Method and system for displaying advertisements in an electronic program guide

• US 20030188310A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Schein, Steven, Klosterman, Brian Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• 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 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• 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 7/17318 : 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

A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least some of the displayed television schedule information items, wherein the television schedule information items in at least some of the displayed plurality of television schedule information items are selectable by a user;

selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and

simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user'"'"'s selection of a television schedule information item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the function is scheduling an autotuning to a television broadcast about an advertised product.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of a television broadcast about an advertised product.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the function is tuning to a television broadcast about an advertised product.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement promotes a website.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement includes text.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement includes graphics.

16. A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display including time and channel for at least some of the displayed television schedule information items;

selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements, the selection not directly determined by a user'"'"'s selection of a television schedule information item; and

simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program

24. A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time for at least some of the displayed television schedule information items, wherein the television schedule information items in at least some of the displayed plurality of television schedule information items are selectable by a user;

selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and

simultaneously displaying the -selected advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user'"'"'s selection of a television schedule information item.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program

33. A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the channel for at least some of the displayed television schedule information items, wherein the television schedule information items in at least some of the displayed plurality of television schedule information items are selectable by a user;

selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and

simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user'"'"'s selection of a television schedule information item.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the advertisement is about a television program.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the function is autotuning to the television program.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of the television program.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

42. A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least some of the displayed television schedule information items, wherein the television schedule information items in at least some of the displayed plurality of television schedule information items are selectable by a user;

means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and

means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.

43. A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display including time and channel for at least some of the displayed television schedule information items;

means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements, the selection not directly determined by a user'"'"'s selection of a television schedule information item; and

means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.