Response timing

A receiver unit for use in an interactive television system, the receiver unit comprising:

• a receiver arrangement for receiving, from a video data provider, a live broadcast video stream;
• the live broadcast video stream including video data and a continuous timing stream indicative of the timing of the video data wherein the continuous timing stream has a frequency greater than 27MHz;
• a receiver arrangement for receiving an instruction from a user to transmit a message from the receiver unit;
• a decoder for directly querying, from the continuous timing stream included in the live broadcast video stream, current timing data indicating a current time point in the video stream in response to the instruction;
• a message former for forming the message in response to the instruction;
• the formed message including a timing indication based on the queried current time point and data identifying the receiver unit from which it was transmitted;
• and
• a transmission arrangement for transmitting the message from the receiver unit.

A system for use in an interactive television network, the system comprising:

• a video transmitter for transmitting a video stream including video data and a timing stream indicative of the timing of the video data;
• a plurality of receiver units, at least one receiver arranged for receiving, from a video data provider, a live broadcast video stream;
• the live broadcast video stream including video data and a continuous timing stream indicative of the timing of the video data wherein the continuous timing stream has a frequency greater than 27 MHz;
• at least one receiver arranged for receiving an instruction from a user to transmit a message from the receiver unit;
• a decoder for directly querying, from the continuous timing stream included in the live broadcast video stream, current timing data indicating a current time point in the video stream in response to the instruction;
• a message former for forming the message in response to the instruction;
• the formed message including a timing indication based on the queried current time point and data identifying the at least one receiver unit from which it was transmitted;
• a transmission arrangement for transmitting the message from the at least one receiver unit for receiving the video stream and transmitting messages;
• and
• an analyser which analyses the messages transmitted by at least one of the receiver units.

A method of performing an interactive television competition, the method comprising:

• transmitting to a receivers;
• wherein the receiver is arranged for receiving, from a video data provider, a live broadcast video stream;
• the live broadcast video stream including video data and a continuous timing stream indicative of the timing of the video data wherein the continuous timing stream has a frequency greater than 27 MHz;
• the receiver arranged for receiving an instruction from a user to transmit a message from the receiver;
• a decoder for directly querying, from the continuous timing stream included in the live broadcast video stream, current timing data indicating a current time point in the video stream in response to the instruction;
• a message former for forming the message in response to the instruction;
• the formed message including a timing indication based on the queried current time point and data identifying the receiver from which it was transmitted;
• a transmission arrangement for transmitting the message from the receiver, an invitation to a user to submit a response by sending a message;
• receiving a plurality of messages;
• analysing the messages;
• as a result of the analysis, identifying a winner;
• and
• providing the winner with a prize.

A method for transmitting a message in an interactive television system, comprising:

• receiving at a receiver unit, from a video data provider, a live broadcast video stream;
• the live broadcast video stream including video data and a continuous timing stream representing the timing of the video data wherein the continuous timing stream has a frequency greater than 27 MHz;
• receiving at the receiver unit, from a user, an instruction to transmit a message from the receiver unit;
• in response to the instruction, forming the message at the receiver unit;
• including in the message a timing indication directly queried from the timing stream included in the live broadcast video stream in response to the instruction and data identifying the receiver unit from which it was transmitted, wherein the timing indication corresponds to a current time point in the video stream;
• and transmitting the message from the receiver unit.