261 entitled "(content distribution system utilizing removable storage device) content based systems in a mobile storage device, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes of full disclosure. At least some embodiments of such portable storage devices do not require the ability to record television programming (e.g., some such devices only retrieve content from the internet).

Claims (26)

1. A method for transmitting contact information, the method comprising:

a multimedia device that receives contact information of a user and stores the contact information;

the multimedia device receives specific content including at least one of: (a) a television program or advertisement being received by the multimedia device, (b) recorded content, or (c) content being received by the multimedia device over the internet; the multimedia device receives a tag of a specific type along with the received specific content, and the tag indicates the multimedia device that a related party wants to receive contact information of a user;

in response to the multimedia device receiving a tag of a particular type, performing:

the multimedia device determining a specific icon designated by the specific type of tag, the specific icon being among a plurality of icons stored on the multimedia device;

the multimedia device overlapping a specific interactive icon on at least a part of the received specific content;

the multimedia device presents the received specific content overlaid with the specific interactive icon to request user permission to send user's contact information to the interested party associated with the tag; and

in response to the multimedia device receiving the user's permission to send the user's contact information to the interested party, the multimedia device sends the user's contact information to the interested party over the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information of the user comprises a name of the user and at least one of the following information: (a) a street address of the user, (b) a telephone number of the user, (c) an email address of the user, and (d) an instant message identifier of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia device sends the user's contact information to the interested party over the network using sending the user's contact information to the interested party over the internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia device receives contact information of the user from the user by way of manipulation of a remote control by the user to manipulate a user interface generated by the multimedia device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag is embedded in the television program or advertisement prior to the multimedia device receiving the television program or advertisement, and wherein the tag identifies at least one of: (a) a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the interested party, (b) an email address of the interested party, and (c) an instant message identifier of the interested party.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the multimedia device sends the user's contact information to the interested party by sending the user's contact information to at least one of: (a) a URL, (b) an email address of the party concerned, and (c) an instant message identifier of the party concerned.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular icon indicates to the user that a party associated with the television program or advertisement is interested in obtaining the user's contact information during the display of the television program or advertisement by the DVR.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia device stores the user's contact information by storing the user's contact information on one or more storage devices within the multimedia device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising

In response to the multimedia device receiving a tag of a particular type, the multimedia device requests contact information of the user from the user during presentation of the recorded content, the content received over the internet, the television program, or the advertisement.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia device requests user permission to send the user's contact information to the interested party by displaying an overlay over the presented recorded content, content received over the internet, television program, or advertisement, and wherein the overlay identifies the interested party.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information includes data identifying the multimedia device, and wherein the multimedia device facilitates real-time communication between the user and the interested party after sending the user's contact information to the interested party.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the multimedia device facilitates real-time communication between the user and the interested party using Voice Over IP (VOIP) protocol.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the multimedia device facilitates real-time communication between the user and the interested party using instant messaging.

14. A multimedia device configured to:

receiving contact information of a user and storing the contact information;

receiving specific content comprising at least one of: (a) a television program or advertisement being received by the multimedia device, (b) recorded content, or (c) content being received by the multimedia device over the internet;

receiving a tag of a specific type along with the received specific content, the tag indicating to the multimedia device that the relevant party wishes to receive contact information of the user;

in response to the multimedia device receiving a tag of a particular type, the multimedia device performs:

determining a particular icon specified by the particular type of tag, the particular icon being among a plurality of icons stored on the multimedia device;

overlaying a particular icon on at least a portion of the received particular content;

presenting the received specific content overlaid with the specific interactive icon to request user permission to send user's contact information to a interested party associated with the tag; and

in response to the multimedia device receiving the user's permission to send the user's contact information to the interested party, the multimedia device sends the user's contact information to the interested party over the network.

15. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the contact information of the user comprises a name of the user and at least one of: (a) a street address of the user, (b) a telephone number of the user, (c) an email address of the user, and (d) an instant message identifier of the user.

16. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the multimedia device employs sending the user's contact information to the interested party over the internet to send the user's contact information to the interested party over the network.

17. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the multimedia device receives contact information from the user by way of the user's manipulation of the remote control to manipulate a user interface generated by the multimedia device.

18. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the tag is embedded in the television program or advertisement prior to the multimedia device receiving the television program or advertisement, and wherein the tag identifies at least one of: (a) a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the interested party, (b) an email address of the interested party, and (c) an instant message identifier of the interested party.

19. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the multimedia device sends the user's contact information to the interested party by sending the user's contact information to at least one of: (a) a URL, (b) an email address of the party concerned, and (c) an instant message identifier of the party concerned.

20. The multimedia device of claim 14, further comprising:

in response to the multimedia device receiving the tag of the particular type, the multimedia device displays an icon to the user via a display connected thereto and during the display of the television program or advertisement by the multimedia device, the icon indicating to the user that a party associated with the television program or advertisement is interested in obtaining the user's contact information.

21. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the multimedia device stores the user's contact information by storing the user's contact information on one or more storage devices within the multimedia device.

22. The multimedia device of claim 14, further comprising

In response to the multimedia device receiving a tag of a particular type, the multimedia device requests contact information of the user from the user during presentation of the recorded content, the content received over the internet, the television program, or the advertisement.

23. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the multimedia device requests user permission to send the user's contact information to the interested party by displaying an overlay over the presented recorded content, content received over the internet, television programs, or advertisements, and wherein the overlay identifies the interested party.

24. The multimedia device of claim 14, wherein the contact information includes data identifying the multimedia device, and wherein the multimedia device facilitates real-time communication between the user and the interested party after sending the user's contact information to the interested party.

25. The multimedia device of claim 24, wherein the multimedia device facilitates real-time communication between the user and the interested party using Voice Over IP (VOIP) protocol.

26. The multimedia device of claim 24, wherein the multimedia device facilitates real-time communication between the user and the interested party using instant messaging.