Presentation of information relating to programming

• US 20060294558A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Barrett, Peter, Morris, Ronald Alan, Sloo, David
• Application Number:
  US11/165,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294558A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system that includes a content distribution facility coupled to at least one client device for presenting programming via a presentation device having a screen. The system displays on the screen first content having an associated characteristic. In response to an event other than user selection of a program, the system displays a message stored in at least one of the distribution facility and client device. The message includes subject matter corresponding to the characteristic.

Claims

1. In a system coupled to a display device having a screen, a method comprising:

displaying on the screen a first video program having associated therewith a characteristic;

transitioning to a trick-mode display of the first program; and

in response to transitioning to the trick-mode display, displaying on the screen a message comprising subject matter corresponding to the characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic comprises a broadcast television channel on which the first program is carried.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subject matter identifies a second video program carried on the broadcast television channel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic comprises branded content.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the subject matter comprises the branded content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the message further comprises:

identifying the characteristic; and

selecting the message based on the identified characteristic.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the trick-mode display comprises one of pause, fast-forward, skip, slow-motion and rewind display.

8. In a system that includes a content distribution facility coupled to at least one client device for presenting programming via a presentation device having a screen, a method, comprising:

displaying on the screen first content having associated therewith a characteristic; and

displaying, in response to an event other than user selection of a program, a promotional message stored in at least one of the distribution facility and client device and comprising subject matter corresponding to the characteristic.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the first content comprises information pertaining to a service associated with the system; and

the characteristic comprises a commercial provider of the service.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the subject matter comprises an identification of the commercial provider.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the first content comprises an electronic-program-guide listing; and

the event comprises a user causing the listing to coincide on the screen with an interactive field.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the characteristic comprises a program corresponding to the listing.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the subject matter comprises an indicator of a commercial sponsor of the program.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the characteristic comprises a first broadcast television channel on which the first content is carried.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the subject matter identifies second content carried on a second broadcast television channel related to the first channel.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the event comprises determining that the first content has reached a predetermined progress point of the first content.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the message comprises a selectable link to displayable second content.

18. A computer-readable medium having stored therein executable instructions operable to cause the system to perform the method of claim 8.

19. In a system that includes a content distribution facility coupled to at least one client device for presenting content via a display device having a screen, a method, comprising:

receiving a command to transition from display of first content on the screen to display of second content on the screen;

in response to receiving the command, displaying on at least a first area of the screen a video clip stored in at least one of the distribution facility and client device; and

displaying the second content.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein displaying the video clip comprises transitioning from full-screen display of the first content to full-screen display of the video clip.