SET TOP TO INTERNET DEVICE COMMUNICATION AND USE

• US 20070138254A1
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, Philip, Frendo, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/679,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20070138254A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for providing Web-based information that is relevant to a program being viewed on a television. A data stream providing a set of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) is provided along with the program content. The URLs identify Web sites that are relevant to the program content. Based on user preferences specified in a user profile, URLs for Web sites that are likely to be of particular interest to the user can be culled from the overall set of URLs. These URLs are sent to a device connected to the Internet (e.g., a personal computer system), allowing the user to access Web-based information relevant to the program content. The program content continues to be displayed on the television and the Web-based information is displayed on the personal computer system. Accordingly, the user can view targeted information that is of interest without interrupting the display on the television.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user with Web-based information associated with program content viewable on a television, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving said program content;

b) receiving a data stream comprising a set of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) identifying Web sites associated with said program content; and

c) selecting from said data stream one or more URLs of particular interest to a user;

wherein said program content is displayed on said television and Web-based information identified by said one or more URLs is optionally displayed on a device other than said television.