Interactive television system for providing full motion synched compatible audio/visual displays

Patent 4847698 Issued on July 11, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date:

July 16, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Dialog between TV movies and human viewers
Patent #: 4305131
Issued on: 12/08/1981
Inventor: Best

TV Movies that talk back
Patent #: 4333152
Issued on: 06/01/1982
Inventor: Best

TV Movies that talk back Patent #: 4569026
Issued on: 02/04/1986
Inventor: Best

Inventor

Freeman, Michael J.

Assignee

Actv, Inc.

Application

No. 07/074138 filed on 07/16/1987

US Classes:

386/99, Plurality of audio channels348/482, Sound signal348/96, Film, disc or card scanning386/104, Digital audio signal434/307R, CATHODE RAY SCREEN DISPLAY AND AUDIO MEANS434/309, Common carrier for visual means and audio recording434/323, Cathode ray screen display included in examining means725/138, Headend725/139Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

Examiners

Primary: Hix, L. T.
Assistant: Rutledge, D.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Bryan, Cave, McPheeters & McRoberts

International Classes

G09B 5/00 (20060101)
G09B 7/04 (20060101)
G09B 7/00 (20060101)
G09B 5/12 (20060101)

Abstract

An interactive television system (10, 10a) for providing full motion synched compatible audio visual displays based on dynamic user selection (26) of a plurality of syllable synched compatible audio choices for a common full motion video frame presentation provided over a common television channel. Two or more audio channels are synched to a common video channel, with the video being compatible will all audio channels. The interactive programming is stored on video cassette (12, 12a) or other storage media and the audio channels are either multiplexed into the video line or the existing audio channels and are provided to a control module (14, 14a) which demultiplexes the signal (16, 16a) and ultimately combines the user selected audio signal with the video in an RF modulator (20) under computer control (18, 22, 24, 26) to provide the interactive display.