WO2010023662A1

WO2010023662A1 - Iptv extended content provisioning

Info

Publication number: WO2010023662A1
Application number: PCT/IL2009/000822
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eli Fux; Vladislav Drouker; Nadav Kedem
Original assignee: Webtview Ltd.
Priority date: 2008-08-25
Filing date: 2009-08-25
Publication date: 2010-03-04

Abstract

An apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, at least one content agent, installable on a respective Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to request and receive data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB, and at least one application server, in communication with the primary catalogue and at least one of the content agents, configured to receive the request, extract the data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to the content agent.

Description

IPTV EXTENDED CONTENT PROVISIONING

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to Internet Protocol Television (IP TV) Networks and, more particularly, but not exclusively to provisioning extended content in an IP TV Network.

A regional telecommunications operator in the United Kingdom launched KIT (Kingston Interactive Television) - an IP TV, over DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) broadband interactive TV service, in September 1999.

In the past, this technology has been restricted by low broadband penetration. In the coming years, however, residential IP TV is expected to expand dramatically, as broadband, which was available to more than 200 million households worldwide in 2005, is expected to grow to 400 million by the year 2010, according to a Gartner 2007 Press Release.,

Many of the world's major telecommunications providers, such as France Telecom, view the establishment of an IP TV network (i.e. a Telco IP TV Network), as a new revenue opportunity from their existing markets. IP TV networks are also viewed by telecommunications providers as a defensive measure against encroachment from more conventional cable television services. Also, there are a growing number of IP TV installations within schools, universities, corporations and local institutions.

Currently, a Telco IP TV service is usually delivered over a complex and investment heavy walled garden network. The walled garden network is carefully engineered to ensure bandwidth efficient delivery of vast amounts of multicast video traffic. The higher network quality also enables easy delivery of high quality SD (Standard Definition) or HD (High definition) TV content to subscribers' homes. This makes IP TV a preferred delivery platform for premium content.

The Telco IP TV service is delivered over a current complex walled garden network, where video content obtained in advance and stored on a central server, at the premises of the Telco IP TV Operator (say, France Telecom), is communicated to an IPTV network subscriber's Set-Top Box (STB), as known in the art.

The STB is connected to a TV set used by the subscriber. The STB has an operating module, which allows a user of the STB to select a desired content item (say a certain episode of a favorite TV series in a series channel) from several TV channels.

One method for allowing the user to select a desired episode in a channel, is using an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) user interface, as used for example in Video On Demand (VOD), as known in the art.

Known EPGs are normally of static structure facilitating selection from a predefined list of channels by identifying a desired channel.

Alternatively, the IP TV subscriber can mark, using the EPG, a desired time slot, and in return a list of episodes broadcasted in the specified time slot is displayed to the subscriber, allowing the subscriber to select the desired episode.

In certain EPG representations the channels are categorized and the subscriber can select the desired category, say sport channels or news channels, and thereafter select the desired channel within the specified category.

However, the static nature of EPG representation is maintained also in the latter option, since the list of categories and the channels that fall into each category are all predetermined, limiting the browsing capabilities of the subscriber. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, b) at least one content agent, installable on a respective Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to request and receive data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB, and c) at least one application server, in communication with the primary catalogue and at least one of the content agents, configured to receive the request, extract the data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to the content agent.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, b) at least one content agent, in communication with a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to request and receive data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB, and c) at least one application server, in communication with the primary catalogue and at least one of the content agents, configured to receive the request, extract the data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to the content agent.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the method comprising: providing a catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, receiving a request a for data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, from a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, extracting the data from the catalogue according to the request, communicating the extracted data to the STB, and inputting the communicated data to an operating module of the STB.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, and b) at least one application server, in communication with the primary catalogue, configured to receive a request from a remote STB of the IP TV network, extract data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to the remote STB. According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the method comprising: providing a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, receiving a request from a remote STB of the IP TV network, extracting data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicating the data to the remote STB.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, and b) a catalogue updater, in communication with the primary catalogue, configured to update the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, the catalogue updater further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model. According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the method comprising: generating a primary catalogue with categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, the generating further comprising converting the categories into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing on a Set-Top Box (STB) of an IP TV network, steps of requesting and receiving data pertaining to at least one of a plurality of categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, the categories and references stored in a catalogue, and inputting the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a catalogue, installed on a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to store categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, and b) a content agent, installed on the Set-Top Box (STB), associated with the catalogue, configured to retrieve data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references from the catalogue, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The materials, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting.

Implementation of the method and system of the present invention involves performing or completing certain selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. Moreover, according to actual instrumentation and equipment of preferred embodiments of the method and system of the present invention, several selected steps could be implemented by hardware or by software on any operating system of any firmware or a combination thereof.

For example, as hardware, selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a chip or a circuit. As software, selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a plurality of software instructions being executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In any case, selected steps of the method and system of the invention could be described as being performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in order to provide what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. The description taken with the drawings make apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a first apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a second apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a third apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a fourth apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a fifth apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a sixth apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention

Figure 7 is a simplified flowchart illustrating a first method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 is a simplified flowchart illustrating a second method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention

Figure 9 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a computer readable medium, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10 illustrates an exemplary list of content items in an XML format, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 illustrates exemplary Intent Crawler functions, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present embodiments comprise an apparatus and method for extended content provisioning in an Internet Protocol (IP) TV network.

Current IP TV networks deliver their TV services over a complex walled garden network, where video content items are obtained and stored in advance, on a central database of content. Then, the content items may be communicated from the central database (typically located at the premises of the IP TV Operator), to an IPTV network subscriber's Set-Top Box (STB). The STB is connected to a TV set used by the subscriber.

Thus, IP TV network managers have to collect and store the content items on a central content database, prior to communicating any of the content items to the subscriber's STB.

The content items are provisioned to the subscriber, based on selections made by the user using the STB.

For example, the user may use an Electric TV Guide (ETG) managed by an operating module installed on the STB, for selecting the content item (say a video clip, or an episode of a TV series), as known in the art. The selected content item is transmitted from the central content database of the IP TV network through a communication line provided by the IP TV network.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention aim at opening the walled garden network to the Internet, thereby extending the content which may be provisioned to the IP TV subscriber with content items available in the Internet, in a dynamic manner.

The Internet content may be provisioned to subscribers of the IP TV network through communication infrastructure already installed by the IP TV network. That is to say that the extended content may be communicated to the subscribers through the same communication lines and Set-Top Box (STB) hardware provided by the IP TV network, and used for provisioning content items in the traditional walled garden IP TV network.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a catalogue of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet is dynamically generated and updated, using an Internet crawler, as known in the art.

