US6008802A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for automatically performing a function based on the reception of information corresponding to broadcast data
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 1998-01-05
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Granted: 1999-12-28
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Expires: 2018-01-05
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus for automatically performing a function based on the reception of information corresponding to broadcast data is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a receiver to receive information corresponding to broadcast data, a control logic to compare the information to target data, and a programming guide to store programming information. The control logic accesses the programming guide if at least a portion of the information matches at least a portion of the target data. The control logic then performs a predetermined function based on accessing the programming guide.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Goldschmidt Iki
- 👤 Anthony A. Shah
- 👤 Kenneth Alan Moore
- 👤 David N. Hackson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:24
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/482; H04N21/43; H04N21/435; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/454; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/84; H04N21/845; H04N21/8456; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0887; H04N5/765; H04N5/77; H04N5/775
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A method comprising: receiving program data independent of a programming guide corresponding to broadcast data; comparing the program data to search criteria to determine a matched set of target data, wherein at least a portion of the searched program data matches at least a portion of the search criteria; accessing scheduling information in a programming guide after determining the matched set of target data; identifying a predetermined function to be performed based on the accessing; and performing the predetermined function.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
80 words
A method comprising: receiving program data independent of a programming guide corresponding to broadcast data; comparing the program data to search criteria to determine a matched set of target data, wherein at least a portion of the searched program data matches at least a portion of the search criteria; accessing scheduling information in a programming guide after determining the matched set of target data; identifying a predetermined function to be performed based on the accessing; and performing the predetermined function.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the received information includes at least one of closed caption data, Intercast™ data, audio data, and video data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the searched program data is received from at least one of vertical blanking intervals, a digital channel, internet access, and telephone access.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the programming guide comprises data provided from at least one of vertical blanking intervals, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a digital channel, internet access, and telephone access.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the programming guide indicates at least a time and a channel for at least one segment of at least one program, wherein the programming guide is updateable on a selectable update-interval.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the programming guide includes identifying at least one segment of at least one program currently being received which corresponds to the matched set of target data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the programming guide includes identifying at least one segment of at least one program scheduled in the future which corresponds to the matched set of target data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 1, wherein performing the predetermined function comprises at least one of: displaying at least one segment of at least one program; recording at least one segment of at least one program; blocking reception of at least one segment of at least one program; and alerting a user to at least one segment of at least one program.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the search criteria, the predetermined function, and a set of programming guide information are determined based on a user profile.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the searched information, the search criteria, and a set of programming guide information are received via a different source or channel from that of the corresponding broadcast data.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
87 words
An apparatus comprising: a receiver to receive program data independent of a programming guide corresponding to broadcast data; a control logic, coupled to the receiver, to compare the program data to search criteria; and a programming guide, coupled to the control logic, to store programming information wherein the control logic is to access scheduling information in the programming guide if at least a portion of the searched program data matches at least a portion of the search criteria, and perform a predetermined function based on the access.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
87 words
An apparatus comprising: a receiver to receive program data independent of a programming guide corresponding to broadcast data; a control logic, coupled to the receiver, to compare the program data to search criteria; and a programming guide, coupled to the control logic, to store programming information wherein the control logic is to access scheduling information in the programming guide if at least a portion of the searched program data matches at least a portion of the search criteria, and perform a predetermined function based on the access.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the searched program data includes at least one of closed caption data, Intercast™ data, audio data, and video data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the searched program data is provided from at least one of vertical blanking intervals, a digital channel, internet access, and telephone access.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the programming guide comprises data provided from at least one of vertical blanking intervals, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a digital channel, internet access, and telephone access.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the programming guide indicates at least a time and a channel for at least one segment of at least one program, wherein the programming guide is updated on at least one of a monthly basis, a weekly basis, an hourly basis, a half-hourly basis, a minute-by-minute basis, and a second-by-second basis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control logic is to access the programming guide to identify at least one segment of at least one program currently being received which corresponds to the matched portion of search criteria.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control logic is to access the programming guide to identify at least one segment of at least one program scheduled in the future which corresponds to the matched portion of search criteria.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the predetermined function includes at least one of displaying at least one segment of at least one program, recording at least one segment of at least one program, blocking reception of at least one segment of at least one program, and alerting a user to at least one segment of at least one program.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the search criteria, the predetermined function, and a set of programming guide information are determined based on a user profile.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control logic comprises: a storage medium to store at least one of the search criteria, the predetermined function, a set of programming guide information, and a user profile; and a user interface through which a user can manipulate at least one of the search criteria, the predetermined function, the set of programming guide information, and the user profile.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
104 words
A machine-readable storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for use by a processor, wherein the plurality of programming instructions implements the method of: receiving program data independent of a programming guide corresponding to broadcast data; comparing the program data to search criteria to determine a matched set of target data, wherein at least a portion of the searched program data matches at least a portion of the search criteria; accessing scheduling information in a programming guide after determining the matched set of target data; identifying a predetermined function to be performed based on the accessing; and performing the predetermined function.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
104 words
A machine-readable storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions for use by a processor, wherein the plurality of programming instructions implements the method of: receiving program data independent of a programming guide corresponding to broadcast data; comparing the program data to search criteria to determine a matched set of target data, wherein at least a portion of the searched program data matches at least a portion of the search criteria; accessing scheduling information in a programming guide after determining the matched set of target data; identifying a predetermined function to be performed based on the accessing; and performing the predetermined function.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein receiving information comprises receiving at least one of closed caption data, Intercast™ data, audio data, and video data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the searched program data is received from at least one of vertical blanking intervals, a digital channel, internet access, and telephone access.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the programming guide comprises data provided from at least one of vertical blanking intervals, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, a digital channel, internet access, and telephone access.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the programming guide indicates at least a time and a channel for at least one segment of at least one program, wherein the programming guide is updateable on a selectable update-interval.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein accessing scheduling information in the programming guide comprises identifying at least one segment of at least one program currently being received which corresponds to the matched set of target data.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein accessing scheduling information in the programming guide comprises identifying at least one segment of at least one program scheduled in the future which corresponds to the matched set of target data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
63 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein performing the predetermined function comprises at least one of: displaying at least one segment of at least one program; recording at least one segment of at least one program; blocking reception of at least one segment of at least one program; and alerting a user to at least one segment of at least one program.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the search criteria, the predetermined function, and a set of programming guide information are determined based on a user profile.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the searched program data, the search criteria, and a set of programming guide information are received via a different source or channel from that of the corresponding broadcast data.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
101 words
A system comprising: at least one system component to receive broadcasts via at least one input, wherein broadcasts include subsidiary information; a storage medium, coupled to the at least one system component, to store at least one of search criteria, a predetermined function, a programming guide, and a user profile; and a processor, coupled to the storage medium, to compare the subsidiary information to the search criteria, access scheduling information in the programming guide if at least a portion of the subsidiary information matches at least a portion of the search criteria, and perform the predetermined function based on the access.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
101 words
A system comprising: at least one system component to receive broadcasts via at least one input, wherein broadcasts include subsidiary information; a storage medium, coupled to the at least one system component, to store at least one of search criteria, a predetermined function, a programming guide, and a user profile; and a processor, coupled to the storage medium, to compare the subsidiary information to the search criteria, access scheduling information in the programming guide if at least a portion of the subsidiary information matches at least a portion of the search criteria, and perform the predetermined function based on the access.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-12-27 | 2003-06-28 | 2003-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-12-27 | 2007-06-28 | 2007-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-12-27 | 2011-06-28 | 2011-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |