System and method for interactive television

• US 7,096,489 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2001
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Shigeharu, Kitsukawa, Tadamasa, Akiyama, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US09/839,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20020088004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,949 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 40, 725 42- 49, 725/58
• US Class Current: 725/109
• 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 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• 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 21/4622 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

A system and method for interactive television (ITV) includes presenting both TV channels and “virtual channels” on an ITV. A virtual channel can be a Web page stored in memory of the ITV (or remote therefrom) and accessed by a microprocessor in the ITV when a user selects the virtual channel number using a conventional TV remote control. The particular Web page can be established based on consumer data, such as demographic data supplied by the consumer or consumer responses to prompts displayed along with a channel. The Web page associated with the virtual channel can be updated or changed by sending data to the ITV through the VBI of a TV signal or via the Internet, through a modem on the ITV.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a consumer to access the Internet using a television having at least one television tuner, comprising:

configuring the television to have plural television channels and at least one virtual channel, the virtual channel representing a Web page;

providing a mixer receiving the television channels and virtual channel;

providing a switch receiving an output of the mixer; and

configuring the switch to pass either a television channel or the virtual channel, but not both, to a display based at least in part on a user channel selection of the television channel or the virtual channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein content of the virtual channel is stored in memory within the television.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein content of the virtual channel is stored in memory remote from the television.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein updates to the virtual channel are sent via a DSL.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein updates to the virtual channel are sent via a cable modem line.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein updates to the virtual channel are sent via at least one vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a television signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving consumer input via a conventional television control device;

using the input, establishing a consumer profile; and

using the consumer profile, establishing at least one virtual channel or updating at least one virtual channel on the television.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the input is received and stored in memory inside the television at a first time, and then transmitted to a site remote from the television at a second time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of sending updates includes:

sending information pertaining to at least one update to the television; and

at the television, using the information to determine whether to download the update to the television.