Program guide on a remote control display

• US 6,130,726 A
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Evolve Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, John R., Thompson, Brandt J., O'Donnell, Frank A., Darbee, Paul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US09/080,315
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 348/906, 348/12, 348/13, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/2, 348/1, 348/3, 348/4, 348/5, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/2
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/14 Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• 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 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 : Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 : Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A remote control for operating a consumer electronic device. The remote control device may comprise a housing providing a mounting for a visual display and a keyboard including a plurality of keys; electrical circuitry in the housing including a microprocessor, at least one of an IR or RF receiver circuit coupled to the microprocessor, keyboard circuitry coupled between the microprocessor and the keyboard, a memory coupled to the microprocessor, and at least one of an IR or RF transmitter circuit coupled to the microprocessor. Program guide software is stored in the memory and executable by the microprocessor for causing to be displayed on the visual display, upon actuation of one or more of the keys, a program guide, advertising and/or other content contained in a data set received by the receiver.

Claims

1. A remote control device comprising:

a memory for storing an electronic programming guide, said electronic programming guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of program channels at each of a plurality of times;

a display for generating images representative of selected portions of said electronic programming guide;

a user input device for enabling input of channel selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control device;

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting channel selection control signals to a channel selecting apparatus; and

a microprocessor coupled to said memory, said display, said user input device and said infrared transmitter circuit,

wherein said microprocessor is configured to cause delivery of channel selection signals to said infrared transmitter circuit and to select portions of said electronic programming guide to be displayed on said display in response to signals received from said user input device,

wherein said channel selection signals comprise specific channel identification macros, and

wherein said microprocessor is configured to effect storage of channel selection history data within said memory at predetermined intervals.

2. A remote control device comprising:

a memory for storing data representative of an electronic programming guide, said electronic programming guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of program channels at each of a plurality of times,

a display for depicting images representative of selected portions of said electronic program guide,

a user input device for enabling entry of channel selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control device,

a radio frequency receiver circuit for receiving signals comprising electronic programming guide data from a radio frequency source,

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting channel selection control signals to a channel selection apparatus, and

a microprocessor coupled to said memory, said display, said user input device, said radio frequency receiver circuit, and said infrared transmitter circuit,

said microprocessor being configured to select portions of said electronic programming guide for depiction on said display in response to program navigation guide signals received from said user input device, to deliver signals representing channel selection macros to said infrared transmitter circuit in response to channel selection signals received from said user input device, and to cause channel selection history data to be stored within said memory at predetermined intervals.

3. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein a unique identification bit sequence is stored within said memory, and wherein said microprocessor is configured to effect downloading of said unique identification bit sequence and said channel selection history data to a data storage device in a predetermined manner.

4. An electronically addressable remote control with graphic display comprising:

a real time clock for generating signals indicative of a current time,

a memory for storing data descriptive of an electronic programming guide, advertising data and serial number identification data, said electronic programming guide comprising a plurality of data fields for each of a plurality of program channels at each of a plurality of times,

a user input device for entering channel selection and program guide navigation instructions into said remote control,

a display for generating images in representative of selected sections of said electronic programming guide and selected advertisements defined by said advertising data,

a radio frequency receiver circuit for receiving signals comprising said electronic programming guide and advertising data and selectively enabling delivery of said electronic programming guide and advertising data to said memory,

an infrared transmitter circuit for transmitting channel selection signals to a channel selection apparatus, and

a microprocessor coupled to said real time clock, said memory, said user input device, said display, said radio frequency receiver circuit and said infrared transmitter circuit,

said microprocessor being configured to control said delivery of said electronic programming guide and advertising data from said radio frequency receiver circuit to said memory based upon a correlation between address data included within a received signal and said serial number identification data, and

said microprocessor being configured to select sections of said electronic programming guide for display in response to said signals generated by said real time clock and signals received from said user input device.

