Class   725	INTERACTIVE VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
	Click here to view a PDF version of this file

1

BILLING IN VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

2

. (1 indent ) Data stored locally (e.g., at set-top box)

3

.. (2 indent ) On nonelectronic medium (e.g., paper tape or meter)

4

. (1 indent ) Data stored at intermediate point (i.e., at location between headend or server and receiver)

5

. (1 indent ) Payment method or scheme

6

.. (2 indent ) Card reader (e.g., reader for credit, debit, or smart card)

7

.. (2 indent ) Coin operated

8

. (1 indent ) Having variable cost or free preview period

9

USE SURVEYING OR MONITORING (E.G., PROGRAM OR CHANNEL WATCHED)

10

. (1 indent ) Monitoring physical reaction or presence of viewer

11

.. (2 indent ) With entry of user identification

12

.. (2 indent ) By passive determination and measurement (e.g., by detecting motion or ambient temperature, or by use of video camera)

13

. (1 indent ) Manual entry (e.g., using keypad or by written response)

14

. (1 indent ) By passively monitoring receiver operation

15

.. (2 indent ) By detecting local oscillator or IF signal

16

.. (2 indent ) By polling

17

.. (2 indent ) By monitoring sync or blanking pulse

18

.. (2 indent ) By use of audio signal

19

.. (2 indent ) By use of pattern recognition or signature

20

.. (2 indent ) By data encoded in video signal (e.g., VBI data)

21

.. (2 indent ) Combined with detecting VCR operation

22

COMMERCIAL OR PROGRAM AIRING VERIFICATION SYSTEM

23

SYSTEM FOR AWARDING COUPON, TOKEN, OR CREDIT

24

INTERACTIVE OPINION POLLING

25

ACCESS CONTROL OR BLOCKING

26

. (1 indent ) By mechanical lock

27

. (1 indent ) Of specific channel

28

. (1 indent ) Of specific program (e.g., based on program rating)

29

. (1 indent ) Time dependent (e.g., time spent viewing program, time of day, etc.)

30

. (1 indent ) Access via PIN or password

31

. (1 indent ) With encryption or scrambling of video signal

32

PROGRAM, MESSAGE, OR COMMERCIAL INSERTION OR SUBSTITUTION

33

. (1 indent ) Emergency warning

34

. (1 indent ) Specific to individual user or household

35

. (1 indent ) Based on demographics or geographical area

36

. (1 indent ) Insertion of local commercial or local program at headend or network affiliate

37

OPERATOR INTERFACE

38

. (1 indent ) To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal

39

.. (2 indent ) Electronic program guide

40

... (3 indent ) For displaying additional information

41

.... (4 indent ) Video still or clip

42

.... (4 indent ) Commercial or advertisement

43

.... (4 indent ) With separate window, panel, or screen

44

... (3 indent ) Content arrangement

45

.... (4 indent ) Based on genre, theme, or category

46

.... (4 indent ) Based on personal preference, profile, or viewing history (e.g., to produce redacted listing)

47

.... (4 indent ) User customization of display content

48

... (3 indent ) Combined from plural information providers (e.g., combined terrestrial and satellite sources)

49

.... (4 indent ) Combined at local receiver

50

... (3 indent ) Information updating

51

... (3 indent ) Having link to external information resource (e.g., online resource)

52

... (3 indent ) Navigational feature

53

... (3 indent ) Searching (e.g., by title or actor's name)

54

... (3 indent ) Transmission scheme

55

... (3 indent ) Provided on recordable medium

56

.. (2 indent ) Channel guide (i.e., channel-specific as opposed to program-specific guide)

57

.. (2 indent ) Tune-by-label (i.e., channel selection by alphanumeric character entry)

58

.. (2 indent ) Program reserve or reminder system

59

.. (2 indent ) Selecting from multiple inputs or sources

60

. (1 indent ) Interactive product selection

61

. (1 indent ) Interactive program selection

62

CELLULAR VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

63

SATELLITE VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

64

. (1 indent ) Two-way

65

.. (2 indent ) Return path

66

... (3 indent ) Terrestrial return path

67

. (1 indent ) Transmitter

68

. (1 indent ) Receiver

69

.. (2 indent ) Polarization of signal

70

.. (2 indent ) For digital signal

71

.. (2 indent ) For providing signals to plural subsequent receivers

72

.. (2 indent ) Antenna initialization, calibration, or aiming

73

TERRESTRIAL MICROWAVE VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

74

LOCAL VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

75

. (1 indent ) Vehicle

76

.. (2 indent ) Airplane

77

... (3 indent ) Seat-back terminal

78

. (1 indent ) Multiunit or multiroom structure (e.g., home, hospital, hotel, office building, school, etc.)

