User interface for interactive television systems

• US 7,818,768 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: White, Christopher, Blackketter, Dean J., Park, Timothy F., Yaksick, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US12/402,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/14, 725/16, 725/40, 725 51- 52
• US Class Current: 725/52
• 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 transmits and displays a television program having an associated channel. The system also transmits and 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 transmitted and displayed to indicate whether the television program supports an interactive television mode and/or an online television mode.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of transmitting a television broadcast signal comprising:

transmitting a television broadcast signal comprising a television program, a first indicator and a second indicator, wherein;

the first indicator indicates that the television program supports an interactive television mode, wherein interactive television comprises bi-directional communication of data between the television broadcast signal source and a client device; and

the second indicator indicates that the television program supports an online television mode, wherein online television comprises the client device accessing one or more web pages associated with the television program;

activating the interactive television mode if a viewer selects the first indicator; and

activating the online television mode if the viewer selects the second indicator.

2. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are icons.

3. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first indicator has an associated network address.

4. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first indicator has an associated uniform resource locator.

5. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second indicator has an associated network address.

6. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second indicator has an associated uniform resource locator.

7. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein activating the interactive television mode causes the client device to check a channel status list which is updated to reflect if the viewer has accessed an interactive television mode for a particular channel, and checks to see if a channel associated with the television program is in the interactive television mode.

8. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the computer implemented method recited in claim 1.

9. A computer implemented method of transmitting a television broadcast signal comprising:

transmitting a television broadcast signal comprising a television program, a first indicator and a second indicator, wherein;

the first indicator indicates that the television program supports an interactive television mode, wherein interactive television comprises bi-directional communication of data between a television broadcast signal source and a client device; and

the second indicator indicates that the television program supports an online television mode, wherein online television comprises the client device accessing one or more web pages associated with the television program;

activating the interactive television mode if a viewer selects the first indicator;

activating the online television mode if the viewer selects the second indicator; and

updating a channel status list to indicate that the television program is being viewed in the interactive television mode or the online television mode.

10. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 9 wherein updating the channel status list includes recording a time that the interactive television mode was activated for the associated channel.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the channel status list identifies all channels for which the interactive television mode has been activated.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein a separate tuning device maintains the interactive television status for each channel.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein activating the interactive television mode includes opening an interactive window.

14. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising removing the indicators after a predetermined time period.

15. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 9.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device for maintaining processor-readable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the storage device and configured to execute the instructions to perform a method comprising;

transmitting a television broadcast signal comprising a television program, a first indicator and a second indicator, wherein;

the first indicator indicates that the television program supports an interactive television mode, wherein interactive television comprises bi-directional communication of data between a television broadcast signal source and a client device; and

the second indicator indicates that the television program supports an online television mode, wherein online television comprises the client device accessing one or more web pages associated with the television program;

receiving an indication of activation the interactive television mode if a viewer selects the first indicator;

receiving an indication of activation the online television mode if the viewer selects the second indicator; and

utilizing the storage device to store a television channel status list, wherein the television channel status list maintains a list of television channels for which an interactive mode has been activated, and wherein the storage device receives updates from the processor to add and delete television channels from the interactive mode.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the storage device receives requests from the processor regarding the current status of a particular television channel.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the television channel status list maintains a time that each television channel in the interactive mode was activated.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the television channel status list maintains a list of television channels for which an online mode has been activated.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein the storage device receives updates from the processor to add and delete television channels from the online mode.