METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISEMENTS IN AN ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE

• US 20110191804A1
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Schein, Steven, Klosterman, Brian Lee
• Application Number:
  US13/083,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20110191804A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• 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: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4725 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 21/478 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 21/482 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 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• 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 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• 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 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.

Claims

1-43. -43. (canceled)

44. A method for simultaneously displaying banner advertisements with a program guide, comprising:

displaying a plurality of schedule information items in a program information region of a display, the display having a first horizontal width;

selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements, the advertisement having a second horizontal width;

simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement vertically adjacent to the program information region, wherein the first horizontal width is substantially the same as the second horizontal width;

marking the displayed advertisement along the entire second horizontal width in response to a user selection; and

activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is interactive.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is independent of user'"'"'s selection of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same horizontal width of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed banner advertisement has a vertical height substantially twice the vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein the displayed banner advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.

51. The method of claim 44, wherein the banner advertisement is displayed above the program information region.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the banner advertisement is displayed below the program information region.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

54. The method of claim 44, wherein the function is scheduling an autotuning to a broadcast about an advertised product or service.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein the function is scheduling a recording of a broadcast about an advertised product or service.

56. The method of claim 44, wherein the function is tuning to a broadcast about an advertised product or service.

57. The method of claim 44, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

59. The method of claim 44, wherein the function is displaying a billboard about an advertised product.

60. The method of claim 44, wherein the function is displaying a screen of additional information about one or more of an advertised product, an advertised service, and an advertised program.

61. A system for simultaneously displaying banner advertisements with a program guide, comprising:

a display configured to;

present a plurality of schedule information items in a program information region of the display, the display having a first horizontal width; and

select an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements, the advertisement having a second horizontal width; and

a processor configured to;

simultaneously display the selected advertisement vertically adjacent to the program information region, wherein the first horizontal width is substantially the same as the second horizontal width;

mark the displayed advertisement along the entire second horizontal width in response to a user selection; and

activate the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is interactive.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is independent of user'"'"'s selection of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

64. A method for simultaneously displaying banner advertisements with a program guide, comprising:

displaying a plurality of schedule information items in a display, the schedule information items each having a horizontal width;

selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements;

simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement vertically adjacent to the displayed plurality of schedule information items, wherein the selected advertisement has a horizontal width substantially the same as the horizontal width of at least one of the schedule information items;

in response to a user selection, marking the displayed advertisement along the entire horizontal width; and

activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is adjacent to the program information region of the display.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is interactive.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement is independent of user'"'"'s selection of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same horizontal width of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

69. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

70. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement has a vertical height substantially twice the vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items.

71. The method of claim 64, wherein the displayed banner advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.

72. The method of claim 64, wherein the banner advertisement is displayed above the displayed plurality of schedule information.

73. The method of claim 64, wherein the banner advertisement is displayed below the displayed plurality of schedule information.

74. The method of claim 64, wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service.

75. The method of claim 64, wherein the advertisement is about a pay program.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program.

77. The method of claim 64, wherein the function is displaying a billboard about an advertised product.

78. The method of claim 64, wherein the function is displaying a screen of additional information about one or more of an advertised product, an advertised service, and an advertised program.