ELECTRONIC-MAIL REMINDER FOR AN INTERNET TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE

• US 20020026496A1
• Filed: 12/09/1997
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: DEMERS, TIMOTHY B., BOYER, FRANKLIN E., BLACKWELL, BRUCE A.
• Application Number:
  US08/987,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• 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 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• 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 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 21/4886 : for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 : involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 : specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 : with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

An Internet television program guide electronic-mail (e-mail) reminder system is provided. The system allows a user at a multimedia system to order and receive e-mail message reminders of scheduled television events over the Internet. The user can order e-mail reminders after selecting a program from the program listings or by supplying [a program title directly] specific user program preferences without having to consult the program listings. The user can specify when and how often the reminders will be generated and received. If desired, the user can view a list of all currently requested e-mail reminders. Entries can be added to the list or the user can cancel a previously ordered reminder. The user can order email reminders for scheduled pay-per-view programs using the system. The user can also have reminder information periodically updated and available directly on the user'"'"'s multimedia system.

Claims

1. An Internet television program guide e-mail reminder system for providing e-mail message reminders of scheduled television events to a user at a multimedia system over the Internet comprising:

means for providing television program listings over the Internet;

means for selecting a television program from the television program listings provided over the Internet; and

means for providing e-mail reminders to the multimedia system over the Internet that remind the user when the television program is to be broadcast.

2. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing an e-mail reminder option which the user selects to order e-mail reminders.

3. The system defined in claim 2 wherein the means for providing the e-mail reminder option further comprises means for presenting an e-mail reminder web page when the user selects the e-mail reminder option.

4. The system defined in claim 3 wherein the means for presenting the e-mail reminder web page further comprises means for providing selectable options displayed on the e-mail reminder web page when the user is presented with the e-mail reminder web page.

5. The system defined in claim 4 wherein the selectable option is a how soon option for determining how soon before the broadcast of the television program the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

6. The system defined in claim 5 wherein the how soon option further comprises means for presenting a how soon web page.

7. The system defined in claim 4 wherein the selectable option is a how often option for determining how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

8. The system defined in claim 7 wherein the how often option further comprises means for presenting a how often web page.

9. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a view current reminders option which the user selects to receive a list of current e-mail reminder orders.

10. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the means for providing the view current reminders option further comprises means for presenting a view current reminders web page when the user selects the view current reminders option.

11. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a new reminders option which the user selects to order an e-mail reminder message by entering a program title.

12. The system defined in claim 11 wherein the means for providing the new reminders option further comprises means for presenting a new reminders web page when the user selects the new reminders option.

13. The system defined in claim 12 wherein the means for presenting the new reminders web page further comprises means for providing selectable options displayed on the new reminders web page when the user is presented with the new reminders web page.

14. The system defined in claim 13 wherein the selectable option is a how soon option for determining how soon before the broadcast of the television program the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

15. The system defined in claim 14 wherein the how soon option further comprises means for presenting a how soon web page.

16. The system defined in claim 13 wherein the selectable option is a how often option for determining how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

17. The system defined in claim 16 wherein the how often option further comprises means for presenting a how often web page.

18. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a pay-per-view order web page.

19. The system defined in claim 18 wherein the means for providing the pay-per-view order web page further comprises means for providing an e-mail reminder option which the user selects to order an email reminder message.

20. A method for providing e-mail message reminders of scheduled television events to a user at a multimedia system over the Internet using an Internet television program guide system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing television program listings over the Internet;

selecting a television program from the television program listings provided over the Internet; and

providing e-mail reminders to the multimedia system over the Internet that remind the user when the television program is to be broadcast.

21. The method defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of providing an e-mail reminder option which the user selects to order e-mail reminders.

22. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the step of providing the e-mail reminder option further comprises the step of presenting an e-mail reminder web page when the user selects the e-mail reminder option.

23. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the step of presenting the e-mail reminder web page further comprises the step of providing selectable options displayed on the e-mail reminder web page when the user is presented with the e-mail reminder web page.

24. The method defined in claim 23 wherein the selectable option is a how soon option for determining how soon before the broadcast of the television program the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

25. The method defined in claim 24 wherein the how soon option further comprises the step of presenting a how soon web page.

26. The method defined in claim 23 wherein the selectable option is a how often option for determining how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

27. The method defined in claim 26 wherein the how often option further comprises the step of presenting a how often web page.

28. The method defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of providing a view current reminders option which the user selects to receive a list of current e-mail reminder orders.

29. The method defined in claim 28 wherein the step of providing the view current reminders option further comprises the step of presenting a view current reminders web page when the user selects the view current reminders option.

30. The method defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of providing a new reminders option which the user selects to order an e-mail reminder message by entering a program title.

31. The method defined in claim 30 wherein the step of providing the new reminders option further comprises the step of presenting a new reminders web page when the user selects the new reminders option.

32. The method defined in claim 31 wherein the step of presenting the new reminders web page further comprises the step of providing selectable options displayed on the new reminders web page when the user is presented with the new reminders web page.

33. The method defined in claim 32 wherein the selectable option is a how soon option for determining how soon before the broadcast of the television program the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

34. The method defined in claim 33 wherein the how soon option further comprises the step of presenting a how soon web page.

35. The method defined in claim 32 wherein the selectable option is a how often option for determining how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user.

36. The method defined in claim 35 wherein the how often option further comprises the step of presenting a how often web page.

37. The method defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of providing a pay-per-view order web page.

38. The method defined in claim 37 wherein the step of providing the pay-per-view order web page further comprises the step of providing an e-mail reminder option which the user selects to order an email reminder message.