System and methods for real-time access to movie information

• US 20080022300A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Angiolillo, Joel Stephen, Zhang, Xi
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing real-time access to movie information to viewers in an interactive television viewing system. During select times when viewing a program on a television, the viewer is presented information, typically an advertisement, regarding a movie available for viewing in a movie theater. The viewer can opt to review supplemental information regarding the movie, including information directed to the actors, plot, rating, and where and when it is showing relative to the viewer'"'"'s location. The viewer can opt to purchase tickets as well. The system can be controlled in one embodiment by the user interacting with a set top box sending signaling information to a processor in the network headend that retrieves the appropriate information for display to the viewer. The information can be provided to the set-top-box and displayed to the user using an overlapping window, or other techniques.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a video signal to a set-top-box for display on a television to a viewer, the video signal conveying an advertisement to the viewer, the video signal further conveying an indication that supplemental information is available regarding the advertisement;

receiving a first request for the supplement information at the set-top-box;

generating a second request for the supplemental information from the set-top-box to a processor wherein the second request further comprises a set-top-box identifier and a channel identifier indicating a currently selected channel;

accessing a first database by the processor using the set-top-box identifier to determine a geographical location associated with the set-top-box;

accessing a second database by the processor using the channel identifier to identify the advertisement;

determining an address of a third database to launch a third request for the supplemental information;

launching the third request for supplemental information to the third database, the third request including an indication associated with the advertisement;

receiving the supplemental information at the processor from the third database;

transmitting the supplemental information from the processor to the set-top-box; and

generating a second video signal conveying the supplemental information.

2. The method of claim 1

wherein the indication that supplemental information is available regarding the advertisement is an icon overlayed on a video image.

3. The method of claim 1

wherein the step of receiving a first request for the supplemental information at the set-top-box is generated by a viewer operating a wireless remote controller.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the geographical location associated with the set-top-box is based on a zip code of the viewer'"'"'s residence.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accessing a second database by the processor using the channel identifier to identify the advertisement involves accessing a second database by the processor using the channel identifier and an equipment identifier to identify the advertisement.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the address of the third database to launch the third request is provided by the second database.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertisement pertains to a movie advertisement.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the supplemental information includes a name of a theater showing a movie associated with the movie advertisement.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the supplemental information further comprises a time associated with the showing of the movie.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the supplemental information further comprises a URL of a web page associated with subject matter associated with the program.

11. A system comprising:

a set-top-box capable of generating video signals associated with an advertisement, the set-top box further capable of receiving a first request for supplemental information and generating in response a second request for supplemental information, wherein the second request comprises a set-top-box identifier and a channel identifier associated with a selected channel, the set-top-box further capable receiving the supplemental information and generating a second video signal comprising a window displaying the supplemental information;

a communication network capable of transmitting the second request for supplement information from the set-top-box;

a first database capable of receiving a request for an advertisement identifier based on in part a channel identifier, the first database capable of responding with the advertisement identifier associated with the advertisement associated with the channel identifier;

a second database capable of receiving a request for a geographical location identifier based on in part the channel identifier and responding with the geographical location identifier;

a third database capable of receiving a third request for supplemental information, the third request comprising the advertisement identifier and responding with the supplemental information; and

a processor operatively connected to the communication network capable of receiving the second request for supplemental information, the processor capable of generating the request for the advertisement identifier and the request for the geographical identifier, the processor capable of generating the third request for supplemental information to the third database, the processor capable of receiving the supplemental information and transmitting the supplement information to the set-top-box.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a remote controller capable of generating the first request for supplemental information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the set-top-box is capable of generating the second video signal comprising a window displaying the supplemental information by overlaying the window on the image produced by the video signals associated with the advertisement.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication network is a bi-directional cable network.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the advertisement identifier is associated with a movie.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the second database is capable of responding with the geographical location identifier in the form of a zip code.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the supplemental information comprises theater information associated with showing the movie.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the supplemental information further comprises a URL of the theater associated with showing the movie.

19. The method of claim of claim 12 wherein the advertisement identifier identifies a product for sale.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the processor is further capable of receiving a request for purchasing tickets.