A system is disclosed for delivering information, preferably electronic television program guide information, to a user over a telecommunications network. The network includes the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, and the information is received and stored at a user site when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition. information is delivered from a guide provider to a phone company switch point over a land-based or wireless dedicated line. When the user's phone is on-hook, the guide data is sent to the user site through a splitter. The line splitter provides the signal to a data decoder circuit, the output of which is connected to a data input terminal in communication with a television receiver, VCR, cable box, or other piece of equipment for displaying the program guide data on a screen. The invention is capable of delivering complete program guide data to a user in spite of data interruptions due to telephone calls. The program schedule data is preferably transmitted as n serial packets of information, and the sequence of packets is repeated several times each day.
|
1. A method of providing electronic television program guide information to a user over a telecommunications network including the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, the method comprising the steps of:
storing television program guide information at a provider site on the network;
repetitively transmitting the information over the network regardless of whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition;
receiving at least a portion of the information at a user site when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition;
storing the received information at the user site; and
updating the information as it is received.
10. A system for providing information to a user in electronic form over a telecommunications network, the network including the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, the system comprising:
an information provider including a database for storing the information and an interface enabling requested information to be repetitively delivered over the telecommunications network regardless of whether user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition; and
a user site including a storage device and a splitter interfaced to the network for routing the information from the provider to the storage device and updating the information when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition.
0. 39. A system for receiving electronic television program guide information, comprising:
means for receiving television program guide information that is repetitively broadcast from a switching center over a telecommunications network regardless of whether the system's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition, wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and wherein the user device is configured to determine that data reception is interrupted and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection;
means for storing and updating the received television program guide information as it is received; and
means for routing at least a portion of the received television program guide information to the means for storing while the system's connection to the network is determined to be in an idle condition.
0. 21. A method of transmitting electronic television program guide information, comprising:
receiving television program guide information at a switching center of a telecommunications network; and
repetitively transmitting the television program guide information over the telecommunications network to a user device regardless of whether the user device's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition,
wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and
wherein the user device is configured to:
in the non-idle condition, determine that data reception is interrupted and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection; and
in the idle condition, determine that data reception has resumed and store at least a portion of the television program guide information and update the television program guide information as it is received.
0. 32. A method of receiving electronic television program guide information, comprising:
receiving, at a user device, television program guide information from a switching center that is repetitively broadcast over a telecommunications network regardless of whether the user device's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition, wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and wherein the user device is configured to determine that data reception is interrupted during the non-idle condition and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection;
determining that data reception has resumed and storing at least a portion of the received television program guide information at the user device while the user device's connection to the network is in an idle condition; and
updating the television program guide information at the user device as it is received.
0. 26. A system for transmitting electronic television program guide information, comprising:
a switching center associated with a telecommunications network and configured to receive television program guide information;
said switching center being further configured to repetitively transmit the television program guide information over the telecommunications network to a user device regardless of whether the user device's connection to the network is in an idle or non-idle condition, wherein in the non-idle condition, receipt of the television program guide information at the user device is interrupted, and
wherein the user device being configured to:
in the non-idle condition, determine that data reception is interrupted and not store the television program guide information via the user device's connection; and
in the idle condition, determine that data reception has resumed and store at least a portion of the television program guide information and update the television program guide information as it is received.
2. The method of
3. The method of
encoding the information at the provider site prior to transmitting; and
decoding the information at the user site.
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
transmitting the information in the form of serial data packets; and
reconstructing the packets at the user site.
8. The method of
encrypting the information prior to transmission; and
decrypting the information at the user site.
9. The method of
13. The system of
the user site further includes a television display; and
the storage device is interfaced to the television display enabling the user to view the program schedule information.
14. The system of
the information is delivered in encoded form; and
the user site includes a decoder to decode the information.
15. The system of
a plurality of user sites, each equipped with a splitter interfaced to the network for receiving the information from the provider.
17. The system of
18. The system of
19. The system of
0. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising simultaneously transmitting the television program guide information to a plurality of user devices regardless of whether the user devices' connections to the network are in idle or non-idle conditions.
0. 23. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting the information in the form of serial data packets operable for reconstructing the packets at the user device.
0. 24. The method of claim 21, further comprising encrypting the television program guide information prior to transmission.
0. 25. The method of claim 21 wherein said repetitively transmitting is performed over a land-network.
0. 27. The system of claim 26 wherein the information is delivered in encoded form.
0. 28. The system of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the network is wireless.
0. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the information is transmitted in the form of serial data packets operable for reconstructing the packets at the user device.
