	US 7,568,214 B2
	Providing multiple levels of interactive television service using triggers and trigger filters
Bruce A. Leak, Los Altos, Calif. (US); Daniel J. Zigmond, Menlo Park, Calif. (US); and Dean J. Blackketter, San Francisco, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. (US)
Filed on Jul. 16, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/893,518.
Application 10/893518 is a continuation of application No. 09/467851, filed on Dec. 20, 1999, granted, now 7,174,562.
Prior Publication US 2004/0261130 A1, Dec. 23, 2004
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 7/173 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 725—110 [725/135; 725/136; 725/112; 725/97]

20 Claims

1. In an interactive system that includes a receiver having customizable configuration information specifying whether the receiver is connected or disconnected, wherein the receiver can receive both connected content that can be accessed when the receiver is connected and disconnected content that can be accessed when the receiver is disconnected, a method for preventing a viewer from being interrupted by links to inaccessible enhanced content when the receiver is disconnected, the method comprising:

storing configuration information specifying whether a receiver is connected to, or disconnected from, a bi-directional connection to a remote source, wherein the configuration information can be customized to control when the receiver will execute a connected-content trigger that links to connected content and when the receiver will execute a disconnected-content trigger that links to disconnected content, the connected content comprising enhanced content that is accessed by the receiver when the receiver is in a connected state and the disconnected content comprising enhanced content that is accessed by the receiver when the receiver is in a disconnected state, and wherein the receiver will only execute a connected-content trigger and thereby access the connected content when the configuration information specifies that the receiver is connected;

receiving a content trigger linking to enhanced content, wherein the content trigger includes a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields including at least a location field referencing a location of the enhanced content, and a separate connectivity field indicating whether the enhanced content is connected content or disconnected content;

determining, based on a connectivity value within the connectivity field within the content trigger, whether the content trigger is a connected content trigger or a disconnected-content trigger; and

upon determining that the connectivity value distinguishes the trigger as a connected-content trigger, and upon waiting a prescribed period of time and until the configuration information indicates that the receiver is connected, executing the connected-content trigger to thereby access the enhanced content from a remote source over the bi-directional connection to the remote source.