Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with data feed access

• US 20030115602A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Favia, Anthony R., Knee, Robert Alan, Davis, Bruce, Miller, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 9,319,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/4753 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

An electronic program schedule system with access to both stored television program schedule information and data feeds containing status information for live programs such as sporting events. The system includes a data processor for receiving program schedule information for a plurality of programs and data feeds containing status information for certain of the programs, and a video display generator for generating a display signal simultaneously comprising information from both the stored schedule information and the received data feed. The system is further provided with user control means such as a remote controller for generating user control commands and transmitting signals to the data processor in response thereto so as to control the content of the display signal. The display signal may be displayed on a display apparatus such as a television receiver. In addition, the program schedule system of the present invention utilizes category-specific user interfaces providing access to multiple services including television programs, received data feeds, home shopping services, and video games as well as the stored program schedule information.

Claims

1. A method for using an interactive television program guide to display promotional information for a user on a display, comprising:

allowing the user to use the interactive television program guide to access information that is not promotional information;

in response to a request by the user to access the information that is not promotional information, displaying the information that is not promotional information in a first region on the display; and

simultaneously displaying promotional information in a second region on the display, wherein the promotional information in the second region on the display extends substantially across the display and wherein the promotional information is selectable by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional information comprises text.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional information comprises graphics.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first region on the display is vertically adjacent to the second region on the display.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first region appears vertically above the second region on the display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second region is in the shape of a bar.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the width of the first region and the width of the second region are substantially the same.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional information is related to television programming.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional information is related to a product.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the promotional information is related to a plurality of products.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising allowing the user to order the product in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying additional promotional information in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the information that is not promotional information by tuning to a virtual channel.

14. A system for using an interactive television program guide to display promotional information for a user on a display, comprising:

means for allowing the user to use the interactive television program guide to access information that is not promotional information;

means for displaying the information that is not promotional information in a first region on the display in response to a request by the user to access the information that is not promotional information; and

means for simultaneously displaying promotional information in a second region on the display, wherein the promotional information in the second region on the display extends substantially across the display and wherein the promotional information is selectable by the user.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the promotional information comprises text.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the promotional information comprises graphics.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the first region on the display is vertically adjacent to the second region on the display.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first region appears vertically above the second region on the display.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the second region is in the shape of a bar.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the width of the first region and the width of the second region are substantially the same.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the promotional information is related to television programming.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the promotional information is related to a product.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the promotional information is related to a plurality of products.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising means for allowing the user to order the product in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

25. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for displaying additional promotional information in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

26. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for accessing the information that is not promotional information by tuning to a virtual channel.

27. A system for using an interactive television program guide to display promotional information for a user, comprising:

a display device;

a user input device configured to allow the user to use the interactive television program guide to access information that is not promotional information; and

control circuitry configured to (a) receive user inputs from the user input device, (b) direct the display device, in response to a request by the user to access the information that is not promotional information, to display the information that is not promotional information in a first region on the display device, and (c) direct the display device to simultaneously display promotional information in a second region on the display device, wherein the promotional information in the second region of the display extends substantially across the display device and wherein the promotional information is selectable by the user.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the promotional information comprises text.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the promotional information comprises graphics.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the display device to display the first region vertically adjacent to the second region.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the display device to display the first region vertically above the second region.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the display device to display the second region in the shape of a bar.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the display device to display the width of the first region and the width of the second region as substantially the same.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the promotional information is related to television programming.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the promotional information is related to a product.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the promotional information is related to a plurality of products.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein the control circuitry is configured to allow the user to order the product using the user input device in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

38. The system of claim 27 wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the display device to display additional promotional information in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

39. The system of claim 27 wherein the control circuitry is configured to allow the user to access the information that is not promotional information by tuning to a virtual channel.

40. Data storage medium for an interactive television system that displays promotional information for a user on a display, the data storage medium comprising program logic recorded thereon for:

allowing the user to use the interactive television program guide to access information that is not promotional information;

in response to a request by the user to access the information that is not promotional information, displaying the information that is not promotional information in a first region on the display; and

simultaneously displaying promotional information in a second region on the display, wherein the promotional information in the second region on the display extends substantially across the display and wherein the promotional information is selectable by the user.

41. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the promotional information comprises text.

42. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the promotional information comprises graphics.

43. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the first region on the display is vertically adjacent to the second region on the display.

44. The data storage medium of claim 43 wherein the first region appears vertically above the second region on the display.

45. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the second region is in the shape of a bar.

46. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the width of the first region and the width of the second region are substantially the same.

47. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the promotional information is related to television programming.

48. The data storage medium of claim 40 wherein the promotional information is related to a product.

49. The data storage medium of claim 48 wherein the promotional information is related to a plurality of products.

50. The data storage medium of claim 48 further comprising program logic recorded thereon for allowing the user to order the product in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

51. The data storage medium of claim 40 further comprising program logic recorded thereon for displaying additional promotional information in response to the user selecting the promotional information.

52. The data storage medium of claim 40 further comprising program logic recorded thereon for accessing the information that is not promotional information by tuning to a virtual channel.