A content agent is installed on the Set-Top Box (STB). The content agent is used by the STB's operating module, for requesting and receiving data pertaining to one or more of the categories and references from the catalogue. For example, upon certain selections made by the subscriber using the STB's operating module (say for sport channels), the operating module uses the content agent for requesting and receiving sport categories from the catalogue.

Then, the subscriber is presented the sport categories, and chooses one of them, say tennis, using the operating module. Tennis content items are requested, say using the content agent, and a list of content items is retrieved from the catalogue and sent to the STB.

Consequently, the subscriber is allowed to select one of the content items, say a certain tennis match, using the STB's operating module. The content item is forwarded to the STB's operating module, and the subscriber watches the tennis match.

Thus, according to en exemplary embodiment, the content a subscriber may be provisioned is extended, by providing access to content items available in the Internet, using the catalogue. The content is extended by providing access to the Internet items referenced in the catalogue, through the STB's operating module, in addition to the walled garden network's content items, obtained in advance, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Further, traditional EPG (Electronic Program Guide representation is characterized by a static nature, where a list of categories and channels that fall into each category has to be predetermined, limiting the browsing capabilities of the subscriber.

The static nature of the EPG may be turned into a dynamic nature, by opening the IPTV network to numerous TV channels available in the Internet, using the content agent installed on the STB, as described in further detail hereinbelow. Consequently, the user of the Set-Top Box may be provided access to the

Internet's dynamic and growing variety of TV channels.

Such access is provided to the user, in a manner which integrates the content available in the Internet into a previously walled garden IP TV network, without significantly changing the IP TV's user experience. Further, the Internet TV channels are provisioned to the user of the STB, through the same communication hardware installed by the IP TV network owner, for provisioning content items from the traditional walled garden central content database, as described in further detail hereinabove. The principles and operation of an apparatus and method according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and accompanying description.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.

The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a first apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Apparatus 1000 includes a primary catalogue 110, which may be implemented using a dedicated computer database server. The primary catalogue 110 includes categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet.

For example, the primary catalogue 110 may include categories such as: English, Italian, Talk Shows, Sport, News, High Definition (HD), etc. The catalogue 110 may further include Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses used as references to content items accessible through the Internet, in association with one or more of the categories.

Optionally, the categories and references associated thereto are arranged in a hierarchical Extended Mark-UP Language (XML) format, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Apparatus 1000 further includes one or more application servers 120, in communication with the primary catalogue 110.

The application server 120 receives a request from a remote Set-Top Box

(STB) of the IP TV network, and extracts data from the primary catalogue 110, according to the request, as described in further detail hereinbelow. The application server 120 communicates the data to the remote STB, say to the STB's operating module, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Apparatus 1000 further includes a catalogue updater 150, in communication with the primary catalogue 110. The catalogue updater 150 updates the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet 180.

The catalogue updater 150 adds references to new content items to the primary catalogue 110, removes references to content items that are no longer available in the Internet, etc. The content items include, but are not limited to content items in RSS (Really

Simple Syndication) feeds (say of a Web TV site), content items in ATOM Feeds, Video streams, etc., as known in the art.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 further searches the Internet using an Internet Crawler, as known in the art. The Internet Crawler, crawls through the Internet 180, searching for relevant content items, say items fitting a predefined criterion, say video content items, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

When a relevant content item is found by Internet Crawler, the content item features are used as categories characterizing the content item, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 further converts the categories characterizing the content item into a predefined standard format, say into a hierarchically arranged array of content item categories. Optionally, the predefined standard format is a hierarchically arranged array of content item categories represented in a predefined standard XML format, as known in the art.

Optionally, the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories is represented using a set of relational database tables, as known in the art. Optionally, the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories is represented using a set of hierarchical database structures, as known in the art.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 converts the categories characterizing the content item, into the standard format, utilizing a history learning model, which is at least semi-automatic, as described in further detail hereinbelow. The history learning model may be based on a neuronal network technique, as known in the art.

In one example, there is predefined (say by a user of apparatus 1000) a standard RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Fidelity Scale of 1 to 10.

A fidelity rate of a content item found by the Internet Crawler is in a scale of 1 to 100. The catalogue updater 150 automatically converts the Fidelity Rate of the content item into the standard 1 to 10 scale, by dividing the rate by 10. In a second example, an XML standard hierarchically arranged array of content item categories includes the following categories: Nature, Science, Reality TV, News, and Comedy.

The Crawler finds a content item (say a National Geographic™ video item featuring Lions in The African Savannah), which has a category — Animals, assigned to the content item by National Geographic™.

However, as there is no Animals category in the XML standard hierarchically arranged array of content item categories, the catalogue updater 150 fails to automatically associate with any of the predefined categories listed hereinabove. The catalogue updater 150 prompts a user of the apparatus 1000, say an IP TV network worker, to manually intervene. The user assigns the content item to the Nature Category. Consequently, the catalogue updater 150 updates a learning model with a rule linking Nature and Animals.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 further updates the XML hierarchically arranged array of content item categories, with the Animals category, as a category subordinate to the Nature category.

In another example, one or more content items linked in a RSS feeds, are found in the Internet by the catalogue updater 150, say using the Internet crawler, as described in further detail hereinbelow. An RSS feed lists and links one or more content items, say for publishing the content items in a web site, thus creating syndication and categorization for the content items, as known in the art.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 analyzes the RSS feeds found by the crawler, and updates the primary catalogue 110 with references to the content items in the RSS feeds. The catalogue updater 150 further associates the references with one or more categories stored in the primary catalogue 110, thus providing new syndication and categorization for the content items of the RSS feeds.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 analyzes the RSS feeds found by the crawler, and updates the primary catalogue 110 with references to the RSS feeds. The catalogue updater 150 further associates the references with one or more categories stored in the primary catalogue 110, thus providing syndication and categorization for the RSS feeds.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 further verifies that each of the content items complies with a predefined criterion, prior to updating the catalogue 110 with the reference to the content item.

For example, the catalogue updater 150 may verify that the content item is a media item (say video or audio), prior to updating the catalogue 110 with the content item. The catalogue updater may further verify that the content item is one of a language listed in a limited list of languages, as defined by a user of the catalogue updater 150.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a second apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Apparatus 2000 includes a primary catalogue 210. The primary catalogue 210 includes categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Apparatus 2000 further includes several application servers 220, in communication with the primary catalogue 210.

