Web-based content on an electronic program guide

• US 20020180781A1
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Myrio Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Myrio Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Cezeaux, Thomas Edward, Vogel, Derek K.
• Application Number:
  US10/158,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180781A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• 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 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems for improving a user'"'"'s experience with a set-top box. A system for allowing a user to subscribe to a subscription service when the user selects to view the content of the subscription service is provided. A system for replication of configuration information for set-top boxes is provided. A system for monitoring and blocking content being viewed by another is provided. A system that allows nontelevision programming content to be represented as a channel of an electronic program guide is provided.

Claims

1. A method for presenting an electronic program guide, the method comprising:

providing television programming information;

providing web site information; and

displaying an electronic program guide that includes the provided television information and the web site information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed electronic program guide includes a row for each channel of the television programming information and a row for each web page of the web site information.

3. The method of claim 2 including when a row for a web page is selected, displaying information derived from the web page.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the information derived from the web page excludes navigation features of the web page.

5. The method of claim 1 including when the web site information is selected, displaying information retrieved from a web site.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein web site information is displayed to approximate the display of a television channel.

7. A method of selecting Internet-based content to display, the Internet-based content being allocated a channel number not allocated to broadcast content, the method comprising:

displaying the broadcast content associated with a currently selected channel number;

receiving a selection of another channel number, the other channel number being allocated to the Internet-based content; and

in response to receiving the selection of the other channel number, displaying the Internet-based content associated with the selected channel number.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the Internet-based content is derived from a web site.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the Internet-based content is a web page.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the selection of the other channel number is indicated by a next channel command.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the selection of the other channel number is indicated by entry of the other channel number.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the broadcast content is television content.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the nontelevision programming information is Internet-based information.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein different types of Internet-based information are displayed as different rows.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the nontelevision programming information is on-demand programming information.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein different types of on-demand programming information are displayed as different rows.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the nontelevision programming information includes Internet-based information and on-demand programming information.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein each row represents a different channel number.

13. A method for presenting an electronic program guide, the method comprising:

providing television programming information;

providing nontelevision programming information; and

displaying an electronic program guide that includes a row for each channel of the provided television programming information and at least one row for the nontelevision programming information.

20. A system for presenting an electronic program guide, the comprising:

means for providing television and nontelevision programming information; and

means for displaying an electronic program guide that includes a row for at least one row for the nontelevision programming information.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the nontelevision programming information is Internet-based information.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein different types of Internet-based information are displayed as different rows.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the nontelevision programming information is on-demand programming information.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein different types of on-demand programming information are displayed as different rows.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the nontelevision programming information includes Internet-based information and on-demand programming information.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein each row represents a different channel number.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the electronic program guide includes row for television programming information.