Interactive special events video signal navigation system

• US 6,157,413 A
• Filed: 11/20/1995
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Marshall, Connie T., Emmert, Timothy S., Hanafee, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/561,486
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 348/562, 348/563, 348/569, 348/570, 348/731, 348/732, 348/734, 348/906, 348/6, 348/7, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 348/553, 348/460, 348/468, 348/473, 348/474
• US Class Current: 348/563
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4334 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• 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 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• 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 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• 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 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17363 : at or near the user terminal

Abstract

A system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote control transmitter displays current or future programming information superimposed over the normal programming displayed on any channel accessible to the viewer'"'"'s display screen. Identification signal data are accessed and generated by the computer for durations defined in the identification signal data either automatically or in response to the TV viewer remote. Information signal data are accessed and generated by the computer in response to the TV viewer remote. A signal combiner superimposes the identification signal or the information signal over the viewer usable signal of any selected channel from the tuner. The identification signal may include data defining an icon or textual matter alerting a viewer to the availability of information data. The information signal may include program descriptive data, schedule data, pricing data and/or payment authorization and recording prompt data and the like sequenced for interactive control of the computer by the viewer. The identification signal may be specially dedicated to a normal programming information channel so that the viewer can interact with respect to specific programs identified without changing from the programming information channel. Thus, the viewer is able to receive an automatic alert to availability of current and future programming and to elect to interactively exercise a variety of options with respect to such current and future programming without interruption of presently viewed programming.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a television event, comprising:

automatically displaying, without user input, an indicator that indicates the availability of the television event with a first television program displayed on a television;

receiving a first user input in response to the indicator displayed;

displaying information relating to the television event upon receipt of the first user input;

receiving a second user input in response to the information displayed;

determining if the television event is a current event; and

displaying on the television the television event if the television event is determined to be a current event and the second user input is received.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying on the television a prompt that inquires whether the television event is to be recorded;

receiving a third user input in response to the prompt; and

designating the television event as to be recorded in response to receipt of the third user input.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying on the television a prompt that inquires whether the television event is to be ordered;

receiving a third user input in response to the prompt; and

ordering the television event in response to receipt of the third user input.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

displaying on the television a second prompt that requests authorization to order the television event;

receiving a fourth user input in response to the second prompt; and

preventing the ordering of the television event when the fourth user input is insufficient to authorize ordering of the television event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising

designating the television event as a future event if the television event is determined to not be a current event and the second user input is received;

determining when the television event becomes a current event; and

displaying on the television the television event when the television event becomes a current event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the indicator as part of the first television program from a remote location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining a signal that causes the indicator to be displayed with the first television program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an icon.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is text.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is indicative of content of the television event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a cost associated with the television event.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a start time for the television event.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a title for the television event.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a television channel associated with the television event.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a name of a person associated with the television event.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes an indication of the length of the television event.

17. A method for receiving information relating to a television event, comprising:

automatically displaying, without user input, an indicator that indicates the availability of the television event with a first television program displayed on a television;

receiving a first user input in response to the indicator displayed;

displaying the information relating to the television event upon receipt of the first user input; and

automatically removing from display on the television, without user input, the indicator upon the indicator having been displayed for a given period of time.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second user input in response to the information displayed;

displaying on the television a prompt that inquires whether the television event is to be recorded when the second user input is received;

receiving a third user input in response to the prompt; and

designating the television event as to be recorded in response to receipt of the third user input.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second user input in response to the information displayed;

displaying on the television a prompt that inquires whether the television event is to be ordered when the second user input is received;

receiving a third user input in response to the prompt; and

ordering the television event in response to receipt of the third user input.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

displaying on the television a second prompt that requests authorization to order the television event;

receiving a fourth user input in response to the second prompt; and

preventing the ordering of the television event when the fourth user input is insufficient to authorize ordering of the television event.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second user input in response to the information displayed;

determining if the television event is a current event; and

displaying on the television the television event if the television event is determined to be a current event and the second user input is received.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the indicator is an icon.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the indicator is text.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the indicator is indicative of content of the television event.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes a cost associated with the television event.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes a start time for the television event.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes a title for the television event.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes a television channel associated with the television event.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes a name of a person associated with the television event.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the information includes an indication of the length of the television event.