US2012272270A1PendingUtilityA1

Internet television program guide system

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Assignee: BOYER FRANKLIN EPriority: Dec 10, 1996Filed: Jul 2, 2012Published: Oct 25, 2012
Est. expiryDec 10, 2016(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Franklin E. BoyerTimothy B. DemersDonald W. AllisonMark A. RegoubySteven C. WilliamsonJoanna L. HensleyW. Benjamin HerringtonPaul N. Reddy
H04N 5/445H04N 21/8586H04N 21/4725H04N 21/47H04N 21/478H04N 21/4782H04N 21/435H04N 21/6175H04N 21/26283H04N 21/4381H04N 21/8153H04N 21/64322H04N 21/8549H04N 21/47211H04N 7/163H04N 21/84H04N 21/4821H04N 7/17318H04N 21/4316H04N 21/482H04N 21/4622H04N 21/4828H04N 5/45H04N 21/235H04N 21/6125
55
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Claims

Abstract

An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access information related to television programs over an Internet communications link. The user can view television program guide listings and related video stills and video clips. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings (e.g., to search for a particular type of television program). If desired, the user can select an option that directs the multimedia system to tune directly to a television channel for a selected program or to a related television program guide or movie guide service on a television channel. The user can order pay-per-view events using the system.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . A web server for providing customized program guide services to a user of the Internet in the form of multiple web pages of program listings and program information to a user's multimedia system, the web server configured to:
 receive registration information including an e-mail address from the user via a registration web page generated by the web server;   generate a customized web page of selectable program listings based on the registration information;   receive a user request to access the customized web page of selectable program listings over the Internet;   receive a user selection of a program listing from the customized web page of selectable program listings; and   generate a program information web page for the selected program listing in response to the user selecting the program listing.   
     
     
         82 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the registration information further includes at least one of a local geographic area and a city for the user. 
     
     
         83 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a pick again web page when program listings are not available based on the registration information.   
     
     
         84 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the generated web pages include a selectable advertisement. 
     
     
         85 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the web server is further configured to:
 generate a web page having a selectable record option for allowing users to record a program selected from the web page of program listings.   
     
     
         86 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the web server is further configured to:
 generate a display of a program guide option; and   transmit a program guide menu web page in response to the user selecting the program guide option.   
     
     
         87 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the web server is further configured to:
 generate a display of a direct tune option when a selected program is currently being broadcast; and   tune to the channel for the selected program in response to the user selecting the direct tune option.   
     
     
         88 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the web server is further configured to:
 generate a display of a selectable option to arrange the program listings by one of time, channel, and category.   
     
     
         89 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the web server is further configured to:
 receive a user request to search for program listings based on a user-defined criteria including one or more of a title, an actor, a category, a description, and a rating.   
     
     
         90 . The server defined in  claim 81 , wherein the web server is further configured to:
 generate a hot picks web page having selectable hot picks images for media clips that are available.   
     
     
         91 . A method for configuring a web server to display customized program guide services to a user of the Internet in the form of multiple web pages of program listings and program information, the method comprising:
 receiving registration information including an e-mail address from the user via a registration web page generated by the web server;   generating a customized web page of selectable program listings based on the registration information;   receiving a user request to access the customized web page of selectable program listings over the Internet;   receiving a user selection of a program listing from the customized web page of selectable program listings; and   generating a program information web page for the selected program listing in response to the user selecting the program listing.   
     
     
         92 . The method defined in  claim 91 , wherein the registration information further includes at least one of a local geographic area and a city for the user. 
     
     
         93 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 generating a pick again web page when program listings are not available based on the registration information.   
     
     
         94 . The method defined in  claim 91 , wherein the generated web pages include selectable advertisements. 
     
     
         95 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 generating a web page having a selectable record option for allowing users to record a program selected from the web page of program listings.   
     
     
         96 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 generating a display of a program guide option; and   transmitting a program guide menu web page in response to the user selecting the program guide option.   
     
     
         97 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 generating a display of a direct tune option when a selected program is currently being broadcast; and   tuning to the channel for the selected program in response to the user selecting the direct tune option.   
     
     
         98 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 generating a display of a selectable option to arrange the program listings by one of time, channel, and category.   
     
     
         99 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 receiving a user request to search for program listings based on a user-defined criteria including one or more of a title, an actor, a category, a description, and a rating.   
     
     
         100 . The method defined in  claim 91 , further comprising:
 generating a hot picks web page having selectable hot picks images for media clips that are available.

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