0. 30. The system of claim 26, wherein the information is encrypted using a time-dependent code.
0. 31. The method of claim 26, wherein the television program guide is received over a wireless network.
0. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising displaying the television program guide information.
0. 34. The method of claim 32, further comprising decoding the television program guide information.
0. 35. The method of claim 32, wherein the television program guide information is received in the form of serial data packets; further comprising reconstructing the packets at the user device.
0. 36. The method of claim 32, further comprising decrypting the television program guide information at the user site.
0. 37. The method of claim 32, further comprising filtering out voice or data signals received over the network when the user device's connection is in a not idle condition.
0. 38. The method of claim 32 wherein the television program guide is received over a land network.
0. 40. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for displaying the television program guide information.
0. 41. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for decoding the received television program guide information.
0. 42. The system of claim 39, wherein at least a portion of the network is wireless.
0. 43. The system of claim 39, wherein the television program guide information is received in the form of serial data packets, further comprising means for reconstructing the television program guide information.
0. 44. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for filtering out voice or data signals received over the network when the system's connection is in an idle condition.
0. 45. The system of claim 39, wherein the television program guide information is encrypted using a time-dependent code, further comprising means for decrypting the television program guide information.
|
This application is a reissue of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/677,424, filed Oct. 2, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,842, which claims priority from the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/157,571, filed Oct. 4, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates generally to information delivery and, in particular, to an electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time.
Various systems have been implemented or proposed for delivering electronic television program guides (EPOs) to viewer locations. Such approaches include use of the vertical blanking interval (VBI) portion of a broadcast television station signal, use of a paging network, and through dial-up telephone. Each of these methods presents shortcomings. VBI access may be controlled by cable companies which may place restrictions on such transmissions. Paging receivers and paging airtime are relatively expensive, and dial-up telephone service ties up the user's telephone and requires potentially large telephone switching equipment resources.
In the field of telephone communications, connections are typically made through the switching system of a telephone exchange and a user's telephone through the medium of a telephone network. When the telephone receiver is lifted off the hook, a loop is formed between the telephone and the exchange's switching system by way of the telephone network, and voice communication is made possible by the transmission of signals around the loop.
As disclosed in Tsumura et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,337 and 5,357,505, there are known communications devices which make use of a network's idle time for the unidirectional transmission of broadcast data in the form of, for example, music data to the user's home. This type of communication device calls for the installation in a telephone exchange of an exchange device which is used to switch the telephone network selectively between the switching system-of the exchange itself and a facility installed in an independent center for the transmission of analog data in the form of speech or music. Each user's home is fitted with a home device with a speaker which is connected to the telephone network and which, when the receiver is lifted off the hook, connects the exchange device to the exchange's switching system itself to enable voice communication and, when the receiver is placed on the hook, switches the exchange device to the independent center from which broadcast data is transmitted by way of the telephone network to user's home devices.
This invention provides methods and apparatus for delivering information, preferably electronic television program guide information, to a user over a telecommunications network. The network includes the capability of determining whether the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook or off-hook condition, and the information is received and stored at a user site when the user's connection to the network is in an on-hook condition.
In the preferred embodiment, the information is delivered from a guide provider to a phone company switch point over a land-based or wireless dedicated line. When the user's phone is on-hook, the guide data is sent to the user site through a splitter. The line splitter provides the signal to a data decoder circuit, the output of which is connected to a data input terminal in communication with a television receiver, VCR, cable box, or other piece of equipment for displaying the program guide data on a screen.
The invention is capable of delivering complete program guide data to a user in spite of data interruptions due to telephone calls. The program schedule data is preferably transmitted as n serial packets of information, and the sequence of packets is repeated several times each day. Interspersed between the schedule data is channel mapping data which is also repetitively broadcast each day. In the event of an on-hook data interruption from an off-hook incoming/outgoing call, incomplete packet reception will be detected by a memory management system storage will cease until the phone is again on-hook. At this time, data storage will continue, and incomplete and missing packets will be picked up in the subsequent repetitive broadcasts of the schedule data.
Referring to
In the present invention, electronic television program guide data is provided from a guide provider 28 to the phone company switch point 26 via a line 30, which may be a land or wireless dedicated line. Thus, when the user's phone 14 is on-hook, the guide data is sent to the user's home on line 16. A two-way splitter 32 provides the signal on line 16 to a data decoder circuit 34, the output of which is connected to a data input terminal 36 of a television receiver 38, which may be a VCR, a cable box, or a television display unit for displaying the program guide data on a screen.
