Program guide system with real-time data sources
View Patent ↗A program guide system in which an interactive television program guide that is implemented at least partially on user television equipment receives program listings data and real-time data such as sports scores, news data, etc. The real-time data may be stored in a database maintained by the program guide. Updated program listings information may be provided to the program guide as part of the data stream in which the real-time data is provided. Unique keys may be generated for the program listings data and real-time data associated with each live event. The keys may be compared at the program guide to determine which program listings correspond to which items of real-time data.
1. A method of generating for display updated program listings data for a program, the method comprising:
receiving program listings data for the program from a first data source and first keys generated at the first data source;
storing the program listings data for the program and the first keys in memory;
receiving real-time non-program listings data from a second data source and second keys generated at the second data source;
matching the real-time non-program listings data from the second data source with the program listings data stored in the memory by comparing the first keys with the second keys;
updating the program listings data stored in the memory based on the real-time non-program listings data; and
generating for display the updated program listings data to the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the updated program listings data comprises a score for a sporting event and an on-screen graphic associated with the sporting event, and wherein the on-screen graphic describes current events in the sporting event.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second data source comprises a database remote to the first data source.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating for display the updated program listings data comprises:
generating for display a selectable option associated with the updated program listings data.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving a user selection of the selectable option; and
generating for display a media item based upon the user selection.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating for display the media item comprises generating for display a program associated with the updated program listings data, while the updated program listings data is generated for display to the user.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating for display the media item comprises generating for display a media listing for a program associated with the updated program listings data, while the updated program listings data is generated for display to the user.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the updated program listings data is generated for display in an on-screen menu overlaid on a program.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time non-program listings data is associated with a live sporting event, and wherein the program listings data is updated in response to a change in a score of the live sporting event.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program listings data is updated as the real-time non-program listings data is received.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the updated program listings data comprises an indicator for the real-time non-program listings data.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time non-program listings data is a real-time media feed.
13. The method of clam 1 , wherein the second keys are generated at the second data source using a same algorithm as the first keys generated at the first data source.
14. A system for generating for display updated program listings data for a program, the system comprising a processor configured to:
receive program listings data for the program from a first data source and first keys generated at the first data source;
store the program listings data for the program and the first keys in memory;
receive real-time non-program listings data from a second data source and second keys generated at the second data source;
match the real-time non-program listings data from the second data source with the program listings data stored in the memory by comparing the first keys with the second keys;
update the program listings data stored in the memory based on the real-time non-program listings data; and
generate for display the updated program listings data to the user.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the updated program listings data comprises a score for a sporting event and an on-screen graphic associated with the sporting event, and wherein the on-screen graphic describes current events in the sporting event.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second data source comprises a database remote to the first data source.
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor configured to generate for display the updated program listings data is further configured to:
generate for display a selectable option associated with the updated program listings data.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a user selection of the selectable option; and
generate for display a media item based upon the user selection.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the processor configured to generate for display the media item is further configured to generating for display a program associated with the updated program listings data, while the updated program listings data is generated for display to the user.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the processor configured to generate for display the media item is further configured to generating for display a media listing for a program associated with the updated program listings data, while the updated program listings data is generated for display to the user.
21. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor configured to update the program listings data is further configured to generate for display the updated program listings data in an on-screen menu overlaid on a program.
22. The system of claim 14 , wherein the real-time non-program listings data is associated with a live sporting event, and wherein the program listings data is updated in response to a change in a score of the live sporting event.
23. The system of claim 14 , wherein the program listings data is updated as the real-time non-program listings data is received.
24. The system of claim 14 , wherein the updated program listings data comprises an indicator for the real-time non-program listings data.
25. The system of claim 14 , wherein the real-time non-program listings data is a real-time media feed.
26. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second keys are generated at the second data source using a same algorithm as the first keys generated at the first data source.
27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions thereon for display updated program listings data for a program, the instructions comprising:
instructions for receiving program listings data for the program from a first data source and first keys generated at the first data source;
instructions for storing the program listings data for the program and the first keys in memory;
instructions for receiving real-time non-program listings data from a second data source and second keys generated at the second data source;
instructions for matching the real-time non-program listings data from the second data source with the program listings data stored in the memory by comparing the first keys with the second keys;
instructions for updating the program listings data stored in the memory based on the real-time non-program listings data; and
instructions for generating for display the updated program listings data to the user.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the updated program listings data comprises a score for a sporting event and an on-screen graphic associated with the sporting event, and wherein the on-screen graphic describes current events in the sporting event.
29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the second data source comprises a database remote to the first data source.
30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the instructions for generating for display the updated program listings data comprises:
instructions for generating for display a selectable option associated with the updated program listings data.
31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the instructions further comprising:
instructions for receiving a user selection of the selectable option; and
instructions for generating for display a media item based upon the user selection.
32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the instructions for generating for display the media item comprises instructions for generating for display a program associated with the updated program listings data, while the updated program listings data is generated for display to the user.
33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the instructions for generating for display the media item comprises instructions for generating for display a media listing for a program associated with the updated program listings data, while the updated program listings data is generated for display to the user.
34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the updated program listings data is generated for display in an on-screen menu overlaid on a program.
35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the real-time non-program listings data is associated with a live sporting event, and wherein the program listings data is updated in response to a change in a score of the live sporting event.
36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the program listings data is updated as the real-time non-program listings data is received.
37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the updated program listings data comprises an indicator for the real-time non-program listings data.
38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the real-time non-program listings data is a real-time media feed.
39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the second keys are generated at the second data source using a same algorithm as the first keys generated at the first data source.