Gateway screen for interactive television

• US 7,225,456 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• 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, Nijima, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONSBERRY, HUNTER B
• Application Number:
  US09/840,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,227 Days
• Field of Search: 725109-112, 725/40, 725/43
• US Class Current: 725/43
• 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 gateway screen for interactive television includes a television content panel and an internet content panel. The gateway screen is displayed by an interactive television (ITV), e.g., when the ITV is turned on. The gateway screen allows a user to quickly and easily view information from multiple sources, e.g., a Web site, a television signal source, and an ITV system server, at a glance. This allows a consumer to gain a quick overview of the information presented by the multiple sources. The gateway screen also allows a consumer to select commonly accessed sources. The gateway screen can be tailored to fulfill a specific consumer'"'"'s needs and can be established based on preferences input by the consumer.

Claims

1. An interactive television, comprising:

a gateway screen displayed by the interactive television at least upon initial energization of the television, the gateway screen having;

at least one television content panel; and

at least one Internet content panel displaying content related to the content in the television content panel, wherein the gateway screen is a last screen displayed in response to receiving a signal to deenergize the interactive television.

2. The interactive television of claim 1, wherein the gateway screen is displayed when the interactive television is turned on.

3. The interactive television of claim 1, further comprising a gateway screen button and the gateway screen is displayed when the gateway screen button is toggled.

4. The interactive television of claim 1, further comprising a remote control unit, the remote control unit having a gateway screen button and the gateway screen is displayed when the gateway screen button is toggled.

5. The interactive television of claim 1, wherein the television content panel includes content from at least one television signal source.

6. The interactive television of claim 1, wherein the internet content panel includes content from at least one Web server.

21. The gateway screen of claim 1, wherein content in the Internet content panel is related to content in the television content panel.

22. The gateway screen of claim 21, wherein content in the television content panel is received real-time from a broadcast.

23. The gateway screen of claim 21, wherein content in the television content panel is received from a storage associated with the television.

7. An interactive television system, comprising:

at least one Web server;

at least one interactive television system server;

at least one television signal source; and

at least one interactive television, the interactive television receiving information from the Web server, the interactive television system server, and the television signal source, the interactive television periodically displaying a gateway screen, the gateway screen having at least one television content region and at least one Internet content region, the gateway screen being automatically displayed upon energization of the television, wherein the gateway screen is displayed in response to receiving a signal to deenergize the interactive television.

8. The interactive television system of claim 7, wherein the gateway screen is displayed when the interactive television is turned on.

9. The interactive television system of claim 7, further comprising a gateway screen button and the gateway screen is displayed when the gateway screen button is toggled.

10. The interactive television system of claim 7, further comprising a remote control unit, the remote control unit having a gateway screen button and the gateway screen is displayed when the gateway screen button is toggled.

11. The interactive television system of claim 7, wherein the television content panel includes content from the at least one television signal source.

12. The interactive television system of claim 7, wherein the Internet content panel includes content from the at least one Web server.

13. A method of interactive television, comprising the acts of:

displaying a gateway screw in response to a user turning the television on; and

enabling a consumer to receive information from at least two of;

at least one Web server, at least one interactive television system server, and at least one television signal source via the gateway screen, wherein the gateway screen is displayed in response to receiving a signal to deenergize the interactive television.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the gateway screen includes at least one television content panel and at least one Internet content panel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the gateway screen is displayed when the interactive television is turned on.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the gateway screen is displayed when a gateway screen button is toggled.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the television content panel includes content from the at least one television signal source.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the internet content panel includes content from the at least one Web server.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the acts of:

receiving consumer input via a conventional TV control device; and

establishing the gateway screen based at least in part on the consumer input.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the gateway screen is stored in a memory within an interactive television.