Internet Browsing from a Television

• US 20100245681A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Application Number:
  US12/793,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245681A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• 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 21/4725 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 21/4782 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• 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 system for automatically using internet information which is contained within a commercial on an entertainment medium e.g. television. The system determines information indicative of the web address. This can be done automatically by optical character recognition or by storing information indicative of the web address in an interval of the television signal. Once obtained, the information is sent, either to a user'"'"'s computer, or to a central office which sends an e-mail to the user. In this way, the information can be used to automatically jump to a web site of the advertiser.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending a signal from a remote control which selects receiving a signal on a video displaying device over a channel representing video program information;

receiving a signal on the remote control indicative of a link including an internet address, where a content of said internet address is related to a content of said video program information selected by said sending;

allowing viewing of said link on said remote control;

allowing selection of said link on said remote control; and

responsive to selection of said link, displaying internet information on said remote control that is associated with said link.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said receiving a signal comprises receiving from the video displaying device being controlled by said remote.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said receiving a signal comprises receiving information independently on said remote.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said receiving additional information receives said additional information over a different band than a band of said signal representing said video program information.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising operating a computer to take an action based on said internet information.

6. A method as in claim 3, wherein said sending and receiving comprises sending to and receiving from a set top box.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to said viewing internet information, actuating a return control on said remote which enables returning to a remote control function which selects said signal on said video displaying device

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said internet information addressed by said link remains in memory after actuating said return control, and a subsequent control allows returning to said internet information in the memory

9. A method, comprising:

sending a signal from a remote control which selects which of a plurality of channels representing video program information will be viewed on a video displaying device;

receiving a signal on the remote control indicative of additional information indicative of said video program information at a same time as said video program information, said additional information having further information about said video program information;

displaying said additional information simultaneously with said video program information, so that a viewer views both said additional information and said video program information simultaneously;

viewing a selectable link within said additional information on said remote control, which selectable link represents a link which is related to a content of said video program information;

selecting said additional information on said remote control;

and

Responsive to selection of said link, reconfiguring said remote control into a web browser, and viewing, on said remote control, internet information addressed by said link.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein said receiving a signal comprises receiving from the video displaying device being controlled by said remote

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein said receiving a signal comprises receiving information independently on said remote

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said receiving additional information receives said additional information over a different band than a band of said signal representing said video program information.

13. A method as in claim 9, further comprising, subsequent to said viewing internet information, actuating a return control on said remote which enables returning to a remote control function which selects said channel on said video displaying device.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said internet information addressed by said link remains in memory after actuating said return control, and a subsequent control allows returning to said internet information

15. A method as in claim 9, wherein said selecting said additional information comprises detecting said action only while said additional information is being displayed.

16. A method as in claim 9, wherein said additional information is coded as a part of said signal that includes said video program information.

17. A television system comprising:

a remote control, sending a signal to a remote video receiver that selects program information on said video receiver;

said remote control receiving a selectable link associated with said video program information and enabling viewing and selecting of said selectable link, which selectable link represents a link which is related to a content of said video program information; and

Responsive to selection of said link, reconfiguring said remote control into a web browser, and viewing, on said remote control, internet information addressed by said link on the remote control.

18. A system as in claim 17, further comprising, subsequent to said viewing internet information, actuating a return control on said remote which enables returning to a remote control function which selects said channel on said video displaying device.

19. A system as in claim 18, wherein said internet information addressed by said link remains in memory after actuating said return control, and a subsequent control allows returning to said internet information.