Active program notification system and method

• US 20020010922A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 01/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Danny Ehrenfeld, Michael Weinberg, Shai Darin
• Original Assignee: Danny Ehrenfeld, Michael Weinberg, Shai Darin
• Inventors: Weinberg, Michael, Darin, Shai, Ehrenfeld, Danny
• Application Number:
  US09/771,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010922A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

There is disclosed a system provides a television viewer with notification of a program, selected in accordance with previously entered individual viewer parameters. Notification is typically in real time and typically by a visual indicator, such as a pop-up message, crawler or the like, on the television or monitor screen. The visual indicator is such that it enables the viewer to interact with it and switch the television to that program indicated in the visual indicator.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a viewer of at least one event on a viewing device comprising:

monitoring at least one transmission signal;

extracting information from said at least one transmission signal, said information corresponding to data entered into a database;

providing a notification for said at least one event from said extracted information; and

providing at least one mechanism for responding to said notification.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

providing at least one mechanism for switching said viewing device to said at least one event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting includes comparing information in said monitored signal with said information corresponding to data entered into said database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing a notification includes providing a visual notification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing a notification includes providing an aural notification.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one event includes at least one program.

7. A system for notifying a viewer of at least one event on a viewing device comprising:

a storage device for storing data entered into said storage device;

a microprocessor coupled to said storage device, said microprocessor programmed for;

monitoring at least one transmission signal;

extracting information from said at least one transmission signal, said information corresponding to said stored data;

providing a notification for said at least one event from said extracted information; and

providing at least one mechanism for responding to said notification.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said microprocessor is additionally programmed for;

providing at least one mechanism for switching said viewing device to said at least one event.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said extracting includes comparing information in said monitored signal with information corresponding to said stored data.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said providing a notification includes providing a visual notification.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said providing a notification includes providing an aural notification.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one event includes at least one program.

13. A computer-usable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon for causing a suitably programmed system to notify a user of a desired event by performing the following steps when such program is executed on the system:

monitoring at least one transmission signal;

extracting information from said at least one transmission signal, said information corresponding to data stored in a user database;

providing a notification for said at least one event from said extracted information; and

providing at least one mechanism for responding to said notification.