Interactive television program guide system and method with niche hubs

• US 20040117831A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Knudson, Edward B.
• Application Number:
  US10/457,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117831A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• 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 21/4622 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 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

Abstract

A system for providing interactive television program guide features and other features and information related to a specific user interest or programming category in niche hubs is provided. All of the television programming features provided by user television equipment that relate to a specific user interest or programming category may be accessed from the niche hub. For example, a movie lovers niche hub may provide programming features such as television program listings for movies, video-on-demand listings for movies, pay-per-view listings for movies, web site links related to movies, movie-related merchandise, movie news groups, movie chat groups, movie e-mail clubs, movie contests, movie trivia questions, movie actor interviews, movie reviews, movie channel package ordering, etc. The programming features of the niche hubs may be transmitted from a server, database, or other storage facility via a television distribution facility. User television equipment may be connected via two-way communications paths to transmit messages to each other.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a fantasy sports contest application, the method comprising:

providing an interactive television program guide to a user; and

providing the user with the ability to access a fantasy sports contest application using the interactive television program guide.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with the ability to access a sports wagering application using the interactive television program guide.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sports wagering application allows the user to wager a real bet.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the sports wagering application allows the user to wager a pretend bet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with point spreads.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the fantasy sports contest application via an interactive television program menu screen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to participate in a fantasy sports league using the interactive television program guide.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising using the interactive television program guide to provide a participant of the fantasy sports league the ability to select a fantasy squad.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the participant'"'"'s fantasy squad is evaluated based on real-life performances of the squad.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing scores of real-life sporting events to a fantasy sports contest participant using the interactive television program guide.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing fantasy sports contest rules to a fantasy sports contest participant using the interactive television program guide.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the fantasy sports contest application and a television program substantially simultaneously to a fantasy sports contest participant using the interactive television program guide.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a score for a fantasy sports contest participant using the interactive television program guide.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the score of fantasy sports contest participant using the interactive television program guide.

15. A system for providing access to a fantasy sports contest comprising:

a transceiver that transmits and receives data relating to a fantasy sports contest application;

an interactive television program guide that provides a user with the ability to access the fantasy sports contest application; and

a display device that displays a fantasy sports contest.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transceiver further transmits and recveives data relating to a sports wagering application.

17. the system of claim 16, wherein the interactive television program guide provides the user with the ability to access the sports wagering application.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the display device displays a user selected video channel and a fantasy sports contest substantially simultaneously.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the interactive television program guide displays data comprising available fantasy sports contests, real-life sports scores, and fantasy sports contest information.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a local processor that calculates a score for a fantasy sports contest participant, wherein the calculated score is based at least in part on the performance of real-life sports teams.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a local storage device that stores the participant'"'"'s score.

22. The system of claim 15, further comprising a remote processor processor that calculates a score for a fantasy sports contest participant, wherein the calculated score is based at least in part on the performance of real-life sports teams.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a remote storage device that stores the participant'"'"'s score.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising a local database that stores league information for a fantasy sports contest.

25. The system of claim 15, further comprising a remote database that stores league information for a fantasy sports contest.

26. A system for providing access to a fantasy sports contest comprising:

a means for transmitting and receiving data relating to a fantasy sports contest application;

a means for providing a user with the ability to access the fantasy sports contest; and

a means for displaying a fantasy sports contest.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for providing the user with the ability to access a sports wagering application.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the sports wagering application allows the user to wager a real bet.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the sports wagering application allows the user to wager a pretend bet.

30. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for providing the user with point spreads.

31. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for providing the fantasy sports contest application on an interactive television program.

32. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for allowing a user to participate in a fantasy sports league.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising a means for providing a participant of the fantasy sports league the ability to select a fantasy squad.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the participant'"'"'s fantasy squad is evaluated based on real-life performances of the squad.

35. The system of claim 26, further comprising a menas for providing scores of real-life sporting events to a fantasy sports contest participant.

36. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for providing fantasy sports contest rules to a fantasy sports contest participant.

37. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for providing the fantasy sports contest application and a television program substantially simultaneously to a fantasy sports contest participant.

38. The system of claim 26, further comprising a means for calculating a score for a fantasy sports contest participant.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising a means for displaying the score of fantasy sports contest participant.

40. A machine-readable medium for use in allowing users to access a fantasy sports contest comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

providing a user an interactive television program guide;

providing a user a sports wagering application;

providing the user with the a fantasy sports contest application; and

providing the user with the ability to access the interactive television program guidfe, the sports wagering application, and the fantansy sports contest application from an integrated user interface.

41. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 40 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with the ability to access a fantasy sports contest application from an integrated interactive television program guide menu.

42. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 40 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with the ability to participate in a fantasy sports contest using the interactive television program guide.

43. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 40 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with the opportunity to select a fantasy squad using the interactive television program guide, wherein the fantasy squad includes real-life sports teams.

44. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 40 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with squad information.

45. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 40 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with scores of real-life sporting events.

46. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 40 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with scores of the fantasy sports contest.