Method and interface for linking terms in an electronic message to program information

• US 7,028,326 B1
• Filed: 01/08/1999
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Logan, Robert Joseph, Westlake, Mark Sheridan
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/582,371
• Time in Patent Office: 2,650 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/206, 709/207, 348/461, 348/468, 348/563, 725 39- 40, 725 51- 53, 725/58, 725/61, 725136-137, 725/44, 725/47, 707/6
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The method of linking terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG) comprises the steps of receiving an electronic message, comparing terms in the electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG, and displaying the electronic message so that any terms in the electronic message which have a match in the program information based on the step of comparing terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match. The electronic message interface is adapted to link terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG).

Claims

1. A method of linking terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG), said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message;

comparing terms in said electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG;

displaying said electronic message so that any terms in said electronic message which have a match in said program information based on said step of comparing terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match;

establishing an electronic link between at least one term in said electronic message and any program information which has a match for said at least one term; and

displaying an electronically generated menu of program identifiers in response to user selection of said at least one term in said electronic message, wherein said at least one term appears in the program information of more than one program in the EPG, each of the program identifiers corresponding to a respective one of said more than one program and being user selectable to effect implementation of said respective one of said more than one program.

2. A method of linking terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG), said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message;

comparing terms in said electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG;

displaying said electronic message so that any terms in said electronic message which have a match in said program information based on said step of comparing terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match;

establishing an electronic link between at least one term in said electronic message and any program information which has a match for said at least one term; and

displaying an electronically generated menu of program identifiers in response to user selection of said at least one term in said electronic message, wherein said at least one term appears in the program information of more than one program in the EPG, wherein each of the program identifiers corresponds to a respective one of said more than one program and is user selectable; and

displaying an electronically generated menu of choices in response to user selection of one of said program identifiers, each of said choices being user selectable to effect an action described by each choice, said action being performed with respect to said respective one of said more than one program which corresponds to said one of said program identifiers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said choices include:

displaying of said respective one of said more than one program;

recording of said respective one of said more than one program; and

displaying of the program information of said respective one of said more than one program.

4. An electronic message interface adapted to link terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG), said electronic message interface comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive an electronic message;

comparison unit associated with said receiver, said comparison unit being adapted to compare terms in said electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG;

a display device coupled to said comparison unit and adapted to display said electronic message so that any terms in said electronic message which have a match in said program information based on the comparing of terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match; and

an electronic link between at least one term in said electronic message and any program information which has a match for said at least one term, wherein said display device further is adapted to display a menu of program identifiers in response to user selection of said at least one term in said electronic message, wherein said at least one term appears in the program information of more than one program in the EPG, each of the program identifiers corresponding to a respective one of said more than one program and being user selectable to effect implementation of said respective one of said more than one program.

5. An electronic message interface adapted to link terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG), said electronic message interface comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive an electronic message;

comparison unit associated with said receiver, said comparison unit being adapted to compare terms in said electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG;

a display device coupled to said comparison unit and adapted to display said electronic message so that any terms in said electronic message which have a match in said program information based on the comparing of terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match; and

an electronic link between at least one term in said electronic message and any program information which has a match for said at least one term, wherein said display device further is adapted to display a menu of program identifiers in response to user selection of said at least one term in said electronic message, wherein said at least one term appears in the program information of more than one program in the EPG, wherein each of the program identifiers corresponds to a respective one of said more than one program and is user selectable; and

wherein said display device further is adapted to display a menu of choices in response to user selection of one of said program identifiers, each of said choices being user selectable to effect an action described by each choice, said action being performed with respect to said respective one of said more than one program which corresponds to said one of said program identifiers.

6. The interface of claim 5, wherein said choices include:

displaying of said respective one of said more than one program;

recording of said respective one of said more than one program; and

displaying of the program information of said respective one of said more than one program.