Method and apparatus for providing subsidiary data synchronous to primary content data

Abstract

Primary content data is received from an external source and subsidiary data is obtained which corresponds to the primary content data, wherein the subsidiary data is independent of the primary content data. The subsidiary data is provided synchronous to the primary content data.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving primary content data at an entertainment system from a primary external source;    receiving subsidiary data at the entertainment system from a subsidiary external source, the subsidiary data being independent of and supplementing the primary content data;    displaying the primary content data;    determining the identity of the primary content data currently displayed;    determining whether subsidiary data supplementing the primary content data exists by accessing a storage database using the primary content data identity;    obtaining the subsidiary data identified in the storage database for display; and    displaying the subsidiary data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving the subsidiary data corresponding to a program of the primary content data prior to beginning receipt of the program; and    storing the subsidiary data corresponding to the program locally.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining subsidiary data comprises obtaining the subsidiary data from a local nonvolatile storage medium.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the subsidiary data comprises: 
 determining an elapsed time of a program of the primary content data;    identifying a portion of the subsidiary data which corresponds to the program;    identifying a piece of the portion of the subsidiary data which corresponds to the elapsed time of the program; and    providing the piece concurrently with the primary content data.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein identifying a portion of the subsidiary data comprises accessing a database which stores a plurality of portions of the subsidiary data.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary content data comprises data of at least one of a television broadcast, a digital satellite broadcast, an Internet broadcast, and an audio-only broadcast.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the identity of the primary content data currently displayed comprises reading an identifier included with the primary content data.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the subsidiary data comprises retrieving the subsidiary data from a memory of the entertainment system.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the subsidiary data comprises retrieving the subsidiary data from a remote server.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsidiary data comprises at least one of reference information regarding a program of the primary content data, biographical information regarding actors, guests and participants of a program of the primary content data and advertisements.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the identity of the primary content data is performed in response to a change in the primary content data currently displayed.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein displaying the subsidiary data comprises displaying the subsidiary data synchronous to the primary content data.  
     
     
         13 . A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving primary content data at an entertainment system from a primary external source;    receiving subsidiary data at the entertainment system from a subsidiary external source, the subsidiary data being independent of and supplementing the primary content data;    displaying the primary content data;    determining the identity of the primary content data currently displayed;    determining whether subsidiary data supplementing the primary content data exists by accessing a storage database using the primary content data identity;    obtaining the subsidiary data identified in the storage database for display; and    displaying the subsidiary data on the display device of the entertainment system.    
     
     
         14 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving all of the subsidiary data corresponding to a program of the primary content data prior to beginning receipt of the program; and    storing the subsidiary data corresponding to the program locally.    
     
     
         15 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions for obtaining subsidiary data comprises instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising obtaining the subsidiary data from a local nonvolatile storage medium.  
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions for providing the subsidiary data further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 determining an elapsed time of a program of the primary content data;    identifying a portion of the subsidiary data which corresponds to the program;    identifying a piece of the portion of the subsidiary data which corresponds to the elapsed time of a program; and    providing the piece concurrently with the primary content data.    
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions for identifying a portion of the subsidiary data comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising accessing a database which stores a plurality of portions of the subsidiary data.  
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions for determining the identity of the primary content data currently displayed further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising reading an identifier included with the primary content data.  
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions for obtaining the subsidiary data further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising retrieving the subsidiary data from a memory of the entertainment system.  
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions for obtaining the subsidiary data further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising retrieving the subsidiary data from a remote server.  
     
     
         21 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the subsidiary data comprises at least one of reference information regarding a program of the primary content data, biographical information regarding the actors, guests and participants of a program of the primary content data and advertisements.  
     
     
         22 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions for determining the identity of the primary content data are performed in response to a change in the primary content data currently displayed.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the instructions for displaying the subsidiary data comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising displaying the subsidiary data synchronous to the primary content data.  
     
     
         24 . An entertainment system comprising: 
 a first data receiver to receive primary content data from a primary external source;    subsidiary data control logic to receive subsidiary data from a subsidiary external source, wherein the subsidiary data is independent of and supplementary to the primary content data;    a storage device to store the received subsidiary data;    a display device to display the primary content data;    synchronization logic operative to determine the identity of the primary content data currently displayed; and    storage/retrieval logic to determine whether subsidiary data supplementing the primary content data exists by accessing a storage database using the primary content data identity;    wherein the synchronization logic is operative to obtain the subsidiary data identified in the storage database for display and to provide the subsidiary data from the storage device to the display device synchronous to the primary content data.    
     
     
         25 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 reception logic to receive all of the subsidiary data corresponding to a program of the primary content data prior to beginning receipt of the program; and    storage logic to control local storing of the subsidiary data corresponding to the program.    
     
     
         26 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , wherein the storage device comprises a local nonvolatile storage medium.  
     
     
         27 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , wherein the synchronization logic is further operative to: 
 determine an elapsed time of a program of the primary content data;    identify a portion of the subsidiary data in the storage device which corresponds to the program;    retrieve a piece of the portion of the subsidiary data which corresponds to the elapsed time of the program from the storage device; and    provide the retrieved piece to the display device synchronous to the elapsed time of the program.    
     
     
         28 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , wherein the synchronization logic is operative to determine the identity of the primary content data currently displayed by reading an identifier included with the primary content data.  
     
     
         29 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , further comprising reception logic coupled to a remote server, wherein the storage database includes an identification of a remote server from which subsidiary data may be retrieved and wherein the synchronization logic is operative to request that the reception logic retrieve the subsidiary data from the identified remote server.  
     
     
         30 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , wherein the subsidiary data comprises at least one of reference information regarding a program of the primary content data, biographical information regarding the actors, guests and participants of a program of the primary content data and advertisements.  
     
     
         31 . The entertainment system of  claim 24 , wherein the synchronization logic is operative to determine the identity of the primary content data in response to a change in the primary content data currently displayed.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a data receiver to receive primary content data from a primary external source;    subsidiary data control logic, communicatively coupled to the data receiver, to receive subsidiary data from a subsidiary external source, wherein the subsidiary data is independent of and supplementary to the primary content data;    synchronization logic operative to determine the identity of the primary content data currently displayed; and    storage/retrieval logic to determine whether subsidiary data supplementing the currently displayed primary content data exists by accessing a storage database using the determined primary content data identity;    wherein the synchronization logic is operative to obtain the subsidiary data for display synchronous to the primary content data.    
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  further comprising video/audio control logic to combine the primary content data with the subsidiary data and forward the combined data to a display or audio device.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32  further comprising reception logic to provide received subsidiary data to the storage/retrieval logic.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 32  further comprising user interface logic to allow a user to interact with the storage/retrieval logic.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 32  further comprising programming database control logic to allow a user to access a programming guide.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the programming database control logic allows a user to toggle enablement of subsidiary data.