METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NOTIFICATION ON A BROADCAST DEVICE

• US 20030131356A1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: MINGO, KIM, PROEHL, ANDREW M., SERVAN-SCHREIBER, FRANKLIN
• Application Number:
  US09/218,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A system and method for alerting a viewer of a broadcast of a program. In one embodiment, prior to broadcast, a signal is received indicating viewer interest in the program. The system retrieves program information for the program of interest and stores the program information in a calendar at the day/time of broadcast. Approximately when the day/time of broadcast occurs, the system issues a notification to the viewer of the occurrence of the broadcast.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a viewer of a program, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating viewer interest in a program;

retrieving program information in response to the received signal; and

at approximately time of broadcast of the program, issuing a notification to notify the viewer of the broadcast of the program.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of switching a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects to view the program in response to the notification.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of issuing a notification comprises the step of displaying on a viewing device the notification.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of issuing a notification comprises the step of issuing a notification that includes a program selector to enable the viewer to select to view the program.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the program selector comprises a button.

6. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the notification includes a button enabling the viewer to select to view the program, said method further comprising the step of switching a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects the button.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the time at which the notification is issued is derived from program information retrieved.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a second notification during a broadcast of a program advertisement, said second notification asking the viewer whether the viewer has interest in the program;

wherein said signal indicating viewer interest is generated by the viewer responding to the second notification.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a view indicates interest by selecting a program from an electronic program guide.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a calendar of at least one program of interest.

18. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first notification includes a button enabling the viewer to indicate interest.

11. A method for alerting a viewer of a program, said method comprising the steps of:

issuing a first notification during a broadcast of an advertisement of an upcoming program, said first notification asking a viewer whether the viewer has interest in the program;

receiving a signal indicating viewer interest in a program;

retrieving program information in response to the received signal; and

at approximately time of broadcast of the program, issuing a second notification to notify the viewer of the broadcast of the program.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the step of switching a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects to view the program in response to the second notification.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of issuing a notification comprises the step of displaying on a viewing device the second notification.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of issuing a second notification comprises the step of issuing the second notification that includes a program selector to enable the viewer to select to view the program.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the program selector comprises a button.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the second notification includes a button enabling the viewer to select to view the program, said method further comprising the step of switching a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects the button.

17. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the time at which the second notification is issued is derived from program information retrieved.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a first receiver configured to receive broadcast signals;

a second receiver configured to receive at least one control signal, said control signal issued to indicate viewer interest in a program to be broadcast;

a controller coupled to the first receiver and second receiver, said controller configured to retrieve program information in response to receipt of the control signal and issue, at approximately a time of broadcast, a notification to the viewer of the broadcast of the program.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a second notification asking the viewer whether the viewer has interest in the program.

21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the second notification is generated during broadcast of an advertisement of the program.

22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein the second notification comprises a notification window superposed over the advertisement broadcast.

23. The apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the viewer indicates interest in the program by selection of a button located in the notification window, wherein the control signal is generated in response to the viewer indicating interest.

24. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the notification includes a button enabling the viewer to select to view the program, said controller further configured to control to switch a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects the button.

25. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the second receiver is further configured to tune to the program when the viewer selects to view the program in response to the notification.

26. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a viewing device, said notification displayed on the viewing device.

27. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the notification comprises further comprises a program selector to enable the viewer to select to view the program.

28. The apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the program selector comprises a button.

29. The apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein the notification includes a button enabling the viewer to select to view the program, second receiver tuning to the program when the viewer selects the button.

30. The apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the time at which the notification is issued is derived from program information retrieved.

31. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising an electronic program guide, said user interest indicated by reference to the electronic program guide.

32. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a calendar identifying at least one program of interest to the viewer.

33. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when excluded in a processing system, causes the system to perform steps for alerting a viewer of a program comprising:

receiving a signal indicating viewer interest in a program;

retrieving program information in response to the received signal; and

at approximately time of broadcast of the program, issuing a notification to notify the viewer of the broadcast of the program.

34. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 33, further comprising instructions which, when executed, switch a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects to view the program in response to the notification.

35. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 33 further comprising instructions, which when executed perform steps comprising:

generating a second notification during a broadcast of a program advertisement, said second notification asking the viewer whether the viewer has interest in the program;

wherein said signal indicating viewer interest is generated by the viewer responding to the second notification.

36. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system caused the system to perform steps for alerting a viewer of a program comprising:

issuing a first notification during a broadcast of an advertisement of an upcoming program, said first notification asking a viewer whether the viewer has interest in the program;

receiving a signal indicating viewer interest in a program;

retrieving program information in response to the received signal; and

at approximately time of broadcast of the program, issuing a second notification to notify the viewer of the broadcast of the program.

37. The computer readable medium set forth in claim 36, further comprising instructions, which when executed, switch a broadcast receiver to tune to the program when the viewer selects to view the program in response to the second notification.