Optionally, each application server 220 deals with requests sent from a predefined group of IP TV Network Subscribers' Set-Top Boxes (STBs). The group may include STBs in a predefined geographical area, STBs of subscribers interested in content items of a certain language, etc., as described in further detail hereinbelow. Optionally, the apparatus 2000 also includes several secondary catalogues 222. Each of the secondary catalogues 222 is in communication with a specific one of the application servers 220. The application server 220 derives the secondary catalogue from the primary catalogue, say using a query, as known in the art. The secondary catalogue 222 is derived from the primary catalogue in accordance with a predefined derivation criterion. For example, an application server 220 may deal with STBs belonging to subscribers interested in content items of a certain language, say French.

The application server 220 derives the secondary catalogue 222 associated therewith, by retrieving from the primary catalogue 210 categories and references to content items associated with the retrieved categories, where the content items are in French.

Upon receiving a request for data pertaining to categories, content items, or both, from an STB, the application server 220 retrieves the data from the secondary catalogue, thereby indirectly extracting the data from the primary catalogue, according to the request. The application server 220 sends the data to the STB the request originates from, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

In one example, the primary catalogue 210 belongs to a party external to the

IP TV networks, which provides the IP TV networks with a service based on apparatus 1000. Each of the application servers 220 belongs to one of the IP TV networks. The application server 220 of each IP TV network is connected to the primary catalogue 210 of the party which provides the service. Each of the application servers 220 has a secondary catalogue, which is periodically updated, according to changes in content of the primary catalogue 210, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, each application server 220 is an XML (Extended Mark-Up Language server) Server, which communicates with Set-Top Boxes (STBs) of subscribers of the IP TV Network, using an XML Protocol, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Reference is now made to Fig. 3, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a third apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

An apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a primary catalogue 310.

The primary catalogue 310 includes categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet. The references may include URL addresses, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The apparatus further includes one or more content agent(s) 330. Each of the content agents 330 is installable on a respective Set-Top Box (STB) 390 of the IP TV network.

The content agent 330 requests and receives data pertaining to one or more of the categories and references. The content agent 330 inputs the received data to an operating module of the STB 390, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB 390, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the content agent 330 inputs the data to the operating module of the Set-Top Box (STB) 390 in an XML format. Optionally, the content agent 330 inputs the data to the operating module of the Set-Top Box (STB) 390 in an HTML format. In one example, the operating module includes a browser, which may be used for presenting the data to the user of the Set-Top Box (STB), as described in further detail hereinbelow. The apparatus also includes one or more application servers 320, in communication with the primary catalogue 310 and with one or more of the content agents 330. Optionally, the content agents 330 are communicated over a communication line of the IP TV network 325.

Optionally, the application server 320 installs the content agent 330 on the STB, through a remote connection to the STB 390, using known in the art remote access software products.

The application server 320 receives the request and extracts the data from the primary catalogue 310 according to the request. The application server 320 communicates the data to the content agent 330 the request originates from. Optionally, the application server 320 communicates the data to the content agent, using a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) protocol, as described in further detail hereinbelow, and illustrated using Fig. 10.

Optionally, the application server 320 communicates the data to the content agent, in an HTML format. The content agent 330 may forward the data to a browser (which may be a part of the STB's operating module), for immediate presentation to the user of the STB, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the request received from the content agent 330 has to do with a content item ordered using the request.

Optionally, the application server 320 sends the content item ordered using the request to the content agent 330, as described in further detail hereinbelow. Optionally, the application server 320 sends a reference to the content item ordered using the request to the content agent 330, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the apparatus also includes several secondary catalogues, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Each of the secondary catalogues is in communication with a specific one of the application servers 320. The application server 320 derives the secondary catalogue from the primary catalogue 310, say using a query, in accordance with a predefined derivation criterion, as described in further detail hereinabove. Upon receiving a request for data pertaining to categories, content items, or both, from one of the content agents 330, the application server 320 retrieves the data from the secondary catalogue, thereby indirectly extracting the data from the primary catalogue 310, according to the request.

The application server 320 sends the data to the content agent 330 the request originates from, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Upon receiving the data, the content agent 330 forwards the data to an operating module of the Set-Top Box 390, which presents at least some of the data to the user of the STB 390 (i.e. to a subscriber of the IP TV network).

For example, the received data may include one or more categories of content items, and the STB's operating module may present the categories to the user of the STB, using an Electric Program Guide (EPG) interface, say as a special channel, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

A current IP TV network includes a database of pre-obtained IP TV content items transmittable to the STB through a communication line of the IP TV network, using the operating module. The application server 320 may use the same communication line of the current IP TV network for communicating the data to the content agent 330.

Optionally, the apparatus further includes a catalogue updater 350 in communication with the primary catalogue 310. The catalogue updater 350 updates the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 350 further searches the Internet using an Internet Crawler, as known in the art.

The Internet Crawler crawls through the Internet Network, searching for relevant content items, say content items fitting a criterion predefined by a user of the catalogue updater 350, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

When a relevant content item is found by Internet Crawler, the content item features are used as categories characterizing the content item.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 350 further converts the categories characterizing the content item, into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard format, say into a hierarchically arranged array of content item categories.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 350 converts the categories characterizing the content item, into the XML standard format, utilizing a history learning model, which is at least semi-automatic, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The history learning model may be based on a neuronal network technique, as known in the art.

Neuronal network techniques are computer predictive models that learn from examples rather than follow a rigid analytical procedure set in advance by a set of computer program instructions. Optionally, the catalogue updater 350 further verifies that each of the content items complies with a predefined criterion, prior to updating the catalogue 310 with the reference to the content item. For example, the catalogue updater 350 may verify that the content item is a media item (say video or audio), prior to updating the catalogue 310 with the content item.

Optionally, the content agent 330 further manages a disk space available on the Set-Top Box (STB). For example, the content agent 330 may remove content items which are not in use from the disk space available on the STB, thus making space for new content items, as described in further detail hereinbelow. Optionally, the application server 320 further informs the content agent 330 about the size of a content item requested using the content agent 330, and the content agent 330 makes space for the content item on the STB, say by removing the content items which are not in use.

Optionally, the application server 320 further collects and uses statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB), for extracting the data from the primary catalogue 310.

For example, the application server 320 may use statistical information indicating that that the user of a specific STB watches football matches on a regular basis. Consequently, when the user of the specific STB's content agent 330 sends a request for content items belonging to a Sport Category, the application server 320 extracts from the primary catalogue references to football matches, rather than references to wrestling competitions.

Optionally, at least a part of the statistical data originates from the content agent 330 of the STB. That is to say that the STB's content agent 330 communicates the statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box

(STB) to the application server 320, say on a daily basis, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the application server 320 also uses STB content information pertaining to a content item stored on the STB, in facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB to a second STB of the IP TV network.

