Abstract:
The current invention addresses the problem of causing closed captioning to be launched or not launched automatically when a viewer mutes the audio on a digital television. The current invention allows for individualized options associated with a particular viewer. These options can be selected from a plurality of options either manually or automatically as determined by the viewer settings or viewer behavior.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to digital television and closed captioning and audio mute control systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Beginning in July 1993, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required all analog television receivers with screens 13 inches or larger sold or manufactured in the United States to contain built-in decoder circuitry to display closed captioning. Beginning Jul. 1, 2002, the FCC also required that digital television (DTV) receivers include closed captioning display capability. 
     Digital televisions have greater control over the processing of closed caption displays than did analog televisions. Viewers however are limited in how they can use the closed captioning feature. Typically closed captioning is generally always off, always on, or invoked once the audio is muted. This methodology treats the possible relationships between closed captioning and audio mute in a global fashion locking all of the viewers into one of three modes regardless of whom in a family is watching the television. This lock step method of managing the closed caption feature on the television may, or more often, does not fill the needs or desires of a group of viewers. 
     Prior Art 
     There are 2 examples of prior art relating to closed captioning systems that can be automatically invoked when the viewer of a television selects audio mute to be active. U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,176 to Forlet Jul. 5, 1994 teaches a methodology where the closed captioning system of a television has a number of finite states such as always on, always off, or toggles in sync with mute on and off. 176 teaches that if the viewer sends a mute command to the television and the closed captioning system is not in a closed captioning with audio state, the transition to mute will also include launching closed captioning. 176 further teaches that if the viewer sends a mute off command to the television and the closed captioning system is not in a closed captioning with audio state, the transition to audio on will also include disabling or turning off of closed captioning. 176 further teaches that if the viewer sends a mute off command to the television and the closed captioning system is in a closed captioning with audio state, the transition to audio on will not disable or turn off the closed captioning. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,273 Okamura Apr. 18, 1995 teaches a different technique. 273 teaches that there may be several modes of operation related to closed captioning among which are captioning always on (which is described in 176 as captioning with audio) and always off. 273 further teaches that when mute is off and a mute key input is received the television will mute the audio output and the mute control circuitry will send a signal to the caption control circuitry resulting in captioning being turned on. 273 also teaches that if the caption state is such that it is always on, the caption state will not be turned off if mute is transitioned from on to off. 
     176 and 273 treats synchronizing of closed captioning and muting modes globally. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the intent of the current invention to offer a rich set of options to the viewer for controlling the synchronization of possible closed captioning modes and audio mute modes. 
     Embodiments describe an expanded number of modes of operation and interaction between the functions and allows these operational modes and interactions to be customized for each possible viewer/user of the television. 
     According to an embodiment, when the viewer mutes the television, a dialog display is presented to the viewer asking the viewer if they want to invoke closed captioning. If the viewer responds in the affirmative, closed captioning is turned on. 
     An embodiment may use closed captioning modes of operation may also drive the operational state of the audio mute functional modes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation. The following figures and the descriptions both brief and the detailed descriptions of the invention refer to similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a viewer&#39;s profile database containing sets of attributes unique to each viewer that has a profile on the digital television. 
         FIG. 2  is a basic depiction of a digital television capable of hosting the current invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart depicting the basic control flow for the audio mute application. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart depicting the basic control flow for the deactivating audio mute application. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart depicting the basic control flow for the activating closed captioning application. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart depicting the basic control flow for the deactivating closed captioning application. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an arrangement where  10  is a depiction of the viewer profile database  11  and the viewer profile attributes  12 . The viewer profile database  11  is made up of a series of records for viewer profile  1   13 , viewer profile  2   14 , and viewer profile ‘n’  15 . 
     Viewer profile attributes record  12  has a series of operational attributes including profile attributes  1   16 , audio mute attributes  17 , closed caption attributes  18 , and profile attributes ‘n’  19 . Each viewer of the television may have a unique profile attributes record identifying that viewer&#39;s preferences in the form of attributes accessible to the software applications that make up the suite of applications that manage and control the television. 
