US6263501B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems and methods for linking television viewers with advertisers and broadcasters
Assignee: Star Sight
•
Filing: 1999-10-11
•
Granted: 2001-07-17
•
Expires: 2019-10-11
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule information to a viewer, and for allowing the viewer to link, search, select and interact with information in a remote database, e.g., a database on the internet. The television schedule information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as television screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven M. Schein
- 👤 Sean A. O'Brien
- 👤 James Jay Leftwich
- 👤 Susan Broughton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:49
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/443; H04N21/4435; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/236; H04N21/2362; H04N21/25; H04N21/258; H04N21/25866; H04N21/25891; H04N21/262; H04N21/2625; H04N21/26266; H04N21/41; H04N21/414; H04N21/4143; H04N21/422; H04N21/4227; H04N21/433; H04N21/4332; H04N21/4334; H04N21/434; H04N21/4345; H04N21/442; H04N21/44213; H04N21/44222; H04N21/44224; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/458; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/47202; H04N21/47214; H04N21/475; H04N21/4753; H04N21/4755; H04N21/478; H04N21/47815; H04N21/4782; H04N21/4786; H04N21/482; H04N21/4821; H04N21/4828; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/812; H04N21/8126; H04N21/8133; H04N21/83; H04N21/84; H04N21/85; H04N21/858; H04N21/8586; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0884; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/165; H04N21/42204; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N5/45; H04N5/765; H04N5/775
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
An interactive program guide having a display screen comprising: a database for storing television schedule information including television program titles; a display controller electrically coupled to the database for displaying some of the schedule information including television program titles on the screen; an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles; a processor for searching the Internet and identifying data contextually related to the selected program; a communication device for receiving the identified data contextually related to the selected program; and a controller for displaying the received data contextually related to the selected program on the screen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
An interactive program guide having a display screen comprising: a database for storing television schedule information including television program titles; a display controller electrically coupled to the database for displaying some of the schedule information including television program titles on the screen; an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles; a processor for searching the Internet and identifying data contextually related to the selected program; a communication device for receiving the identified data contextually related to the selected program; and a controller for displaying the received data contextually related to the selected program on the screen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The program guide of claim 1 wherein the database resides on one or more remote file servers accessible through a communication link.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The program guide of claim 2 wherein the communication link is Internet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The program guide of claim 1 further comprising: means for monitoring and storing user's selections of television programs; means for heuristically learning a user's preference according to the user's selections of television programs; and means for activating the program guide responsive to the stored user-preference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The program guide of claim 4 wherein means for learning a user-preference comprises means for storing a user-preference responsive to a user input.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The program guide of claim 4 wherein the user-preference is a television program.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The program guide of claim 4 wherein the user-preference is a theme for a plurality of television programs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The program guide of claim 6 wherein the activating means comprises means for reminding the user to view the preferred television program.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The program guide of claim 6 wherein the activating means comprises means for recording the preferred television program.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The program guide of claim 6 wherein the activating means comprises means for downloading a copy of the preferred television program to a digital storage medium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The program guide of claim 7 wherein the activating means comprises means for searching the schedule information; means for matching television programs having the same theme as the stored theme; and means for recording the matched television programs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The program guide of claim 7 wherein the activating means comprises means for searching the schedule information; means for matching television programs having the same theme as the stored theme; and means for downloading a copy of the matched television program to a digital storage medium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The program guide of claim 4 wherein the activating means comprises of means for adapting the schedule information displayed on the screen according to the user-preference.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
118 words
The program guide of claim 1 , further comprising: means for displaying preview programming for a future-scheduled television program; means for identifying a plurality of on-line services, databases, websites, or other sources of information having data contextually related to the future-scheduled television program; means for selecting an on-line service, database, website, or another source of information having data contextually related to the future-scheduled television programs from the identified plurality of on-line services, databases, websites, or other sources of information having data contextually related to the future-scheduled television program; means responsive to the on-line service selecting means for establishing a link to the selected on-line service; and means for displaying data from the linked on-line service on the screen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The program guide of claim 1 , further comprising means for storing and displaying advertisement data.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for managing and displaying information in an interactive television system having a display screen comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information including television program titles; displaying some of the schedule information including television program titles on the screen; selecting one of the displayed program titles; searching the Internet and identifying data contextually related to the selected program; receiving the identified data contextually related to the selected program; and displaying the received data contextually related to the selected program on the screen.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for managing and displaying information in an interactive television system having a display screen comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information including television program titles; displaying some of the schedule information including television program titles on the screen; selecting one of the displayed program titles; searching the Internet and identifying data contextually related to the selected program; receiving the identified data contextually related to the selected program; and displaying the received data contextually related to the selected program on the screen.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the storing step comprises storing television schedule information in a database residing on one or more remote file servers accessible through a communication link.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the communication link is Internet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of: monitoring and storing user's selections of television programs; heuristically learning a user's preference according to the user's selections of television programs; and activating the program guide responsive to the stored user-preference.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19 wherein learning a user-preference comprises storing a user-preference responsive to a user input.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the user-preference is a television program.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the user-preference is a theme for a plurality of television programs.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the activating step comprises reminding the user to view the preferred television program.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the activating step comprises recording the preferred television program.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the activating step comprises downloading a copy of the preferred television program to a digital storage medium.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the activating step comprises searching the schedule information; matching television programs having the same theme as the stored theme; and recording the matched television programs.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the activating step comprises searching the schedule information; matching television programs having the same theme as the stored theme; and downloading a copy of the matched television program to a digital storage medium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the contextually related data is advertisement data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the activating step comprises adapting the schedule information displayed on the screen according to the user-preference.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
107 words
The method of claim 16 , further comprising: displaying preview programming for a future-scheduled television program; identifying a plurality of on-line services, databases, websites, or other sources of information having data contextually related to the future-scheduled television program; selecting an on-line service, database, website, or another source of information having data contextually related to the future-scheduled television programs from the identified plurality of on-line services, databases, websites, or other sources of information having data contextually related to the future-scheduled television program; responsive to the on-line service selecting step, establishing a link to the selected on-line service; and displaying data from the linked on-line service on the screen.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 16 , further comprising storing and displaying advertisement data.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the contextually related data is one or more of selected television program actors, actresses, theme, other broadcast times, other broadcast sources, associated available products, and promotions.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
13 words
The program guide of claim 1 wherein the contextually related data is advertisement.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The program guide of claim 1 wherein the contextually related data is promotions.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
The program guide of claim 1 wherein the contextually related data is one or more of selected television program actors, actresses, theme, other broadcast times, other broadcast sources, and associated available products.
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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) | 2004-07-16 | 2005-01-15 | 2005-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-16 | 2009-01-15 | 2009-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-16 | 2013-01-15 | 2013-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |