Method and system to defer transactions conducted via interactive television

• US 20020054091A1
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Istvan, Anthony F., Tomsen, Mai-lan
• Application Number:
  US09/834,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A viewer can initiate and then defer a transaction conducted via an interactive television system. The transaction can involve obtaining information or ordering goods or services available from a network, such as the Internet, that is accessible via the interactive television system. As an example, while the viewer is watching a television commercial on a first screen, the viewer can begin a transaction to order a product advertised in the commercial on a second screen. If for some reason the viewer does not complete the transaction by the time the commercial has finished broadcasting, the viewer can complete the transaction at a later time. A user input device is useable to initiate the transaction, to store information related to the transaction, and then to use the stored information to complete the transaction if the transaction has been previously deferred.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a broadcast segment, having supplemental information, as part of an interactive television transmission and presenting the broadcast segment via a first screen;

receiving a first command sent from a user input device to initiate a transaction related to the supplemental information in the broadcast segment via a second screen; and

completing the transaction, subsequent to completion of displaying of the broadcast segment, in response to a second command received from the user input device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first screen comprises a screen that is capable of being presented by a television set.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first screen comprises a screen that is capable of being presented by a computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second screen is capable of being presented at the user input device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein completing the transaction comprises completing the transaction via the second screen at the user input device.

6. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to;

provide a broadcast segment as part of an interactive television transmission via a first screen, the broadcast segment having supplemental information;

use a first command sent from a user input device to initiate a transaction related to the supplemental information in the broadcast segment via a second screen; and

complete the transaction, subsequent to completion of displaying of the broadcast segment, in response to a second command received from the user input device.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the first screen comprises a screen that is capable of being presented by a television set.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the first screen comprises a screen that is capable of being presented by a computer.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the second screen is capable of being presented at the user input device.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein the instructions to complete the transaction comprise instructions to complete the transaction via the second screen at the user input device.

11. A client apparatus for an interactive television system, the client apparatus comprising:

a communication interface to provide a broadcast segment having supplemental information as part of an interactive television transmission via a first screen;

a processor responsive to a first command received via the communication interface from a user input device to initiate a transaction related to the supplemental information in the broadcast segment via a second screen; and

a storage unit to store user input data received via the communication interface and related to the transaction, the user input data being storable during at least while the broadcast segment is provided from the communication interface, the processor being capable to read the stored user input data and to trigger completion of the transaction, subsequent to completion of displaying of the broadcast segment and in response to a second command received from the user input device via the communication interface.

12. The client apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first screen is capable of being presented by a television set.

13. The client apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second screen is capable of being presented at the user input device.

14. The client apparatus of claim 13 wherein the transaction is capable of being completed via the second screen at the user input device.

15. The client apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second screen is capable of being presented at a television set.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the display device comprises a television set, and wherein the first screen is capable of being presented by the television set.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the second screen is capable of being presented by the television set.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the second screen is capable of being presented at the user input device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the transaction is capable of being completed via the second screen at the user input device.

16. A system, comprising:

a television network connectable to a communication network to provide a broadcast segment, having supplemental information, as part of an interactive television transmission;

a client terminal to receive the broadcast segment from the television network and to provide the broadcast segment to a display device coupled to the client terminal for display via a first screen; and

a user input device to communicate with the client terminal, the user input device having;

a transceiver to receive the supplemental information from the client terminal;

a storage medium to store the received supplemental information; and

a processor to process the supplemental information stored in the storage medium, the processor being responsive to user input to control the transceiver to send a first command to the client terminal to initiate a transaction related to the stored supplemental information via a second screen and to control the transceiver to send a second command to complete the transaction, subsequent to completion of display of the broadcast segment on the display device, based on the stored supplemental information.