Interactive television system with newsgroups
View Patent ↗An interactive television system is provided that supports newsgroup features. An interactive television application, such as an interactive television program guide, may be used to allow a user to view and post newsgroup messages to one or more newsgroup servers. The newsgroup servers may be located at a television distribution facility. The newsgroup servers may be Usenet servers accessed via the Internet. The user may use the newsgroup feature while watching television programming or while otherwise viewing other content provided by the interactive television application. Cross-referencing may be used to allow the user to access content related to a particular subject matter. Parental control features may be used to limit access to certain newsgroups. Newsgroup messages may contain links to other content made available through the interactive television application.
1. A method for providing television program listings and Internet content to a user on user television equipment having a display, comprising:
automatically cross-referencing a plurality of television program listings and a first plurality of Internet content based on the subject matter of the television program listings and the Internet content, the cross-referencing comprising:
searching through information related to the television program listings and the Internet content, and identifying the information that is associated with the particular subject matter of the television program listings and the Internet content, wherein the particular subject matter includes two or more of television programs, program guide categories, actors, and directors, and wherein the information related to the Internet content is stored in an Internet database and the information related to the television program listings are stored in a program guide database; and
updating a cross-reference database for the particular subject matter based on the search performed on the information, wherein updating includes associating the plurality of television program listings with the first plurality of Internet content based on the information, and storing at least a first association in the cross-reference database, wherein the cross-reference database is distinct from the program guide database and the Internet database;
automatically modifying the cross-reference database based on a second plurality of Internet content that becomes available after the cross-referencing, wherein modifying comprises associating the plurality of television program listings with the second plurality of Internet content and storing at least a second association in the cross-reference database;
identifying the Internet content associated with the displayed television program by accessing the cross-reference database and retrieving at least one Internet content associated with the television program from the cross-reference database; and
generating a display of a television program in a first section of the display and the identified Internet content in a second section of the display.
2. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating a display of an interactive advertisement in a third section of the display.
3. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the Internet content includes Internet listings or Internet message listings or Internet messages.
4. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating a display of other content in a third section of the display.
5. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a display of other content in a third section of the display; and
generating a display of Internet content in the second section of the display, wherein the subject matter of the Internet content is related to the subject matter of the displayed television program and the other content.
6. The method defined in claim 5 , wherein the other content comprises at least one of text, graphics, images, video, and media.
7. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the cross-referencing is performed in response to receiving a user input.
8. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of Internet content are stored in a Internet database and the television program listings are stored in a program guide database distinct from the cross-reference database.
9. A system for providing television program listings and Internet content to a user on user television equipment including a display, comprising:
user television equipment configured to:
automatically cross-reference a plurality of television program listings and a first plurality of Internet content based on the subject matter of the television program listings and Internet content, the cross-referencing comprising:
searching through information related to the television program listings and the Internet content, and identifying the information that is associated with the particular subject matter of the television program listings and the Internet content, wherein the particular subject matter includes two or more of television programs, program guide categories, actors, and directors, wherein the information related to the Internet content is stored in an Internet database and the information related to the television program listings are stored in a program guide database; and
updating a cross-reference database for the particular subject matter based on the search performed on the information, wherein updating includes associating the plurality of television program listings with the first plurality of Internet content based on the information, and storing at least a first association in the cross-reference database, wherein the cross-reference database is distinct from the program guide database and the Internet database;
automatically modify the cross-reference database based on a second plurality of Internet content that becomes available after the cross-referencing, wherein modifying comprises associating the plurality of television program listings with the second plurality of Internet content and storing at least a second association in the cross-reference database;
identify the Internet content associated with the displayed television program by accessing the cross-reference database and retrieving at least one Internet content associated with the television program from the cross-reference database; and
generate a display of a television program in a first section of the display and the identified Internet content in a second section of the display.
10. The system defined in claim 9 , further comprising equipment configured to generate a display of an interactive advertisement in a third section of the display.
11. The system defined in claim 9 , wherein the Internet content includes Internet listings or Internet message listings or Internet messages.
12. The system defined in claim 9 , further comprising equipment configured to generate a display of other content in a third section of the display.
13. The system defined in claim 9 , further comprising user television equipment configured to:
generate a display of other content in a third section of the display; and
generate a display of Internet content in the second section of the display, wherein the subject matter of the Internet content is related to the subject matter of the displayed television program and the other content.
14. The system defined in claim 13 , wherein the other content comprises at least one of text, graphics, images, video, and media.
15. The system defined in claim 9 , wherein the cross-referencing is performed in response to receiving a user input.
16. The system defined in claim 9 , wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of Internet content are stored in a Internet database and the television program listings are stored in a program guide database distinct from the cross-reference database.
17. A method for providing television program listings and Internet content to a user on user television equipment having a display, comprising:
automatically cross-referencing a plurality of television program listings and a first plurality of Internet content based on the subject matter of the television program listings and the Internet content, the cross-referencing comprising:
searching through information related to the television program listings and the Internet content, and identifying the information that is associated with the particular subject matter of the television program listings and the Internet content, wherein the particular subject matter includes two or more of television programs, program guide categories, actors, and directors, and wherein the information related to the Internet content is stored in an Internet database and the information related to the television program listings are stored in a program guide database; and
updating a cross-reference database for the particular subject matter based on the search performed on the information, wherein updating includes associating the plurality of television program listings with the first plurality of Internet content based on the information, and storing at least a first association in the cross-reference database, wherein the cross-reference database is distinct from the program guide database and the Internet database;
automatically modifying the cross-reference database based on a second plurality of Internet content that becomes available after the cross-referencing, wherein modifying comprises associating the plurality of television program listings with the second plurality of Internet content and storing at least a second association in the cross-reference database; and
identifying the Internet content associated with the displayed television program by accessing the cross-reference database and retrieving at least one Internet content associated with the television program from the cross-reference database.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the cross-reference database is located at the user television equipment.