Closed caption tagging system

Abstract

A tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. Program material from the broadcast stream is played back to the viewer from the storage device. The receiver performs the appropriate actions in response to the tags.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a media stream at a media device, the media stream comprising at least video frames and video frame-specific tags within the media stream, the video frame-specific tags including at least command and control information instructing the media device to perform certain actions;   playing the media stream at the media device;   while playing the media stream at the media device:
 detecting particular video frame-specific tags that were received within the media stream, the particular video frame-specific tags specific to particular video frames of the media stream; 
 processing the particular video frame-specific tags that were received within the media stream; and 
 performing one or more appropriate actions with respect to the playing of the media stream when the playing of the media stream reaches the particular video frames that correspond to the particular video frame-specific tags, based at least on particular command and control information included in the particular video frame-specific tags instructing the media device to perform the one or more appropriate actions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 detecting at least a start point and an end point of a program segment within the media stream, the start point and the end point indicated by one or more tags of the particular video frame specific tags;   while displaying program material from the media stream, skipping over at least a portion of the program segment in response to receiving viewer input, based at least on the start point and the end point indicated by the one or more tags.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 detecting at least a start point and an end point of a program segment within the media stream, the start point and the end point indicated by one or more tags of the particular video frame specific tags;   while displaying program material from the media stream, automatically skipping at least a portion of the program segment based at least on the start point and the end point indicated by the one or more tags.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more appropriate actions include displaying a menu based at least on specific command and control information included in one or more of the particular video frame-specific tags. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more appropriate actions include:
 displaying multiple icons;   accepting viewer input information;   scrolling through the multiple icons based on the viewer input information;   selecting a particular icon based on the viewer input information; and   performing an action associated with the selected icon.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more appropriate actions include:
 while displaying program material from the media stream, displaying an icon based at least on information included in one or more of the particular video frame-specific tags;   while displaying the icon, receiving viewer input information;   in response to receiving the viewer input information while displaying the icon, performing one or more additional actions based on at least a subset of the command and control information;   saving an exit point in the program material prior to performing the one or more additional actions; and   returning to the exit point upon completion of the one or more actions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein performing the one or more additional actions further comprises:
 presenting a plurality of menus for generating a lead; and   forwarding contact information to a third party upon input indicating viewer approval.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein performing the one or more additional actions further comprises:
 presenting a plurality of menus for generating a sale of an advertised product or service; and   forwarding purchase information to a proper merchant.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein performing the one or more additional actions further comprises:
 presenting a set of program recording options; and   scheduling program material based on recording options selected.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein performing the one or more additional actions further comprises:
 presenting content of a Web site's Web page based on the viewer input information; and   interacting with the Web site based on the viewer input information.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video frame-specific tags further allow a system administrator to remotely configure the media device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 marking indexes in the media stream based at least on information included in one or more of the particular video frame-specific tags; and   jumping to an index selected by viewer input.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting at least a start point and an end point of a program segment within the media stream, the start point and the end point indicated by one or more tags of the video frame specific tags;   while rewinding program material from the media stream, without showing the program segment:
 detecting an end tag at the end point of the program segment; 
 in response to detecting the end tag, locating a start tag at the start point of the program segment; and 
 skipping over or replacing at least a portion of the program segment based on the start tag and the end tag. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the media stream on one or more storage devices coupled to the media device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting at least a start point and an end point of a program segment within the media stream, the start point and the end point indicated by one or more tags of the particular video frame specific tags;   storing the media stream on one or more storage devices coupled to the media device;   wherein the one or more appropriate actions include replacing or removing the program segment in the stored media stream.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting at least a start point and an end point of a program segment within the media stream, the start point and the end point indicated by one or more tags of the particular video frame specific tags;   storing the media stream on one or more storage devices coupled to the media device;   while rewinding program material from the media stream, without showing the program segment:
 detecting an end tag at the end point of the program segment; 
 in response to detecting the end tag, locating a start tag at the start point of the program segment; and 
 skipping over or replacing at least a portion of the program segment based on the start tag and the end tag. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a particular menu, choice, or screen to present in response to a first video frame-specific tag based upon viewing habits or program preferences. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus comprising:
 a module configured to receive a media stream at a media device, the media stream comprising at least video frames and video frame-specific tags within the media stream, the video frame-specific tags including at least command and control information instructing the media device to perform certain actions;   a module configured to play the media stream at the media device;   a module configured to, while the media stream is playing at the media device, detecting particular video frame-specific tags that were received within the media stream, the particular video frame-specific tags specific to particular video frames of the media stream;   a module configured to, while the media stream is playing at the media device, process the particular video frame-specific tags that were received within the media stream;   a module configured to, while the media stream is playing at the media device, perform one or more appropriate actions with respect to the playing of the media stream when the playing of the media stream reaches the particular video frames that correspond to the particular video frame-specific tags, based at least on particular command and control information included in the particular video frame-specific tags instructing the media device to perform the one or more appropriate actions.   
     
     
         19 . One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:
 receiving a media stream at a media device, the media stream comprising at least video frames and video frame-specific tags within the media stream, the video frame-specific tags including at least command and control information instructing the media device to perform certain actions;   playing the media stream at the media device;   while playing the media stream at the media device:
 detecting particular video frame-specific tags that were received within the media stream, the particular video frame-specific tags specific to particular video frames of the media stream; 
 processing the particular video frame-specific tags that were received within the media stream; and 
   performing one or more appropriate actions with respect to the playing of the media stream when the playing of the media stream reaches the particular video frames that correspond to the particular video frame-specific tags, based at least on particular command and control information included in the particular video frame-specific tags instructing the media device to perform the one or more appropriate actions.