     Audio mute attributes  17  and closed caption attributes  18  may have a plurality of different values. For example, each behavior associated with the closed caption attributes  18  may include but not be limited to: launch closed captions on mute; prompt for closed caption on mute; never launch closed caption; automatically translate closed captions in English to Spanish or other of a plurality of predetermined languages; launch closed captions when viewer logs on; and/or others. 
     Some of the attributes in a given set of attributes such as closed caption attributes  18  may be set to “on” with other attributes contained in closed caption attributes  18  and some attributes are set such that they are mutually exclusive. For example, “launch closed captions on mute” and “never launch closed captions” are mutually exclusive and are labeled such that they cannot be simultaneously set. However, options such as “launch closed captions on mute” and “automatically translate closed captions in English to Spanish” may both be set to “on” at the same time. 
       FIG. 2  shows an alternative, where  20  is a block diagram depiction of a digital television system capable of operating according to the embodiments. The control mechanism for the digital television is processor  21 . Processor  21  may be a typical System On Chip technology well known in the digital television business and may contain multiple processors in the single chip package or may only contain a single processor and may include custom circuitry, e.g., ASIC or FPGAS. System  20  receives control signals from the viewer through wireless receiver  28 . Wireless receiver  28  may be either an infrared receiver or a radio frequency receiver or any other control device capable of receiving control signals from a hand held remote control device capable of sending control signals to a digital television. Wireless receiver  28  converts the wireless control signals to electrical control signals and sends the electrical control signals to processor  21 . 
     Processor  21  decodes the electrical control signals. When processor  21  recognizes an audio mute command, it launches the mute audio application  32  which is one of a plurality of software applications  29 . Audio mute application  32  manages the mute process by first sending audio on/off control  30  to audio signal processing  23 . Audio on/off control will be set to audio off. Audio signal processing  23  will turn off audio out  31  effectively muting any audio to any internal or external audio systems. 
     Mute audio application  32  then accesses viewer profile database  11  to determine if any of the viewers with a profile are logged onto the television. The “logged on” as described in this specification means that some identifying indicia of the user watching the tv is detected, e.g., the user selects an icon or avatar indicative of the user, or different users use different remotes or other. 
     If no viewers are currently logged on to the television, mute audio application  32  will cause a prompt to be displayed on the television asking the viewer if they want to activate the closed captioning system. If the viewer does not respond within a preset time or responds with a “do not launch” response, the prompt will be removed and closed captioning will not be launched. If the viewer responds with a “do launch” response, mute audio application  32  will turn on closed caption engine  27  which will process the video stream received from video source  22  and extract the closed caption data, format the data, and send the formatted data to video decoder  24 . Video decoder  24  places the received closed caption data received from closed caption engine  27  over the video that video decoder  24  received from video source  22 . Video decoder  24  then sends the composite video and closed caption data to display electronics  25 . Display electronics  25  processes the decode video into signals that are sent to display screen  26 . 
     When wireless receiver  28  receives an un mute control signal from the viewer, it convert the wireless control signals to electrical control signals and sends the electrical control signals to processor  21 . Processor  21  decodes the electrical control signals and when it recognizes an audio un mute command will launch un mute audio application  33  which is one of a plurality of software applications  29 . Un mute audio application  33  will manage the un mute process by first sending audio on/off control  30  to audio signal processing  23 . Audio on/off control will be set to audio on. Audio signal processing  23  will turn on audio out  31  effectively sending audio to any internal or external audio systems. 
     Un mute audio application  33  then checks to see if closed captioning is on. If closed captioning is on, un mute application  33  then accesses viewer profile database  11  to determine if any of the viewers with a profile are logged onto the television. If no viewers are currently logged on and closed captioning is current active, un mute audio application  33  cause a prompt to be displayed on the television asking the viewer if they want to deactivate the closed captioning system. 
