Method and system for displaying panel advertisements in an electronic program guide

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 television 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 . A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement in a horizontal relation to the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user's selection of a television schedule information item.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed advertisement is interactive.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed plurality of television schedule information items includes the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to one or more of a product and a service.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising ordering the one or more of a product and a service by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising displaying additional information about the advertisement when the displayed interactive advertisement is selected by a user.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a television program.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising tuning to the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising scheduling a recording of the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a pay television program.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising ordering the pay television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         14 . A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement in a vertical relationship to the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user's selection of a television schedule information item.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed advertisement is interactive.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed plurality of television schedule information items includes the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to one or more of a product and a service.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising ordering the one or more of a product and a service by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising displaying additional information about the advertisement when the displayed interactive advertisement is selected by a user.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a television program.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising tuning to the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising scheduling a recording of the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a pay television program.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising ordering the pay television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         27 . A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display, wherein the plurality of television schedule information items are displayed in a program information region of the display having a vertical height;    selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement substantially horizontally with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items, wherein the selected advertisement is displayed substantially within the vertical height of the program information region of the display.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user's selection of a television schedule information item.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the displayed plurality of television schedule information items includes the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the displayed advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to one or more of a product and a service.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising ordering the one or more of a product and a service by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising displaying additional information about the advertisement when the displayed advertisement is selected by a user.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a television program.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising tuning to the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising scheduling a recording of the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a pay television program.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising ordering the pay television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         39 . A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement substantially horizontally with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items in a substantially square area.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user's selection of a television schedule information item.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the displayed plurality of television schedule information items includes the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the displayed advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to one or more of a product and a service.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising ordering the one or more of a product and a service by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising displaying additional information about the advertisement when the displayed advertisement is selected by a user.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a television program.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising tuning to the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising scheduling a recording of the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a pay television program.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising ordering the pay television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         51 . A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement,    wherein the selected advertisement is displayed substantially horizontally aligned with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user's selection of a television schedule information item.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the displayed plurality of television schedule information items includes the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the displayed advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to one or more of a product and a service.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising ordering the one or more of a product and a service by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising displaying additional information about the advertisement when the displayed advertisement is selected by a user.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a television program.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising tuning to the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising scheduling a recording of the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a pay television program.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising ordering the pay television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         63 . A method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement substantially horizontally with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items in a rectangular area having a substantially larger vertical length than a horizontal width.    
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements is being made independent of a user's selection of a television schedule information item.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the displayed plurality of television schedule information items includes the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the displayed advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to one or more of a product and a service.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , further comprising ordering the one or more of a product and a service by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising displaying additional information about the advertisement when the displayed advertisement is selected by a user.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a television program.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , further comprising tuning to the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 70 , further comprising scheduling a recording of the television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the displayed advertisement is related to a pay television program.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , further comprising ordering the pay television program by selecting the displayed advertisement.  
     
     
         75 . A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement in a horizontal relation to the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.    
     
     
         76 . A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement in a vertical relationship to the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.    
     
     
         77 . A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display, wherein the plurality of television schedule information items are displayed in a program information region of the display having a vertical height;    means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement substantially horizontally with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items, wherein the selected advertisement is displayed substantially within the vertical height of the program information region of the display.    
     
     
         78 . A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement substantially horizontally with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items in a substantially square area.    
     
     
         79 . A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement, wherein the selected advertisement is displayed substantially horizontally aligned with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items.    
     
     
         80 . A system for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG), comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in a display that indicates the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items;    means for selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements; and    means for simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement substantially horizontally with the displayed plurality of television schedule information items in a rectangular area having a substantially larger vertical length than a horizontal width.