Internet television program guide system

• US 20060015906A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donald W. Allison, Franklin E. Boyer, Herrington W. Benjamin, Joanna L. Hensley, Mark A. Regouby, Paul N. Reddy, Steven C. Williamson, Timothy B. Demers
• Original Assignee: Donald W. Allison, Franklin E. Boyer, Herrington W. Benjamin, Joanna L. Hensley, Mark A. Regouby, Paul N. Reddy, Steven C. Williamson, Timothy B. Demers
• Inventors: Herrington, W. Benjamin, Regouby, Mark A., Demers, Timothy B., Allison, Donald W., Boyer, Franklin E., Williamson, Steven C., Hensley, Joanna L., Reddy, Paul N.
• Application Number:
  US11/187,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015906A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• 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 21/4725 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• 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 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• 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 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access information related to television programs over an Internet communications link. The user can view television program guide listings and related video stills and video clips. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings (e.g., to search for a particular type of television program). If desired, the user can select an option that directs the multimedia system to tune directly to a television channel for a selected program or to a related television program guide or movie guide service on a television channel. The user can order pay-per-view events using the system.

Claims

1-80. -80. (canceled)

81. A method for searching for a listing in an interactive television program guide, the method comprising:

receiving a search text string;

receiving a selection of a search field from a plurality of available search fields;

searching for at least one listing among a plurality of program listings, wherein the at least one listing comprises the search text string in a field of the listing corresponding to the selected search field; and

displaying an interactive television program guide display screen that includes the at least one listing.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein the searching for the at least one listing comprises searching for a program listing.

83. The method of claim 81 wherein the receiving of the selection of the search field comprises receiving a search by title.

84. The method of claim 81 wherein the receiving of the selection of the search field comprises receiving a search by actor.

85. The method of claim 81 wherein the receiving of the selection of the search field comprises receiving a search by category.

86. The method of claim 81 wherein the receiving of the selection of the search field comprises receiving a search by description.

87. The method of claim 81 wherein the receiving of the selection of the search field comprises receiving a search by rating.

88. The method of claim 81 wherein the receiving of the selection of the search field comprises receiving a search by genre.

89. The method of claim 81 wherein the searching for the at least one listing comprises searching for a channel.

90. The method of claim 81 further comprising sorting the at least one listing according to user-specified criteria.

91. A system for searching for a listing in an interactive television program guide, the system comprising:

a user input device that receives input corresponding to a search text string and receives input corresponding to a selection of a search field from a plurality of available search fields;

a processor that receives the search text string and the selection of the search field and searches for at least one listing among a plurality of program listings, wherein the at least one listing comprises the search text string in a field of the listing corresponding to the selected search field; and

a user viewing device that displays an interactive television program guide display screen that includes the at least one listing.

92. The system of claim 91 wherein the at least one listing comprises a program listing.

93. The system of claim 91 wherein the user input device receives input corresponding to a search by title.

94. The system of claim 91 wherein the user input device receives input corresponding to a search by actor.

95. The system of claim 91 wherein the user input device receives input corresponding to a search by category.

96. The system of claim 91 wherein the user input device receives input corresponding to a search by description.

97. The system of claim 91 wherein the user input device receives input corresponding to a search by rating.

98. The system of claim 91 wherein the user input device receives input corresponding to a search by genre.

99. The system of claim 91 wherein the at least one listing comprises a channel.

100. The system of claim 91 wherein the processor sorts the at least one listing according to user-specified criteria.