Method and apparatus for downloading data to a set top box

• US 20040039648A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zustak, Frederick J., Yang, David K. L., Eyer, Mark Kenneth, Candelore, Brant L., Shintani, Peter Rae, Colsey, Nicholas, Proehl, Andrew M., Chang, Matthew, Golden, Dayan Ivy, Krishnan, Aditya
• Application Number:
  US10/225,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20040039648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method, apparatus computer program, and storage medium for storing the computer program for downloading a data program to a computing device are provided. The method comprises the steps of designating a data program; receiving the designated program at a set top box; and transferring the received data program from the set top box to the computing device.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a data program to be downloaded to a computing device, comprising the steps of:

designating a data program; and

receiving said designated program at a set top box.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said data program is designated during a video advertisement thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said data program is designated during an audio advertisement thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said data program is designated during a video demonstration thereof on a television, said television being coupled with said set top box.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said video demonstration comprises a session on a home shopping channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of designating a format of said computing device, a version of said designated data program corresponding to said designated format being received at said set top box.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of versions of said designated data program corresponding to a plurality of formats of said computing device are received at said set top box.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said computing device is a PDA.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said computing is a telephone.

11. A method for downloading a data program to a computing device, comprising the steps of:

designating a data program;

receiving said designated program at a set top box; and

transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said data program is designated during a video advertisement thereof.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said data program is designated during an audio advertisement thereof.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said data program is designated during a video demonstration thereof on a television, said television being coupled with said set top box.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said video demonstration comprises a session on a home shopping channel.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of designating a format of said computing device, a version of said designated data program corresponding to said designated format being received at said set top box.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of versions of said designated data program corresponding to a plurality of formats of said computing device are received at said set top box.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said computing device is a PDA.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said computing is a telephone.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein said received data program is transferred to said computing device via a wireless transmission system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said wireless transmission system comprises BLUETOOTH™

.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein said data program is transferred to said computing device via a data port.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein said received data program is transferred to said computing device only after payment for said received data program is confirmed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said payment is received at said set top box.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said payment is received other than via said set top box, and said set top box is notified of receipt of said payment.

27. A method for downloading data to a computing device, comprising the steps of:

designating a data;

receiving a corresponding data corresponding to said designated data at a set top box; and

transferring said corresponding data from said set top box to said computing device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said designated data comprises a television program and said corresponding data comprises additional data related to said television program.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said additional data comprises future scheduled times for other episodes of said television program.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said designated data comprises a television commercial and said corresponding data comprises data about a product disclosed in said commercial.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said corresponding data further comprises data about other products related to said product disclosed in said commercial.

32. A method for selecting a data program to be downloaded to a computing device, comprising the steps of:

designating a data program;

receiving said designated program at a set top box;

transmitting payment information from said set top box; and

transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

indicating the desire to remove said received data program from said computing device within a predetermined time period;

removing said received data program in accordance with said set top box; and

not charging said payment information.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said payment information is maintained in said set top box.

35. An apparatus for selecting a data program to be downloaded to a computing device, comprising:

an input for receiving a designation of a data program; and

a receiver for receiving said designated program at a set top box.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said data program is designated during a video advertisement thereof.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said data program is designated during an audio advertisement thereof.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said data program is designated during a video demonstration thereof on a television, said television being coupled with said set top box.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said video demonstration comprises a session on a home shopping channel.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising an input for receiving an indication of a format of said computing device, a version of said designated data program corresponding to said designated format being received at said set top box.

41. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein a plurality of versions of said designated data program corresponding to a plurality of formats of said computing device are received at said set top box.

42. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.

43. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said computing device is a PDA.

44. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said computing is a telephone.

45. An apparatus for downloading a data program to a computing device, comprising:

an input for receiving a designation a data program;

a receiver for receiving said designated program at a set top box; and

a transmission channel between said set top box to said computing device for transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said data program is designated during a video advertisement thereof.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said data program is designated during an audio advertisement thereof.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said data program is designated during a video demonstration thereof on a television, said television being coupled with said set top box.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said video demonstration comprises a session on a home shopping channel.

50. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising an input for receiving an indication of a format of said computing device, a version of said designated data program corresponding to said designated format being received at said set top box.

51. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein a plurality of versions of said designated data program corresponding to a plurality of formats of said computing device are received at said set top box.

52. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said computing device is a personal computer.

53. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said computing device is a PDA.

54. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said computing is a telephone.

55. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said received data program is transferred to said computing device via a wireless transmission system.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said wireless transmission system comprises BLUETOOTH™

.

57. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said data program is transferred to said computing device via a data port.

58. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said received data program is transferred to said computing device only after payment for said received data program is confirmed.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein said payment is received at said set top box.

60. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein said payment is received other than via said set top box, and said set top box is notified of receipt of said payment.

61. An apparatus for downloading data to a computing device:

designating means for designating a data;

receiving means for receiving a corresponding data corresponding to said designated data at a set top box; and

transfer means for transferring said corresponding data from said set top box to said computing device.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein said designated data comprises a television program and said corresponding data comprises additional data related to said television program.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein said additional data comprises future scheduled times for other episodes of said television program.

64. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein said designated data comprises a television commercial and said corresponding data comprises data about a product disclosed in said commercial.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said corresponding data further comprises data about other products related to said product disclosed in said commercial.

66. An apparatus for selecting a data program to be downloaded to a computing device, comprising:

designation means for designating a data program;

receiving means for receiving said designated program at a set top box;

transmission means for transmitting payment information from said set top box; and

transfer means for transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, further comprising:

means for indicating the desire to remove said received data program from said computing device within a predetermined time period;

means for removing said received data program in accordance with said set top box; and

means for insuring that said payment information is not charged.

68. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said payment information is maintained in said set top box.

69. A computer program for selecting a data program to be downloaded to a computing device, said computer program comprising:

an instruction for designating a data program; and

and instruction for receiving said designated program at a set top box.

70. A computer program for downloading a data program to a computing device, said computer program comprising:

an instruction for designating a data program;

an instruction for receiving said designated program at a set top box; and

an instruction for transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

71. A computer program for downloading data to a computing device, comprising:

an instruction for designating a data;

an instruction for receiving a corresponding data corresponding to said designated data at a set top box; and

an instruction for transferring said corresponding data from said set top box to said computing device.

72. A computer program for selecting a data program to be downloaded to a computing device, comprising:

an instruction for designating a data program;

an instruction for receiving said designated program at a set top box;

an instruction for transmitting payment information from said set top box; and

an instruction for transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

73. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor residing in a television set-top box, carry out the steps of:

designating a data program; and

receiving said designated program at a set top box.

74. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor residing in a television set-top box, carry out the steps of:

designating a data program;

receiving said designated program at a set top box; and

transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.

75. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor residing in a television set-top box, carry out the steps of:

receiving a corresponding data corresponding to said designated data at a set top box; and

transferring said corresponding data from said set top box to said computing device.

76. A storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor residing in a television set-top box, carry out the steps of:

designating a data program;

receiving said designated program at a set top box;

transmitting payment information from said set top box; and

transferring said received data program from said set top box to said computing device.