ACTV has just received another patent for the TV/PC convergence. Now any video or audio that comes via a cable modem such as AtHome or Roadrunner to the PC is covered by the same patent protection that we received for television under our "Indivdualized TV" patents.
This is worth a FORTUNE in itself.
United States Patent 5,861,881
Freeman , et al. January 19, 1999
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Interactive computer system for providing an interactive presentation with personalized video, audio and graphics responses for multiple viewers
Abstract
The present invention is an interactive computer system which may operate on a computer network. Subscribers interact with a fully interactive program through the use of input devices and a personal computer or a television. The multiple video/audio datastreams may be received from a broadcast transmission source or may be resident in local or external storage. In response to user inputs, a personalized graphics, video and/or audio presentation is provided to the user either immediately or at a later time. If not presented immediately, the interactive computer system utilizes "trigger points" to determine when to enable multiple multimedia segments during the show. The CPU uses embedded or stored authoring commands for integrating the various multimedia elements. The interactive multimedia computer enables seamless flicker-free switching from one signal to another on the same or different channels.
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Inventors: Freeman; Michael J. (New York, NY); Harper; Gregory W. (New York, NY)
Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (New York, NY)
Appl. No.: 598382
Filed: February 8, 1996
U.S. Class: 345/302; 348/10
Intern'l Class: H04N 007/173
Field of Search: 395/762,806,807,173,174,327,328 434/307 R,308 364/514 A 348/7,8,10 345/302,473,474,327,328 707/501
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