Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Distributed data processing – Client/server
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2004-06-29
Meky, Moustafa M. (Department: 2157)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Distributed data processing
Client/server
C709S217000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06757707
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This application relates to displaying complementary sources of content for use, for example, in a web-based TV system.
BACKGROUND
The computer system
100
illustrated in
FIG. 1
represents a typical hardware setup for executing software that allows a user to perform tasks such as communicating with other computer users, accessing various computer resources, and viewing, creating, or otherwise manipulating electronic content—that is, any combination of text, images, movies, music or other sounds, animations, 3D virtual worlds, and links to other objects. The system includes various input/output (I/O) devices (mouse
103
, keyboard
105
, display
107
) and a general purpose computer
109
having a central processor unit (CPU)
111
, an I/O unit
113
and a memory
115
that stores data and various programs, such as an operating system
117
and one or more application programs
119
. The computer system
100
also typically includes some sort of communications card or device
121
(e.g., a modem or network adapter) for exchanging data with a network
123
via a communications link
125
(e.g., a telephone line).
As shown in
FIG. 2
, a user of a computer system can access electronic content or other resources either stored remotely at one or more server systems
200
or locally at the user's own client system
202
(for example, a personal or laptop computer). An example of a server system
200
is a host computer that provides subscribers with online computer services such as e-mail, e-commerce, chat rooms, Internet access, and electronic newspapers and magazines. Users of a host computer's online services typically communicate with one or more central server systems
200
through client software executing on their respective client systems
202
. A client system
202
may connect to a server through a modem
204
and a phone line
206
, or through a direct connection
207
using a protocol such as TCP/IP.
In practice, a server system
200
typically will not be a single monolithic entity but rather will be a network of interconnected server computers, possibly physically dispersed from each other, each dedicated to its own set of duties and/or to a particular geographical region. In such a case, the individual servers are interconnected by a network of communication links, in known fashion. One such server system is “America Online 5.0” from America Online, Incorporated of Virginia.
A “browser” is an example of client software that enables users to access and view electronic content stored either locally or remotely, such as in a network environment (local area network (LAN), intranet, Internet). A browser typically is used for displaying documents described in Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) and stored on servers connected to a network such as the Internet.
A user instructs a browser to access an HTML document, or web page, by specifying a network address—or Uniform Resource Locator (URL)—at which a desired document resides. In response, the browser contacts the corresponding server hosting the requested web page, retrieves the one or more files that make up the web page, and then displays the web page in a window on the user's computer screen.
FIG. 3
is a screenshot of a browser application
300
(Microsoft Internet Explorer) displaying a typical HTML document, or web page
302
. As shown therein, a single web page
302
may be composed of several different files potentially of different data types
304
(for example, text, graphics, images, virtual worlds, sounds, and movies). In addition, a web page can include links
306
pointing to other resources (for example, web pages or individual files) available on the network. Links
306
can take virtually any visual form. For example, they can appear either as a text string, a graphical image, or a combination of the two. Each link
306
has an associated URL pointing to a location on the network. When a user clicks on, or otherwise selects, a displayed link
306
, the browser automatically will retrieve the web page (or other resource) corresponding to the link's associated URL and execute it or display it to the user.
Referring to
FIG. 4
, a “web-based TV” system
400
has been developed that makes dual usage of conventional TV sets
402
. That is, a user of web-based TV can watch TV and/or view web pages and otherwise “surf” the Internet. In this regard, a special purpose computer
404
, referred to as a “set top device,” is used in connection with standard TV sets
402
for viewing web pages on the Internet. The set top device
404
essentially has the same basic components as the general purpose computer
100
illustrated in
FIG. 1
, except that it also includes a TV tuner
406
for receiving TV programming in the form of broadcast, satellite, and/or cable TV signals. The set top device
404
thus can selectively display two different sources of content (TV programming received by TV tuner
406
and web or network content received by communications card
121
) on the TV monitor
402
connected to the set top device
404
.
The web content displayed may be a program that is transmitted only on the Internet. For example, the programming may be a sports event for which a broadcast network has the viewing rights but decides not to broadcast the event. In such an instance, the broadcast network and an Internet-based TV provider may cooperate to transmit the event across the Internet. The programming also may be a continuous series of programming that is transmitted on the Internet and not otherwise broadcast.
Accessories may be added to the web-based TV system
400
, such as, for example, a wireless keyboard
408
. The wireless keyboard
408
can be similar to the keyboard
105
but it also may have specialized keys designed for use in the web-based TV system
400
to make viewing and web surfing easier. Additionally, a wireless remote control
410
may be used to control the set top device
404
and to facilitate channel surfing and web-based TV connections via various buttons
412
, which may be specialized for the web-based TV environment.
An example of an existing web-based TV system
400
is “WebTV” by Microsoft. Information about WebTV service may be found at WebTV's various web pages, for example, at http://www.webtv.net and http://developer.webtv.net.
Users of web-based TV may subscribe to a cable TV provider. Cable TV providers typically provide users an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG), which is a listing of channels that are available to the subscribers of cable TV providers. Typically, an EPG is displayed on a channel (e.g., channel 3) dedicated for that purpose.
FIG. 5
is an example of an EPG
500
from Yahoo!. As shown therein, a list of channels
501
is presented to users. The channels may be, for example, a combination of broadcast programming and Internet-based programming. The schedule
502
for each channel typically is presented as a list showing the next several hours of programming for each channel. The starting and stopping times
503
are presented as headers at the top of the list of channel schedules. The user may use the controls
504
to limit the number of channels presented. For example, by selecting the “Sci-Fi” category
505
, the user can limit the set of channels presented to those showing science fiction programming. By using conventional graphical user interface (GUI) manipulation techniques, users of EPGs may be able to scroll through the list of channels, and may be able to scroll forward in time
506
to see the schedule for future programs. Users also may be able to select a channel to watch using the EPG.
Different cable TV providers may offer different EPGs. As a result, some channels may be available to subscribers of one cable TV provider that are not available to subscribers of another cable TV provider. A particular cable TV provider's collection of available TV channels is referred to as its “Channel Availability.”
In general, a cable TV provider will provide its subscribers not only with a basic package of “free” cha
Cooper Robert M.
Escobar George D.
Houghton William
Kirsh Laurence
Silva Carlos
America Online Inc.
Meky Moustafa M.
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