5. A remote control device with advertising and program guide display comprising:

a housing having mounted therein means for receiving signals including advertising and program guide data, means for storing said advertising and program guide data, means for depicting selected subsets of said advertising and program guide data, means for selecting said subsets of said advertising and program guide data to be depicted, and means for communicating channel selection signals to a channel selecting apparatus,

wherein said means for receiving and means for storing together comprise one of either a radio frequency receiver circuit or infrared receiver circuit, a microprocessor, a memory and a program for enabling said microprocessor to effect storage within said memory of said advertising and program guide received by said receiver circuit, and

wherein said program enables said microprocessor to selectively store received advertising and program guide data based upon a correspondence between serial number identification data stored within said memory and address data included within said advertising and programming guide data.

6. A remote control device with advertising and program guide display comprising:

a housing having mounted therein means for receiving signals including advertising and program guide data, means for storing said advertising and program guide data, means for depicting selected subsets of said advertising and program guide data, means for selecting said subsets of said advertising and program guide data to be depicted, means for communicating channel selection signals to a channel selecting apparatus, and means for storing within said remote control and thereafter downloading to a remote storage device program selection history data.

7. The remote control device of claim 6, wherein said means for storing and downloading comprises a microprocessor, a user input device, a memory, a data link and a program for enabling said microprocessor to effect storage within said memory of channel selection macro and time data responsive to signals received from said user input device, and for enabling said microprocessor to effect downloading of said channel selection macro and time data to said remote storage device via said data link.

8. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein said data link comprises a modem, a RS-232 port, a RF data link or an infrared data link.

9. A remote control for operating a consumer electronic device, said remote control comprising:

a housing mounting a visual display;

a keyboard including a plurality of keys;

electrical circuitry in said housing including a microprocessor, at least one of an IR or RF receiver coupled to said microprocessor for receiving program data, keyboard circuitry coupled between said microprocessor and said keyboard, memory means coupled to said microprocessor, and IR transmitting means coupled to said microprocessor; and

program guide software stored in said memory means for displaying on said visual display, upon actuation of one or more of said keys, a one day program guide contained in the program data received by said receiver,

wherein said program guide software includes means for querying a host device for date/time information.

10. The remote control of claim 9 further comprising means for displaying on the visual display an advertisement to replace the batteries with a specific brand of battery, wherein the program guide information data received is in a compressed format and said program guide software includes instructions for decompressing said program guide information data and displaying it.

11. The remote control of claim 9 further comprising motion detection means for placing the remote control in a given state when it is picked up by a user.

12. The remote control of claim 9 further comprising an interactive application program, which is, capable of running on said remote control for setting up said remote control using names of manufacturers instead of model numbers or arbitrary code numbers.

13. A method for gathering data indicative of one or more television viewing habits of a plurality of television viewers, said method comprising the steps of:

providing one or more viewers with remote control units capable of operating channel selection devices of the viewers,

configuring said remote control units to force tune said channel selection devices as said one or more viewers use said remote control devices to select channels for viewing,

enabling said remote control units to store in memory program selection history data for a predetermined period of time, and

enabling said remote control units to download said program selection history data to a program history database at predetermined intervals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said program selection history data comprises a date stamp, a time stamp and a program channel selection stamp.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said remote control units are capable of bidirectional communication with a host system, said host system maintains said program history database, and said remote control units download said program selection history data to said program history database automatically at said predetermined intervals.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said predetermined intervals comprise daily or weekly intervals.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of enabling said remote control units to download said program selection history data to a program history database includes the steps of establishing a communication link between said remote control devices and respective personal computer units, delivering said program selection history data from said remote control units to said personal computing units, and causing said personal computing units to download said program selection history data to a host system that maintains said program history database.

18. A method for gathering data indicative of one or more content selection preferences of a plurality of content recipients, said method comprising the steps of:

providing said content recipients with remote control units capable of interacting with and controlling a plurality of television channel selection devices and internet content selection devices of said content recipients,

configuring said remote control units to force tune said channel selection devices and said internet content selection devices as said content recipients use said remote control devices to select content for viewing, enabling said remote control units to store in memory content selection history data for a predetermined period of time, and

enabling said remote control units to download said content selection history data to a content selection history database at predetermined intervals.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said remote control units are capable of bi-directional communication with a host system, said host system maintains said content selection history database, and said remote control units download said content selection history data to said content selection history database automatically at said predetermined intervals.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said predetermined intervals comp rise daily or weekly intervals.