Television receiving and internet browsing apparatus

• US 20010039658A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Access Devices Limited
• Original Assignee: Access Devices Limited
• Inventors: Walton, Anthony S.
• Application Number:
  US09/742,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

TV receiving apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving broadcast TV signals, a TV display, and a control system for controlling the display of received TV signals on the TV display. The control system includes an Internet browser connectable to an Internet server to supply URLs, selected by a user, to the server, to receive corresponding web pages, and to adapt and display the received web pages in a first region of the TV display. The control system is also adapted to cause information different from the selected web page and received from the server to be displayed in a second region of the TV display independently of the web page(s) displayed in the first region.

Claims

1. A TV receiving apparatus comprising:

a) a receiver for receiving broadcast TV signals;

b) a TV display; and

,

c) a control system for controlling the display of received TV signals on the TV display,

the control system including an Internet browser connectable to an Internet server to supply URLs, selected by a user, to the server, to receive corresponding web pages and to adapt and display the received web pages in a first region of the TV display, the control system being adapted to cause information different from the selected web page and received from the server to be displayed in a second region of the TV display independently of the web page(s) displayed in the first region and wherein the user is unable to cause the display in the second region of information selected by the user.

2. Apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the control system is provided in a set-top box.

3. Apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the control system is adapted to generate a URL to cause the information to be received from the server.

4. Apparatus according to

claim 3

, wherein the generated URL is not supplied to the control system by the user.

5. Apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the information displayed in the second region is defined by a second HTML frame appended to a first HTML frame defining a web page selected by the user.

6. Apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the information displayed in the second region corresponds to a second web page.

7. Apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the second region forms at least part of a banner on the display.

8. Apparatus according to

claim 7

, wherein the banner is rectangular.

9. Apparatus according to

claim 8

wherein at least one edge of the banner abuts an edge of the display.

10. Apparatus according to

claim 9

, wherein the banner is elongate in a first direction and has a corresponding elongate edge arranged to abut the edge of the display.

11. Apparatus according to

claim 10

, wherein the banner extends fully across the display and abuts two opposing edges of the display.

12. Apparatus according to

claim 11

, wherein the banner includes one or more browser control icons.

13. Apparatus according to

claim 1

, arranged such that the user may interact with the second region so as to cause the display of related information within the first region.

14. An Internet access system comprising apparatus according to

claim 4

;

and an Internet server which can be selectively coupled with the said apparatus.

15. A system according to

claim 14

, wherein the Internet server and the apparatus cooperate such that the browser generates a special URL to obtain the information to be displayed in the second region.

16. A system according to

claim 14

, wherein the Internet server is adapted to update the content of the web page addressed by the special URL.

17. A system according to

claim 15

, wherein the Internet served is adapted to redirect the special URL to a different URL.

18. A system according to

claim 15

, wherein the control system further comprises a non-volatile store in which the special URL is retained.

19. A system according to

claim 14

, wherein the server supplies the browser with the URL which is used to cause the information to be received.

20. A system according to

claim 14

, wherein the Internet server appends a second frame to data defined by the web page selected by the user, for displaying in the second region.

21. A system according to

claim 14

, wherein the information displayed in the second region is regularly updated by the Internet server.

22. A system according to

claim 21

, wherein the Internet server is adapted to update the said information each time the information is to be refreshed to the apparatus.

23. A system according to

claim 21

, wherein the Internet server is adapted to monitor the URLs requested by a user and to update the information to be displayed in the second region with related data.

24. A system according to

claim 14

, further comprising a database in which data is stored relating to the information provided to the browser by the Internet server.

25. A system according to

claim 14

, wherein the information displayed in the second region is an advertisement.

26. Internet browsing apparatus comprising a display;

and

a control system including an Internet browser connectable to an Internet server to supply URLs, selected by a user, to the server, to receive corresponding web pages and to display the received web pages in a first region of the display, the control system being adapted to cause information different from the selected web page and received from the server to be displayed in a second region of the display independently of the web page(s) displayed in the first region and wherein the user is unable to cause the display in the second region of information selected by the user.

27. Apparatus according to

claim 26

, wherein the control system is adapted to generate a URL to cause the information to be received from the server.

28. Apparatus according to

claim 27

, wherein the generated URL is not supplied to the control system by the user.

29. Apparatus according to

claim 26

, wherein the information displayed in the second region is defined by a second HTML frame appended to a first HTML frame defining a web page selected by the user.

30. Apparatus according to

claim 26

, wherein the information displayed in the second region corresponds to a second web page.

31. Apparatus according to

claim 26

, wherein the second region forms at least part of a banner on the display.

32. Apparatus according to

claim 31

, wherein the banner is rectangular.

33. Apparatus according to

claim 32

, wherein at least one edge of the banner abuts an edge of the display.

34. Apparatus according to

claim 33

, wherein the banner is elongate in a first direction and has a corresponding elongate edge arranged to abut the edge of the display.

35. Apparatus according to

claim 34

, wherein the banner extends fully across the display and abuts two opposing edges of the display.

36. Apparatus according to

claim 35

, wherein the banner includes one or more browser control icons.

37. Apparatus according to

claim 26

, arranged such that the user may interact with the second region so as to cause the display of related information within the first region.

38. An Internet access system comprising apparatus according to

claim 26

;

and an Internet server which can be selectively coupled with the said apparatus.

39. A system according to

claim 38

, wherein the Internet server and the apparatus cooperate such that the browser generates a special URL to obtain the information to be displayed in the second region.

40. A system according to

claim 38

, wherein the Internet server is adapted to update the content of the web page addressed by the special URL.

41. A system according to

claim 39

, wherein the Internet served is adapted to redirect the special URL to a different URL.

42. A system according to

claim 39

, wherein the control system further comprises a non-volatile store in which the special URL is retained.

43. A system according to

claim 38

, wherein the server supplies the browser with the URL which is used to cause the information to be received.

44. A system according to

claim 38

, wherein the Internet server appends a second frame to data defined by the web page selected by the user, for displaying in the second region.

45. A system according to

claim 38

, wherein the information displayed in the second region is regularly updated by the Internet server.

46. A system according to

claim 45

, wherein the Internet server is adapted to update the said information each time the information is to be refreshed to the apparatus.

47. A system according to

claim 45

, wherein the Internet server is adapted to monitor the URLs requested by a user and to update the information to be displayed in the second region with related data.

48. A system according to

claim 38

, further comprising a database in which data is stored relating to the information provided to the browser by the Internet server.

49. A system according to

claim 38

, wherein the information displayed in the second region is an advertisement.