METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISING, VIDEO, AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE LISTING

• US 20110167448A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunwick, Keith, Leftwich, James J., Schein, Steven M., King, Molly K., Alba, Theresa, Folker, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/063 Setting decision thresholds using feedback techniques only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/4667 : Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 : Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 : for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• 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 21/812 : 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 21/854 : Content authoring
• 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 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• 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

Abstract

A television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day. An input device allows the viewer to browse through the schedule information area and/or obtain more information about programs of particular interest. In one aspect, the viewer may watch a program on the currently-tuned channel, while browsing through the other channels on a portion of the television screen. In another aspect, the viewer may watch programs currently being shown on the television, while he or she browses through the program guide. In yet another aspect, the system includes a database, a processor and associated software for automatically customizing the television schedule guide to an individual viewer or a group of viewers, e.g., a family, to facilitate use of the television schedule.

Claims

1-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A method of visually indicating a progression of a program on a display screen, the method comprising:

displaying information identifying the program on the display screen;

displaying a time indicator corresponding to the program on the display screen, wherein a left edge of the time indicator represents a start of a part of the program, and a right edge of the time indicator represents an end of the part of the program; and

marking the time indicator to distinguish between a first portion of the time indicator and a second portion of the time indicator, wherein a length of the first portion represents a length of time of a previously viewed segment of the program, and a length of the second portion represents a length of time of a future segment of the program.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein marking the time indicator comprises shading the first portion of the time indicator.

90. The method of claim 88, wherein marking the time indicator comprises shading the second portion of the time indicator.

91. The method of claim 88, wherein the program is a television program that is currently broadcast,

the previously viewed segment of the program corresponds to a first part of the program that has already been broadcast, and

the future segment of the program corresponds to a second part of the program that has yet to be broadcast.

92. The method of claim 88, wherein the program is a first program and the time indicator is a first time indicator, the method further comprising:

displaying information identifying a second program that is available for viewing; and

marking the second time indicator to distinguish between a first portion of the second time indicator and a second portion of the second time indicator, wherein a length of the first portion of the second time indicator represents a length of time of a previously viewed segment of the second program, and a length of the second portion of the second time indicator represents a length of time of a future segment of the second program.

93. The method of claim 88, wherein the time indicator is displayed as an overlay on top of the information identifying the program.

94. The method of claim 88, wherein the time indicator is displayed on a first area of the display screen and the information identifying the program is displayed on a second area of the display screen.

95. The method of claim 88, wherein the time indicator is updated at regular time intervals to reflect an increasing length of time associated with the previously viewed segment of the program.

96. The method of claim 88, wherein time-indicator is interactive.

97. The method of claim 88, wherein the time-indicator displays additional information related to the program in response to user selection of the time-indicator.

98. The method of claim 88, wherein the time-indicator is displayed outside a window showing a playback of the program.

99. The method of claim 88, wherein the time-indicator graphically depicts an increase in playback time of the part of the program by moving a leading edge of the first portion of the time indicator away from the left edge of the time indicator and towards alignment with the right edge of the time indicator.

100. The method of claim 88, wherein the time-indicator graphically depicts an increase in playback time of the part of the program by increasing the length of the first portion of the time indicator by a first amount and decreasing the length of the second portion of the time indicator by the first amount.

101. A system for visually indicating a progression of a program on a display screen, the system comprising a display screen and processing circuitry configured to:

display information identifying the program on the display screen;

display a time indicator corresponding to the program on the display screen, wherein a left edge of the time indicator represents a start of a part of the program, and a right edge of the time indicator represents an end of the part of the program; and

mark the time indicator to distinguish between a first portion of the time indicator and a second portion of the time indicator, wherein a length of the first portion represents a length of time of a previously viewed segment of the program, and a length of the second portion represents a length of time of a future segment of the program.

102. The system of claim 101, wherein the processor is further configured to mark the time indicator by shading the first portion of the time indicator.

103. The system of claim 101, wherein the processor is further configured to mark the time indicator by shading the second portion of the time indicator.

104. The system of claim 101, wherein the program is a television program that is currently broadcast,

the previously viewed segment of the program corresponds to a first part of the program that has already been broadcast, and

the future segment of the program corresponds to a second part of the program that has yet to be broadcast.

105. The system of claim 101, wherein the program is a first program and the time indicator is a first time indicator, and wherein the display screen and processing circuitry are further configured to:

display information identifying a second program that is available for viewing; and

mark the second time indicator to distinguish between a first portion of the second time indicator and a second portion of the second time indicator, wherein a length of the first portion of the second time indicator represents a length of time of a previously viewed segment of the second program, and a length of the second portion of the second time indicator represents a length of time of a future segment of the second program.

106. The system of claim 101, wherein the display screen and processing circuitry are further configured to display the time indicator as an overlay on top of the information identifying the program.

107. The system of claim 101, wherein the display screen and processing circuitry are further configured to display the time indicator on a first area of the display screen and the information identifying the program on a second area of the display screen.

108. The system of claim 101, wherein then processor is further configured to update the time indicator at regular time intervals to reflect an increasing length of time associated with the previously viewed segment of the program.

109. The system of claim 101, wherein time-indicator is interactive.

110. The system of claim 101, wherein the time-indicator displays additional information related to the program in response to user selection of the time-indicator.

111. The system of claim 101, wherein the time-indicator is displayed outside a window showing a playback of the program.

112. The system of claim 101, wherein the time-indicator graphically depicts an increase in playback time of the part of the program by moving a leading edge of the first portion of the time indicator away from the left edge of the time indicator and towards alignment with the right edge of the time indicator.

113. The system of claim 101, wherein the time-indicator graphically depicts an increase in playback time of the part of the program by increasing the length of the first portion of the time indicator by a first amount and decreasing the length of the second portion of the time indicator by the first amount.