Optionally, the content agent 330 communicates the STB's content information pertaining content items stored on the STB to the application server 320, thus facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB to a second STB of the IP T V network.

In one example, whenever a user of a first Set-Top Box (STB) turns on the STB (or a TV set connected to the STB), the content agent 330 installed on the first STB sends information pertaining to content items stored on a memory space of the first STB to the application server 320. When the application server 320 receives a request for a content item already stored on memory space of the first STB 390 from a second STB's 390 content agent 330, the application server 320 may choose to copy the content item from the first STB's memory space.

By copying the content item from the first STB's 390 memory space, rather than downloading the content, directly from a web site the content item originates from, there may be avoided overloading of the web site with requests.

Further, the provisioning of the content item to the second STB 390 may be much faster, as the bandwidth available in the IP TV network, is likely to be much wider than the bandwidth available in the Internet. Reference is now made to Fig. 4, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a fourth apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

An apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a primary catalogue 410.

The primary catalogue 410 includes categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The apparatus further includes one or more content agent(s) 430. Optionally, each of the content agents 430 communicates with a specific and remote one of Set-Top Boxes (STBs) 490 of the IP TV network, over a communication line of the IP TV network 425.

Optionally, each of the content agents 430 may communicate with two or more of the Set-Top Boxes (STBs) 490 of the IP TV network, over a communication line of the IP TV network 425.

The content agent 430 requests and receives data pertaining to one or more of the categories and references, and inputs the received data to an operating module of the STB 390, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB 490, as described in further detail hereinbelow. Optionally, the content agent 430 inputs the data to the operating module of the Set-Top Box (STB) in an HTML format. In one example, the operating module includes a browser, which may be used for presenting the data to the user of the Set- Top Box (STB), as described in further detail hereinbelow. The apparatus further includes one or more application servers 420, in communication with the primary catalogue 410 and with one or more of the content agents 430.

The application server 420 receives the request and extracts the data from the primary catalogue 410 according to the request. The application server 420 communicates the data to the content agent 430 the request originates from.

Optionally, the application server 420 communicates the data to the content agent 430, using a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) protocol, as described in further detail hereinbelow. Optionally, the application server 420 communicates the data to the content agent 430, in an HTML format.

Optionally, the content agent 430 communicates the data to a browser (which may be a part of the STB's 490 operating module), for immediate presentation to the user of the STB 490, say in an HTML format. For example, the STB 490 may lack a memory storage (i.e. have no disc or other computer memory). However, the operating module of the STB 490 includes a browser which immediately presents the data received in an HTML format, to the user.

Optionally, the request received from the content agent 430 has to do with a content item, and the application server 420 sends the content item ordered using the request to the content agent 430. The content agent 430 communicates the content item to the STB's 490 operating module, say by streaming the content item to the

STB's 490 operating module.

Optionally, the request received from the content agent 430 has to do with a content item, and the application server 420 sends a reference to the content item, to the content agent 430. The content agent 430 communicates the content item to the

STB's 490 operating module, say by streaming the content item to the STB's 490 operating module.

Each of the secondary catalogues is in communication with a specific one of the application servers 420. The application server 420 derives the secondary catalogue from the primary catalogue 410, say using a query, as described in further detail hereinabove. Upon receiving a request for data pertaining to categories, content items, or both, from one of the content agents 430, the application server 420 retrieves the data from the secondary catalogue, thereby indirectly extracting the data from the primary catalogue, according to the request.

The application server 420 sends the data to the content agent 430 the request originates from, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Upon receiving the data, the content agent 430 forwards the data to an operating module of the Set-Top Box 490, which presents at least some of the data to the user of the STB 490 (i.e. to a subscriber of the IP TV network).

For example, the received data may include one or more categories of content items, and the STB's 490 operating module may present the categories to the user of the STB 490, using an Electric Program Guide (EPG) interface, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The application server 420 may use a communication line of the IP TV network for communicating the data to the content agent 430. Optionally, the apparatus further includes a catalogue updater 450 in communication with the primary catalogue 410.

The catalogue updater 450 updates the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, say using an Internet Crawler, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 450 further searches the Internet using an Internet Crawler, as known in the art.

The Internet Crawler crawls through the Internet Network, searching for relevant content items, as described in further detail hereinbelow. When a relevant content item is found by Internet Crawler, the content item features are used as categories characterizing the content item.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 450 further converts the categories characterizing the content item, into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard format, say into a hierarchically arranged array of content item categories.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 450 converts the categories characterizing the content item, into the XML standard format, utilizing a history learning model, which is at least semi-automatic, as described in further detail hereinbelow. The history learning model may be based on a neuronal network technique, as known in the art.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 450 further verifies that each of the content items complies with a predefined criterion, prior to updating the catalogue 410 with the reference to the content item. For example, the catalogue updater 450 may verify that the content item is a media item (say video or audio), prior to updating the catalogue 410 with the content item. Optionally, the content agent 430 further manages a disk space available on the Set-Top Box (STB) 490. For example, the content agent 430 may remove content items which are not in use from the disk space available on the STB 490, thus making space for new content items, as described in further detail hereinbelow. Optionally, the application server 420 further collects and uses statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB) 490, for extracting the data from the primary catalogue 410, as described in further detail hereinabove.

At least a part of the statistical data may originate from a content agent 430 in communication with the STB. That is to say that the content agent 430 communicates the statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the specific Set- Top Box (STB) 490 to the application server 420, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the application server 420 also uses STB content information pertaining to a content item stored on the STB 490, thus facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB 490 to a second STB 490 of the IP TV network.

Optionally, the content agent 430 communicates the STB's content information pertaining content items stored on the STB 490 to the application server 430, thus facilitating the provisioning of the content item stored on the STB 490 to a second STB 490 of the IP TV network.

In one example, whenever a user of a first Set-Top Box (STB) turns on the first STB 490 (or a TV set connected to the STB), the content agent 430 installed on the first STB sends information pertaining to content items stored on a memory space of the first STB to the application server 420. When the application server 420 receives a request for a content item already stored on a memory space of the first STB from a second STB's content agent 430, the application server 420 may choose to copy the content item from the first STB's memory space. By copying the content item from the first STB's memory space, rather than downloading the content, directly from a web site the content item originates from, there may be avoided overloading of the web site with requests.

Further, the provisioning of the content item to the second STB 490 may be much faster, as the bandwidth available in the IP TV network, is likely to be much wider than the bandwidth available in the Internet.

Reference is now made to Fig. 5, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a fifth apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention

The apparatus of claim 5 is an exemplary apparatus, which utilizes communication lines and Set-Top Box hardware current IP TV networks are based on.

