IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,269,838
Granted Patent B1
US 7,269,838 · App. 09/891,494 · Granted Sep 11, 2007

Internet television program guide system with embedded real-time data

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,269,838
App. No.
09/891,494
Granted
Sep 11, 2007
Kind
B1
Abstract

An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access television program listings containing embedded real-time data over an Internet communications link. The television program listing may be for a sporting event that is currently being broadcast and the real-time data may be the current score of the event, the current weather where the event is taking place, or any other suitable real-time information on the event. The real-time data may be presented in the form of video stills, video clips, textual information, audio clips, or suitable combinations of such media. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings to search for a desired program. If desired, the user can obtain additional information on a selected program by accessing an associated web page.

Claims (43)

1. An Internet television program guide system for providing television program listings with real-time data embedded within the television program listings and additional real-time data to a user at a multimedia system over an Internet communications link, comprising:

a computer system for providing television program listings with real-time data embedded within the television program listings and additional real-time data, wherein said computer system comprises computer readable media for storing said television program listings with embedded real-time data and said additional real-time data; and

a web server for receiving the television program listings with embedded real-time data and the additional real-time data from the computer system, and for providing the television program listings with embedded real-time data and the additional real-time data to the multimedia system over the Internet communications link in response to a user request to access the television program listings, said multimedia system comprising computer readable media for:

receiving said television program listings with embedded real-time data and said additional real-time data,

displaying said television program listings,

automatically displaying said embedded real-time data with said television program listings in response to a user request to view all listings, and

in response to receiving a user selection of one of said television program listings with embedded real-time data, simultaneously displaying with the television program listings and embedded real-time data, in an area of the screen outside of the program listings, said additional real-time data, wherein said additional real-time data comprises textual information related to the selected television program listing.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises a media library containing video clips.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises a data server on which at least part of the program listings are stored.

4. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises means for receiving the real-time data from a real-time data processing facility.

5. The system defined in claim 4 wherein the real-time data processing facility supplies real-time sports scores.

6. The system defined in claim 4 wherein the real-time data processing facility supplies real-time weather data.

7. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises means for providing real-time data containing video images.

8. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises means for providing real-time data containing video clips.

9. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises means for providing real-time data containing audio clips.

10. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises means for providing real-time data containing combinations of textual information, video clips, video images, and audio clips.

11. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a go national option which the user selects to receive real-time data embedded within national television program listings.

12. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a go satellite option which the user selects to receive real-time data embedded within satellite television program listings.

13. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a go local option which the user selects to receive real-time data embedded within local television program listings.

14. The system defined in claim 13 further comprising means for selecting a locality for the local television program listings.

15. The system defined in claim 14 wherein the means for selecting a locality comprises means for accepting a zip code from which the locality is determined.

16. The system defined in claim 14 wherein the means for selecting a locality comprises means for selecting a local region from a map.

17. The system defined in claim 13 further comprising means for presenting a pick again web page when television program listings are not available for the selected locality.

18. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising:

means for providing a program guide option; and

means for presenting a program guide menu web page when the user selects the program guide option.

19. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a selectable option to arrange the television program listings by time.

20. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a selectable option to arrange the television program listings by channel.

21. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for providing a selectable option to arrange the television program listings by category.

22. The system defined in claim 21 wherein one of the categories is sports.

23. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for searching the television program listings.

24. The system defined in claim 23 further comprising means for searching the television program listings by title.

25. The system defined in claim 23 further comprising means for searching the television program listings by category.

26. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for allowing a user to select a given one of the television program listings with embedded real-time data.

27. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising means for providing supplemental information on the selected television program listing with embedded real-time data.

28. The system defined in claim 27 wherein the supplemental information is real-time information on same display screen.

29. The system defined in claim 27 wherein the supplemental information is real-time and non-real-time information on a web page.

30. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the computer system further comprises means for providing multimedia material associated with the television program selected by the user to the web server.

31. The system defined in claim 30 wherein the means for providing multimedia material comprises means for providing interview video segments.

32. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising a satellite transmission link between the computer system and the server.

33. The system defined in claim 1 wherein:

the Internet communications link comprises a telephone line; and

the web server provides the web pages to the multimedia system over the telephone line.

Assignments (18)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 035848/0245 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 035893/0241 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 12, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 035848/0270 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2012
From: BOYER, FRANKLIN E.; DEMERS, TIMOTHY B.
To: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029022/0227 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 25, 2012
From: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029036/0052 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Sep 25, 2012
From: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 029036/0040 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Sep 25, 2012
From: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029036/0046 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →