US2008086745A1PendingUtilityA1

Program guide system with advertisements

57
Assignee: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES INCPriority: Apr 30, 1998Filed: Sep 14, 2007Published: Apr 10, 2008
Est. expiryApr 30, 2018(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Edward B. KnudsonJoel G. HassellConnie T. MarshallThomas R. LemmonsSteven J. ReynoldsRobert A. KneeKenneth F. Carpenter, Jr.William L. ThomasW. Benjamin HerringtonSteven C. WilliamsonMichael D. EllisDonald W. Allison
H04N 7/17318H04N 21/4725H04N 21/812G06Q 30/02H04N 21/4221H04N 21/482H04N 21/478H04N 21/4316H04N 21/4821H04N 21/47202H04N 21/4722H04N 21/47815H04N 21/4532H04N 21/475H04N 21/431H04N 21/47
57
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

An interactive television program guide is provided in which advertisements may be displayed on program guide screens. Banner advertisements may be displayed above and below program listings. Panel advertisements may be provided adjacent to program listings. The advertisements may contain video. The advertisements may be used to promote television programs and conventional goods and services. When a user selects an advertisement, the program guide provides the user with an opportunity to order products or services, request information, set reminders for upcoming programs, view program descriptions, record programs, or take other such actions. Embedded advertisements may be provided within the program listings region and may be automatically displayed immediately adjacent to related program listings.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 64 . (canceled)  
     
     
         65 . A system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment comprising: 
 means for presenting a program guide screen containing a program listings region with the interactive television program guide;    means for presenting at least one panel advertisement adjacent to the program listings region;    means for displaying an embedded advertisement in the program listings region;    means for displaying a highlight; and    means for navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the panel advertisement using the embedded advertisement as a navigational bridge.    
     
     
         66 . (canceled)  
     
     
         67 . The system defined in  claim 65  further comprising: 
 means for navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the panel advertisement using a remote control navigation key other than a cursor key.    
     
     
         68 . The system defined in  claim 65  further comprising: 
 means for navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the panel advertisement using a cursor key.    
     
     
         69 - 100 . (canceled)  
     
     
         101 . A method for using an interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment, comprising the steps of: 
 presenting a program guide screen containing a program listings region with the interactive television program guide;    presenting at least one panel advertisement adjacent to the program listings region;    displaying an embedded advertisement in the program listings region;    displaying a highlight; and    navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the panel advertisement using the embedded advertisement as a navigational bridge.    
     
     
         102 . (canceled)  
     
     
         103 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of 
 navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the panel advertisement using a remote control navigation key other than a cursor key.    
     
     
         104 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of 
 navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the panel advertisement using a cursor key.    
     
     
         105 - 111 . (canceled)  
     
     
         112 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of implementing the interactive television program guide on a set-top box.  
     
     
         113 - 115 . (canceled)  
     
     
         116 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of presenting a selectable embedded advertisement in the program listings region, the program listings region containing upper program listings above the embedded advertisement and lower program listings below the embedded advertisement, wherein the user must navigate through the embedded advertisement in order to navigate from the upper program listings to the lower program listings.  
     
     
         117 - 118 . (canceled)  
     
     
         119 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of presenting an advertisement containing advertisement options on the program guide screen.  
     
     
         120 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to set a reminder when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         121 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to tune to a given channel when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         122 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to record a program when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         123 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to purchase a program when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         124 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to display program listings when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         125 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to display additional information when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         126 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to process an inquiry for additional information when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         127 . The method defined in  claim 101  wherein the step of presenting the panel advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable panel advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to purchase goods when the user selects the panel advertisement.  
     
     
         128 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of 
 scrolling the embedded advertisement together with the program listings in the program listings region.    
     
     
         129 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of 
 changing the position of the program listings in the program listings region without changing the position of the embedded advertisement within the program listings region.    
     
     
         130 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of introducing an embedded advertisement into the program listings region using animation.  
     
     
         131 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the steps of: 
 presenting selectable logos on the program guide screen; and    navigating the highlight from the program listings region to the selectable logos.    
     
     
         132 . (canceled)  
     
     
         133 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of cycling the content of the panel advertisements.  
     
     
         134 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the steps of: 
 cycling the content of the panel advertisements; and    providing a fade between the panel advertisements as they are cycled.    
     
     
         135 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of automatically displaying an embedded advertisement in the program listings region immediately adjacent to an associated one of the program listings in the program listings region.  
     
     
         136 . The method defined in  claim 101  further comprising the step of automatically displaying a selectable embedded advertisement in the program listings region immediately adjacent to an associated one of the program listings in the program listings region.  
     
     
         137 - 140 . (canceled)

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2008086745A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.