System and method to subscribe to channel URL addresses and to provide non-programming-related URL addresses in an interactive video casting system

An interactive video casting system, comprising:

• a headend having a multiplexer to multiplex a plurality of input television signals for a corresponding plurality of television channels, wherein at least some of the television signals are accompanied by supplemental content including trigger information associated with respective television channels;
• a trigger processor coupled to the multiplexer to obtain the trigger information from at least some of the television channels;
• and
• a storage unit coupled to the headend to store the trigger information obtained by the trigger processor from the television channels, the television channels being subscribed to allow the trigger information obtained therefrom and stored in the storage unit to be provided to a remote device.

A method to provide supplemental content from an interactive video casting system to a remote device, the method comprising:

• subscribing at least one television channel available via the interactive video casting system to obtain trigger information associated with that television channel;
• providing a plurality of television signals via a corresponding plurality of television channels to a client terminal communicatively coupled to the interactive video casting system;
• providing access to the obtained trigger information associated with the subscribed television channel to the remote device to allow presentation of supplemental content corresponding to the obtained trigger information on the remote device, at least alternatively to presentation of a television signal from a television channel tuned to by the client terminal;
• and
• continuing to provide access to the obtained trigger information associated with the subscribed television channel if the client terminal tunes to another television channel to present another television signal.

A system to provide supplemental content from an interactive video casting network to a remote device, the system comprising:

• a means for subscribing at least one television channel available via the interactive video casting system to obtain trigger information associated with that television channel;
• a means for providing a plurality of television signals via a corresponding plurality of television channels to a client terminal communicatively coupled to the interactive video casting system;
• a means for providing access to the obtained trigger information associated with the subscribed television channel to the remote device to allow presentation of supplemental content corresponding to the obtained trigger information on the remote device, at least alternatively to presentation of a television signal from a television channel tuned to by the client terminal;
• and
• a means for continuing to provide access to the obtained trigger information associated with the subscribed television channel if the client terminal tunes to another television channel to present another television signal.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a machine-readable medium usable in an interactive video casting system and having instructions stored thereon to:
• subscribe at least one television channel available via the interactive video casting system to obtain trigger information associated with that television channel;
• control transmission of a plurality of television signals via a corresponding plurality of television channels to a client terminal communicatively coupled to the interactive video casting system;
• provide access to the obtained trigger information associated with the subscribed television channel to the remote device to allow presentation of supplemental content corresponding to the obtained trigger information on the remote device, at least alternatively to presentation of a television signal from a television channel tuned to by the client terminal;
• and
• continue to provide access to the obtained trigger information associated with the subscribed television channel if the client terminal tunes to another television channel to present another television signal.

An interactive video casting system, comprising:

• a broadcast center having a multiplexer to multiplex a plurality of input television signals for a corresponding plurality of television channels, wherein at least some of the television signals are accompanied by supplemental content including trigger information associated with respective television channels;
• a trigger processor coupled to the multiplexer to obtain the trigger information from at least some of the television channels;
• and
• a storage unit coupled to the headend to store the trigger information obtained by the trigger processor from the television channels, the television channels being subscribed to allow the trigger information obtained therefrom and stored in the storage unit to be provided to a remote device,
• wherein a client terminal for a television for the interactive video casting system is coupled to present supplemental content corresponding to trigger information on the television,
• wherein the television includes a screen to display supplemental content available from the interactive video casting system,
• wherein the client terminal is capable of being communicatively coupled to the interactive video casting system to receive the trigger information from the interactive video casting system and is coupled to present at least some of the supplemental content on the screen of the television in addition to television signals from television channels,
• wherein the interactive video casting system includes a plurality of content sources communicatively coupled to a plurality of broadcast centers,
• wherein the broadcast centers are coupled to storage mediums to store at least some of the supplemental content to be made available to the client terminal, and
• wherein the interactive video casting system is capable to provide the address information to the remote device via different communication channels, including at least one of a plurality of television broadcast channels and a communication channel with a communication network.

An interactive video casting system, comprising:

• a broadcast center having a multiplexer to multiplex a plurality of input television signals for corresponding plurality of television channels, wherein at least some of the television signals are accompanied by supplemental content including trigger information associated with respective television channels;
• a trigger processor coupled to the multiplexer to obtain the trigger information from at least some of the television channels;
• and
• a storage unit coupled to the headend to store the trigger information obtained by the trigger processor from the television channels, the television channels being subscribed to allow the trigger information obtained therefrom and stored in the storage unit to be provided to a remote device,
• wherein a client terminal for a television for the interactive video casting system is coupled to present supplemental content corresponding to trigger information on the television,
• wherein the television includes a screen to display supplemental content available from the interactive video casting system,
• wherein the client terminal is capable of being communicatively coupled to the interactive video casting system to receive the trigger information from the interactive video casting system and is coupled to present at least some of the supplemental content on the screen of the television in addition to television signals from television channels,
• wherein the interactive video casting system includes a plurality of content sources communicatively coupled to a plurality of broadcast centers,
• wherein the broadcast centers are coupled to storage mediums to store at least some of the supplemental content to be made available to the client terminal, and
• wherein the interactive video casting system is capable to provide the address information to the remote device via different communication paths, including at least one of a plurality of television broadcast channels and a communication path with a communication network;
• and
• a trigger inserter coupled to the multiplexer to insert non-programming-related trigger information in at least one of the television channels.