The apparatus includes a central database 575 of content collected and stored in advance, as described in further detail, for close garden IP TV networks hereinabove. The apparatus also includes a Set-Top Box (STB) 590, in communication with the central content database 575.

Optionally, the STB 590 communicates with the IPTVs central content database 575 using an operating module 570 installed of the STB, say an operating module having an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) user interface, as known in the art. Through communication between the operating module 570 and the central content database 575, there is provisioned content from the central content database 575 to the STB 590, through communication lines of the IP TV network 525.

The apparatus further includes a primary catalogue 510, installed on a server of the IP TV network. Alternatively, the primary catalogue 510 is installed on a server of a third party, say a company cooperating with the IP TV network owner, for opening the IP TV network to Internet TV stations, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The primary catalogue 510 includes categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet 580. Internet 580 content items categorized and referenced using the primary catalogue 510 are used to extend the content available to a user of the STB 590, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the categories in the primary catalogue 510 are stored in a hierarchical array of categories, with references (say URL addresses) connected thereto, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories is represented using a set of relational database tables, as known in the art.

Optionally, the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories is represented using a set of hierarchical database structures, as known in the art. The apparatus illustrated using Fig. 5, further includes a catalogue updater

550, in communication with the primary catalogue 510.

The catalogue updater 550 updates the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet 580.

The catalogue updater 550 searches the Internet 580, for new content items, say using the Internet Crawler, as described in further detail hereinabove. The catalogue updater 550 adds URL (Uniform Resource Locator) addresses of the new content items (or other links to the content items), as references to the content items, to the primary catalogue 510. The catalogue updater 550 further removes references to content items that are no longer available in the Internet 580, as described in further detail hereinabove.

The apparatus further includes an application server 520, in communication with the primary catalogue 510.

The apparatus further includes a content agent 530, installed on the STB 590, which communicates with the application server 520, for requesting and receiving data extracted from the primary catalogue 510.

The content agent 530 communicates with the application server 520, through the same communication lines of the IP TV network 525 already used by the operating module 570, for receiving content from the central content database 575.

The content agent 530 is further used for receiving content items or references to content items from the application server 520. The content agent 530 forwards the content items to the operating module 570 of the STB 590.

The operating module 570 feeds the received data and content items to a TV set 595 (say using a browser, as known in the art), thus allowing the user to watch the content item on the TV set screen. Optionally, the application server 520 supports a variety of XML commands, which may be issued from the content agent 530.

In one example, the application server 520 may support a login command issued using the content agent 530.

Using the login command, the application server 520 receives from the content agent 530 data pertaining to the user of the STB 590 (say the user's subscriber number assigned to the user by the IP TV network owners, and embedded in a memory of the

STB 590).

Optionally, the login command is further used for sending data pertaining to technical attributes of the hardware used by the user (STB 590, TV set 595, communication lines, etc.), to the application server 520.

The attribute data is used by the application server 520, say for avoiding provisioning unsuitable content to the content agent 530. For example, for avoiding sending HD (High Definition) TV content items to an STB 590 connected to a Standard Definition (SD) TV set 595 (which does not support HD TV). Optionally, the login command is issued by the content agent 530 each time the STB 590 is powered up (say upon turning on the TV set 595, or the STB 590 itself).

The application server 520 may further support a usage statistics command, used by the content agent 530, to send statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB) 590.

For example, the application server 520 may receive statistical information indicating that that the user of a specific STB 590 seldom watches tennis matches.

Consequently, when the user of the specific STB's 590 sends to the application server 520 a request for content items belonging to a Sport Category, the application server 520 excludes tennis content items from a list of content items sent to the STB 590, in response to the request.

Optionally, the login command and the usage statistics command are but a couple of exemplary ones of several API (Application Programming Interface) commands of the content agent 530. The API commands are available to the operating module 570 of the Set-Top Box (STB) 590, say for requesting data, content items, or references to content items from the application server 520.

The content agent 530 may further include API download services, which are used for downloading content items from the Internet 580, or for receiving the content, say as video data streamed from the application server 520.

In one example, the content agent 530 is used by the operating module 570 to request data pertaining to item categories on the top level of the hierarchical array of categories, stored in the primary catalogue 510.

The application server 520 receives the request from the content agent 530, and extracts data pertaining to the top level categories from the primary catalogue

510. The application server 520 sends the data pertaining to the top level categories to the content agent 530, which forwards the data to the operating module 570 of the

STB 590.

The operating module 570 presents the data received from the application server 520 to the user of the STB 590, say using a browser which inputs a video signal carrying the data, to the TV set 595, as known in the art.

The user uses the operating module 570, for selecting one of the categories presented to the user, on screen of the TV set 595.

The content agent 530 sends a request for categories subordinate to the selected category, to the application server 520.

The application server 520 receives the request from the content agent 530, and extracts data pertaining to the subordinate categories from the primary catalogue 510. The application server 520 sends the data pertaining to the subordinate categories to the content agent 530, which forwards the data to the operating module 570 of the STB 590.

The operating module 570 presents the data received from the application server 520 to the user of the STB 590, say using the browser which inputs a video signal carrying the data, to the TV set 595.

The user uses the operating module 570, for selecting one of the subordinate categories presented to the user.

The content agent 530 sends a request for a list of content items (say Internet TV channels) references associated with the subordinate category selected by the user, to the application server 520.

The application server 520 receives the request from the content agent 530, and extracts data (i.e. the requested list) from the primary catalogue 510.

The application server 520 sends the list to the content agent 530, which forwards the list to the operating module 570 of the STB 590.

The operating module 570 presents the list to the user of the STB 590, say using the browser which inputs a video signal carrying the data (i.e.the list) to the TV set 595.

The user uses the operating module 570, for selecting one of the items (i.e. Internet TV channels) in the list.

Consequently, the operating module 570 sends a request to watch the selected content item to the application server 520, using the content agent 530.

Optionally, the request is issued using a command which asks for the content item to be streamed to the STB 590. Alternatively, the request is issued using a command which asks for a reference to the content item to be sent to the STB 590, say as a URL address.

The application server 520 receives the request and extracts relevant data from the primary catalogue 510 (i.e. the reference to the selected content item). The application server 520 uses the relevant data, for streaming the content item to the STB 590, using the content agent 530, or for sending the reference to the content item to the STB 590 (thus allowing the content agent to download the content item directly from the Internet 580).

In one example, the STB 590 includes Internet access functionality, which provides the operating module 570 with direct access to Internet.

