Electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time

Abstract

A system is disclosed for delivering information, preferably electronic television program guide information, to a user over a telecommunications network. The network includes the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, and the information is received and stored at a user site when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition. Information is delivered from a guide provider to a phone company switch point over a land-based or wireless dedicated line. When the user's phone is on-hook, the guide data is sent to the user site through a splitter. The line splitter provides the signal to a data decoder circuit, the output of which is connected to a data input terminal in communication with a television receiver, VCR, cable box, or other piece of equipment for displaying the program guide data on a screen. The invention is capable of delivering complete program guide data to a user in spite of data interruptions due to telephone calls. The program schedule data is preferably transmitted as n serial packets of information, and the sequence of packets is repeated several times each day.

1. A method of providing electronic television program guide information to a user over a telecommunications network including the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing television program guide information at a provider site on the network; 
 repetitively transmitting the information over the network regardless of whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition; 
 receiving at least a portion of the information at a user site when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition; 
 storing the received information at the user site; and 
 updating the information as it is received. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of displaying the information at the user site. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 encoding the information at the provider site prior to transmitting; and 
 decoding the information at the user site. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of simultaneously transmitting the information to a plurality of user sites. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of delivering the information to a user site over the network in wireless fashion. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , including the step of repeating the transmission of the information to maximize the amount of information delivered to the user in the event of an off-hook or other network interruption. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of:
 transmitting the information in the form of serial data packets; and 
 reconstructing the packets at the user site. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of:
 encrypting the information prior to transmission; and 
 decrypting the information at the user site. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of filtering out voice or data signals received over the network when the user's connection is in an off-hook condition. 
     
     
       10. A system for providing information to a user in electronic form over a telecommunications network, the network including the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, the system comprising:
 an information provider including a database for storing the information and an interface enabling requested information to be repetitively delivered over the telecommunications network regardless of whether user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition; and 
 a user site including a storage device and a splitter interfaced to the network for routing the information from the provider to the storage device and updating the information when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the information relates to a television program. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the information is television program schedule information. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the user site further includes a television display; and 
 the storage device is interfaced to the television display enabling the user to view the program schedule information. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the information is delivered in encoded form; and 
 the user site includes a decoder to decode the information. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , further including:
 a plurality of user sites, each equipped with a splitter interfaced to the network for receiving the information from the provider. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the network is wireless. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the transmission of the information is repeated to maximize the amount of information delivered to the user in the event of an off-hook or other network interruption. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the information is transmitted in the form of serial data packets which are reconstructed at the user's site. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 10 , further including circuitry to the user's site for filtering out voice or data signals received over the network when the user's connection is in an off-hook conditions. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the information is encrypted using a time-dependent code. 
     
     
       21. A method of transmitting electronic television program guide information, comprising:
 receiving television program guide information at a switching center of a telecommunications network; and   repetitively transmitting the television program guide information over the telecommunications network to a user device regardless of whether the user device's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition,   wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and   wherein the user device is configured to:   in the non-idle condition, determine that data reception is interrupted and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection; and   in the idle condition, determine that data reception has resumed and store at least a portion of the television program guide information and update the television program guide information as it is received.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, further comprising simultaneously transmitting the television program guide information to a plurality of user devices regardless of whether the user devices' connections to the network are in idle or non-idle conditions. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting the information in the form of serial data packets operable for reconstructing the packets at the user device. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21, further comprising encrypting the television program guide information prior to transmission. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21 wherein said repetitively transmitting is performed over a land-network. 
     
     
       26. A system for transmitting electronic television program guide information, comprising:
 a switching center associated with a telecommunications network and configured to receive television program guide information;   said switching center being further configured to repetitively transmit the television program guide information over the telecommunications network to a user device regardless of whether the user device's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition, wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and   wherein the user device being configured to:   in the non-idle condition, determine that data reception is interrupted and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection; and   in the idle condition, determine that data reception has resumed and store at least a portion of the television program guide information and update the television program guide information as it is received.   
     
     
       27. The system of claim 26 wherein the information is delivered in encoded form. 
     
     
       28. The system of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the network is wireless. 
     
     
       29. The system of claim 28, wherein the information is transmitted in the form of serial data packets operable for reconstructing the packets at the user device. 
     
     
       30. The system of claim 26, wherein the information is encrypted using a time-dependent code. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 26, wherein the television program guide is received over a wireless network. 
     
     
       32. A method of receiving electronic television program guide information, comprising:
 receiving, at a user device, television program guide information from a switching center that is repetitively broadcast over a telecommunications network regardless of whether the user device's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition, wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and wherein the user device is configured to determine that data reception is interrupted during the non-idle condition and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection;   determining that data reception has resumed and storing at least a portion of the received television program guide information at the user device while the user device's connection to the network is in an idle condition; and   updating the television program guide information at the user device as it is received.   
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32, further comprising displaying the television program guide information. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 32, further comprising decoding the television program guide information. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 32, wherein the television program guide information is received in the form of serial data packets; further comprising reconstructing the packets at the user device. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 32, further comprising decrypting the television program guide information at the user site. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 32, further comprising filtering out voice or data signals received over the network when the user device's connection is in a not idle condition. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 32 wherein the television program guide is received over a land network. 
     
     
       39. A system for receiving electronic television program guide information, comprising:
 means for receiving television program guide information that is repetitively broadcast from a switching center over a telecommunications network regardless of whether the system's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition, wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and wherein the user device is configured to determine that data reception is interrupted and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection;   means for storing and updating the received television program guide information as it is received; and   means for routing at least a portion of the received television program guide information to the means for storing while the system's connection to the network is determined to be in an idle condition.   
     
     
       40. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for displaying the television program guide information. 
     
     
       41. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for decoding the received television program guide information. 
     
     
       42. The system of claim 39, wherein at least a portion of the network is wireless. 
     
     
       43. The system of claim 39, wherein the television program guide information is received in the form of serial data packets, further comprising means for reconstructing the television program guide information. 
     
     
       44. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for filtering out voice or data signals received over the network when the system's connection is in an idle condition. 
     
     
       45. The system of claim 39, wherein the television program guide information is encrypted using a time-dependent code, further comprising means for decrypting the television program guide information.