FEATURES FOR USE WITH ADVANCED SET-TOP APPLICATIONS ON INTERACTIVE TELEVISON SYSTEMS

• US 20100180300A1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Carpenter, Kenneth F., Ellis, Michael D., Herrington, W. Benjamin, Knee, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US12/633,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47805 Electronic banking banking in general G06Q30/02
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 : using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Advanced features for interactive television applications are described, including a back feature, a forward feature, a history feature, a go to feature, an extras feature, a reminder feature, a favorites feature, a parental control feature, and a search feature. Features may be inter-resource. Support for multiple data paths, Internet access, interactive services, and user profiles are also described.

Claims

1-3. -3. (canceled)

4. A method for providing a history feature in an interactive program guide, wherein the interactive program guide is implemented at least in part on user equipment, comprising:

displaying an interactive program guide comprising a plurality of resources including at least a program guide display having data from a program guide database and a plurality of web sites from the Internet;

receiving a first indication to access the program guide display having data from the program guide database;

receiving a second indication to access a web site from the Internet;

receiving a third indication to access a resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site;

in response to receiving a fourth indication, providing a history list of the plurality of resources that includes each of;

(i) the program guide display having data from the program guide database, wherein accessing the program guide display a single time in response to the first indication causes the program guide display to be included in the history list,

(ii) the web site from the Internet, wherein accessing the web site a single time in response to the second indication causes the web site to be included in the history list, and

(iii) the resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site, wherein accessing the resource a single time in response to the third indication causes the resource to be included in the history list;

allowing a user to select in any order any resource from the history list; and

in response to the user selecting any resource, providing the resource.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein receiving the first and second indications comprises receiving the indications from a supported application or a user input device.

6. The method defined in claim 4 wherein providing the history list further comprises each of:

(i) the program guide display having data from the program guide database, wherein accessing the program guide display each time in response to the first indication causes the program guide display to be included in the history list,

(ii) the web site from the Internet, wherein accessing the web site each time in response to the second indication causes the web site to be included in the history list, and

(iii) the resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site, wherein accessing the resource each time in response to the third indication causes the resource to be included in the history list.

7. An interactive program guide system for providing a history feature in an interactive program guide, wherein the interactive program guide is implemented at least in part on user equipment, comprising:

means for displaying an interactive program guide comprising a plurality of resources including at least a program guide display having data from a program guide database and a plurality of web sites from the Internet;

means for receiving a first indication to access the program guide display having data from the program guide database;

means for receiving a second indication to access a web site from the Internet;

means for receiving a third indication to access a resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site;

means for providing, in response to receiving a fourth indication, a history list of a plurality of resources that includes each of;

(i) the program guide display having data from the program guide database, wherein accessing the program guide display a single time in response to the first indication causes the program guide display to be included in the history list,

(ii) the web site from the Internet, wherein accessing the web site a single time in response to the second indication causes the web site to be included in the history list, and

(iii) the resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site, wherein accessing the resource a single time in response to the third indication causes the resource to be included in the history list;

means for allowing a user to select in any order any resource from the history list; and

means for, in response to the user selecting a resource, providing the resource.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for receiving the first and second indications comprises means for receiving the indications from a supported application or a means for receiving the indications from a user input device.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for providing the history list further comprises each of:

(i) the program guide display having data from the program guide database, wherein accessing the program guide display each time in response to the first indication causes the program guide display to be included in the history list,

(ii) the web site from the Internet, wherein accessing the web site each time in response to the second indication causes the web site to be included in the history list, and

(iii) the resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site, wherein accessing the resource each time in response to the third indication causes the resource to be included in the history list.

10. An interactive program guide system for providing a history feature comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive program guide is at least partially implemented, wherein the interactive program guide is configured to;

display a plurality of resources including at least a program guide display having data from a program guide database and a plurality of web sites from the Internet;

receive a first indication to access the program guide display having data from the program guide database;

receive a second indication to access a web site from the Internet;

receive a third indication to access a resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site;

in response to receiving a fourth indication, provide a history list of a plurality of resources that includes each of;

(i) the program guide display having data from the program guide database, wherein accessing the program guide display a single time in response to the first indication causes the program guide display to be included in the history list,

(ii) the web site from the Internet, wherein accessing the web site a single time in response to the second indication causes the web site to be included in the history list, and

(iii) the resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site, wherein accessing the resource a single time in response to the third indication causes the resource to be included in the history list;

allow a user to select in any order any resource from the history list; and

in response to the user selecting a resource, provide the resource.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to receive the first and second indications from a supported application or a user input device.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the provide the history list further comprises each of:

(i) the program guide display having data from the program guide database, wherein accessing the program guide display each time in response to the first indication causes the program guide display to be included in the history list,

(ii) the web site from the Internet, wherein accessing the web site each time in response to the second indication causes the web site to be included in the history list, and

(iii) the resource other than the accessed program guide display or the accessed web site, wherein accessing the resource each time in response to the third indication causes the resource to be included in the history list.