Signal-driven interactive television
A method for displaying supplemental content with a content stream on a display is provided. A content stream for a program is received, and a portion of the received content stream is sampled. The sampled portion is analyzed to determine a media identifier for the content stream, the media identifier being transmitted to a content server. Supplemental content is retrieved from the content server using the media identifier. And the content stream is rendered on the display with the supplemental content. The supplemental content provides access to an interactive feature, the interactive feature providing internet communication during the receipt of the content stream.
1. A method for displaying supplemental content on a display, comprising:
receiving a content stream for a video program in memory of the display via a first channel for rendering on the display;
periodically sampling, at the display, a portion of the received content stream from the memory of the display;
generating, at the display, an audio fingerprint of the sampled portion;
sending the audio fingerprint from the display to a remote server having a fingerprint identifier logic that is configured to determine a media identifier by comparing the audio fingerprint to audio fingerprints of video programs stored in a database, the media identifier being configured to identify the video program being rendered from the content stream on the display;
receiving at the display from the remote server, after processing by the fingerprint identifier logic, the media identifier;
retrieving supplemental content from a content server using the media identifier via a second channel that is separate from the first channel, the supplemental content being defined for the video program identified by the media identifier;
rendering the content stream on the display with the supplemental content, the supplemental content providing access to an interactive feature, the interactive feature providing internet communication during the receipt of the content stream.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media identifier identifies a location within the video program at which the sampled portion is found.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental content defines a trigger for accessing the interactive feature.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the interactive feature is provided by an application, the application being launched by the trigger.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first channel is defined by a communication selected from the group consisting of analog audio/video, digital audio/video, cable, satellite, or internet; and
wherein the second channel is defined by internet communication.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content stream is defined by audio and video content of the video program.
7. A method for a content server to provide supplemental content to a display, comprising:
determining supplemental content using a media identifier for a content stream, the content stream being received in memory of the display via a first channel for rendering on the display, the media identifier being determined based on analysis of a sampled portion of the content stream from the memory of the display, the media identifier being configured to identify a video program being rendered from the content stream and a location within the video program at which the sampled portion is found, the media identifier being determined by comparing an audio fingerprint, that is generated from the sampled portion of the content stream, to audio fingerprints of video programs stored in a database, the supplemental content being defined for the video program and the location identified by the media identifier;
transmitting the supplemental content to a rendering logic, the rendering logic rendering the content stream on the display with the supplemental content, the supplemental content providing access to an interactive feature, the interactive feature providing internet communication during the receipt of the content stream.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the supplemental content defines a trigger for accessing the interactive feature.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interactive feature is provided by an application, the application being launched by the trigger.
10. A system for displaying a content stream with supplemental content on a display, comprising:
a content server for providing supplemental content;
an interface device, the interface device including a connected interface logic;
wherein the connected interface logic includes:
(a) a sensor for receiving a content stream for a video program in memory of the display via a first channel for rendering on the display, periodically sampling, at the display, a portion of the received content stream from the memory of the display, generating an audio fingerprint of the sampled portion, sending the audio fingerprint to a remote server having a fingerprint identifier that is configured to determine a media identifier by comparing the audio fingerprint to audio fingerprints of video programs stored in a database, and receiving from the remote server, after processing by the fingerprint identifier, the media identifier, the media identifier being configured to identify the video program being rendered from the content stream;
(b) a supplemental content logic for retrieving, via a second channel that is separate from the first channel, supplemental content from the content server using the media identifier, the supplemental content being defined for the video program identified by the media identifier;
(c) a rendering logic for rendering the content stream on the display with the supplemental content, the supplemental content providing access to an interactive feature, the interactive feature providing internet communication during the receipt of the content stream.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the media identifier identifies a location within the video program at which the sampled portion is found.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the supplemental content defines a trigger for accessing the interactive feature.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the interactive feature is provided by an application, the application being launched by the trigger.
14. A system for displaying a content stream with supplemental content on a display, comprising:
a content server for providing supplemental content;
a display, the display including a connected interface logic;
wherein the connected interface logic includes:
(a) a sensor for receiving a content stream for a video program in memory of the display via a first channel for rendering on the display, periodically sampling, at the display, a portion of the received content stream from the memory of the display, generating an audio fingerprint of the sampled portion, sending the audio fingerprint to a remote server having a fingerprint identifier that is configured to determine a media identifier by comparing the audio fingerprint to audio fingerprints of video programs stored in a database, and receiving from the remote server, after processing by the fingerprint identifier, the media identifier, the media identifier being configured to identify the video program being rendered from the content stream;
(b) a supplemental content logic for retrieving, via a second channel that is separate from the first channel, supplemental content from the content server using the media identifier, the supplemental content being defined for the video program identified by the media identifier;
(c) a rendering logic for rendering the content stream on the display with the supplemental content, the supplemental content providing access to an interactive feature, the interactive feature providing internet communication during the receipt of the content stream.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the media identifier identifies a location within the video program at which the sampled portion is found.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the supplemental content defines a trigger for accessing the interactive feature.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the interactive feature is provided by an application, the application being launched by the trigger.
18. A method for displaying supplemental content on a television, comprising:
receiving in memory of the television a content stream for a video program from a set-top box;
periodically sampling, at the television, a portion of the received content stream from the memory of the television;
generating, at the television, an audio fingerprint of the sampled portion;
sending the audio fingerprint from the television to a remote server having a fingerprint identifier that is configured to determine a media identifier by comparing the audio fingerprint to audio fingerprints of video programs stored in a database, the media identifier being configured to identify the video program being rendered from the content stream and a location within the video program at which the sampled portion is found;
receiving at the television from the remote server, after processing by the fingerprint identifier, the media identifier;
retrieving, via the Internet, supplemental content from a content server using the media identifier, the supplemental content being defined for the video program identified by the media identifier;
rendering the content stream on the television with the supplemental content, the supplemental content providing access to an interactive feature, the interactive feature providing Internet communication during the receipt of the content stream in response to user interaction with the interactive feature.