Abstract:
A source of television programming sends the TV programming into a geographic region. The source also sends enhanced programming for transmission. The enhanced signals result in transforming 2D video in the TV programming signals into 3D signals and/or replacing 2D video in the TV programming signals with 3D video. The enhanced programming is tied to the TV programming signals to limit useful display of the enhanced programming to the geographic region.

Description:
[0001]    I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
         [0002]    The present application relates generally to constraining the availability of real time and non-real time (NRT) content to the geographic locality of the broadcast TV signals that are associated with the RT content. 
         [0003]    II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
         [0004]    Modern communications has made possible augmenting TV presentations in a myriad of ways. Of particular interest to present principles is the possibility of real time and non-real time (NRT) content that can accompany broadcast TV programming, so-called not so much because it is not in real time but because it is not necessarily tied to a published schedule like the broadcast TV programming is, instead being capable of being selectively sent in parallel with the broadcast TV programming according to the discretion of the signal provider. Examples of such real time and NRT content include three dimensional (3D) content stream versions of broadcast two dimensional programming, or an alternate view of the broadcast two dimensional programming which when combined with the broadcast two dimensional programming results in a 3D rendering of the content. 
         [0005]    As understood herein, such real time and NRT content may be receivable beyond the normal service area of a broadcaster because they may be sent on a different channel than is the broadcast two dimensional programming. For example, the NRT content may be sent to the TV over an Internet link, to be combined with or to replace broadcast two dimensional programming received over a terrestrial antenna or some other communication path, e.g., cable. As also understood herein, it typically may be desired that NRT reception be constrained to that of the service area of the terrestrial broadcaster. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An audio video display device (AVDD) includes a processor and a video display presenting demanded images under control of the processor. Computer readable storage medium bearing instructions are executable by the processor to receive a real time broadcast program such as a TV broadcast or Internet broadcast in a channel such as a TV channel or an Internet channel, and receive at least one token embedded within the program. Responsive to receiving the token, a prompt is presented on the display for a viewer to acknowledge the token. The processor receives a viewer acknowledgement of the token and sends the viewer acknowledgement to a program source. The AVDD receives back from the source in the channel in which the real time program was received augmented programming, and presents on the display the augmented programming in lieu of the real time broadcast program. Or, the augmented programming is combined with the real time broadcast program to establish a composite stream that is presented on the display. In any case, by virtue of returning an acknowledgement to the token carried in the real time broadcast program in the channel, a viewer&#39;s presence in a geographic area approved for augmented programming is assured. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments the processor decodes the token to extract information therefrom. The token may instruct the processor to present the prompt immediately or in the future. 
         [0008]    If desired, the token instructs the processor to collect a series of sub-tokens broadcast at periodic intervals in the broadcast TV program and return acknowledgements of each sub-token in a single return transmission to the source. In example embodiments, the acknowledgement sent to the source includes information decoded from the token. The token can be sent in an advertisement in the broadcast TV program. In this way, return of an acknowledgement to the prompt associated with the token indicates a viewer watched the advertisement. 
         [0009]    In another aspect, a method includes providing audio video (AV) content on a channel associated with a geographic region and providing at least one enhanced content token in the AV content on the channel. The method also includes ensuring that distribution of enhanced content associated with the AV content is limited to the geographic region by sending the enhanced content in the channel only responsive to a determination that a predetermined viewer interaction associated with the token as occurred. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, a source of television programming sends the TV programming into a first geographic region. The source has a processor and a transmitter configured for receiving TV programming signals from the processor and broadcasting the signals into the first geographic region. The processor also is configured for sending enhanced programming to the transmitter. The enhanced signals result in transforming 2D video in the TV programming signals into 3D signals and/or replacing 2D video in the TV programming signals with 3D video. The processor ties the enhanced programming to the TV programming signals to limit useful display of the enhanced programming to the first geographic region. 
         [0011]    The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can be best understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a non-limiting example system in accordance with present principles; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of example TV signal source logic; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of example TV logic; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a screen shot showing an example prompt for augmented (NRT) content. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    Referring initially to the non-limiting example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a system  10  includes an audio video display device (AVDD)  12  such as a TV including a TV tuner  16  communicating with a TV processor  18  accessing a tangible computer readable storage medium  20  such as disk-based or solid state storage. The AVDD  12  can output audio on one or more speakers  22 . The AVDD  12  can receive streaming video from the Internet using a built-in wired or wireless modem  24  communicating with the processor  12  which may execute a software-implemented browser  26 . Video is presented under control of the TV processor  18  on a TV display  28  such as but not limited to a high definition TV (HDTV) flat panel display, and may be a touch screen display. The display  28  may be a 40″ or larger display. User commands to the processor  18  may be wirelessly received from a remote control (RC)  30  using, e.g., rf or infrared. Audio-video display devices other than a TV may be used, e.g., smart phones, game consoles, personal digital organizers, notebook computers and other types of computers, etc. 
