Method and system to defer transactions conducted via interactive television

• US 7,194,754 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Istvan, Anthony F., Tomsen, Mai-Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US09/728,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 725/60, 725/23, 725 32- 36, 725/51, 725/109, 725/110, 725/112, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• 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 21/4622 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A viewer can initiate and then defer a transaction conducted via an interactive television system. The transaction can involve obtaining information or ordering goods or services available from a network, such as the Internet, that is accessible via the interactive television system. As an example, while the viewer is watching a television commercial, the viewer can begin a transaction to order a product advertised in the commercial. If for some reason the viewer does not complete the transaction by the time the commercial has finished broadcasting, the viewer can complete the transaction at a later time. A user input device is useable to initiate the transaction, to store information related to the transaction, and then to use the stored information to complete the transaction if the transaction has been previously deferred.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a broadcast segment including supplemental information as part of an interactive television transmission;

displaying the broadcast segment with an indication that a transaction related to the supplemental information is available;

receiving a user command to initiate the transaction;

partially conducting the transaction while the broadcast segment is in progress;

automatically deferring the transaction to be completed at a later time; and

automatically resuming the transaction without any affirmative user action, wherein automatically resuming comprises automatically resuming the transaction at a beginning of a subsequent broadcast segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically deferring comprises automatically deferring the transaction in response to completion of the broadcast segment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically deferring comprises automatically deferring the transaction in response to a particular amount of inactive time lapsing since user input was last received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically deferring comprises storing the supplemental information independently of user action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically deferring comprises storing the supplemental information within a remote control device for subsequent retrieval in order to complete the deferred transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast segment comprises a television commercial.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising suppressing an indication of a new transaction associated with a currently-displayed broadcast segment in response to resuming a deferred transaction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein suppressing comprises filtering a trigger associated with the new transaction.

9. A system comprising:

a transceiver to receive a broadcast segment including supplemental information as part of an interactive television transmission;

a display unit to display the broadcast segment with an indication that a transaction related to the supplemental information is available;

a remote control device to receive a user command to initiate the transaction; and

a processor to partially conduct the transaction while the broadcast segment is in progress, to automatically defer the transaction to be completed at a later time,

and automatically resume the transaction without any affirmative user action, wherein the processor is to automatically resume the transaction at a beginning of a subsequent broadcast segment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is to automatically defer the transaction in response to completion of the broadcast segment.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is to automatically defer the transaction in response to a particular amount of inactive time lapsing since user input was last received.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is to store the supplemental information independently of user action upon deferring the transaction.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is to store the supplemental information within the remote control device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the broadcast segment comprises a television commercial.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is to suppress an indication of a new transaction associated with a currently-displayed broadcast segment in response to resuming a deferred transaction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is to suppress the new transaction by filtering a trigger associated with the new transaction.

17. A method comprising:

receiving and displaying a broadcast segment including supplemental information as part of an interactive television transmission;

receiving a first user command to initiate a transaction related to the supplemental information;

partially conducting the transaction;

deferring the transaction in response to a second user command; and

automatically resuming the transaction at a beginning of a subsequent broadcast segment without any affirmative user action.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein deferring comprises storing the supplemental information independently of user action.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein deferring comprises storing the supplemental information within a remote control device for subsequent retrieval in order to complete the deferred transaction.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the broadcast segment comprises a television commercial.

21. A method comprising:

receiving and displaying a broadcast segment including supplemental information as part of an interactive television transmission;

receiving a first user command to initiate a transaction related to the supplemental information;

partially conducting the transaction;

deferring the transaction in response to a second user command;

storing the supplemental information within a remote control device for subsequent retrieval in order to complete the deferred transaction; and

automatically resuming the transaction without any affirmative user action, wherein automatically resuming comprises automatically resuming the transaction at a beginning of a subsequent broadcast segment.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising retrieving the stored supplemental information from the remote control device when the transaction is to be resumed.

23. A method comprising:

receiving a television commercial together with supplemental information for conducting a transaction as part of an interactive television transmission;

displaying the television commercial with an indication that the transaction is available;

receiving a user command to initiate the transaction;

partially conducting the transaction while the television commercial is in progress;

automatically prompting a user to defer the transaction in response to completion of the television commercial;

deferring the transaction in response to a subsequent user; and

automatically resuming the transaction without any affirmative user action, wherein automatically resuming comprises automatically resuming the transaction at a beginning of a subsequent broadcast segment.