Interactive computer system for providing television schedule information

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing 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 and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An interactive program guide (IPG) comprising: 
 a database electrically coupled to a first network for storing television schedule information;    a television tuner electrically coupled to a second network, wherein the second network is in communication with the first network;    a display monitor electrically coupled to the second network;    a storage device electrically coupled to the second network for storing television programs;    an input device electrically coupled to the second network for receiving user inputs; and    a processor electrically coupled to the second network programmed for accessing the database to display a portion of the television schedule information on the display monitor in a guide format and for controlling the storage device to store a television program selected from the displayed television schedule information.    
     
     
         2 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the first network is the Internet.  
     
     
         3 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the second network is a home network.  
     
     
         4 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the first network and the second network are both parts of the Internet.  
     
     
         5 . The IPG of  claim 2 , wherein the database is accessible via a web site.  
     
     
         6 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device is a VCR.  
     
     
         7 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device is a digital storage device.  
     
     
         8 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the selected television program is a future television program.  
     
     
         9 . The IPG of  claim 1 , wherein the selected television program is a current television program.  
     
     
         10 . The IPG of  claim 1 , further comprising means for controlling the television tuner to tune to the selected television program.  
     
     
         11 . The IPG of  claim 10 , wherein the selected television program is a future television program.  
     
     
         12 . The IPG of  claim 10 , wherein the selected television program is a current television program.  
     
     
         13 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a second database electrically coupled to the second network and accessible from the IPG for providing previews of upcoming programs.  
     
     
         14 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising an icon displayed on the display for establishing a link to a product database for purchasing a product.  
     
     
         15 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising an icon displayed within the IPG for establishing a link to a service provider database for information independent of the user's program choice.  
     
     
         16 . The IPG of  claim 15  wherein, the service provider database includes one or more of news, whether, sports, scores, financial data, and local traffic.  
     
     
         17 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a virtual agent for automatically searching the first network and providing pointers to locations in the first network based on preferences of the user.  
     
     
         18 . The IPG of  claim 17  wherein, the virtual agent learns from previous user choices for customizing the IPG for each particular user.  
     
     
         19 . The IPG of  claim 2  further comprising a chatroom Internet site related to a selected program.  
     
     
         20 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a section for providing information about a particular future program.  
     
     
         21 . The IPG of  claim 20  wherein, the information about a particular future program includes one or more of a picture, video, and descriptive text.  
     
     
         22 . The IPG of  claim 20  wherein, the section for providing information about a particular future program is interactive in response to the user input.  
     
     
         23 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a second database electrically coupled to the second network and accessible from the IPG for providing advertisements.  
     
     
         24 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a second database electrically coupled to the second network and accessible from the IPG for storing television programs; means for retrieving a stored television program; and means for storing the retrieved television program in the storage device.  
     
     
         25 . A method for displaying an interactive program guide (IPG) comprising the steps of: 
 storing television schedule information in a database electrically coupled to a first network;    accessing the database to display a portion of the television schedule information in a guide on a display monitor electrically coupled to a second network, wherein the second network is in communication with the first network;    receiving user inputs via an input device electrically coupled to the second network;    tuning a television tuner electrically coupled to the second network to a television program selected from the displayed television schedule information; and    controlling a storage device electrically coupled to the second network for storing a television program selected from the displayed television schedule information.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first network is the Internet.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the second network is a home network.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first network and the second network are both parts of the Internet.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the accessing step comprises accessing the database via a web site.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the storage device is a VCR.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the storage device is a digital storage device.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the selected television program is a future television program.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the selected television program is a current television program.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the step of displaying previews of upcoming programs from a second database electrically coupled to the second network and accessible from the IPG.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the step of displaying an icon for establishing a link to a product database for purchasing a product.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the step of displaying an icon within the schedule guide for establishing a link to a service provider database for information independent of the user's program choice.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the step of automatically searching the first network and providing pointers to locations in the first network based on preferences of the user.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the steps of learning from previous user choices and customizing the display of the schedule guide for each particular user.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the steps of establishing a link to a chatroom Internet site related to a selected program and entering the chatroom.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the step of providing information about a particular future program wherein, the information includes one or more of a picture, video, and descriptive text.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the steps of: 
 storing television programs in a second database electrically coupled to the second network and accessible from the IPG;  
 retrieving a stored television program; and  
 storing the retrieved television program in the storage device.  
 
     
     
         42 . A networked television schedule system comprising: 
 a database accessible via the Internet for storing television schedule information;    a television tuner electrically coupled to a network, wherein the network is in communication with the Internet;    a storage device electrically coupled to the network for storing television programs received from the network; and    a processor electrically coupled to the network programmed for accessing the database to display a portion of the television schedule information on a display monitor and for controlling the storage device to store via the network a television program selected from the displayed television schedule information.    
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the network is a home network.  
     
     
         44 . The System of  claim 41 , wherein the network is a part of the Internet.  
     
     
         45 . The System of  claim 41 , wherein the database is accessible via a web site.  
     
     
         46 . The System of  claim 41 , wherein the storage device is a digital storage device.  
     
     
         47 . The System of  claim 41 , wherein the selected television program is a future television program.