[54] INTERACTIVE TELEVISION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIEWER CONTROL OF MULTIPLE CAMERA VIEWPOINTS IN BROADCAST PROGRAMMING
[75] Inventor: Joseph H. Matthews, III, Redmond, Wash.
[73] Assignee: Microsoft Corporation, Redmond,
Wash.
[21] Appl. No.: 336,804
[22] Filed: Nov. 9,1994
[51] Int. CI.6 H04N 7/18; H04N 5/232
[52] U.S. CI 348/143; 348/211; 348/159
[58] Field of Search 348/143, 144,
348/157, 159, 7, 13, 211, 148, 149, 150,
151, 156
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,081,754 3/1978 Jackson 325/396
4,203,130 5/1980 Doumit et al 358/1
4,228,543 10/1980 Jackson 358/191.1
4,694,490 9/1987 Harvey et al 380/20
4,704,725 11/1987 Harvey et al 380/9
4,706,121 11/1987 Young 358/142
4,751,578 6/1988 Reiter et al 358/183
4,908,713 3/1990 Levine 358/335
4,977,455 12/1990 Young 358/84
4,992,866 2/1991 Morgan 348/159
5,038,211 8/1991 Hallenbeck 358/142
5,068,733 11/1991 Bennett 348/7
5,068,734 11/1991 Beery 358/191.1
5,151,789 9/1992 Young 358/194.1
5,182,641 1/1993 Diner et al 348/159
5,206,732 4/1993 Hudson 348/159
5,233,654 8/1993 Harvey 380/20
5,307,173 4/1994 Yuen et al 358/335
5,335,079 8/1994 Yuen et al 358/335
5,335,277 8/1994 Harvey et al 380/20
5,353,121 10/1994 Young et al 348/563
5,448,291 9/1995 Wickline 348/159
5,479,266 12/1995 Young et al 358/335
5,479,268 12/1995 Young et al 358/335
5,488,427 1/1996 Kayashima et al 348/734
Bl 4,706,121 12/1993 Young 358/142
Primary Examiner—Amelia All
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Lee & Hayes, PLLC
[57] ABSTRACT
An interactive television system has a set-top box adapted for use with a television and a remote control handset. The set-top box is connected to receive a television broadcast that is filmed using multiple cameras situated at various camera viewpoints. The television broadcast has a primary channel, with which the viewer is familiar as carrying the desired television program, and multiple virtual channels associated with the primary channel. The virtual channels carry video signals from the multiple different cameras covering the event. The remote control handset has dedicated camera control buttons for selecting corresponding virtual channels to allow the viewer to choose a desired camera viewpoint. The dedicated camera control buttons are arranged in an intuitive pattern that correlates to the camera viewpoints.
14 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
