INTERACTIVE TELEVISION SYSTEM WITH NEWSGROUPS

• US 20100115559A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/43 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• 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 21/4622 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 21/478 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 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• 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 21/8586 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 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television system is provided that supports newsgroup features. An interactive television application, such as an interactive television program guide, may be used to allow a user to view and post newsgroup messages to one or more newsgroup servers. The newsgroup servers may be located at a television distribution facility. The newsgroup servers may be Usenet servers accessed via the Internet. The user may use the newsgroup feature while watching television programming or while otherwise viewing other content provided by the interactive television application. Cross-referencing may be used to allow the user to access content related to a particular subject matter. Parental control features may be used to limit access to certain newsgroups. Newsgroup messages may contain links to other content made available through the interactive television application.

Claims

1-186. -186. (canceled)

187. A method for simultaneously displaying television program listings and newsgroup content to a user on user television equipment having a display, comprising:

cross-referencing a plurality of television program listings and a plurality of newsgroup content based on the subject matter of the television program listings and the newsgroup content, the cross-referencing comprising;

searching through information related to the television program listings and newsgroup content, and noting information that is associated with the particular subject matter of the television program listings and newsgroup content; and

updating a cross-reference database for the particular subject matter based on the search performed on the information;

displaying a television program in a first section of the display;

identifying newsgroup content cross-referenced with the displayed television program by accessing the cross-reference database; and

simultaneously displaying the identified newsgroup content in a second section of the display.

188. The method defined in claim 187, further comprising simultaneously displaying an interactive advertisement in a third section of the display.

189. The method defined in claim 187, wherein the newsgroup content includes newsgroup listings or newsgroup message listings or newsgroup messages.

190. The method defined in claim 187, further comprising simultaneously displaying other content in a third section of the display.

191. The method defined in claim 187, further comprising:

simultaneously displaying other content in a third section of the display; and

simultaneously displaying newsgroup content in the second section of the display, wherein the subject matter of the newsgroup content is related to the subject matter of the displayed television program and the other content.

192. The method defined in claim 191, wherein the other content comprises at least one of text, graphics, images, video, and media.

193. A system for simultaneously displaying television programs and newsgroup content to a user on user television equipment including a display, comprising:

user television equipment configured to;

cross-reference a plurality of television program listings and a plurality of newsgroup content based on the subject matter of the television program listings and newsgroup content, the cross-referencing comprising;

searching through information related to the television program listings and newsgroup content, and noting information that is associated with the particular subject matter of the television program listings and newsgroup content; and

updating a cross-reference database for the particular subject matter based on the search performed on the information;

display a television program in a first section of the display;

identify newsgroup content cross-referenced with the displayed television program by accessing the cross-reference database; and

simultaneously display the identified newsgroup content in a second section of the display.

194. The system defined in claim 193, further comprising equipment configured to display an interactive advertisement in a third section of the display.

195. The system defined in claim 193, wherein the newsgroup content includes newsgroup listings or newsgroup message listings or newsgroup messages.

196. The system defined in claim 193, further comprising equipment configured to simultaneously display other content in a third section of the display.

197. The system defined in claim 193, further comprising user television equipment configured to:

simultaneously display other content in a third section of the display; and

simultaneously display newsgroup content in the second section of the display, wherein the subject matter of the newsgroup content is related to the subject matter of the displayed television program and the other content.

198. The system defined in claim 197, wherein the other content comprises at least one of text, graphics, images, video, and media.