     If the viewer does not respond within a preset time or responds with a “do not deactivate” response, the prompt will be removed and closed captioning will not be deactivated. If the viewer responds with a “deactivate closed captioning”, mute audio application  33  will turn off closed caption engine  27  which will stop processing the video stream sent by video source  22  to extract the closed caption data. Once video decoder  24  stops receiving closed caption data, it will stop compositing that data with video received from video source  22 . 
     If the viewer was logged on to the television and closed captioning was active un mute audio application  33  will access the viewer&#39;s viewer profile attributes record  12  from the viewer profile database  11 . If the viewer&#39;s closed caption attributes indicates that closed captioning is to be turned off when the audio is active, then un mute audio application  33  will turn off closed caption engine  27  which will stop processing the video stream sent by video source  22  to extract the closed caption data. Once video decoder  24  stops receiving closed caption data it will stop composting that data with video received from video source  22 . 
       FIG. 3  shows flow chart  50  which depicts the processing work flow executed by mute audio application  32 . When mute audio application  32  is started executing on processor  21 , it executes processing block disable audio output  51 . This processing step effectively turns off audio output from the digital television system  20 . Audio out  31  may be tied to internal and/or external audio systems. Processing decision block viewer logged onto TV  52 , checks to see if any viewer is currently logged onto digital television  20 . If a viewer is logged onto digital television  20 , processing control will fall through to access viewer profile database  53 . Access viewer profile database  53  accesses the viewer&#39;s viewer profile attributes record  12  from viewer profile database  11 . Processing decision block, invoke CC on audio mute  54 , checks a specific attribute contained in viewer profile attributes record  12  to see if closed captioning is to be activated when audio is muted. If closed captioning is to be activated when audio is muted for this viewer then control falls through to invoke closed captioning  60 , else control falls through to exit mute audio application  61 . Invoke closed captioning  60  turns on the closed captioning engine  27  which parses any closed captioning data out of the video stream provided by video source  22 . 
     If processing decision block, viewer logged onto TV  52 , detects that a viewer is not currently logged onto digital television  20 , the processing will pass control to processing decision block closed captioning currently on  55 . If closed captioning is currently active processing decision block closed captioning currently on  55  will pass control to exit mute audio application  61 . If closed captioning is not currently active processing decision block closed captioning currently on  55  will pass control to processing block display “Turn Closed Captioning On”  56  which will present a dialog on the television screen asking the viewer if he wants to active closed captioning. Control will then fall through to get viewer response  57  where the application will wait for some predetermined period of time for the viewer to respond to the dialog prompt, e.g., 30 seconds or one minute. Processing decision block, response timed out  58 , determines if the viewer did or did not respond within a specified period of time. If the viewer did not respond and the time period timed out, control will be passed to exit mute audio application  61 , else if the viewer did respond within the time period control will be passed to processing decision block response turn CC on  59 . 
     Processing decision block response turn CC on  59 , determines if the viewer responded with a turn closed captioning on, or a, do not turn closed captioning on. If the viewer responded with a turn closed captioning on, control will be passed to invoke closed captioning  60 , else control will be passed to exit mute audio application  61 . 
     Flow chart  70  in  FIG. 4  depicts the processing work flow executed by un mute audio application  33 . When un mute audio application  33  is started executing on processor  21 , it will execute processing block enable audio output  71 . This processing step effectively turns on audio output from digital television system  20 . Audio out  31  may be tied to internal and/or external audio systems. Processing decision block viewer logged onto TV  72 , checks to see if any viewer is currently logged onto digital television  20 . If a viewer is logged onto digital television  20 , processing control will fall through to access viewer profile database  73 . Access viewer profile database  73  accesses the viewer&#39;s viewer profile attributes record  12  from viewer profile database  11 . Processing decision block, deactivate CC on audio mute  74 , checks a specific attribute contained in viewer profile attributes record  12  to see if closed captioning is to be deactivated when audio is un muted. If closed captioning is to be deactivated when audio is un muted for this viewer then control falls through to deactivate closed captioning  80 , else control falls through to exit un mute audio application  81 . Deactivate closed captioning  80  turns off the closed captioning engine  27  which stops parsing any closed captioning data out of the video stream provided by video source  22 . 
