Device, method and software for providing supplementary information

1. A device for providing a media content item to a user, the device comprising:

a media content item receiver circuitry configured to receive the media content item as a data stream, the data stream comprising identifying data which identifies the media content item;

a memory circuitry configured to store user profile information associated with the user of the device;

a supplementary information requester circuitry configured to transmit the identifying data which identifies the media content item, the user profile information, and a request for supplementary information related to the media content item to a server over a network;

a supplementary information receiver circuitry configured to receive supplementary information related to the media content item from the server over the network, the supplementary information being determined by the server on the basis of the transmitted identifying data which identifies the media content item and the transmitted user profile information;

a media content transmitter circuitry configured to transmit the media content item, absent the received supplementary information, to an audio/video reproduction device; and

a supplementary information transmitter circuitry configured to transmit the received supplementary information to a separate personal user device specified by the stored user profile information.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the media content item receiver circuitry is configured to receive the identifying data which identifies the media content item separately to the media content item data stream and before the media content item data stream is received;

the supplementary information requester circuitry is configured to transmit the separately received identifying data, the user profile information, and a request for supplementary information related to the media content item to the server over the network;

the supplementary information receiver circuitry is configured to receive supplementary information related to the media content item from the server over the network, the supplementary information being determined by the server on the basis of the received identifying data and the transmitted user profile information; and

the memory circuitry is configured to store the received supplementary information.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the media content item is any uniquely identifiable audio and/or visual material.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the supplementary information related to the media content item is information to be presented to the user substantially simultaneously with playback of the media content item.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the supplementary information is one of subtitles or closed captioning.

6. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the supplementary information is an audio description or includes dialogue in a different language to dialogue used in the media content item.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the user profile information comprises:

a username to uniquely identify the user with whom the user profile information is associated;

information specifying the type of supplementary information that the user wishes to receive; and

information uniquely identifying the personal user device to which the supplementary information is to be transmitted.

8. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a user profile information transmitter circuitry configured to transmit the user profile information to a server.

9. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a user profile information receiver circuitry configured to receive the user profile information from the personal user device to which the supplementary information is to be transmitted.

10. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a user detection device circuitry configured to be connected to a camera, wherein:

the user profile information comprises a face image of the user;

the user detection device circuitry is configured to receive a captured image including the face of the user from the camera; and

the user detection device circuitry is configured to detect the face of the user in the captured image.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the user detection device circuitry is configured to detect from the image a physical action performed by the user, the performance of the action indicating that the supplementary information transmitter should commence transmission of the supplementary information to the personal user device.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the user detection device circuitry is configured to monitor an area in the image surrounding the detected physical action, and in response to a further physical action, the supplementary information transmitter circuitry is configured to stop transmission of the supplementary information to the personal user device.

13. A method for providing a media content item to a user, the method comprising:

receiving the media content item as a data stream, the data stream comprising identifying data which identifies the media content item;

storing user profile information associated with the user of the device;

transmitting the identifying data which identifies the media content item, the user profile information, and a request for supplementary information related to the media content item to a server over a network;

transmitting the media content item, absent the received supplementary information, to an audio/video reproduction device;

receiving supplementary information related to the media content item from the server over the network, the supplementary information being determined by the server on the basis of the transmitted identifying data which identifies the media content item and the transmitted user profile information; and

transmitting the received supplementary information to a separate personal user device specified by the stored user profile information.

14. The method according to claim 13 , comprising receiving the identifying data which identifies the media content item separately to the media content item data stream and before the media content item data stream is received; transmitting the separately received identifying data, the user profile information, and a request for supplementary information related to the media content item to the server over the network; receiving supplementary information related to the media content item from the server over the network, the supplementary information being determined by the server on the basis of the received identifying data and the transmitted user profile information; and storing the received supplementary information.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the media content item is any uniquely identifiable audio and/or visual material.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the supplementary information related to the media content item is information to be presented to the user substantially simultaneously with playback of the media content item and wherein the supplementary information is one of subtitles or closed captioning or audio description.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein:

the user profile information comprises a face image of the user;

the method further comprises receiving a captured image including the face of the user from the camera; and

detecting the face of the user in the captured image.

18. The method according to claim 17 , comprising detecting from the image a physical action performed by the user, the performance of the action indicating that the supplementary information transmitter should commence transmission of the supplementary information to the personal user device.

19. The method according to claim 18 , comprising monitoring an area in the image surrounding the detected physical action, and in response to a further physical action, stopping transmission of the supplementary information to the personal user device.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform the method of claim 13 .

21. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the supplementary information transmitter circuitry is configured to transmit the received supplementary information to the separate personal user device absent the received media content item.