US RE50,328 E1
Forming overlays at user's premises and utilizing them for selective combinations of TV broadcast channel format material and IP-format material
Yakkov Merlin, Raanana (IL)
Assigned to TVnGO LTD (BVI), Amsterdam (NL)
Filed by TVNGO LTD. (BVI), Amsterdam (NL)
Filed on Jul. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/867,612.
Application 17/867,612 is a continuation of application No. 11/794,825, granted, now 8,132,220, issued on Mar. 6, 2012, previously published as PCT/IL2005/000035, filed on Jan. 11, 2005.
Application 17/867,612 is a reissue of application No. 13/336,189, filed on Dec. 23, 2011, granted, now 9,407,969, issued on Aug. 2, 2016.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/443 (2011.01); H04N 21/431 (2011.01); H04N 21/433 (2011.01); H04N 21/438 (2011.01); H04N 21/44 (2011.01); H04N 21/462 (2011.01); H04N 21/4782 (2011.01); H04N 21/61 (2011.01); H04N 21/643 (2011.01); H04N 21/81 (2011.01); H04N 21/854 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/44016 (2013.01) [H04N 21/4316 (2013.01); H04N 21/4331 (2013.01); H04N 21/4381 (2013.01); H04N 21/4438 (2013.01); H04N 21/4622 (2013.01); H04N 21/4782 (2013.01); H04N 21/6118 (2013.01); H04N 21/6125 (2013.01); H04N 21/6143 (2013.01); H04N 21/64322 (2013.01); H04N 21/812 (2013.01); H04N 21/854 (2013.01); H04N 21/431 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for generating at a user's premises an overlay using video signals constituting a first data and overlay-enabling digital data constituting a second data, the method comprising:
(a) providing a combiner circuit at the user's premises, wherein:
the combiner circuit is coupled to a TV set and connected to a separate TV timer [ tuner ] box or TV tuner in the TV set, at the user's premises, and
the combiner circuit is also connected through distinct networks to each of a video signal input providing video signals through the [ separate ] TV tuner box or [ the ] TV tuner in the TV set, and an Internet data input providing overlay-enabling digital data over the Internet,
wherein said video signals and said overlay-enabling digital data are received at the user's premises by different resources as mutually distinct and independent inputs, and
wherein said overlay-enabling digital data includes at least:
a Web link indicating a website where content that is associated with said overlay-enabling digital data is stored,
an image indicative of the content associated with said overlay-enabling digital data, and
an overlay activation criterion; and
(b) processing at the user's premises said overlay-enabling digital data and generating at the user's premises a corresponding overlay only if said [ overlay ] activation criterion is met, wherein generating an [ the ] overlay includes:
generating at the user's premises a first display screen including at least a first portion corresponding to said video signals and a second portion overlaid over said first portion and corresponding at least to said image, and
associating the Web link with said second portion of the first display screen thereby allowing a user to cause the combiner circuit to retrieve said content, generate a second video display screen including at least a portion which corresponds to said content, and input the second display screen to said TV set.