INTERNET TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM

• US 20120272270A1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyer, Franklin E., Demers, Timothy B., Allison, Donald W., Regouby, Mark A., Williamson, Steven C., Hensley, Joanna L., Herrington, W. Benjamin, Reddy, Paul N.
• Application Number:
  US13/539,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20120272270A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• 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 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• 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 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• 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 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access information related to television programs over an Internet communications link. The user can view television program guide listings and related video stills and video clips. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings (e.g., to search for a particular type of television program). If desired, the user can select an option that directs the multimedia system to tune directly to a television channel for a selected program or to a related television program guide or movie guide service on a television channel. The user can order pay-per-view events using the system.

Claims

1-80. -80. (canceled)

81. A web server for providing customized program guide services to a user of the Internet in the form of multiple web pages of program listings and program information to a user'"'"'s multimedia system, the web server configured to:

receive registration information including an e-mail address from the user via a registration web page generated by the web server;

generate a customized web page of selectable program listings based on the registration information;

receive a user request to access the customized web page of selectable program listings over the Internet;

receive a user selection of a program listing from the customized web page of selectable program listings; and

generate a program information web page for the selected program listing in response to the user selecting the program listing.

82. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the registration information further includes at least one of a local geographic area and a city for the user.

83. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a pick again web page when program listings are not available based on the registration information.

84. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the generated web pages include a selectable advertisement.

85. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the web server is further configured to:

generate a web page having a selectable record option for allowing users to record a program selected from the web page of program listings.

86. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the web server is further configured to:

generate a display of a program guide option; and

transmit a program guide menu web page in response to the user selecting the program guide option.

87. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the web server is further configured to:

generate a display of a direct tune option when a selected program is currently being broadcast; and

tune to the channel for the selected program in response to the user selecting the direct tune option.

88. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the web server is further configured to:

generate a display of a selectable option to arrange the program listings by one of time, channel, and category.

89. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the web server is further configured to:

receive a user request to search for program listings based on a user-defined criteria including one or more of a title, an actor, a category, a description, and a rating.

90. The server defined in claim 81, wherein the web server is further configured to:

generate a hot picks web page having selectable hot picks images for media clips that are available.

91. A method for configuring a web server to display customized program guide services to a user of the Internet in the form of multiple web pages of program listings and program information, the method comprising:

receiving registration information including an e-mail address from the user via a registration web page generated by the web server;

generating a customized web page of selectable program listings based on the registration information;

receiving a user request to access the customized web page of selectable program listings over the Internet;

receiving a user selection of a program listing from the customized web page of selectable program listings; and

generating a program information web page for the selected program listing in response to the user selecting the program listing.

92. The method defined in claim 91, wherein the registration information further includes at least one of a local geographic area and a city for the user.

93. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

generating a pick again web page when program listings are not available based on the registration information.

94. The method defined in claim 91, wherein the generated web pages include selectable advertisements.

95. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

generating a web page having a selectable record option for allowing users to record a program selected from the web page of program listings.

96. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

generating a display of a program guide option; and

transmitting a program guide menu web page in response to the user selecting the program guide option.

97. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

generating a display of a direct tune option when a selected program is currently being broadcast; and

tuning to the channel for the selected program in response to the user selecting the direct tune option.

98. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

generating a display of a selectable option to arrange the program listings by one of time, channel, and category.

99. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

receiving a user request to search for program listings based on a user-defined criteria including one or more of a title, an actor, a category, a description, and a rating.

100. The method defined in claim 91, further comprising:

generating a hot picks web page having selectable hot picks images for media clips that are available.