Information system

• US 20030051241A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Schein, Steven, Klosterman, Brian Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• 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 dsplaying messages to the user.

Claims

10-1. The method of claim 10, wherein the IPG function is accessing the website and displaying data from the website.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data from the website is displayed in a third area at the same time a television program that the user was viewing before accessing the website is displayed in a fourth area.

16. An interactive electronic program guide (IPG) comprising:

a display monitor;

a storage medium for storing information about a plurality of television program listings;

a display processor for displaying a portion of the plurality of television program listings in a first area of the display;

means for displaying advertisement information in an interactive advertisement region next to the first area, wherein the advertisement information changes as a cursor is moved by a user to each of the displayed plurality of television program listings; and

an input device activating the advertisement region to envoke an IPG function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the IPG function is connecting to a product supplier and ordering a product.

20. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement region include animation about a product.

17. The LPG of claim 16, wherein the IPG function is means for connecting to a product supplier and ordering a product.

18. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the IPG function is means for scheduling an autotuning to an informercial about a product advertised in the advertisement region.

19. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the IPG function is means for scheduling a recording of an informercial about a product advertised in the advertisement region.

21. The IPG of claim 16, further comprising means for displaying an icon allowing a user to obtain more information about a product advertised in the advertisement region when the icon is selected.

22. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement information is about a pay-per-view program.

23. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement infonnation is about a future televison program.

24. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement information is about a merchandise.

25. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement information promotes a website.

26. The IPG of claim 25, wherein the IPG function is means for accessing the website and displaying data from the website.

27. The IPG of claim 26, wherein the data from the website is displayed in a third area at the same time a television program that the user was viewing before accessing the website is displayed in a fourth area.

28. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement information is displayed only during the times when the user is more likely to be watching the IPG.

29. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement region include animation about a product.

30. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the advertisement region includes a video clip about a television program.

20-2. The IPG of claim 16, wherein the IPG function is means for tuning to an informercial about a product advertised in the advertisement region.

31. A method of displaying advertisement in an interactive electronic program guide (IPG) comprising:

displaying a plurality of television program listings in a first area of the display;

displaying advertisement information in an interactive advertisement region next to the first area; and

activating the advertisement region to connect to a product supplier and ordering a product.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the advertisement information changes as a cursor is moved by a user to each of the displayed plurality of television program listings.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising displaying an icon allowing a user to obtain more information about a product advertised in the advertisement region when the icon is selected.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the advertisement information is about a pay-per-view program.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the advertisement information is about a future televison program.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the advertisement information is about a merchandise.