Integrated content guide for interactive selection of content and services on personal computer systems with multiple sources and multiple media presentation

• US 6,172,677 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1996
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawson, Richard J., Belmont, Brian V., Stautner, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matthew M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US08/726,648
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 345/328, 345/354, 345/355, 345/348, 345/352, 345/357, 345/977, 345/302, 345/333-334, 348/12, 348/13
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/4622 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 21/472 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A integrated content guide for multiple sources is provided with hyper-text type links to allow for the selection of various programs. The hyper-text links are provided for a transmitted and then stored digital bit stream. This allows for the embedding within the content guide what could be additional commercial information. The embedding may also be as to additional information for other related television or radio shows or the like. Information can be additional television shows, related information or activities on on-line services or automatic telephone ordering of products or services being displayed.

Claims

1. A computer system for the display of a selection guide for multiple sources information, said computer system comprising:

a means for producing a visual display, the visual display including a plurality of guide cells;

a means for embedding a first icon within a first of the plurality of guide cells, the first icon associated with a first executable function to display a graphic advertisement;

a means for embedding a second icon within a second of the plurality of guide cells, the second icon associated a second executable function to permit a user to purchase a product;

means for a user to select one of the first icon and the second icon;

means for controlling the execution of the first executable function and for controlling the execution of the second executable function in response to the user selecting one of the first icon and the second icon; and

means to re-organize the layout and organization of the guide cells based upon a user input and according to one of a plurality of prestored and preselected schemes.

2. The computer system as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a data storage device for storing data associated with said graphic advertisement.

3. The computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein said graphic advertisement includes at least one of a video clip and a sound portion.

4. The computer system as recited in claim 1, and further comprising:

a means for embedding a third icon within a third of the plurality of guide cells, the third icon associated a third executable function to permit a user link to the internet;

said means for a user to select one of the first icon and the second icon further for a user to select one of the first icon, the second icon, and the third icon; and

said means for controlling the execution of the first executable function and for controlling the execution of the second executable function further for controlling the execution of the third executable function in response to the user selecting one of the first icon, the second icon, and the third icon.

5. A computer system for the display of a selection guide for multiple sources information, said computer system comprising:

a means for producing a visual display, the visual display including a plurality of guide cells;

a means for embedding at least a first icon within a first of the plurality of guide cells, the first icon associated with a first executable function to display a graphic advertisement;

means, responsive to a user, for selecting the first icon;

means for controlling the execution of the first executable function; and

means to re-organize the layout and organization of the guide cells based upon a user input and according to one of a plurality of prestored and preselected schemes.

6. The computer system as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for embedding further for embedding a second icon within a second of the plurality of guide cells, the second icon associated with a second executable function.

7. The computer system as recited in claim 6, wherein said means for selecting said first icon further for selecting, in response to the user, one of said first icon and said second icon.

8. The computer system as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for controlling the execution of the first executable function, further for controlling the execution of the second executable function.

9. The computer system as recited in claim 8, wherein said means for controlling the execution of the first executable function, further for controlling the execution of one of the first executable function and the second executable function in response to the user selecting one of the first icon and the second icon.

10. The computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein said second executable function is for displaying an offer and link to purchase a product.

11. The computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein said second executable function is for linking a user to the internet.

12. The computer system as recited in claim 9, and further comprising a storage device for storing data associated with said first executable function.