SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A GUIDE TO ON-LINE EVENTS

1 . A method for providing listings for on-line events in an on-line guidance application, comprising:

receiving from an access device associated with a user a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified format, wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified format in response to receiving the request.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified category; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified category in response to receiving the request.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing to the access device the one or more listings comprises providing a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, displays the one or more listings in a color associated with the user-defined format.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein providing to the access device the one or more listings comprises providing a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, indicates a provider for each of the one or more listings using a graphical indicator.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the access device a request to provide information related to a user-identified on-line event; and

providing to the access device information related to the user-identified on-line event in response to receiving the request.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the information related to the user-identified on-line event is an event title, an event Web site, an event description, an event date, an event time, an event duration, an event admission fee, an event format, or a specification of necessary software.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring on a user-specified date; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that occur on the user-specified date in response to receiving the request.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring at a user-specified time; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that occur at the user-specified time in response to receiving the request.

9 . A method for receiving and providing information related to on-line events in an on-line guidance application, comprising:

providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information related to the on-line event using a computer associated with the provider, wherein the information related to the on-line event comprises at least an indication of a format of the on-line event, and wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content;

receiving the information related to the on-line event from the computer;

receiving from an access device associated with a user an indication comprising at least a user-specified format to provide the information related to the on-line event; and

providing the information related to the on-line event to the access device in response to receiving the indication.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event format.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event admission fee.

12 . The method of claim 9 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event category.

13 . The method of claim 9 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter a specification for software that is necessary to access the on-line event.

14 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving from the computer a request to provide listings for the provider's on-line events; and

providing to the computer the listings for the provider's on-line events in response to receiving the request.

15 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving from the computer a request to provide listings for on-line events associated with a plurality of providers; and

providing to the computer the listings for the on-line events associated with the plurality of providers in response to receiving the request.

16 . A system for providing listings for on-line events in an on-line guidance application, comprising:

means for receiving from an access device associated with a user a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified format, wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content; and

means for providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified format in response to receiving the request.

17 . The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified category; and

means for providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified category in response to receiving the request.

18 . The system of claim 16 wherein the means for providing to the access device the one or more listings comprises means for providing a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, displays the one or more listings in a color associated with the user-defined format.

19 . The system of claim 16 wherein the means for providing to the access device the one or more listings comprises means for providing a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, indicates a provider for each of the one or more listings using a graphical indicator.

20 . The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving from the access device a request to provide information related to a user-identified on-line event; and

means for providing to the access device information related to the user-specified on-line event in response to receiving the request.

21 . The system of claim 20 wherein the information related to the user-specified on-line event is an event title, an event Web site, an event description, an event date, an event time, an event duration, an event admission fee, an event format, or a specification of necessary software.

22 . The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring on a user-specified date; and

means for providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that occur on the user-specified date in response to receiving the request.

23 . The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring at a user-specified time; and

means for providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that occur at the user-specified time in response to receiving the request.

24 . A system for receiving and providing information related to on-line events in an on-line guidance application, comprising:

means for providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information related to the on-line event, using a computer associated with the provider, wherein the information related to the on-line event comprises at least an indication of a format of the on-line event, and wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content;

means for receiving the information related to the on-line event from the computer;

means for receiving from an access device associated with a user an indication comprising at least a user-specified format to provide the information related to the on-line event; and

means for providing the information related to the on-line event to the access device in response to receiving the indication.

25 . The system of claim 24 wherein the means for providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises means for providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event format.

26 . The system of claim 24 wherein the means for providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event admission fee.

27 . The system of claim 24 wherein the means for providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises means for providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event category.

28 . The system of claim 24 wherein the means for providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises means for providing the provider with an opportunity to enter a specification for software that is necessary to access the on-line event.

29 . The system of claim 24 further comprising:

means for receiving from the computer a request to provide listings for the provider's on-line events; and

means for providing to the computer the listings for the provider's on-line events in response to receiving the request.

30 . The system of claim 24 further comprising:

means for receiving from the computer a request to provide listings for on-line events associated with a plurality of providers; and

means for providing to the computer the listings for the on-line events associated with the plurality of providers in response to receiving the request.

31 . Computer-readable media for an on-line guidance application, wherein the media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising:

receiving from an access device associated with a user a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified format, wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified format in response to receiving the request.

32 . The computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified category; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified category in response to receiving the request.

33 . The computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein providing to the access device the one or more listings comprises providing a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, displays the one or more listings in a color associated with the user-defined format.

34 . The computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein providing to the access device the one or more listings comprises providing a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, indicates a provider for each of the one or more listings using a graphical indicator.

35 . The computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the access device a request to provide information related to a user-identified on-line event; and

providing to the access device information related to the user-identified on-line event in response to receiving the request.

