Horoscope channel

• US 20060063567A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Grossman, Joel K., Skinner, Kent H., Tan, Albert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/944,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20060063567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention provides horoscope content delivered to a user on a mobile device. Horoscope content is automatically delivered and stored on a mobile electronic device for access by a user. Using the device, users can quickly access the horoscope information they are interested in without having to type in information to specifically download the content to the device. The horoscope channel is directed at providing a quicker and less cumbersome way of accessing horoscope information as compared to having to access a web site or some other service.

Claims

1. A method for receiving, displaying and interacting with horoscope content on a mobile electronic device, comprising:

receiving the horoscope content encoded on a communication signal that is broadcast to many electronic devices;

filtering the horoscope content according to pre-defined user preferences;

storing at least a portion of the filtered horoscope content on the electronic device;

associating the horoscope content with at least one channel application on the electronic device;

setting a current view associated with the horoscope content; and

displaying the current view on a display of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the current view further comprises setting the current view to a glance view.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein setting the current view further comprises setting the current view to a detail view relating to the glance view.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the detail view shows a horoscope for a particular day for a particular astrological sign.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein setting the current view further comprises automatically cycling through views associated with the horoscope content at a predetermined rate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein setting the current view further comprises changing the view in response to a user selection.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising periodically receiving updates to the horoscope content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined user preferences are obtained from settings obtained from a web interface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically expiring horoscope content on the mobile electronic device that is out of date.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the current view is an animated view.

11. An apparatus for receiving, navigating, and displaying horoscope content, comprising:

a data store;

a communication connection configured to receive a communication signal including the horoscope content that is directed to a plurality of mobile electronic devices and storing at least a portion of the horoscope content in the data store;

a display;

a user interface that includes a selector; and

an electronic system that is arranged to interact with the user interface, the data store, the communication connection, and the display, wherein the electronic system is configured to;

select a current horoscope view; and

display the current horoscope view on the display.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronic system is further configured to select a details view associated with the current view in response to the selector.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the details view includes a horoscope for an astrological sign for a particular day.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronic system is further configured to update the horoscope content when the communication signal includes updated horoscope content.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising adjusting the horoscope content received by the device based on user preferences obtained through a graphical user interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising automatically expiring the horoscope content on the mobile electronic device.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronic system is further configured to create an animation.

18. A system for providing and interacting with horoscope content, comprising:

a data collector configured to collect the horoscope content;

a broadcast device configured to transmit a communication signal including at least a portion of the horoscope content to a plurality of mobile electronic devices at the same time;

a mobile electronic device, having;

a data store;

a communication connection configured to receive the communication signal and store at least a portion of the horoscope content in the data store;

a display;

a user interface that includes a selector; and

an electronic system that is arranged to interact with the communication connection, the user interface, the data store and the display, wherein the electronic system is configured to;

select a current view associated with the horoscope content;

change the current view; and

display the current view on the display.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication connection is further configured to filter the horoscope content stored in the data store in response to user preferences.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic system is further configured to display an animation.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic system is further configured to provide a detail view associated with a horoscope.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the broadcast device is configured to broadcast an FM communication signal.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a server configured to receive user preferences associated with users receiving the horoscope content.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile electronic device is further configured to store names that do not frequently change such that the broadcast device may broadcast an index value to indicate one of the names that does not change.