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Systems and methods for contextually linking television program information

Systems and methods for contextually linking television program information description/claims

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/837,298, filed on Apr. 11, 1997, which claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60/022,826, filed on Jul. 26, 1996, and 60/015,648, filed on Apr. 19, 1996, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/537,650, filed on Oct. 2, 1995, the complete disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/837,025, filed Apr. 11, 1997, and its Appendices A, B, and C, the complete disclosure which is also incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for providing information to television viewers, and more particularly to systems and methods for allowing the viewer to retrieve, search, select and interact with television schedule information located in a remote database, computer network or on-line service, e.g., a network server on the Internet or World Wide Web.

As the number of television stations in a metropolitan area or on a cable network has increased, the number of programs of potential interest that are presented to a viewer has risen dramatically. With the use of dish antennas capable of receiving direct satellite signals, the multitude of programs available to the viewer has further increased. Consequently, television schedule systems that are provided directly on the viewer's television screen have been developed to assist the viewer in sorting through these various programs and determining which programs to watch or record. One such television schedule system is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,121 (Young et al.), the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In one embodiment of Young, the television schedule includes a series of menu screens having an array of cells corresponding to different television programs. The viewer may scroll through the cells to view which television programs are being presented on various channels at various times. In addition, the viewer may select certain cells to obtain more information on the associated program or to pull up other submenus with additional options.

The recent development of television schedule systems, such as the above described patent to Young, have created many new challenges and opportunities. One such challenge and opportunity is to provide viewers with additional information associated with a particular program in the television guide. As a television viewer is browsing through the television programs, he or she may wish to obtain more information relating to specific areas of interest or concerns associated with the show, such as the actors, actresses, other movies released during the same time period, or travel packages or promotions that may be available through primary, secondary or third party vendors. Offering this type of information to the television viewer can be difficult, however, because their are hundreds of different programs broadcast every day. In addition, the available information changes at a rapid pace, which makes it even more difficult to provide this information in present television schedule guides.

In television broadcasting, it may also be desirable to interact with the viewer. There are many commercials and programs which request viewer action such as purchasing an advertised product, making a monetary contribution, responding to a survey, answering a question, or participating in contests with other viewers, for example. One problem with this existing system is that it is often difficult to motivate a viewer to request information or send in a contribution after the broadcast of the commercial or program. Viewers will often forget the advertisement or simply lose motivation to spend money or request information after the commercial or program is over. Another problem is that companies sponsoring these commercials or programs would often like to provide their viewers with further information, if the viewers could be identified or if the viewer requests the additional information. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a ready and efficient method to facilitate an exchange of information between television viewers and producers, promoters and advertisers during the broadcast of the commercial or program.

The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule information on a visual interface, and for allowing the viewer to retrieve, search, select and interact with information located in a remote database, computer network or on-line service, such as a network server on the Internet or World Wide Web. The television schedule information can be displayed on a variety of visual interfaces, such as televisions 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 or computer network to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV. The present invention also provides systems and methods for allowing the viewer to navigate and interact with a program guide that is displayed, for example, on the viewer's television screen. The program guide will usually include a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day, week or month. With an input device, such as a remote control device, pointing device, mouse, keyboard, microphone or the like, the viewer can browse through the schedule information area and/or obtain more information about programs of particular interest.

In one embodiment, the invention provides an interactive television schedule and/or listing information system which can access television schedule and/or listing information from remote databases or network servers, such as the Internet or World Wide Web, and provide user access to these databases and servers. Access to computer networks may be provided without tying up any phone lines, and without the need for a personal computer (e.g., an “NC” or Network Computer). In a preferred configuration, a cable modem located within a cable system provides access to the Internet. A memory within the cable system stores a computer program and any data received from the cable modem, such as the television schedule information. The cable system further include a processor, which uses the computer program to organize the television schedule information into a desired format. The television schedule information is then displayed on a television screen, computer monitor, PCTV and other interactive display devices in the desired format.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a system and method for allowing the user to contextually link with a remote database, network server or on-line service, and search, select, and/or initiate a subscription to more information relating to specific areas of interest or concerns associated with a program in the television schedule information system. In this embodiment, the system includes a viewer interface having a display for displaying television schedule and/or listing information to a viewer, a data line coupled to the display for communicating with an external computer network, and a memory having software for retrieving linking data from the computer network. Preferably, the linking data is contextually related to information in the television schedule guide, such as a program's title or content. The external computer network will preferably include the Internet, the World Wide Web and other existing network servers. In this way, the user of the television schedule system may conduct a comprehensive search for information and/or related products, offers, and services about a particular program/television show or for information and/or related products, offers, and services relating to the show, the actors, the actresses, and show's theme and the like.

In another embodiment of the invention, a system and method is provided for contextually recording television programs that are listed as a user's “favorite” or in some other category. In this embodiment, a user identifies to the system (or the system automatically identifies) favorite subject matters, actors, actresses, etc. For example, the user may input into the system that he/she likes Jerry Seinfeld. Thereafter, the system tags any program it finds where Jerry Seinfeld is involved (i.e., he is a guest on the Tonight Show). In addition to tagging the show, according to this embodiment of the invention, the system will automatically program the VCR to record any or all of the shows with that tag. The user may then view the contextually recorded programs at any time he or she desires. Thus, the system will constantly search for any show that includes Jerry Seinfeld and record that show, episode, or only the portion of the show that involves Jerry Seinfeld. The user will then have a list of all the shows or some of the shows that feature Jerry Seinfeld and can view these shows at his or her leisure.

In another embodiment of the invention, a system and method is provided for accessing television schedule and/or listing information from one or more file servers on a computer network, such as the Internet or the World Wide Web. The television information guide may be accessed and viewed through a computer system, a television system, a PCTV, or a simple display coupled to a communication link, such as a telephone line or the like. The television schedule guide will preferably be stored as one or more files (e.g., websites or internet broadcast transmitters) on one or more file servers that are connected to each other on a network, which can be accessed by any viewer having access to the network. The television schedule guide or websites or internet broadcast transmitters may be configured for viewing and interacting with television information directly on-line, or it may be configured for downloading the information and/or information-processing/facilitating applet or application into a local processor coupled to the viewer interface. The guide or website will provide listing information for all channels and/or sources in the viewer's local cable line-up or available sources. The websites or internet broadcast transmitters may also be capable of creating personalized TV listings with search and sort features that allow the viewer to call up or be presented with favorite programming choices based on categories, such as channel, day actor, movie genre or other desired categories.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a representative interactive computer system coupled to a television system.

FIG. 2 illustrates another exemplary television system for use with an electronic program guide according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic hardware unit utilized to perform the electronic on-screen schedule display and other functions for the electronic program guide of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a hierarchical structure of a database for the electronic hardware unit of FIG. 3.

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