79

.. (2 indent ) Using existing power network

80

.. (2 indent ) Coordinating diverse devices

81

.. (2 indent ) Using wireless link

82

.. (2 indent ) Local server or headend

83

.. (2 indent ) Having additional amenity (e.g., access to outside network, room service, etc.)

84

... (3 indent ) Combined with call bell system for hospital use

85

.. (2 indent ) Receiver

86

USER-REQUESTED VIDEO PROGRAM SYSTEM

87

. (1 indent ) Video-on-demand

88

.. (2 indent ) VCR-like function

89

... (3 indent ) By use of memory at receiver

90

... (3 indent ) With particular transmission scheme (e.g., transmitting I-frames only)

91

.. (2 indent ) Server or headend

92

... (3 indent ) Mass storage

93

... (3 indent ) Control process

94

.... (4 indent ) Buffering and switching

95

.... (4 indent ) Channel or bandwidth allocation

96

....• (5 indent ) In accordance with server or network congestion

97

.... (4 indent ) Scheduling (e.g., grouping users together)

98

.. (2 indent ) Transmission network

99

... (3 indent ) Using telephone network

100

.. (2 indent ) Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

101

. (1 indent ) Near video-on-demand system (i.e., providing plural, time-staggered versions of same program)

102

.. (2 indent ) VCR-like function

103

.. (2 indent ) Server or headend

104

. (1 indent ) Pay-per-view

105

VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITH UPSTREAM COMMUNICATION

106

. (1 indent ) Telephony via television distribution network

107

. (1 indent ) Remote testing of cable system

108

. (1 indent ) Alarm system using television network

109

. (1 indent ) Having link to external network (e.g., interconnected computer network)

110

.. (2 indent ) Connection to external network at receiver (e.g., set-top box)

111

.. (2 indent ) Cable modem

112

.. (2 indent ) Link transmission (e.g., URL sent to user)

113

... (3 indent ) Conveyed in video image

114

. (1 indent ) Server or headend

115

.. (2 indent ) Data storage or retrieval

116

.. (2 indent ) Control process

117

.. (2 indent ) Communications interface

118

. (1 indent ) Transmission network

119

.. (2 indent ) Having significant intermediate network unit (e.g., hub, substation, etc.)

120

... (3 indent ) With two-way connection from unit to receiver (e.g., for the purpose of channel selection)

121

.. (2 indent ) Return path

122

... (3 indent ) Return path via telephone network

123

... (3 indent ) Wireless return path

124

... (3 indent ) Noise in return path

125

.... (4 indent ) Ingress noise

126

.. (2 indent ) Detail of use of two-way spectrum

127

.. (2 indent ) Network component (e.g., filter, tap, splitter, amplifier, repeater, etc.)

128

... (3 indent ) Diplex filter

129

.. (2 indent ) Hybrid fiber-coax network

130

.. (2 indent ) Power signal over network

131

. (1 indent ) Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

132

.. (2 indent ) Programmable or upgradeable

133

.. (2 indent ) With diverse device (e.g., personal computer, game player, VCR, etc.)

134

.. (2 indent ) Having particular storage feature

135

VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITH LOCAL INTERACTION

136

. (1 indent ) Interactive data transmitted in video signal band (e.g., VBI or HBI data)

137

.. (2 indent ) Teletext

138

. (1 indent ) Headend

139

. (1 indent ) Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

140

.. (2 indent ) Programmable or upgradeable

141

.. (2 indent ) With diverse device (e.g., personal computer, game player, VCR, etc.)

142

.. (2 indent ) Having particular storage feature

143

VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM COMPONENTS

144

. (1 indent ) Headend

145

.. (2 indent ) Data storage or retrieval

146

.. (2 indent ) Control process

147

.. (2 indent ) Communications interface

148

. (1 indent ) Transmission network

149

.. (2 indent ) Network component (e.g., filter, tap, splitter, amplifier, repeater, etc.)

150

.. (2 indent ) Power signal over network

151

. (1 indent ) Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

152

.. (2 indent ) Programmable or upgradeable

153

.. (2 indent ) With diverse device (e.g., personal computer, game player, VCR, etc.)

   Note: Some content linked to on this page may require a plug-in for Adobe Acrobat Reader.

This file produced by USPTO - SIRA - Office of Patent Automation - ReferenceTools Project. Questions or comments relating to this file should be directed to Patent Automation Feedback.