User interface for interactive television systems

• US 7,237,253 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blackketter, Dean J., Park, Timothy F., White, Christopher, Yaksick, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/560,666
• Time in Patent Office: 2,616 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 21, 725/41, 725/61, 725/51
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 21/4622 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

An interactive television system displays a television program having an associated channel. The system also displays an interactive television mode indicator if the displayed television program supports an interactive television mode. The interactive television mode is activated in response to a request from a viewer of the television program to activate the interactive television mode. The system updates a channel status list to indicate that the television program is being viewed in the interactive television mode. The system is also able to handle requests for activating an online television mode. When changing channels, the channel status list is used to restore a previously activated interactive television mode or online television mode for a particular television channel. Two different indicators may be displayed to indicate whether the television program supports an interactive television mode and/or an online television mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising an interactive television device configured to display a television program, wherein the interactive television device displays an interactive television mode indicator if the displayed television program supports an interactive television mode, and in response to a request from a viewer of the television program to activate the interactive television mode, the interactive television device checks a channel status list to see if a channel associated with the television program is currently in the interactive television mode, and if not, the interactive television device activates the interactive television mode, and the interactive television device updates the channel status list to indicate that the television program is being viewed in the interactive television mode, and wherein the interactive television device includes at least one video tuner to tune the displayed television program and a plurality of data tuners to maintain an interactive state of multiple channels.

2. An apparatus comprising an interactive television device configured to display a television program, wherein the interactive television device displays an interactive television mode indicator if the displayed television program supports an interactive television mode, and in response to a request from a viewer of the television program to activate the interactive television mode, the interactive television device checks a channel status list to see if a channel associated with the television program is currently in the interactive television mode, and if not, the interactive television device activates the interactive television mode, and the interactive television device updates a channel status list to indicate that the television program is being viewed in the interactive television mode, and wherein the interactive television device includes a video tuner to tune a current television program and a plurality of data tuners, wherein each of the plurality of data tuners maintains an interactive state of a television program previously activated in the interactive television mode.

3. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

display a video program;

display an interactive video mode indicator if the displayed video program supports an interactive video mode, wherein a video tuner tunes the displayed video program, and wherein separate data tuning devices maintain an interactive video status for each video channel;

in response to a request from a viewer of the video program to activate the interactive video mode, check a channel status list to see if a channel associated with the video program is currently in the interactive video mode, and if not, activate the interactive video mode; and

update a channel status list to indicate that the video program is being viewed in the interactive video mode.

4. An apparatus comprising an interactive television device configured to display a television program, wherein the interactive television device displays an interactive television mode indicator if the displayed television program supports an interactive television mode, and in response to a request from a viewer of the television program to activate the interactive television mode, the interactive television device checks a channel status list to see if a channel associated with the television program is currently in the interactive television mode, and if not, the interactive television device activates the interactive television mode, wherein the interactive television device updates a channel status list to indicate that the television program is being viewed in the interactive television mode, and wherein the interactive television device includes a video tuner to tune the displayed television program, and further includes a plurality of tuning devices to maintain an interactive television status for each channel.

5. An apparatus comprising an interactive television device configured to display a television program, wherein the interactive television device displays an interactive television mode indicator if the displayed television program supports an interactive television mode, and in response to a request from a viewer of the television program to activate the interactive television mode, the interactive television device checks a channel status list to see if a channel associated with the television program is currently in the interactive television mode, and if not, the interactive television device activates the interactive television mode, wherein the interactive television device updates a channel status list to indicate that the television program is being viewed in the interactive television mode, and wherein the interactive television device includes a video tuner to tune a current television program and a plurality of data tuners, wherein each of the plurality of data tuners maintains an interactive state of a television program previously activated in the interactive television mode.

6. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

display a video program;

display an interactive video mode indicator if the displayed video program supports an interactive video mode;

in response to a request from a viewer of the video program to activate the interactive video mode check a channel status list to see if a channel associated with the video program is currently in the interactive video mode, and if not, activate the interactive video mode; and

update a channel status list to indicate that the video program is being viewed in the interactive video mode;

wherein a video tuner tunes the displayed video program, and wherein a separate data tuning device maintains an interactive video status for each video channel.