Integrated content guide for interactive selection of content and services on personal computer systems with multiple sources and multiple media presentation

• US 8,578,296 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Exaflop LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Stautner, John P., Lawson, Richard J., Belmont, Brian V.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US13/342,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20120110512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 715716-718, 715/720, 715/721, 715/723, 715/733, 715/762, 715/765, 715/810, 715/825, 715/835, 715/840, 715/854, 715/855, 715/962, 715/205, 725 37- 40, 725/42, 725/48, 725/51, 725 59- 61, 725/64, 707/705, 707/781, 707/802, 707/803, 707/805
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A integrated content guide for multiple sources is provided with hyper-text type links to allow for the selection of various programs. The hyper-text links are provided for a transmitted and then stored digital bit stream. This allows for the embedding within the content guide what could be additional commercial information. The embedding may also be as to additional information for other related television or radio shows or the like. Information can be additional television shows, related information or activities on on-line services or automatic telephone ordering of products or services being displayed.

Claims

1. A computer program product stored in digital media and including executable code that, when executed, is configured to cause data processing apparatus to:

determine a user context associated with at least one user;

determine, based on the user context, a plurality of content information files;

determine supplemental content information associated with at least one content information file of the plurality of content information files;

provide a graphical user interface within a display, the graphical user interface providing a content guide that includes an organized display of a plurality of interactive elements corresponding respectively to the plurality of content information files;

provide an indicator for the supplemental content information within an interactive element of the plurality of interactive elements;

receive an interaction with the indicator; and

execute an action based on the interaction and on the supplemental content information.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein determining the plurality of content information files includes automatically determining the plurality of content information files preferred by the at least one user.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes a time of a previous providing of a previous content information file or previous supplemental content information.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes content of a previously-provided content information file or previously-provided supplemental content information.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes a characteristic of a previously-provided content information file or previously-provided supplemental content information.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes content of a currently-provided content information file or currently-provided supplemental content information.

7. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes a characteristic of a currently-provided content information file or currently-provided supplemental content information.

8. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes a delivery mode of the at least one content information file or the supplemental content information.

9. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the user context includes stored user interest indicators associated with the at least one user.

10. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the supplemental content information is determined based on the user context.

11. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of interactive elements are responsive to a positioning of an on-screen cursor.

12. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein, in response to an interaction with the interactive element, the content guide is configured to prompt the at least one user for further input.

13. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein, in response to the interaction with the indicator, the content guide is configured to prompt the at least one user for further input in conjunction with the execution of the action.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the prompt for further input includes a prompt to the at least one user to submit a vote.

15. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the indicator includes one or more of a 3D icon or an animated icon.

16. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the supplemental content information provides at least one attribute of the corresponding content information file.

17. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the action includes polling a plurality of users, including the at least one user, to submit feedback related to content of the at least one content information file.

18. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the execution of the action includes execution of an embedded command.

19. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the execution of an action includes executing a link to an online discussion.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein a topic of the online discussion is related to content of the content information file.

21. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the action includes providing information associated with the content information file, during a delivery of the content information file to the at least one user.

22. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the action includes display of user groups defined in relation to a topic of the content information file.

23. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content information is updated over time.

24. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the display includes at least two graphically distinct regions displaying at least two of the content guide, the content information file, the supplemental content information, and a result of the executed action.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein at least one of the graphically distinct regions includes the result of the executed action, including one or more of a chat session, an advertisement, a bulletin board, or a discussion group forum.

26. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content information includes play-along software related to a game played in conjunction with the content information file, and wherein the executed action includes executing the play-along software.

27. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the interactive elements are highlighted in response to identification thereof by a navigation device, and the interaction occurs in response to receipt of an input from the navigation device.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the interactive elements are provided in conjunction with a pop-up window providing additional information related to the content information file or the supplemental content information.

29. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the interaction includes a voice-activated interaction.

30. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the interaction results in the providing of a menu of interactive choices, and wherein the action is executed based on a received one of the interactive choices from the menu.

31. A method comprising:

determining a user context associated with at least one user;

determining, based on the user context, a plurality of content information files;

determining supplemental content information associated with at least one content information file of the plurality of content information files;

providing a graphical user interface within a display, the graphical user interface providing a content guide that includes an organized display of a plurality of interactive elements corresponding respectively to the plurality of content information files;

providing an indicator for the supplemental content information within an interactive element of the plurality of interactive elements;

receiving an interaction with the indicator; and

executing an action based on the interaction and on the supplemental content information.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes a time of a previous providing of a previous content information file or previous supplemental content information.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes content of a previously-provided content information file or previously-provided supplemental content information.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes a characteristic of a previously-provided content information file or previously-provided supplemental content information.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes content of a currently-provided content information file or currently-provided supplemental content information.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes a characteristic of a currently-provided content information file or currently-provided supplemental content information.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes a delivery mode of the at least one content information file or the supplemental content information.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein the user context includes stored user interest indicators associated with the at least one user.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein the determining the supplemental content information comprises determining the supplemental content information based on the user context.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the display includes at least two graphically distinct regions displaying at least two of the content guide, the content information file, the supplemental content information, and a result of the executed action.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the interactive elements are highlighted in response to identification thereof by a navigation device, and the interaction occurs in response to receipt of an input from the navigation device.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the interaction results in the providing of a menu of interactive choices, and wherein the action is executed based on a received one of the interactive choices from the menu.