Systems and methods for using an interactive television program guide to access fantasy sports contests

• US 9,069,651 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TV Guide Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barber, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWLIN, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US13/763,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725/47, 725/51, 725/61, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/828 Managing virtual sport teams
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• 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 21/4532 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 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games

Abstract

Systems and methods for using an interactive television program guide application to access fantasy sports contests are presented. In some embodiments of the present invention, the interactive television program guide application may display information indicating to a user that one or more programs is related to a fantasy sports contest. In some embodiments of the present invention, the application may provide to the user a schedule of programs related to one or more fantasy sports contests in which the user participates. The application may provide additional features to fantasy sports contestants including automatic recording of programs related to a user'"'"'s fantasy sports contest, playback of highlight video clips for events that affect a user'"'"'s fantasy sports contest standing, and targeted advertisements for fantasy sports contests.

Claims

1. A method for using an interactive media guidance application to generate media listings, the method comprising:

receiving packets of program guide data for currently broadcast media assets;

cross-referencing the packets of program guide data with a database listing real-life player rosters to generate an output of real-life sports players included in the media assets;

comparing a user'"'"'s fantasy sports team roster to real-life sports players in the identified media assets;

identifying, based on the comparison, a media asset from the currently broadcast media assets that includes a real-life sports player included in the user'"'"'s fantasy team roster; and

generating, for display on a display device, a listing for the media asset , in response to determining that the media asset includes the real-life sports player.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically recording the media asset in response to determining that the media asset include the real-life sports player.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a number of real-life sports players included in the media asset that are also included in the user'"'"'s fantasy team roster; and

determining whether to schedule the media asset for automatic recording based on the number.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that an event has occurred in the media asset if it is determined that the media asset includes the real-life sports player; and

generating, for display on the display device, an overlay on top of the media asset, wherein the overlay includes fantasy sports contest information associated with the event in response to the determination that the event has occurred.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the event corresponds to an accumulation of a statistic by the real-life player, wherein the statistic affects the user'"'"'s performance in the fantasy sports contest.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein information associated with the event comprises displaying information that indicates a number of fantasy sports points that the user has received as a result of the event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the media asset includes the real-life sports player comprises determining that the media asset relates to a real-life competition in which the real-life sports player participates.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising generating, for display on the display device, performance information that indicates the user'"'"'s performance in the fantasy sports contest.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, for display on the display device, fantasy sports contest information associated with the real-life sports player in conjunction with video for the media asset in response to determining that the media includes the real-life sports player.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the real-life sports player associated the real-life sports team in the fantasy sports contest in which the user participates; and

adding the real-life sports player to the user'"'"'s fantasy team roster.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

determine that an event has occurred in the media asset if it is determined that the media asset includes the real-life sports player; and

generate, for display on the display device, an overlay on top of the media asset, wherein the overlay includes fantasy sports contest information associated with the event in response to the determination that the event has occurred.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the event corresponds to an accumulation of a statistic by the real-life player, wherein the statistic affects the user'"'"'s performance in the fantasy sports contest.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein information associated with the event comprises displaying information that indicates a number of fantasy sports points that the user has received as a result of the event.

11. A system for using an interactive media guidance application to generate media listings, the system comprising:

storage circuitry for storing a database listing real-life player rosters; and

control circuitry configured to;

receive packets of program guide data for currently broadcast media assets;

cross-reference the packets of program guide data with a database listing real-life player rosters to generate an output of real-life sports players included in the media assets;

compare a user'"'"'s fantasy sports team roster to real-life sports players in the identified media assets;

identify, based on the comparison, a media asset from the currently broadcast media assets that includes a real-life sports player included in the user'"'"'s fantasy team roster; and

generate, for display on a display device, a listing for the media asset, in response to determining that the media asset includes the real-life sports player.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to automatically record the media asset in response to determining that the media asset includes the real-life sports player.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

determine a number of real-life sports players included in the media asset that are also included in the user'"'"'s fantasy team roster; and

determine whether to schedule the media asset for automatic recording based on the number.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein determining that the media asset includes the real-life sports player comprises determining that the media asset relates to a real-life competition in which the real-life sports player participates.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising control circuitry configured to generate, for display on the display device, performance information that indicates the user'"'"'s performance in the fantasy sports contest.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

generate, for display on the display device, fantasy sports contest information associated with the real-life sports player in conjunction with video for the media asset in response to determining that the media includes the real-life sports player.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

receive a user selection of the real-life sports player associated the real-life sports team in the fantasy sports contest in which the user participates; and

add the real-life sports player to the user'"'"'s fantasy team roster.