Optionally, upon receipt of a reference to a content item from the application server 520, the content agent 530 uses the Internet access functionality of the STB 590, for downloading the content item directly from the Internet 580. Alternatively, the operating module 570 receives the reference to the content item from the content agent 530, and downloads the content item from the Internet, using the Internet access functionality of the STB 590.

Optionally, the application server 520 further supports a command for sending a logo of the channel (i.e. content item) selected by the user, to the STB 590, say by downloading the logo from a web site of the Internet TV Channel. Optionally, the communication between the content agent 530 and the application server 520 is carried out in an unblocked mode, where at least some of the communication is carried out asynchronically. That is to say that at least some of the commands of the content agent 530 may be carried out in the background.

In one example, a first part of a requested a High Definition TV content item may be presented to the user, while remaining parts are downloaded in the background into a dedicated data buffer, thus implementing a pre-fetch capacity, as known in the art.

Consequently, a shortage of bandwidth available in the Internet 580 may be overcome. Optionally, the first part is presented to the user only once a large enough portion of the content item's downloading is successfully completed. Optionally, the successful completion is determined, using API download service of the content agent

530.

In a second example, the requested content item is already available on the STB 590 (say- when the content item is an item downloaded before), and is thus immediately presented to the user (that is to say, that the requested is fulfilled locally, on the STB 590).

In a third example, the application server 520 streams the content item (say TV channel feed) to the STB 590, for immediate presentation to the user, provided the content is technically suitable for immediate streaming to the STB 590, as known in the art.

In another example, the operating module 570 of the STB 590 uses the content agent 530, for sending a request for data pertaining to categories of the primary catalogue 510, to the application server 520. v While the application server 520 receives the request, and extracts the categories from the primary database 510, the operating module 570 allows the user of the STB 590 to browse through other options available through an EPG (Electronic

Program Guide), or watch TV channel data streamed from the central content DB

575. When data pertaining to categories is received on the STB 590, the content agent 530 provides the operating module 570 with the data. The operating module 570 presents the data to the user of the STB 590.

Optionally, commands of the content agent 530 may be carried out in parallel, say using multi-task functionality, as known in the art.

Reference is now made to Fig. 6, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a sixth apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention

Apparatus 6000 includes a catalogue 610, installed on a Set-Top Box (STB) 690 of the IP TV network.

The catalogue 610 is used for storing categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, as described in further detail hereinabove.

For example, the catalogue 610 may be used for storing categories such as: English, Italian, Talk Shows, Sport, News, High Definition (HD), etc.

The catalogue 610 may further include Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses, or other links, used as references to content items accessible through the

Internet, in association with one or more of the categories. Optionally, the categories and references associated thereto are arranged in a hierarchical array, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The apparatus 6000 also includes a content agent 630, installed on the Set-Top Box (STB) 690, in communication with to the catalogue 610.

The content agent 630 retrieves data pertaining to one or more of the categories and references from the catalogue 610. The content agents 630 inputs the received data to an operating module 670 of the STB 690, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB 690.

Optionally, the apparatus 6000 further includes a catalogue updater 650, in communication with the catalogue 610. The catalogue updater 650 updates the catalogue 610 with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 650 searches the Internet for relevant content items, say using an Internet crawler, as described in further detail hereinabove. The catalogue updater 650 updates the catalogue 610 with references to the content items found relevant, say a URL address. The catalogue updater 650 further links one or more of the categories, thus creating an association between the content item and the categories.

Reference is now made to Fig. 7, which is a simplified flowchart illustrating a first method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In a method for extended content provisioning in an Internet Protocol (IP) TV network, there is provided 710 a catalogue comprising content categories, such as Sport, Talk Shows, Stand Up Comedy, Nature, Science, etc.

The catalogue may further include categories in subordination to other categories. For example, the catalogue may include Tennis - as a category subordinate to Sport, Animals - as a category subordinate to Nature, Biology as a category subordinate to Science, and so forth.

At least some of the categories are associated with content items accessible through the Internet, say using a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) address, as known in the art. Next, there is received 720 a request for data pertaining to one or more of the categories, references to content items, or both, from a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network. The request may be sent from the content agent 330, and received by the application server 320, as described in further detail hereinabove. The data pertaining to the categories, references, or both, is extracted 730 from the catalogue according to the request. The extracted data is communicated 740 to the Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, say by the application server 320, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, the data is communicated 740 through a communication line of the IP TV network, where the communication line is already used for transmitting content items of a database of IP TV content items obtained in advance (i.e. a walled garden database of content item, as known in the art).

Next, there is input 750 the communicated data to an operating module of the STB, say using a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) protocol, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, the data is input 750 to the STB's operating module, in an HTML format, thus allowing immediate presentation of the data to a user of the STB, say using a browser the operating module of the STB includes, as described in further detail hereinabove. Optionally, the operating module uses an Electric Program Guide (EPG) interface, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB.

In one example, the data is input 750 to the operating module of the Set- Top Box (STB) in an XML format, through API functions provided to the operating module from a program library the content agent contains, as known in the art. The operating module may use the API functions for requesting and receiving the data, and dynamically incorporate the data in the EPG, say as a sub-menu in the EPG channel, or as a separate channel having a dedicated menu, as known in the art.

Consequently, the user of the Set-Top Box is provided access to the Internet's dynamic and growing variety of TV channels, in a manner which integrates the content available in the Internet into a previously walled garden IP TV network, without a significant change in the IP TV user's experience.

Optionally, a content item ordered using the request, or a reference to the content item (such as a URL address, or another link usable for downloading the content item), is sent to the STB, say using the application server 320, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, the method further includes updating the catalogue with the categories and references to the content items accessible through the Internet.

Optionally, the categories are further converted into a predefined standard format, say into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard format.

Optionally, in the standard format, the categories are hierarchically arranged, in a manner which represents the hierarchical relationship between the categories.

For example, the hierarchical array may express the relationship between the nature category and an animal category subordinate to nature category, and between the animal category and a lion category subordinate to the animal category, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories is represented using a set of hierarchical database structures, as known in the art. Optionally, the categories are further converted to the categories to the standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model, say a model based on a neuronal network technique.

The method may further includes searching the Internet for content items, say using the Internet crawler of the content updater 350, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Optionally, there is verified that each of the content items complies with a predefined criterion, prior to updating the catalogue with the reference to the content item. For example, the catalogue updater 350 may verify that the content item is a media item (say video or audio), prior to updating the catalogue with the content item, as described in further detail hereinabove.

The method may further include managing a disk space available on the Set- Top Box (STB). For example, the content agent 330 may remove content items which are not in use from the disk space available on the STB, thus making space for new content items.

