Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with remote product ordering

• US 20030188314A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Bruce, Miller, Larry, Knudson, Edward Bruce, Ellis, Michael Dean
• Granted Patent: US 8,418,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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 21/482 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 21/84 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• 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 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• 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

An electronic program schedule system with product ordering capability which includes a data processor for receiving program schedule information for a plurality of programs, and a user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, for generating user control commands and transmitting signals to the data processor in response thereto. The television program schedule information is displayed on a display apparatus such as a television receiver. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and program schedule information and displays a portion of the program schedule information on the receiver. The program schedule information indicates the availability of a product or service for certain of the programs included in the program information, wherein the product or service is associated with the program, such as a program transcript or videocassette. The viewer utilizes the remote control apparatus to generate a first command for displaying information on the receiver describing the product or service, and a second command for placing an order for the product or service. The data processor receives the user control commands and in response to the first command causes the video display generator to display information describing the product or service and in response to the second command generates an order for the product or service.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a user to order products with an interactive television program guide, comprising:

displaying television programming on a display;

displaying an overlay on top of the television programming that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order a product; and

allowing a user to place an order for the product with the interactive television program guide in response to the user performing the single action.

2. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising displaying the overlay as a visual indicator that indicates to the user a single button that the user may select to order a product.

3. The method defined in claim 2 further comprising generating a user product request in response to a user indication that the user would like to order the product.

4. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the single button is a button on a remote control.

5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the overlay that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order the product as a visual indicator;

using a microcontroller to respond to commands from a remote control having a key labeled with the same visual indicator; and

allowing the user to order the product using the remote control key labeled with the visual indicator.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the overlay includes information on the product.

7. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising, in response to the single action, ordering the product and placing the user on a mailing list.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide additional information about the product being advertised.

9. The method defined in claim 7 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide information about products or services related to the product being advertised.

10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the product is associated with the television programming.

11. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

tuning a television tuner to one of a plurality of television channels;

determining whether the channel to which the tuner is tuned is displaying a program for which a product is available; and

displaying the overlay in response to a determination that the product is available.

12. A system for allowing a user to order products with an interactive television program guide, comprising:

means for displaying television programming on a display;

means for displaying an overlay on top of the television programming that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order a product; and

means for allowing a user to place an order for the product with the interactive television program guide in response to the user performing the single action.

13. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for displaying the overlay as a visual indicator that indicates to the user a single button that the user may select to order a product.

14. The system defined in claim 13 further comprising means for generating a user product request in response to a user indication that the user would like to order the product.

15. The system defined in claim 13 wherein the single button is a button on a remote control.

16. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising:

means for displaying the overlay that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order the product as a visual indicator;

means for using a microcontroller to respond to commands from a remote control having a key labeled with the same visual indicator; and

means for allowing the user to order the product using the remote control key labeled with the visual indicator.

17. The system defined in claim 12 wherein the overlay includes information on the product.

18. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for ordering the product and placing the user on a mailing list in response to the single action.

19. The system defined in claim 18 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide additional information about the product being advertised.

20. The system defined in claim 18 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide information about products or services related to the product being advertised.

21. The system defined in claim 12 wherein the product is associated with the television programming.

22. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising:

means for tuning a television tuner to one of a plurality of television channels;

means for determining whether the channel to which the tuner is tuned is displaying a program for which a product is available; and

means for displaying the overlay in response to a determination that the product is available.

23. A system for allowing a user to order products with an interactive television program guide, the system comprising user television equipment configured to:

display television programming on a display;

display an overlay on top of the television programming that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order a product; and

allow a user to place an order for the product with the interactive television program guide in response to the user performing the single action.

24. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to display the overlay as a visual indicator that indicates to the user a single button that the user may select to order a product.

25. The system defined in claim 24 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to generate a user product request in response to a user indication that the user would like to order the product.

26. The system defined in claim 24 wherein the single button is a button on a remote control.

27. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to:

display the overlay that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order the product as a visual indicator;

use a microcontroller to respond to commands from a remote control having a key labeled with the same visual indicator; and

allow the user to order the product using the remote control key labeled with the visual indicator.

28. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the overlay includes information on the product.

29. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to order the product and place the user on a mailing list in response to the single action.

30. The system defined in claim 29 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide additional information about the product being advertised.

31. The system defined in claim 29 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide information about products or services related to the product being advertised.

32. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the product is associated with the television programming.

33. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to:

tune a television tuner to one of a plurality of television channels;

determine whether the channel to which the tuner is tuned is displaying a program for which a product is available; and

display the overlay in response to a determination that the product is available.

34. A Machine-readable media for an interactive television program guide, the machine-readable media comprising program logic recorded thereon for:

displaying television programming on a display;

displaying an overlay on top of the television programming that indicates to the user a single action that the user may perform to order a product; and

allowing a user to place an order for the product with the interactive television program guide in response to the user performing the single action.

35. The machine-readable media defined in claim 34 further comprising logic recorded thereon for displaying the overlay as a visual indicator that indicates to the user a single button that the user may select to order a product.

36. The machine-readable media defined in claim 35 further comprising logic recorded thereon for generating a user product request in response to a user indication that the user would like to order the product.

37. The machine-readable media defined in claim 35 further comprising logic recorded thereon for displaying the overlay as a visual indicator that indicates to the user a single button on a remote control that the user may select to order a product.

38. The machine-readable media defined in claim 34 wherein the information displayed indicating that the product is available is a visual indicator and wherein the machine-readable media further comprises program logic recorded thereon that is responsive to commands from a remote control having a key labeled with the same visual indicator, the machine-readable media further comprising program logic recorded thereon for allowing the user to order the product using the remote control key labeled with the visual indicator.

39. The machine-readable media defined in claim 34 further comprising logic recorded thereon for displaying information on the product in the overlay.

40. The machine-readable media defined in claim 34 further comprising logic recorded thereon for ordering the product and placing the user on a mailing list in response to the single action.

41. The machine-readable media defined in claim 40 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide additional information about the product being advertised.

42. The machine-readable media defined in claim 40 wherein mailings from the mailing list provide information about products or services related to the product being advertised.

43. The machine-readable media defined in claim 34 wherein the product is associated with the television programming.

44. The machine-readable media defined in claim 34 further comprising logic recorded thereon for:

tuning a television tuner to one of a plurality of television channels;

determining whether the channel to which the tuner is tuned is displaying a program for which a product is available; and

displaying the overlay in response to a determination that the product is available.