Information system

• US 9,027,058 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Klosterman, Brian Lee, Schein, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US14/307,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140304739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 725 42- 44, 725 51- 52
• US Class Current: 725/51
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4438 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

causing a plurality of selectable media asset identifiers to be displayed in a first display region;

receiving a user selection of a selectable media asset identifier from the plurality of selectable media asset identifiers; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the selectable media asset identifier, causing to be displayed in an information region, in place of at least one of the plurality of selectable media asset identifiers, a plurality of items including detailed information about a first media asset corresponding to the selected selectable media asset identifier, an option for recording the first media asset, and additional information about a second media asset.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing from display the information region in response to receiving a user selection of the option for recording the first media asset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the causing to be displayed additional information comprises causing an advertisement for the second media asset to be displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the causing to be displayed additional information comprises causing an advertisement for a product to be displayed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information is independent of the first media asset corresponding to the selected media asset.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

causing a selectable link to be displayed, wherein the selectable link comprises a link to a webpage;

receiving a user selection of the selectable link; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the selectable link, causing to be displayed the webpage.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

invoking a browser application in response to receiving the user selection of the selectable link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the user selection of the selectable media asset identifier further comprises causing a cursor to be moved to the selectable media asset identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the media asset identifier comprises one of a title, a source identifier, and a length of the first media asset.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media asset is a television program.

11. A system comprising:

a memory; and

circuitry that is configured to;

cause a plurality of selectable media asset identifiers, generated based on information stored in the memory, to be displayed in a first display region;

receive, from a user input, a user selection of a selectable media asset identifier from the plurality of selectable media asset identifiers generated based on information stored in the memory; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the selectable media asset identifier, cause to be displayed in an information region, in place of at least one of the plurality of selectable media asset identifiers, a plurality of items including detailed information about a first media asset corresponding to the selected selectable media asset identifier, an option for recording the first media asset, and additional information about a second media asset.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

remove from display the information region in response to receiving a user selection of the option for recording the first media asset.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

cause to be displayed additional information by causing an advertisement, stored in the memory, for the second media asset to be displayed.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

cause to be displayed additional information by causing an advertisement, stored in the memory, for a product to be displayed.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the additional information is independent of the first media asset corresponding to the selected media asset.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

cause a selectable link to be displayed, wherein the selectable link comprises a link to a webpage;

receive, from the input device, a user selection of the selectable link; and

in response to receiving the user selection of the selectable link, cause to be displayed the webpage.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

invoke a browser application in response to receiving, from the input device, the user selection of the selectable link.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

receive the user selection of the selectable media asset identifier by causing a cursor to be moved to the selectable media asset identifier.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the selectable media asset identifier comprises one of a title, a source identifier, and a length of the first media asset.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the first media asset is a television program.