System and method for accessing, manipulating and viewing internet and non-internet related information and for controlling networked devices

• US 7,395,514 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guild Forest LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Joseph L. Stern
• Inventors: Stern, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pitaro, Ryan F
• Application Number:
  US10/274,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 345719-726, 725/37, 725/39, 725/43, 725/46, 725/48, 715719-726
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for accessing, generating, presenting and manipulating Internet and non-Internet related information, data and content, including information netcast over the Internet. The system is also capable of controlling operatively connected, privately networked devices. A number of graphical user interfaces are utilized to facilitate user access, manipulation and control of information, data and content and networked devices. Some of the graphical user interfaces are time and topic oriented, are customizable by the user, and allow for the manipulation of information, data, content and operatively connected networked devices from the graphical interfaces themselves. The system is preferably enhanced through the use of an intelligent, dynamically updated user profile that is fully integrated with the system.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating accessing, manipulating and displaying information obtained from Web and non-Web information sources, comprising:

obtaining first information relating to content available from public Internet sources, said first information comprising beginning and ending times for available netcasts;

obtaining second information relating to content available from private computer sources, said second information comprising beginning and ending times for scheduled content available from the private computer sources;

obtaining third information relating to content available from non-Internet broadcasting sources, said third information comprising beginning and ending times relating to available television, cable, satellite or radio broadcasts;

combining said first information, said second information and said third information in order to generate a guide from said combined information, said guide comprising a time-oriented graphical user interface of content available on the Internet, the private computer sources and the non-Internet broadcast sources, said guide operative to access content from said public Internet sources, said private computer sources and said non-Internet broadcasting sources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information for available netcasts is obtained from a plurality of different Internet sites, each Internet site being associated with certain netcasts.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first information for available netcasts is obtained without requiring a user to manually register for the netcasts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide is generated using a computer application running on a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide is generated using a computer application running on a television set-top.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first information comprises information that is pulled from the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second information comprises information for content that is accessed from an intranet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second information comprises information for content that is netcast over an intranet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide further comprises a graphical user interface organized by programming topic.

10. A method for organizing and providing access to information obtained from various information sources, comprising:

obtaining first scheduling information including times at which content from public Internet sources is available;

obtaining second scheduling information including times at which content from private computer sources is available;

obtaining third scheduling information including times at which content from non-Internet broadcasting sources is available; and

organizing the first scheduling information, the second scheduling information, and the third scheduling information into a comprehensive time-oriented guide for public Internet sources, private computer sources, and broadcast sources.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said guide is operative to cause said content to be recorded and stored by way of selection of a cell of said guide.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said guide is operative to cause said content to be displayed by way of selection of a cell of said guide.

13. A method for organizing and providing access to information obtained from various information sources, comprising:

obtaining first scheduling information including times at which content from public Internet sources is available;

obtaining second scheduling information including times at which content from private computer sources is available;

obtaining third scheduling information including times at which content from non-Internet broadcasting sources is available; and

organizing the first scheduling information, the second scheduling information, and the third scheduling information in order to create a comprehensive time-oriented guide for public Internet sources, private computer sources, and broadcast sources; and

wherein said guide is created based on one or more user profiles.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more user profiles are further used to identify non-schedule content items from one or more Web sites.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said time-oriented guide is accessible from a separate graphical user interface, the separate graphical user interface displaying a link to said guide and a link to said identified non-schedule content items.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the separate graphical user interface further displays a link to a last session operation comprising, on at least some occasions, a last Internet session and, on at least some occasions, a last session for an accessed document.

17. A computer system for facilitating accessing, manipulating and displaying Web and non-Web related information comprising:

a computer;

a communications interface operatively connected to said computer and to public Internet sources, private computer sources and non-Internet broadcasting sources,

wherein said communications interface is operable to obtain information relating to content available from the public Internet sources comprising netcasts, the private computer sources and the non-Internet broadcast sources;

wherein the information relating to the available content comprises scheduling information including times at which the available content is made available;

wherein the computer is operative to combine the information obtained from the public Internet sources, the private computer sources and the non-Internet broadcast sources; and

a guide displayed on said computer, said guide generated from the combined information and comprising a time-oriented graphical user interface of content available on the Internet, the private computer sources and the non-Internet broadcast sources, said guide operative to provide access to content from the public Internet sources, the private computer sources and the non-Internet broadcast sources.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the scheduling information for netcasts is obtained from a plurality of different Internet sites corresponding to different netcasts.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the scheduling information for available netcasts is obtained without requiring a user to manually register for the netcasts.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said guide is operative to cause selected content to be recorded and stored by way of selection of a cell of said guide.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said guide is operative to cause selected content to be displayed by way of selection of a cell of said guide.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said guide is generated based on one or more user profiles.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said one or more user profiles are used to identify non-schedule content from one or more Web sites, and wherein the time-oriented graphical user interface comprising said guide is accessible from a separate graphical user interface, the separate graphical user interface displaying a link to said guide and a link to said identified non-schedule content.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the separate graphical user interface further displays a link to a last session operation comprising, on at least some occasions, a last Internet session and, on at least some occasions, a last session for an accessed document.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication interface is operative to obtain information relating to content available from the public Internet sources by pulling the information from the public Internet sources.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication interface is operative to obtain information relating to content available from the public Internet sources by accessing netcasts from the public Internet sources.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication interface is operative to obtain information relating to content available from the private computer sources by pulling the information from an intranet.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication interface is operative to obtain information relating to content available from the private computer sources by accessing netcasts from the private computer sources.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the information relating to content available from non-Internet broadcasting sources comprises scheduling in formation relating to available television, cable, satellite or radio broadcasts.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the guide further comprises a graphical user interface organized by programming topic.

31. An integrated graphical user interface generated by a computer coupled to a plurality of remote networks, comprising:

first information comprising schedule information including times at which content from public Internet sources is made available, the content being delivered as a netcast;

second information comprising schedule information including times at which content from a broadcast source is made available, the broadcast source comprising a television, cable, satellite, or radio broadcast;

wherein the first information and the second information are selected based on one or more user profiles; and

wherein the schedule information can be selected by a user in order to access content currently available or to schedule delivery of content that is available at a future time.

32. The graphical user interface of claim 31, wherein the schedule information for content available from public Internet sources comprises schedule information obtained from a plurality of different Internet sites associated with different netcasts.

33. The graphical user interface of claim 31, wherein the schedule information for content available from public Internet sources is obtained without requiring a user to manually register for the netcasts.

34. The graphical user interface of claim 31, comprising third information for identifying Web pages relevant to a user based on the one or more user profiles.

35. The graphical user interface of claim 31, wherein the one or more user profiles are dynamically updated based on user activity.