Optionally, the method further includes using statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB), for extracting 730 the data from the catalogue.

In one example, the application server 320 uses statistical information indicating that the user of a specific STB seldom watches tennis matches.

Consequently, when the user of the specific STB's content item sends to the application server 320 a request for content items belonging to a Sport Category, the application server 320 excludes Tennis content items from a list of content items sent to the STB, in response to the request. Optionally, the method further includes using Set-Top Box (STB) content information pertaining to a content item already stored on the STB. The information pertaining to a content item may be used for facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB to a second STB of the IP TV network. For example, the STB's content information pertaining to the content item stored on the STB may be sent from the content agent 330 to the application server 320.

In one example, whenever a user of a first Set-Top Box (STB) turns on the first STB (or a TV set connected to the STB), the content agent 330 installed on the first STB sends information pertaining to content items stored on a memory space of the first STB, to the application server 320.

When the application server 320 receives a request for a content item already stored on memory space of the first STB from a second STB's content agent 330, the application server 320 may choose to copy the content item from the first STB's memory space.

By copying the content item from the first STB's memory space, rather than downloading the content, directly from a web site the content item originates from, there may be avoided overloading of the web site with requests.

Further, the provisioning of the content item to the second STB may be much faster, as the bandwidth available in the IP TV network, is likely to be much wider than the bandwidth available in the Internet.

Reference is now made to Fig. 8, which is a simplified flowchart illustrating a second method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the method of Fig. 8, there is generated 810 a primary catalogue with categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

For example, the primary catalogue may include categories such as: English, Italian, Talk Shows, Sport, News, High Definition (HD), etc.

Optionally, the catalogue is periodically updated 720 with the categories, through a manual process, through an automatic process based on a dictionary and thesaurus like functionality.

Optionally, the catalogue is updated 820, with the categories through a manual process, through an automatic process based on attributes of content items found by an Internet Crawler, as described in further detail hereinabove, etc.

The catalogue may further include Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses, or other links, used as references to content items accessible through the Internet, in association with one or more of the categories. The categories are converted 830 into a predefined standard, say into a hierarchically arranged array of content item categories, such as an Extended Mark-up Language (XML) format, as known in the art.

Optionally, the categories are converted 830 into the standard format, utilizing a history learning model, which is at least semi-automatic, as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Optionally, the updating 820 of the catalogue with the categories and associated references to content items includes searching the Internet using a content updater 150, which includes an Internet Crawler, as known in the art. The Internet Crawler, crawls through the Internet Network, searching for relevant content items, say items fitting a predefined criterion.

For example, the Internet Crawler may include a function, which checks if a content item found by the crawler is a media content (be it video, audio, etc.). Optionally, the Internet crawler implements a recursive process where the

Internet is searched for relevant content items, in a continuous or periodic manner, as described in further detail, and illustrated using Fig. 11 , hereinbelow.

Using the crawler, web sites are searched, and pages of the web sites are visited, and searched for content items fitting a criterion predefined by a user of the catalogue updater 150.

When a relevant content item is found by the Internet Crawler, the content item features are used as categories characterizing the content item.

Optionally, the catalogue updater 150 further converts the categories characterizing the content item, into a standard format, say into a hierarchically arranged array of content item categories, say an Extended Mark-up Language (XML) format.

A fidelity rate of an RSS content item found by the Internet Crawler is in a scale of 1 to 100. The fidelity rate is automatically converted into the standard 1 to 10 scale, by dividing the rate by 10. In a second example, the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories includes the categories: Nature, Talk Shows, News, Reality TV, etc. However there is no Animals category in the exemplary standard hierarchically arranged array of content item categories. The Internet Crawler finds a content item entitled "Wild Cats", which has an animal attribute assigned to the item in a web site of the National Geographic™.

An attempt to automatically associate the National Geographic™ video item entitled "Wild Cats", with one of the categories above fails, as none of the categories listed hereinabove is an animal category. A user (say a network worker) of the apparatus 1000 is prompted to manually intervene. The user assigns the content item to the Nature Category. Consequently, a reference to the content item entitled "Wild Cats", is created, and associated with the Nature category.

Optionally, the learning model is updated with a rule linking Nature and Animals, say by updating the hierarchically arranged array of content item categories, with the Animals Category, as a category subordinate to the Nature Category.

Reference is now made to Fig. 9, which is a simplified block diagram illustrating a computer readable medium, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention A Computer-readable medium 9000, such as a CR-ROM, or a potable USB

Memory, stores computer-executable instructions for performing on a Set-Top Box (STB) of an IP TV network. The steps include requesting 911 and receiving 912 data pertaining to one or more categories and associated references to content items accessible through the Internet. The categories and references may be stored in a catalogue, say in an XML format, in a set of relational database tables, etc., as described in further detail hereinabove.

The computer-readable medium 9000 further includes instructions for inputting 913 the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Reference is now made to Fig. 10, which illustrates an exemplary list of content items in an exemplary XML format, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention

The exemplary XML format list of content items lists Internet TV Channels, associated with attributes pertaining to each of the channels, received by the content agent 330 from the application server 320.

For example, the first channel has a channel ID: "0x60", entitled "Arena Grande Concert Videos", in English, which belongs to the categories of Art and Music.

The list may be received as data requested using the content agent 330, as described in further detail hereinabove.

Reference is now made to Fig. 11, which illustrates exemplary Internet Crawler functions, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Optionally, the Internet crawler implements a recursive process where the Internet is searched for relevant content items.

An exemplary Internet crawler, starts searching content items in a web page selected by a user of the catalogue updater 150, say on a web page arbitrarily selected by the user. As illustrated by the

function, the crawler visits each web page linked to a page previously visited by the crawler, in a recursive manner.

In each of the pages the Internet crawler visits, the crawler searches for content items. For each content item found, there is verified that the content item complies with a predefined criterion. For example, using the Bool Function Ol function, the crawler verifies that the content item is a video content item.

Provided the content item is indeed a video content item, the content item's attributes are retrieved from the web page. The crawler may update the catalogue 110 with a reference to the content item, and use the attributes, for associating the reference with one or more categories stored in the catalogue 110, say using the Void_

Function_02.

It is expected that during the life of this patent many relevant devices and systems will be developed and the scope of the terms herein, particularly of the terms "Set-Top Box (STB)", "Internet", "Internet Crawler", and "Extended Mark-Up Language (XML)", is intended to include all such new technologies a priori.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. Apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet; b) at least one content agent, installable on a respective Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to request and receive data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB; and c) at least one application server, in communication with said primary catalogue and at least one of said content agents, configured to receive the request, extract the data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to said content agent.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a catalogue updater, in communication with said primary catalogue, configured to update the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format.