     If processing decision block, viewer logged onto TV  72 , detects that a viewer is not currently logged onto digital television  20 , it will pass control to processing decision block global closed captioning=always on  75 . If the global closed captioning attribute is equal to always on, processing decision block CC mode=always on  75  will pass control to exit un mute audio application  81 . If closed captioning global attribute is not equal to always on, processing decision block CC mode=always on  75  will pass control to processing block display “Turn Closed Captioning Off”  76  which will present a dialog prompt on the television screen asking the viewer if he wants to turn closed captioning off. Control will then fall through to get viewer response  77  where the application will wait for some predetermined period of time for the viewer to respond to the dialog prompt. Processing decision block, response timed out  78  determines if the viewer did or did not respond within a specified period of time. If the viewer did not respond and the time period timed out, control will be passed to exit un mute audio application  81 , else if the viewer did respond within the time period control will be passed to processing decision block response turn CC off  79 . 
     Processing decision block response turn CC off  79 , determines if the viewer responded with a “turn closed captioning on”, or a “do not turn closed captioning on”. If the viewer responded with a turn closed captioning on, control will be passed to deactivate closed captioning  80 , else control will be passed to exit mute audio application  81 . 
     Now referencing  FIG. 5  where flow chart  90  depicts the processing work flow executed by turn CC on application  34 . When turn CC on application  34  is started executing on processor  21 , it will execute processing block invoke closed captioning  91 . This processing step turns on closed captioning engine  27  which parses any closed captioning data out of the video stream provided by video source  22 . 
     Processing decision block viewer logged onto TV  92 , checks to see if any viewer is currently logged onto digital television  20 . If a viewer is logged onto digital television  20 , processing control will fall through to access viewer profile database  93 . Access viewer profile database  93  accesses the viewer&#39;s viewer profile attributes record  12  from viewer profile database  11 . 
     Processing decision block, “mute when CC invoked”  94 , checks a specific attribute contained in viewer profile attributes record  12  to see if audio is to be muted when closed captioning is active. If audio is to be muted when closed captioning is active for this viewer then control falls through to invoke audio mute  100 , else control falls through to exit turn CC on application  101 . Invoke audio mute  100  turns off audio output from the digital television system  20 . Audio out  31  may be tied to internal and/or external audio systems. 
     If processing decision block, viewer logged onto TV  92 , detects that a viewer is not currently logged onto digital television  20 , it will pass control to processing decision block mute currently on  95 . If mute is currently on processing decision block mute currently on  95  will pass control to exit turn CC on application  101 . 
     If mute is not currently on, processing decision block mute currently on  95  will pass control to processing block display “Mute Audio?”  96  which will present a dialog prompt on the television screen asking the viewer if he wants to mute the audio. Control will then fall through to get viewer response  97  where the application will wait for some predetermined period of time for the viewer to respond to the dialog prompt. 
     Processing decision block, response timed out  98 , determines if the viewer did or did not respond within a specified period of time. If the viewer did not respond and the time period timed out, control will be passed to exit turn CC on application  101 , else if the viewer did respond within the time period control will be passed to processing decision block response mute audio  99 . 
     Processing decision block response mute audio  99 , determines if the viewer responded with a mute audio, or a, do not mute audio. If the viewer responded with a mute audio, control will be passed to invoke audio mute  100 , else control will be passed to exit turn CC on application  101 . 
     Now referencing  FIG. 6  where flow chart  110  depicts the processing work flow executed by turn CC off application  35 . When turn CC off application  35  is started executing on processor  21 , it will execute processing block turn CC off  111 . This processing step turns off closed captioning engine  27  which stops parsing any closed captioning data out of the video stream provided by video source  22 . 
     Processing decision block viewer logged onto TV  112 , checks to see if any viewer is currently logged onto digital television  20 . If a viewer is logged onto digital television  20 , processing control will fall through to access viewer profile database  113 . Access viewer profile database  113  accesses the viewer&#39;s viewer profile attributes record  12  from viewer profile database  11 . 
