Customizable flip and browse overlays in an interactive television system

• US 8,281,339 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TV Guide Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Todd, Ellis, Michael D
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen-Ba, Hoang-Vu A
• Application Number:
  US12/551,399
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 725/45, 725/40, 725/61, 348/564, 348/569, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 725/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 : involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for customizing the display of interactive television overlays. A condition related to the display of an overlay on top of video for a television channel may be defined for each of a plurality of television channels. A default set of information types for an interactive television overlay (e.g., a FLIP overlay, a BROWSE overlay, etc.) may be defined for the plurality of television channels. When the overlay is displayed on top of video for a given television channel of the plurality of television channels, the overlay may include information of the default set of information types. One or more television channels of the plurality of television channels may be identified as channels for which the default set of information types does not apply (e.g., channels for which the overlay is not displayed or for which a custom set of information types is defined).

Claims

1. A method for using an interactive television application to provide interactive television features to a user, the method comprising:

defining, for a first group of television channels, a default set of information types for inclusion in an overlay on top of video, wherein the interactive television application displays the overlay on top of video for a given television channel of the first group of television channels;

identifying a second group of television channels for which the default set of information types for inclusion in the overlay on top of video does not apply; and

causing, with control circuitry, information for a television channel to be displayed in the overlay, wherein the information is of a type that is determined based on whether the television channel is in the first group of television channels or is in the second group of television channels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a program title for the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a program title for a program other than the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a second group of television channels comprises:

negotiating with a broadcaster of the second group of television channels regarding the display of an overlay on top of video for one of the second group of television channels; and

identifying, as a result of the negotiating, the one of the second group of television channels to be the television channel for which the default set of information types does not apply.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a second group of television channels comprises receiving a user indication that the default set of information types does not apply to the second group of television channels.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user indication to tune to one of the first group of television channels;

tuning to the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication; and

displaying an overlay on top of video for the one of the first group of television channels, the overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels comprising information of the default set of information types.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types;

receiving a user indication to tune to one of the second group of television channels;

tuning to the one of the second group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication; and

displaying an overlay on top of video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise an advertisement.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and that comprises at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, while video is displayed for one of the first group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information; and

displaying an overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication, the overlay comprising information of the default set of information types.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types;

receiving, while video is displayed for one of the second group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information; and

displaying an overlay on top of the video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise an advertisement.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and that comprises at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

19. A system for implementing an interactive television application operative to provide interactive television features to a user, the system comprising:

means for defining, for a first group of television channels, a default set of information types for inclusion in an overlay on top of video, wherein the interactive television application displays the overlay on top of video for a given television channel of the first group of television channels;

means for identifying a second group of television channels for which the default set of information types for inclusion in the overlay on top of video does not apply;

means for storing the definition for the default set of information types; and

means for causing, with control circuitry, information for a television channel to be displayed in the overlay, wherein the information is of a type that is determined based on whether the television channel is in the first group of television channels or is in the second group of television channels.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising a program title for the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising a program title for a program other than the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the means for identifying a second group of television channels comprises:

means for negotiating with a broadcaster of the second group of television channels regarding the display of an overlay on top of video for one of the second group of television channels; and

means for identifying, as a result of the negotiating, the one of the second group of television channels to be the television channel for which the default set of information types does not apply.

26. The system of claim 19

wherein the means for identifying a second group of television channels comprises receiving a user indication that the default set of information types does not apply to the second group of television channels.

27. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for receiving a user indication to tune to one of the first group of television channels;

means for tuning to the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication; and

means for displaying an overlay on top of video for the one of the first group of television channels, the overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels comprising information of the default set of information types.

28. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for defining a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types;

means for receiving a user indication to tune to one of the second group of television channels;

means for tuning to the one of the second group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication; and

means for displaying an overlay on top of video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein:

the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement; and

the means for defining a custom set of information types comprises means for defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise an advertisement.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein:

the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider; and

the means for defining a custom set of information types comprises means for defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for defining a custom set of information types comprises means for defining a custom set of information types that comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and that comprises at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

32. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for receiving, while video is displayed for one of the first group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information; and

means for displaying an overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication, the overlay comprising information of the default set of information types.

33. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for defining a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types;

means for receiving, while video is displayed for one of the second group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information; and

means for displaying an overlay on top of the video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein:

the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement; and

the means for defining a custom set of information types comprises means for defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise an advertisement.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein:

the means for defining a default set of information types comprises means for defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider; and

the means for defining a custom set of information types comprises means for defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the means for defining a custom set of information types comprises means for defining a custom set of information types that comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and that comprises at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

37. A system for providing interactive television features to a user, the system comprising:

a display device;

one or more data sources; and

an interactive television application implemented at least partially on user equipment configured to;

define, for a first group of television channels using data provided at least partially by the one or more data sources, a default set of information types for inclusion in an overlay on top of video, wherein the interactive television application displays the overlay on top of video for a given television channel of the first group of television channels;

identify a second group of television channels for which the default set of information types for inclusion in the overlay on top of video does not apply using data at least partially provided by the one or more data sources; and

cause information for a television channel to be displayed in the overlay, wherein the information is of a type that is determined based on whether the television channel is in the first group of television channels or is in the second group of television channels.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the default set of information types comprises an advertisement.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the default set of information types comprises a logo for a service provider.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the default set of information types comprises a program schedule information type.