         [0017]    TV programming from one or more terrestrial TV broadcast sources  32  as received by a terrestrial broadcast antenna  34  which communicates with the AVDD  12  may be presented on the display  28  and speakers  22 . The terrestrial broadcast programming may conform to digital ATSC standards and may carry within it a terrestrial broadcast EPG, although the terrestrial broadcast EPG may be received from alternate sources, e.g., the Internet via Ethernet, or cable communication link, or satellite communication link. 
         [0018]    TV programming from a cable TV head end  36  may also be received at the TV for presentation of TV signals on the display  28  and speakers  22 . When basic cable only is desired, the cable from the wall typically carries TV signals in QAM or NTSC format and is plugged directly into the “F-type connector”  38  on the TV chassis in the U.S., although the connector used for this purpose in other countries may vary. In contrast, when the user has an extended cable subscription for instance, the signals from the head end  36  are typically sent through a STB  40  which may be separate from or integrated within the TV chassis but in any case which sends HDMI baseband signals to the TV. Other types of connections may be used, e.g., MOCA, USB, 1394 protocols, DLNA. 
         [0019]    Similarly, HDMI baseband signals transmitted from a satellite source  42  of TV broadcast signals received by an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD)  44  associated with a home satellite dish may be input to the AVDD  12  for presentation on the display  28  and speakers  22 . Also, streaming video may be received from the Internet  46  for presentation on the display  28  and speakers  22 . The streaming video may be received at the computer modem  24  or it may be received at an in-home modem  48  that is external to the AVDD  12  and conveyed to the AVDD  12  over a wired or wireless Ethernet link and received at an RJ45 or 802.11x antenna on the TV chassis. Note that both broadcast TV programs on a schedule can be sent through any of the channels above along with augmented content, either real time or non-real time (NRT) content, as described further below. 
         [0020]    Also, in some embodiments a video camera  50 , which may be integrated in the chassis if desired or mounted separately and electrically connected thereto, may be connected to the processor  16  to provide to the processor  16  video images of viewers looking at the display  28 . The video camera  50  may be provided with a wide angle lens. The video camera  50  may have its own camera processor communicating with the TV processor  18 , or it may be a simple imaging devices such as a CCD or other imager that is controlled by the processor  18 . Furthermore, a microphone  52  may be provided on the chassis or separate therefrom and can be electrically connected to the processor  16  to provide viewer-generated voice commands to the processor  16 . 
         [0021]    Now referring to the flow chart of example TV signal source logic in  FIG. 2 , the flow of logic begins for all viewers in an area or for only targeted viewers at block  60 . In either case, a token may be embedded in the regular broadcast program at block  62 . The tokens which are delivered within the OTA broadcast can be constructed such that the tokens themselves contain sufficient information when all the necessary tokens are received. They may then be decoded to provide the access to the NRT or associated broadband delivered content, such as a 3D version of the OTA broadcast, or other premium content. Note that while OTA broadcast is assumed to be a broadcast TV signal, in alternate embodiments it may be real time content broadcast or streamed over the Internet or other computer network. 
         [0022]    The processor  18  may receive a response from the viewer to a prompt presented on the display  28  at block  64 . The processor  18  may then download NRT content at block  66  according to the responses to the prompts received from the viewer. 
         [0023]    Moving in reference to the flow chart of example TV logic shown in  FIG. 3 , the AVDD  12  can receive regular broad cast programming and display the content on the display  28  and speakers  22  while also receiving a token(s) at block  68 . The processor  18  may present a prompt on the display  28  immediately according to the token(s) at block  70 . The token may otherwise instruct the processor  18  to present the prompt in the future or may instruct the processor  18  to collect a series of sub-tokens broadcast at periodic intervals in the broadcast TV program and return acknowledgements of each sub-token in a single return transmission to the source. The acknowledgement sent to the source can include information decoded from the token. Note that instead of prompts induced by the tokens, the tokens may be decoded into numeric strings that are presented on the AVDD audibly or visually and that the user must reenter, e.g., using a RC, into the TV. 
         [0024]    The processor  18  may receive a user&#39;s response to the prompt(s) at block  72  and send the response to the headend by decoding the token(s) at block  74 . The processor  18  can receive back the NRT content and combine with or in lieu or the broadcast programming at block  76 . The NRT can be combined with the broadcast programming to establish a composite stream that is presented on the display  28 . 
         [0025]    Now referring to the screen shot of  FIG. 4 , the token may be sent in an advertisement  78  in the broadcast TV program, whereby return of an acknowledgement to the prompt associated with the token indicates a viewer watched the advertisement. The regular broadcast TV advertisement  78  may be displayed on the display  28  along with a prompt  80  for the user to select to qualify for enhanced version of the current program. 
         [0026]    It may now be appreciated that the tokens which are delivered within the over the air (OTA) broadcast are configured such that the tokens themselves contain sufficient information when all the necessary tokens are received. They are then decoded to provide the access to the NRT or associated broadband delivered content. 
         [0027]    While the particular CONSTRAINING AVAILABILITY OF REAL TIME AND NON-REAL TIME CONTENT TO LOCALITY OF ASSOCIATED REAL TIME BROADCAST is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.