Patent ID: 7831726
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. Apparatus comprising: means for receiving a data signal on a first communication channel comprising a data stream including: data encoded in a first format for representing an event; and data encoded in a second format for representing information regarding the availability of at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event; means for extracting the information regarding the availability of at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event, represented by data encoded in a second format, from the data stream; means for providing the information regarding the availability of at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event to at least one predetermined remote control unit; means for receiving a request from the predetermined remote control unit for the at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event; means for requesting from a service provider the at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event indicated in the request from the predetermined remote control unit; means for receiving data on a second communication channel comprising the requested at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event; and means for providing the at least one supplemental audio-visual object indicated in the request from the remote control unit, received on the second communication channel, and associated with the event received on the first communication channel, to the remote control unit; further comprising means for decoding the data stream representing the event to produce decoded data, and means for producing a display of the event in response to the decoded data, wherein the at least one supplemental audio-visual object associated with the event comprises external objects of additional information about the event, and a number of the external objects become invalid with the passage of time.