41. The system of claim 37 wherein the program schedule information type comprises a program title for the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

42. The system of claim 37 wherein the program schedule information type comprises a program title for a program other than the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

43. The system of claim 37

wherein the interactive television application is further configured to identify the second group of television channels using data that is generated as a result of negotiations with a broadcaster of the second group of plurality of television channels, the negotiations regarding the display of an overlay on top of video for one of the second group of television channels.

44. The system of claim 37 further comprising:

a user input device for receiving a user indication that the default set of information types does not apply to the second group of television channels, wherein;

the interactive television application is further configured to identify the second group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication.

45. The system of claim 37 further comprising:

a user input device for receiving a user indication to tune to one of the first group of television channels; and

a tuner for tuning to the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication, wherein;

the interactive television application is further configured to direct the display device to display an overlay on top of video for the one of the first group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the default set of information types.

46. The system of claim 37 further comprising:

a user input device for receiving a user indication to tune to one of the second group of television channels; and

a tuner for tuning to the one of the second group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication, wherein;

the interactive television application is further configured to;

define a custom set of information types for the one of the second group of television channels using data provided at least partially by the one or more data sources, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types; and

direct the display device to display an overlay on top of video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein:

the default set of information types comprises an advertisement; and

the custom set of information types does not comprise an advertisement.

48. The system of claim 46 wherein:

the default set of information types comprises a logo for a service provider; and

the custom set of information types does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

49. The system of claim 46 wherein the custom set of information types comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

50. The system of claim 37 further comprising:

a user input device for receiving, while video is displayed for one of the first group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information, wherein;

the interactive television application is further configured to direct the display device to display an overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication, the overlay comprising information of the default set of information types.

51. The system of claim 37 further comprising:

a user input device for receiving, while video is displayed for one of the second group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information, wherein;

the interactive television application is further configured to;

define a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels using data provided at least partially provided by the one or more data sources, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types; and

direct the display device to display an overlay on top of the video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein:

the default set of information types comprises an advertisement; and

the custom set of information types does not comprise an advertisement.

53. The system of claim 51 wherein:

the default set of information types comprises a logo for a service provider; and

the custom set of information types does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

54. The system of claim 51 wherein the custom set of information types comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

55. A non-transitory machine-readable medium for an interactive television application, the machine-readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

defining, for a first group of television channels, a default set of information types for inclusion in an overlay on top of video, wherein the interactive television application displays the overlay on top of video for a given television channel of the first group of television channels;

identifying a second group of television channels for which the default set of information types for inclusion in the overlay on top of video does not apply; and

causing information for a television channel to be displayed in the overlay, wherein the information is of a type that is determined based on whether the television channel is in the first group of television channels or is in the second group of television channels.

56. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement.

57. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider.

58. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type.

59. The machine-readable medium of claim 58 wherein defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a program title for the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

60. The machine-readable medium of claim 58 wherein defining a default set of information types comprising a program schedule information type comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a program title for a program other than the currently broadcasted program on the given television channel.

61. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein identifying a second group of television channels comprises:

negotiating with a broadcaster of the second group of television channels regarding the display of an overlay on top of video for one of the second group of television channels; and

identifying, as a result of the negotiating, the one of the second group of television channels to be the television channel for which the default set of information types does not apply.

62. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein identifying a second group of television channels comprises receiving a user indication that the default set of information types does not apply to the second group of television channels.

63. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 comprising additional program logic recorded thereon for:

receiving a user indication to tune to one of the first group of television channels;

tuning to the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication; and

displaying an overlay on top of video for the one of the first group of television channels, the overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels comprising information of the default set of information types.

64. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 comprising additional program logic recorded thereon for:

defining a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types;

receiving a user indication to tune to one of the second group of television channels;

tuning to the one of the second group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication; and

displaying an overlay on top of video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

65. The machine-readable medium of claim 61 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise an advertisement.

66. The machine-readable medium of claim 64 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

67. The machine-readable medium of claim 64 wherein defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and that comprises at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.

68. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 comprising additional program logic recorded thereon for:

receiving, while video is displayed for one of the first group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information; and

displaying an overlay on top of the video for the one of the first group of television channels in response to receiving the user indication, the overlay comprising information of the default set of information types.

69. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 comprising additional program logic recorded thereon for:

defining a custom set of information types for the second group of television channels, wherein the custom set of information types includes less than all information types of the default set of information types;

receiving, while video is displayed for one of the second group of television channels, a user indication to view interactive television information; and

displaying an overlay on top of the video for the one of the second group of television channels, the overlay comprising information of the custom set of information types.

70. The machine-readable medium of claim 69 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising an advertisement; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise an advertisement.

71. The machine-readable medium of claim 69 wherein:

defining a default set of information types comprises defining a default set of information types comprising a logo for a service provider; and

defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that does not comprise a logo for a service provider.

72. The machine-readable medium of claim 69 wherein defining a custom set of information types comprises defining a custom set of information types that comprises less than all information types of the default set of information types and that comprises at least one information type that is not an information type in the default set of information types.