     Processing decision block, mute off when CC off  114 , checks a specific attribute contained in viewer profile attributes record  12  to see if closed captioning is to be deactivated when audio is un muted. If audio mute is to be deactivated when closed captioning is turned off for this viewer then control falls through to turn audio mute off  120 , else control falls through to exit turn CC off application  121 . Turn audio mute off  120  turns on audio output from digital television system  20 . Audio out  31  may be tied to internal and/or external audio systems. 
     If processing decision block, viewer logged onto TV  112 , detects that a viewer is not currently logged onto digital television  20 , it will pass control to processing decision block global audio mute=always on  115 . If the global audio mute attribute is equal to always on, processing decision block global audio mute=always on  115  will pass control to exit turn CC off application  121 . If global attribute audio mute is not equal to always on, processing decision block global audio mute=always on  115  will pass control to processing block display “Mute Off”  116  which will present a dialog prompt on the television screen asking the viewer if he wants to turn closed captioning off. 
     Control will then fall through to get viewer response  117  where the application will wait for some predetermined period of time for the viewer to respond to the dialog prompt. Processing decision block, response timed out  118  determines if the viewer did or did not respond within a specified period of time. If the viewer did not respond and the time period timed out, control will be passed to exit turn CC off application  121 , else if the viewer did respond within the time period control will be passed to processing decision block response mute off  119 . 
     Processing decision block response mute off  119 , determines if the viewer responded with a “mute off”, or a, “do not turn mute off”. If the viewer responded with a mute off, control will be passed to turn audio mute off  120 , else control will be passed to exit turn CC off application  121 . 
     The audio attributes can also be used for different purposes. In another embodiment, the attribute pertaining to said audio subsystem may define a time of day when the audio volume of said digital television is set to a predetermined level. This can be used, for example, to turn down the volume at times when people are sleeping. The time of day can also be used to set times when the audio subsystem is automatically disabled and said closed captioning subsystem is automatically enabled; or conversely said audio subsystem is automatically enabled and said closed captioning subsystem is automatically disabled. It can be a time of day when the audio subsystem is automatically enabled if said audio subsystem was disabled; or when the closed captioning system is automatically disabled if said closed captioning subsystem was enabled. The closed captioning can also be turned on and/or off at a specified time of day. 
     Another embodiment can use timers. A first timer is started when the user manually disables said audio subsystem. The first timer is stopped when the user manually enables said closed captioning subsystem after disabling said audio system. This timer can be a counter, for example. When the value of the first counter is within a first predetermined range of values, an attribute for the user is set. That attribute causes the closed captioning subsystem to be automatically enabled when the audio subsystem is manually disabled by the user. 
     The processor can operate to start a first timer when the user manually disables the audio subsystem and to the first timer when the user manually disables the closed captioning subsystem after the closed captioning subsystem had automatically been enabled. The processor can detect if the value of the first timer is within a first predetermined range of values. It can set an additional attribute for the user contained in the database, where that additional attribute causes a dialog prompt will be displayed on the display asking the user if the user wants the closed captioning subsystem to be enabled if the user had disabled the audio subsystem. 
     The opposite can also occur—a first timer can be started when the user manually enables the audio subsystem; 
     and said first timer stopped when the user manually enables the closed captioning subsystem after the closed captioning subsystem had automatically been disabled after the user has manually enabled the audio subsystem. Again, the processor detects if the value of the first timer is within a first predetermined range of values, and sets an additional attribute for the user contained in the database, the additional attribute causing a dialog prompt will be displayed on the display asking the user if the user wants the closed captioning subsystem to be disabled if the user had enabled the audio subsystem. 
     Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other ways of detecting when events involving the audio subsystem and the closed captioning subsystem occur can be used. 
     Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The computer may be a Pentium class computer, running Windows XP or Linux, or may be a Macintosh computer. The computer may also be a handheld computer, such as a PDA, cellphone, or laptop. 
     The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein.