Direct access to content and services available on an entertainment system

• US 20050193417A1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonifi Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lodgenet Entertainment (LodgeNet Interactive Corporation)
• Inventors: Fenno, James L., Arnold, Benjamin M., Stoel, Leon P., Bankers, David M., Zerr, Derin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/478 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application

Abstract

A method and system for providing direct access to content available on an entertainment system. The entertainment system includes a head end and a plurality of user terminals connected by a distribution system. In operation of the entertainment system, a display promoting content available for direct access by a user is provided at a user terminal. A selection input made by the user on an input device is received at the user terminal. The content being promoted when the selection input was made by the user is then provided from the head end to the user terminal.

Claims

1. A method of providing direct access to content available on an entertainment system having a head end and a plurality of user terminals connected by a distribution system, the method comprising:

providing a display promoting content available for direct access by a user at a user terminal;

receiving a selection input made by the user on an input device at the user terminal; and

providing, from the head end to the user terminal, the content being promoted when the selection input was made by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing instructions to the user at the user terminal as to user input required on the input device for direct access to content being promoted on the display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing instructions to the user at the user terminal comprises displaying instructions on a content promotions channel at the user terminal.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing instructions to the user at the user terminal comprises transmitting an on-screen display to the user terminal.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein providing instructions to a user at the user terminal comprises scrolling a message on the display at the user terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection input comprises:

time-stamping a selection input made by the user on an input device to electronically record a time at which the selection input was made.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the content comprises:

associating the selection input with content available on the entertainment system that corresponds to the content being promoted when the selection input was made; and

providing the content associated with the selection input to the user terminal.

8. A method of delivering content in an entertainment system without requiring a user to navigate a menu of content offerings, the method comprising:

displaying at a user terminal a sequence of promotions of content offerings;

receiving a selection input representing a user selection made while a promotion for a specific content offering was being displayed at the user terminal; and

delivering to the user terminal the specific content offering that was being displayed when the selection input was received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a selection input comprises:

time-stamping the selection input at the user terminal to electronically record a time at which the selection input was made; and

associating the time-stamped selection input with content being promoted on the sequence of promotions of content offerings when the selection input was made.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering to the user terminal the specific content offering comprises:

transmitting the content associated with the time-stamped selection input to the user terminal.

11. The method of claim 8, and further comprising:

providing instructions to the user at the user terminal as to the selection input required for direct access to the specific content offering being displayed in the sequence of promotions of content offerings.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing instructions to the user at the user terminal comprises transmitting an on-screen display to the user terminal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein providing instructions to the user at the user terminal comprises scrolling a message on a display at the user terminal.

14. A method of providing content on an entertainment system having a plurality of user terminals and an input device at each user terminal, the method comprising:

providing a content listing of individual content available on the entertainment system to a user terminal, each of the individual content in the listing being associated with a set of input device keystrokes required for direct access to the individual content;

communicating from the user terminal keystrokes entered by a user; and

transmitting content to the user terminal based on the set of input device keystrokes entered by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing a content listing comprises transmitting an on-screen display including the content listing to the user terminal.

16. An entertainment system comprising:

a plurality of user terminals, each user terminal including an input device and capable of time-stamping keystrokes from the input device;

a distribution system connected to the user terminals;

a content server for storing entertainment content and transmitting to the distribution system signals based upon stored entertainment content; and

a computer which communicates with the user terminals over the distribution system, the computer providing the user terminals with information as to input device keystrokes required for direct access to the content and controlling transmission of content to the user terminal based on the time-stamped keystrokes.

17. The entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the information as to input device keystrokes required for direct access to the content is provided via an on-screen display at each user terminal.

18. The entertainment system of claim 17, wherein the on-screen display is provided concurrently with a content promotions channel at the user terminal.

19. The entertainment system of claim 18, wherein the computer is capable of associating the input device keystrokes with content being promoted on the content promotions channel when the keystrokes are entered and transmitting the content associated with the keystrokes to the user terminal.

20. The entertainment system of claim 16, wherein the input device is selected from the group consisting of a remote control, a keyboard, and a game controller.