Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-25
2001-03-27
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Operator interface
To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
C725S092000, C725S114000, C725S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209129
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to passive television program guides, and more particularly, to techniques for providing local information with such passive television program guides.
As used herein the term “local information” includes information related to local events (concerts, shows, community events, etc.), as well as local advertising.
Passive television program guides provide a scrolling or paged list of television program listings on a dedicated television channel. A television user may view the television program listings by tuning to the dedicated channel. The upper portion of a passive program guide display may be used to display advertising videos and associated text descriptions. The content of the text descriptions may be targeted toward particular regions. Passive television program guides are not capable of providing the user with any interactive features. (Interactive features include such advanced operations as displaying program listings in user-selected formats, listing programs by genre, ordering pay-per-view.)
Because passive television program guide advertisements may be distributed nationally from a central facility, such advertisements are suitable for promoting products and services on a national basis. If passive program guide advertisements are distributed only on a national basis, however, users will not be provided with as much useful local information as might otherwise be possible.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a passive television program guide system in which users may be provided with local program guide advertising.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing a system in which local (i.e., non-global) advertisements are provided for use in a passive television program guide associated with a television distribution facility.
The data for the local advertisements may be distributed to the television distribution facility in a number of ways. For example, local advertising data may be included in a global data stream that is transmitted from a main facility to multiple television distribution facilities. The global data stream may also contain global advertising data and program guide data. The television distribution facilities use the global data stream to generate a passive television guide, which is displayed on a dedicated television channel where it may be viewed by the users associated with the television distribution facility.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5600573 (1997-02-01), Hendricks et al.
patent: 5635978 (1997-06-01), Alten et al.
patent: 5659350 (1997-08-01), Hendricks et al.
patent: 5774534 (1998-06-01), Mayer
patent: 5805204 (1998-09-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 5806075 (1998-09-01), Jain et al.
patent: WO 96/41471 (1996-12-01), None
Carr Scott D.
Castle Brian J.
Bui Kieu-Oanh
Faile Andrew
Fish & Neave
Shvarts Alexander
United Video Properties, Inc.
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