36 . The computer-readable media of claim 35 wherein the information related to the user-identified on-line event is an event title, an event Web site, an event description, an event date, an event time, an event duration, an event admission fee, an event format, or a specification of necessary software.

37 . The computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring on a user-specified date; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that occur on the user-specified date in response to receiving the request.

38 . The computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the access device a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring at a user-specified time; and

providing to the access device one or more listings of on-line events that occur at the user-specified time in response to receiving the request.

39 . Computer-readable media for an on-line guidance application, wherein the media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising:

providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information related to the on-line event using a computer associated with the provider, wherein the information related to the on-line event comprises at least an indication of a format of the on-line event and, wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content;

receiving the information related to the on-line event from the computer;

receiving from an access device associated with a user an indication comprising at least a user-specified format to provide the information related to the on-line event; and

providing the information related to the on-line event to the access device in response to receiving the indication.

40 . The computer-readable media of claim 39 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event format.

41 . The computer-readable media of claim 39 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event admission fee.

42 . The computer-readable media of claim 39 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter an event category.

43 . The computer-readable media of claim 39 wherein providing a provider of an on-line event with an opportunity to enter information comprises providing the provider with an opportunity to enter a specification for software that is necessary to access the on-line event.

44 . The computer-readable media of claim 39 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the computer a request to provide listings for the provider's on-line events; and

providing to the computer the listings for the provider's on-line events in response to receiving the request.

45 . The computer-readable media of claim 39 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the computer a request to provide listings for on-line events associated with a plurality of providers; and

providing to the computer the listings for the on-line events associated with the plurality of providers in response to receiving the request.

46 . A system for providing listings for on-line events in an on-line guidance application, the system comprising:

an access device associated with a user; and

an on-line guidance application implemented at least partially on an Internet and application server and programmed to:

receive a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified format from the access device, wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content; and

in response to receiving the request, provide one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified format to the access device.

47 . The system of claim 46 wherein the on-line guidance application is further programmed to:

receive a request to provide listings for on-line events of a user-specified category from the access device; and

in response to receiving the request, provide one or more listings of on-line events that have the user-specified category to the access device.

48 . The system of claim 46 wherein the one or more listings are provided on a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, displays the one or more listings in a color associated with the user-defined format.

49 . The system of claim 46 wherein the one or more listings are provided on a Web page that, when displayed by the access device, indicates a provider for each of the one or more listings using a graphical indicator.

50 . The system of claim 46 wherein the on-line guidance application is further programmed to:

receive a request to provide information related to a user-identified on-line event from the access device; and

in response to receiving the request, provide information related to the user-identified on-line event to the access device.

51 . The system of claim 50 wherein the information related to the user-identified on-line event is an event title, an event Web site, an event description, an event date, an event time, an event duration, an event admission fee, an event format, or a specification of necessary software.

52 . The system of claim 46 wherein the on-line guidance application is further programmed to:

receive a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring on a user-specified date from the access device; and

in response to receiving the request, provide one or more listings of on-line events that occur on the user-specified date to the access device.

53 . The system of claim 46 wherein the on-line guidance application is further programmed to:

receive a request to provide listings for on-line events occurring at a user-specified time from the access device; and

in response to receiving the request, provide one or more listings of on-line events that occur at the user-specified time to the access device.

54 . A system for receiving and providing information related to on-line events in an on-line guidance application, the system comprising:

a computer associated with a provider of an on-line event;

an access device associated with a user; and

an on-line guidance application implemented at least partially on an Internet and application server and programmed to:

provide the provider of the on-line event with an opportunity to enter information related to the on-line event using the computer, wherein the information related to the on-line event comprises at least an indication of a format of the on-line event, and wherein on-line event content comprises scheduled Internet-delivered content;

receive the information related to the on-line event from the computer;

receive an indication comprising at least a user-specified format to provide the information related to the on-line event from the access device; and

in response to receiving the indication, provide the information related to the on-line event to the access device.

55 . The system of claim 54 wherein the information entered by the provider is an event format.

56 . The system of claim 54 wherein the information entered by the provider is an event admission fee.

57 . The system of claim 54 wherein the information entered by the provider is an event category.

58 . The system of claim 54 wherein the information that is entered by the provider is a specification for software that is necessary to access the on-line event.

59 . The system of claim 54 wherein the on-line guidance application is further programmed to:

receive a request to provide listings for the provider's on-line events from the computer; and

in response to receiving the request, provide the listings for the provider's on-line events to the computer.

60 . The system of claim 54 wherein the on-line guidance application is further programmed to:

receive a request to provide listings for on-line events associated with a plurality of providers from the computer; and

in response to receiving the request, providing the listings for the on-line events associated with the plurality of providers to the computer.