US 7,221,405 B2 · Universal closed caption portable receiver

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for portable and universal receipt of closed captioning services by a user are provided in accordance with the invention. The invention permits a user to receive closed captioning services wherever he or she may be viewing video content with an audio component in accordance with a video/audio content display system (e.g., television set, computer monitor, movie theater), regardless of whether the content display system provides closed captioning capabilities. Also, the invention permits a user to receive closed captioning services independent of the video/audio content display system that they are using to view the video content. In one illustrative aspect of the present invention, a portable and universal closed caption receiving device (closed caption receiver) is provided for: (i) receiving a signal, which includes closed captions, from a closed caption provider while the user watches a program on a video/audio content display system; (ii) extracting the closed captions; and (iii) providing the closed captions to a head mounted display for presentation to the user so that the user may view the program and, at the same time, view the closed captions in synchronization with the video content of the program.

Claims50

Dependent claims

A method of processing a signal wherein at least a portion of the signal includes one or more closed captions representing audio content associated with a program whose visual content is being viewed by a user, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining, directly from an originating source, the signal including the one or more closed captions in a portable processing device;
autonomously processing the signal in the portable processing device so as to generate a display signal representative of the one or more closed captions in the obtained signal;
and
providing the display signal from the portable processing device to a portable display, operatively coupled to the device, for presentation to the user so that the user may view the visual content of the program and view the one or more closed captions in accordance with the portable display;
wherein the portable processing device further comprises an input controller operatively coupled to the processor for allowing the user to enter one or more instructions to the processing device, and a microphone operatively coupled to the processor for allowing the user to enter one or more voice-based instructions to the processing device:
and further wherein at least one of the one or more instructions comprises a channel selection instruction.

3 more elements

A closed captioning system, comprising:

a closed caption receiver configured to be carried by a user including:
a portable processing device including at least one processor operative to:
(i) obtain, directly from an originating closed caption service system, a signal including one or more closed captions representing audio content associated with a program whose visual content is being viewed by the user;
and (ii) autonomously process the signal so as to generate a display signal representative of the one or more closed captions in the obtained signal;
and
a portable display operatively coupled to the portable processing device and operative to receive and present the display signal to the user so that the user may view the visual content of the program and view the one or more closed captions in accordance with the portable display;
and
a closed caption service system, operatively coupled to the closed caption receiver, including at least one processor operative to:
(i) generate the signal including the one or more closed captions;
and (ii) provide the signal to the closed caption receiver;
wherein the portable processing device further comprises an input controller operatively coupled to the processor for allowing the user to enter one or more instructions to the processing device, and a microphone operatively coupled to the processor for allowing the user to enter one or more voice-based instructions to the processing device:
and further wherein at least one of the one or more instructions comprises a channel selection instruction.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Universal closed caption portable receiver

Life of this patent

Universal closed caption portable receiver

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims50