Features for interactive media VCR-type control
AssigneeBellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
InventorsWilliam Hartselle, Dennis Meek, Gregory Smith, Robert Frohwein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An Interactive Media Control Module provides flexible subscriber VCR controls of and functions for an interactive media system that limit the consumption of bandwidth capacity. According to some of the embodiments, a reactivation function is provided when pause and rewind controls are deactivated in a viewing window such that the pause and rewind controls may be reactivated by ordering a bookmarked viewing window.
Claims29
A method for providing media delivery control of an interactive media system comprising:
- bookmarking a program with a bookmark when a remaining viewing time window equals or is less than a remaining program time of the program;
- calculating a bookmarked program time of a program from a bookmarked time to an ending time of the program;
- establishing a bookmarked viewing time window during which a program must be watched, the bookmarked viewing time window equal to or greater than the bookmarked program time;
- playing the program from approximately the bookmark and providing a pause function and a rewind function;
- calculating a remaining bookmarked viewing time of the bookmarked viewing time window and a remaining bookmarked program time;
- and
- activating the pause function and the rewind function if the remaining bookmarked program time is less than the remaining bookmarked viewing time.
The method of claim 8, further comprising:
- providing a fast-forward function;
- and
- if the fast-forward function is activated for a fast-forward duration, which shifts the program forward a fast-forward bookmarked program time, subtracting the fast-forward bookmarked program time from and adding the fast-forward duration to the bookmarked duration time.
A method for providing media delivery control of an interactive media system comprising:
- ordering a bookmarked viewing time via the interactive media system, the bookmarked viewing time comprising at least a bookmarked time of a program to an ending time of the program, the bookmarked time established when a remaining viewing time window equals or is less than a remaining program time of the program, such that the pause function and the rewind function are activated if a remaining bookmarked program time is less than a remaining bookmarked viewing time.
An interactive media device comprising:
- at least one processing device communicating with a program source to receive a program, wherein the at least one processing device calculates a bookmarked viewing time window within which to transmit a portion of the program from a bookmark in the program to an end of the program, calculates a remaining bookmarked viewing time of the bookmarked viewing time window, calculates a remaining bookmarked program time of the program, and provides a pause function and a rewind function when the remaining bookmarked viewing time is greater than the remaining bookmarked program time.
An interactive media system for media delivery control, the system comprising:
- a program database in communication with a video server, the program database storing the program and a duration of the program;
- the video server for accessing and communicating the program;
- and
- at least one processing device in communication with the video server, wherein the at least one processing device calculates a bookmarked viewing time window within which to transmit a portion of the program from a bookmark in the program to an end of the program, calculates a remaining bookmarked viewing time of the bookmarked viewing time window, calculates a remaining bookmarked program time of the program, and provides a pause function and a rewind function when the remaining bookmarked viewing time is greater than the remaining bookmarked program time.
A method for re-activating limited interactive media video cassette recorder (VCR) control comprising re-activating VCR functions for a fixed bookmarked duration when a remaining program duration equals or exceeds a remaining viewing time window.
A multimedia device that re-activates interactive media video cassette recorder (VCR) control, comprising:
- a receiver that receives a program, a program duration, a bookmark time stamp, a first program time stamp, and a second program time stamp from a program source;
- a transmitter that communicates VCR functions to the program source;
- and
- an application that counts elapsed viewing time, subtracts the elapsed viewing time from the fixed program duration to determine a remaining viewing time, subtracts the first program time stamp from the program duration to determine a remaining program duration, encodes the bookmark time stamp when the remaining program duration equals the remaining viewing time, counts elapsed bookmarked viewing time, subtracts the elapsed bookmarked viewing time from a remaining fixed program duration to determine a remaining bookmarked viewing time, subtracts the second program time stamp from the remaining program duration to determine a remaining bookmarked program duration, and stops the transmitter from sending the VCR functions when the remaining bookmarked program duration equals or exceeds the remaining bookmarked viewing time.
A method for providing video cassette recorder control of an interactive media system comprising:
- establishing a viewing time window during which a program must be watched;
- playing the program and providing a pause function and a rewind function;
- calculating a remaining viewing time of the viewing time window and a remaining program time of the program;
- activating the pause function and the rewind function if the remaining program time is less than the remaining viewing time;
- deactivating the pause function and the rewind function if the remaining program time is equal to or greater than the remaining viewing time;
- and
- displaying a post viewing time status comprising an end time of the viewing time window and a notification that viewing time window has expired such that further viewing of the program is not available.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.