Method and apparatus for notifying users of interactive functions

• US 20020059597A1
• Filed: 06/05/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan, Kamen, Yakov
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method and apparatus for notifying a user of an interactive event using a remote control device. In one embodiment, a remote control device contains either a display or a bright light, or both, which can create a visual alert to let a user know that an interactive function is available. The nature of the function may be displayed on a screen attached to the remote control device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

An unit to transmit information and to receive information via wireless;

A control unit to interact with an electronic programming guide (EPG); and

An indicator to indicate an availability of an interactive function in a program corresponding to the EPG.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is displayed on a display of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display changes background colors to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display flashes to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is personal digital assistant.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a web phone.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein indicator is a unit that generates a sound to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a section of the apparatus that illuminates to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

9. A method comprising:

An apparatus transmitting information and receiving information via wireless, the information interacting with an electronic programming guide (EPG); and

The apparatus indicating an availability of an interactive function in a program corresponding to the EPG.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicating includes is displaying an indicator on a display of the apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the indicating includes changing the background colors of the display to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the indicating includes the display flashing to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is personal digital assistant.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a web phone.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicating includes a unit of the apparatus generating a sound to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicating includes a section of the apparatus illuminating to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the indicating includes is displaying an indicator on a display of the apparatus.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the indicating includes changing the background colors of the display to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the indicating includes the display flashing to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

21. The machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is personal digital assistant.

22. The machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is a web phone.

23. The machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the indicating includes a unit of the apparatus generating a sound to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

24. The machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the indicating includes a section of the apparatus illuminating to indicate the availability of the interactive function in the program corresponding to the EPG.

17. A machine readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions, which when executed cause a system to perform a method comprising:

An apparatus transmitting information and receiving information via wireless, the information interacting with an electronic programming guide (EPG); and

The apparatus indicating an availability of an interactive function in a program corresponding to the EPG.