IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,287,267
Granted Patent B2
US 7,287,267 · App. 10/947,545 · Granted Oct 23, 2007

Program guide system with advertisements

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,287,267
App. No.
10/947,545
Granted
Oct 23, 2007
Kind
B2
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 (52)

1. 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, wherein the program listings region displays a plurality of program listings;

means for presenting at least one banner advertisement adjacent to the program listings region; and

means for allowing a user to scroll the program listings region to change the plurality of program listings displayed in the program listings region in response to the user positioning a highlight on a banner advertisement and activating a cursor key while the highlight is on the banner advertisement.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the at least one banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a banner advertisement that contains graphics.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the at least one banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a banner advertisement that contains video.

4. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising a set-top box on which the interactive television program guide is implemented.

5. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a television distribution facility for distributing television programming to the user television equipment; and

a video server located in the television distribution facility for providing advertisements containing video to the user television equipment.

6. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a television distribution facility for distributing television programming to the user television equipment;

a plurality of network nodes for use in providing the television programming to the user television equipment; and

video servers located at some of the network nodes for providing advertisements containing video to the user television equipment.

7. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement adjacent to the program listings region.

8. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means f or presenting an advertisement containing advertisement options on the program guide screen.

9. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to set a reminder when the user selects the banner advertisement.

10. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to tune to a given channel when the user selects the banner advertisement.

11. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to record a program when the user selects the banner advertisement.

12. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to purchase a program when the user selects the banner advertisement.

13. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to display program listings when the user selects the banner advertisement.

14. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to display additional information when the user selects the banner advertisement.

15. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to process an inquiry for additional information when the user selects the banner advertisement.

16. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to purchase goods when the user selects the banner advertisement.

17. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for presenting the banner advertisement further comprises means for presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the system further comprising means for displaying a description box on the program guide screen when the user selects the banner advertisement, the description box covering only a portion of the program listings region so that at least one program listing in the program listings region remains uncovered.

18. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means f or cycling the content of the banner advertisements.

19. A method for using an interactive television program guide that is 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, wherein the program listings region displays a plurality of program listings;

presenting at least one banner advertisement adjacent to the program listings region; and

allowing a user to scroll the program listings region to change the plurality of program listings displayed in the program listings region in response to the user positioning a highlight on a banner advertisement and activating a cursor key while the highlight is on the banner advertisement.

20. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the at least one banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a banner advertisement that contains graphics.

21. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the at least one banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a banner advertisement that contains video.

22. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising the step of implementing the interactive television program guide on a set-top box.

23. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

distributing television programming to the user television equipment with a television distribution facility; and

providing advertisements containing video to the user television equipment with a video server located in the television distribution facility.

24. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

distributing television programming to the user television equipment with a television distribution facility;

providing the television programming to the user television equipment using a plurality of network nodes; and

providing advertisements containing video to the user television equipment with video servers located at some of the network nodes.

25. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement adjacent to the program listings region.

26. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising the step of presenting an advertisement containing advertisement options on the program guide screen.

27. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to set a reminder when the user selects the banner advertisement.

28. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner 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 banner advertisement.

29. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to record a program when the user selects the banner advertisement.

30. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to purchase a program when the user selects the banner advertisement.

31. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to display program listings when the user selects the banner advertisement.

32. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to display additional information when the user selects the banner advertisement.

33. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner 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 banner advertisement.

34. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to purchase goods when the user selects the banner advertisement.

35. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the step of presenting the banner advertisement further comprises the step of presenting a selectable banner advertisement, the method further comprising the step of displaying a description box on the program guide screen when the user selects the banner advertisement, the description box covering only a portion of program listings region so that at least one program listing in the program listings region remains uncovered.

36. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising the step of cycling the content of the banner advertisements.

Assignments (12)
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 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034787/0992 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 034788/0005 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 034788/0012 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034788/0028 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034795/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: KNUDSON, EDWARD B.; HASSELL, JOEL G.; MARSHALL, CONNIE T.; LEMMONS, THOMAS R.; REYNOLDS, STEVEN J.; KNEE, ROBERT A.; CARPENTER, KENNETH F., JR.; THOMAS, WILLIAM L.; HERRINGTON, W. BENJAMIN; WILLIAMSON, STEVEN C.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; ALLISON, DONALD W.
To: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034787/0944 →
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 →
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 →
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 →