4. The apparatus of any one of claims 2-3, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard.

5. The apparatus of any one of claims 2-4, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 2-5, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model based on a neuronal network technique.

7. The apparatus of any one of claims 2-6, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to search the Internet for content items.

8. The apparatus of any one of claims 2-7, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to verify each of the content items complies with a predefined criterion, prior to updating the catalogue with the reference to the content item.

9. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to communicate the data to said content agent, using a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) protocol.

10. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to communicate the data to said content agent, in an HTML format.

11. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to send a content item ordered using the request, to said content agent.

12. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to send a reference to a content item ordered using the request, to said content agent.

13. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one secondary catalogue, in communication with a respective one of said application servers, wherein said application server is further configured to derive said secondary catalogue from said primary catalogue, in accordance with a predefined derivation criterion, and retrieve the data from said secondary catalogue, thereby indirectly extracting the data from said primary catalogue, according to the request.

14. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating module uses an Electric Program Guide (EPG) interface, for presenting at least a part of the input data to the user of the STB.

15. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said content agent is further configured to manage a disk space available on the Set-Top Box (STB).

16. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to use statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB), for extracting the data from the primary catalogue.

17. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said content agent is further configured to communicate statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB), to said application server, and said application server is further configured to use the statistical information, for extracting the data from the primary catalogue.

18. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to use STB content information pertaining to a content item stored on the STB, in facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB to a second STB of the IP TV network.

19. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said content agent is further configured to communicate Set-Top Box (STB) content information pertaining a content item stored on the STB to said application server, and said application server is further configured to use the STB content information, in facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB to a second STB of the

IP TV network.

20. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said content agent is further configured to input the data to the operating module of the Set-Top

Box (STB) in an XML format.

21. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said content agent is further configured to input the data to the operating module of the Set-Top Box (STB) in an HTML format.

22. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said application server is further configured to install said content agent on the STB, through a remote connection to the STB.

23. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a database of pre-obtained IP TV content items transmittable to the STB through a communication line of the IP TV network, using the operating module, wherein said application server is further configured to use the communication line of the IP TV network for communicating the data to the content agent.

24. Method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the method comprising: providing a catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet; receiving a request a for data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, from a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network; extracting the data from the catalogue according to the request; communicating the extracted data to the STB; and inputting the communicated data to an operating module of the STB.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising updating the catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising converting the categories into a predefined standard format.

27. The method of any one of claims 25-26, further comprising converting the categories into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard.

28. The method of any one of claims 25-27, further comprising converting the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

29. The method of any one of claims 25-28, further comprising converting the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model based on a neuronal network technique.

30. The method of any one of claims 25-29, further comprising searching the Internet for content items.

31. The method of any one of claims 25-30, further comprising verifying that each of the content items complies with a predefined criterion, prior to updating the catalogue with the reference to the content item.

32. The method of any one of claims 25-31, wherein said communicating the data to the STB is carried out using a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) protocol.

33. The method of any one of claims 24-32, wherein the data is communicated to the STB in an HTML format.

34. The method of any one of claims 24-33, further comprising sending a content item ordered using the request, to the STB.

35. The method of any one of claims 24-34, further comprising sending a reference to a content item ordered using the request, to the STB.

36. The method of any one of claims 24-35, wherein the operating module uses an Electric Program Guide (EPG) interface, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB.

37. The method of any one of claims 24-36, further comprising managing a disk space available on the Set-Top Box (STB).

38. The method of any one of claims 24-37, further comprising using statistical information pertaining to interaction of the user with the Set-Top Box (STB), for extracting the data from the catalogue.

39. The method of any one of claims 24-38, further comprising using Set- Top

Box (STB) content information pertaining a content item stored on the STB, facilitating provisioning of the content item stored on the STB to a second STB of the IP TV network.

40. The method of any one of claims 24-39, further comprising inputting the data to the operating module of the Set-Top Box (STB) in an XML format.

41. The method of any one of claims 24-40, further comprising inputting the data to the operating module of the Set-Top Box (STB) in an HTML format.

42. The method of any one of claims 24-41, further comprising using a communication line of the IP TV network for communicating the data to the STB, wherein the communication line is further used for transmitting content items of a database of pre-obtained IP TV content items to the STB using the operating module.

43. Apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet; and b) at least one application server, in communication with said primary catalogue, configured to receive a request from a remote STB of the IP TV network, extract data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to the remote STB.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a catalogue updater, in communication with said primary catalogue, configured to update the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard.

46. The apparatus of any one of claims 44-45, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

47. The apparatus of any one of claims 44-46, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model based on a neuronal network technique.

48. Method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the method comprising: providing a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet; receiving a request from a remote STB of the IP TV network; extracting data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicating the data to the remote STB.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising updating the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising converting the categories the catalogue is updated with, to a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard.

51. The method of any one of claims 49-50, further comprising converting the categories the catalogue is updated with, to a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

52. The method of any one of claims 49-51, further comprising converting the categories the catalogue is updated with, to a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model based on a neuronal network technique.

53. Apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet, and b) a catalogue updater, in communication with said primary catalogue, configured to update the primary catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, said catalogue updater further configured to convert the categories into a predefined standard format, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said catalogue updater is further configured to convert the categories into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language

(XML) standard.

55. Method for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the method comprising: generating a primary catalogue with categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, said generating further comprising converting the categories into a predefined Extended Mark-up Language (XML) standard, utilizing an at least semi-automatic history learning model.

56. Computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing on a Set-Top Box (STB) of an IP TV network, steps of requesting and receiving data pertaining to at least one of a plurality of categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet, the categories and references stored in a catalogue, and inputting the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB.

57. Apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a catalogue, installed on a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to store categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet; and b) a content agent, installed on the Set-Top Box (STB), associated with said catalogue, configured to retrieve data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references from said catalogue, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising a catalogue updater, in communication with said catalogue, configured to update the catalogue with the categories and references to content items accessible through the Internet.

59. Apparatus for extended content provisioning in an IP TV network, the apparatus comprising: a) a primary, catalogue comprising a plurality of categories associated with references to content items accessible through the Internet; b) at least one content agent, in communication with a Set-Top Box (STB) of the IP TV network, configured to request and receive data pertaining to at least one of the categories and references, and input the received data to an operating module of the STB, for presenting at least a part of the input data to a user of the STB; and c) at least one application server, in communication with said primary catalogue and at least one of said content agents, configured to receive the request, extract the data from the primary catalogue according to the request, and communicate the data to said content agent.