Method and apparatus for interactive programming using captioning

Abstract

A method and system for the creation of interactive programming using captions. A caption and program information extractor monitors a broadcast media signal having captions and program information encoded in the broadcast media signal. The captions and program information are extracted and stored in a content database. A moderator accesses the content database to retrieve captions and for a program specified by the program information. The moderator uses the services of a moderator server to generate interactive programming from the captions and the moderator's own comments. The interactive programming is transmitted to a plurality of viewers who interact with the interactive programming by entering viewer comments. The viewer comments are received by the moderator along with additional captions and new interactive programming is generated using the viewer comments, additional captions, and additional moderator commentary.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for generating an interactive program for transmission over a communications network, comprising: 
 extracting captions and program information from a broadcast media signal by a caption and program information extractor;    putting the captions and program information in the content database by the caption and program information extractor;    coupling a moderator server to the communications network and the content database;    coupling a moderator client and a plurality of viewer clients to the moderator server through the communications network;    receiving moderator comments and edited viewer comments by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network;    getting captions and program information by the moderator server from the content database;    generating interactive programming by the moderator server using the moderator comments, edited viewer comments, program information, and captions; and    transmitting the interactive programming by the moderator server to the viewer clients through the communications network.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving viewer comments by the moderator server from the viewer clients through the communications network; and    transmitting the viewer comments by the moderator server to the moderator client through the communications network.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the communications network is a virtual private network.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the viewer comments further include an interactive program rating signal.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a viewer exclusion signal specifying a viewer client by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network; and    generating by the moderator server the interactive programming using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude viewer comments received from the specific viewer client.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer client by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network; and    generating by the moderator server the interactive programming using the viewer invitation signal to include viewer comments from the specific viewer client in a virtual stage.    
     
     
         7 . A method for generating an interactive program for transmission over a television broadcast network and a communications network, comprising: 
 extracting captions and program information from a broadcast media signal by a caption and program information extractor;    putting the captions and program information in the content database by the caption and program information extractor;    coupling a moderator server to the communications network and the content database;    coupling a moderator client and a plurality of viewer clients to the moderator server through the communications network;    receiving moderator comments and edited viewer comments by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network;    getting captions and program information by the moderator server from the content database;    generating interactive programming by the moderator server using the moderator comments, edited viewer comments, program information, and captions; and    transmitting the interactive programming by the moderator server to viewer televisions through the television broadcast network.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 receiving viewer comments by the moderator server from viewer clients through the communications network; and    transmitting the viewer comments by the moderator server Co the moderator client through the communications network.    
     
     
         9 . A method for generating an interactive program for transmission over a television broadcast network, comprising: 
 extracting captions and program information from a broadcast media signal by a caption and program information extractor;    putting the captions and program information in the content database by the caption and program information extractor;    coupling a moderator server to a communications network, the telephony network, the television broadcast network, and the content database;    coupling a moderator client to the moderator server through the communications network;    receiving moderator comments and edited viewer comments by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network;    getting captions and program information by the moderator server from the content database;    generating interactive programming by the moderator server using the moderator comments, edited viewer comments, program information, and captions; and    transmitting the interactive programming by the moderator server to viewer televisions through the television broadcast network.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein viewers communicate with the moderator through a telephony network, the method further comprising: 
 coupling the moderator server to the telephony network;    receiving viewer comments by the moderator server from the viewers through the telephony network; and    transmitting the viewer comments by the moderator server to the moderator client through the communications network.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for generating an interactive program for transmission over a communications network, comprising: 
 a content database;    a caption and program information extractor coupled to a broadcast media signal source and the content database for extracting captions and program information from a broadcast media signal and putting the captions and program information in the content database;    a moderator server coupled to the content database and coupled through the communications network to a plurality of viewer clients and a moderator client, the moderator server including: 
 a processor; and  
 a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including: 
 receiving moderator comments and edited viewer comments by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network;  
 getting captions and program information by the moderator server from the content database;  
 generating interactive programming by the moderator server using the moderator comments, edited viewer comments, program information, and captions; and  
 transmitting the interactive programming by the moderator server to the viewer clients through the communications network.  
 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , the program instructions further including: 
 receiving viewer comments by the moderator server from the viewer clients through the communications network; and    transmitting the viewer comments by the moderator server to the moderator client through the communications network.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the communications network is a virtual private network.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the viewer comments further include an interactive program rating signal.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , the program instructions further including: 
 receiving a viewer exclusion signal specifying a viewer client by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network; and    generating by the moderator server the interactive programming using the viewer exclusion signal to exclude viewer comments received from the specific viewer client.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , the program instructions further including: 
 receiving a viewer invitation signal corresponding to a specific viewer client by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network; and    generating by the moderator server the interactive programming using the viewer invitation signal to include viewer comments from the specific viewer client in a virtual stage.    
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for generating an interactive program for transmission over a television broadcast network and a communications network, comprising: 
 a content database;    a caption and program information extractor coupled to a broadcast media signal source and the content database for extracting captions and program information from a broadcast media signal and putting the captions and program information in the content database;    a moderator server coupled to a moderator client through the communications network, the moderator server coupled to the content database, and the moderator server coupled to the television broadcast network, the moderator server including: 
 a processor; and  
 a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including: 
 receiving moderator comments and edited viewer comments by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network;  
 getting captions and program information by the moderator server from the content database;  
 generating interactive programming by the moderator server using the moderator comments, edited viewer comments, program information, and captions; and  
 transmitting the interactive programming by the moderator server to viewer televisions through the television broadcast network.  
 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the moderator server is further coupled to a plurality of viewer clients through the communications network the program instructions further including: 
 receiving viewer comments by the moderator server from viewer clients through the communications network; and    transmitting the viewer comments by the moderator server to the moderator client through the communications network.    
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for generating an interactive program for transmission over a television broadcast network, comprising: 
 a content database;    a caption and program information extractor coupled to a broadcast media signal source and the content database for extracting captions and program information from a broadcast media signal and putting the captions and program information in the content database;    a moderator server coupled to a moderator client through the communications network, the moderator server coupled to the television broadcast network, and the moderator server coupled to the content database, the moderator server including: 
 a processor; and  
 a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including: 
 receiving moderator comments and edited viewer comments by the moderator server from the moderator client through the communications network;  
 getting captions and program information by the moderator server from the content database;  
 generating interactive programming by the moderator server using the moderator comments, edited viewer comments, program information, and captions; and  
 transmitting the interactive programming by the moderator server to viewer televisions through the television broadcast network.  
 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the moderator server is further coupled to a telephony network and viewers communicate with the moderator server through the telephony network, the program instructions further including: 
 receiving viewer comments by the moderator server from the viewers through the telephony network; and    transmitting the viewer comments by the moderator server to the moderator client through the communications network.