Television program-related coupon hyperlink system

• US 20020157111A1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Anthony Reams
• Original Assignee: David Anthony Reams
• Inventors: Reams, David Anthony
• Application Number:
  US09/839,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system for generating an URL string including an URL to a web page having at least one coupon related to a video or audio program and text identifying the at least one coupon related to the program and activating an URL hyperlink to the web page having the at least one coupon related to the program comprises a data entering device for entering the URL to the web page having the at least one coupon related to the program, a generator for generating the URL string including the URL to the web page having the at least one coupon related to the program and the text identifying the at least one coupon related to the program, a program signal transmitter for transmitting the URL string to a program signal receiver, the program signal receiver for receiving the URL string, a display device for displaying the text identifying the at least one coupon related to the program, an activator for activating the URL hyperlink to the web page having the at least one coupon related to the program and, optionally, a printer for printing the at least one coupon related to the program from the web page.

Claims

1. A system for generating an URL string including an URL to a web page having at least one coupon related to a program and text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program and activating an URL hyperlink to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program comprising:

data entering means for entering said URL to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program;

generating means for generating said URL string including said URL to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program and said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program;

program signal transmitting means for transmitting said URL string to program signal receiving means;

said program signal receiving means for receiving said URL string;

display means for displaying said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program and

activating means for activating said URL hyperlink to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program.

2. A system according to claim 1 further comprising:

printing means for printing said at least one coupon from said web page.

3. A method for generating an URL string including an URL to a web page having at least one coupon related to a program and text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program comprising the steps of:

entering via data entering means said URL to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program and

generating via generating means said URL string including said URL to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program and said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said program comprises an advertisement.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said entering via said data entering means comprises selecting from a database of brand names and associated URLs to web pages having respective one or more brand name coupons a brand name of interest whereupon

the URL associated with the selected brand name is automatically entered via said data entering means.

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said entering via said data entering means comprises selecting from a database of brand names and associated URLs to web pages having respective one or more brand name coupons a brand name of interest whereupon

“

[Brand Name] Coupon”

is automatically generated as said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program.

7. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said data entering means and generating means comprise website means.

8. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said URL string further includes a date/time attribute specifying expiration date and/or time information for said URL to said web page.

9. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said URL string further includes at least one URL or HTML instruction.

10. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program comprises hyperlink text.

11. A method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of:

downloading said URL string to program signal transmitting means for transmitting said URL string to program signal receiving means.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said program comprises a video program.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said program comprises an audio program.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said program signal receiving means comprises tuner means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said program signal receiving means for receiving said URL string comprises VBI, Line 21 receiving means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said program signal receiving means comprises storage medium means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said display means comprises hypertext display means for displaying said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program as hypertext.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

said URL string further includes a date/time attribute specifying the date and/or time said URL to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program expires and

said display means further comprises means for displaying said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program until the expiration date and/or time specified by said date/time attribute.

20. An apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising:

printing means for printing said at least one coupon related to said program from said web page.

12. An apparatus having program signal receiving means for receiving program signals, display means for displaying text and activating means for activating an hyperlink to a program-related URL comprising:

said program signal receiving means for receiving an URL string including an URL to a web page having at least one coupon related to a program and text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program;

said display means for displaying said text identifying said at least one coupon related to said program and

said activating means for activating said hyperlink to said URL to said web page having said at least one coupon related to said program.