One significant problem with the system described above is the fact that the stream of guide data being furnished to the home in the on-hook condition is interrupted each time the phone is taken off-hook, which occurs whenever there is an incoming or outgoing call to or from the user. Therefore, provisions must be made to enable the user to capture the necessary guide data in spite of such data interruptions. This is accomplished as follows.
The data provider system 28 includes a controller 40, a digital database 42, timer circuits 44, and a data encoder 46. The database 42 contains the program guide data for a predetermined time period, and is automatically updated as required to keep it current. The timer 44 is set to program the controller 40 to periodically and repetitively instruct the database to output the guide data to the encoder 46. The encoder 46 converts the database output into a signal compatible with the telephone system data transmission requirements, such as an audio modulated signal well known to those in the art.
The program schedule data is preferably transmitted as n serial packets of information, and the sequence of packets is repeated several times each day. Interspersed between the schedule data is channel mapping data which is also repetitively broadcast each day. Such packetized redundant broadcast systems are well known in the art, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,274, and as used to broadcast the StarSight and Guide Plus branded program guides in the vertical blanking interval of broadcast signals in the U.S.
As shown in
From the above description, it can be seen that the system 10 is capable of delivering complete program guide data to a user in spite of data interruptions due to telephone calls. In the event of an on-hook data interruption from an off-hook incoming/outgoing call, guide data packet transmission will be interrupted, incomplete packet reception will be detected by the memory management system 48, and data storage into RAM will cease until the phone 14 is again on-hook. At this time, data storage will continue, and incomplete and missing packets will be picked up in the subsequent repetitive broadcasts of the schedule data as shown in
The data input terminal 36 described above is similar to the RS-232 data input terminals, usually referred to as G-Link inputs, provided on television receivers equipped with the Guide Plus program guide system in the U.S. and designed to receive serial program guide data, such as the G-Link connector provided on the Sony Model SLV-M20HF VCR. The decoder 34 is designed to convert the analog on-hook data signal on line 16 to a serial digital data signal compatible with the input requirements of the receiver 38, and to filter out voice/data signals appearing on line 16 in off-hook conditions. In many instances, the program guide data is encrypted using a time-dependent code. It is anticipated that the current time and day information may be provided to the decoder 34 by the phone system 18 using the current methods of transmitting such time data to users receiving caller ID information whenever incoming calls are received.
While the system of
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
5353337, | Apr 28 1992 | Ricos Co., Ltd. | Device for the transmission of data by telephone line |
5357505, | Mar 30 1992 | Ricos Co., Ltd. | Device for bidirectional communication on a telephone line |
5570415, | Aug 29 1991 | Sasktel | Video programming and storage control using the telephone network |
5625416, | Sep 17 1993 | Video communication controller utilizing multiple data channels to deliver separate program segments | |
5627875, | Nov 22 1994 | AT&T | Method in a telephone system for reaching a subscriber under busy/no answer conditions and ring/no answer conditions |
5635978, | May 20 1994 | Rovi Guides, Inc; TV GUIDE, INC ; UV CORP | Electronic television program guide channel system and method |
5657072, | Apr 10 1996 | Rovi Technologies Corporation | Interactive entertainment network system and method for providing program listings during non-peak times |
5666645, | Apr 26 1995 | Rovi Guides, Inc; TV GUIDE, INC ; UV CORP | Data management and distribution system and method for an electronic television program guide |
5805154, | Dec 14 1995 | Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC | Integrated broadcast application with broadcast portion having option display for access to on demand portion |
5872837, | Jun 27 1996 | Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc | System and method for transmitting data and commands using a telephone |
6029064, | Jan 12 1995 | Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc | Mobile audio program selection system using public switched telephone network |
6137549, | Oct 10 1997 | Rovi Guides, Inc; TV GUIDE, INC ; UV CORP | Program guide data distribution system with configurable queues |
6268849, | Jun 30 1998 | UV CORP ; TV GUIDE, INC ; Rovi Guides, Inc | Internet television program guide system with embedded real-time data |
6323911, | Oct 02 1995 | Rovi Guides, Inc | System and method for using television schedule information |
6442755, | Jul 07 1998 | Rovi Guides, Inc; TV GUIDE, INC ; UV CORP | Electronic program guide using markup language |
6481011, | Jun 16 1998 | UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC | Program guide system with user designated color coding |
6546096, | Aug 25 1999 | UNIFY GMBH & CO KG | Proximity detector for initiating automatic callback |
6604240, | Oct 06 1997 | Rovi Guides, Inc; TV GUIDE, INC ; UV CORP | Interactive television program guide system with operator showcase |
6675385, | Oct 21 1998 | Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC | HTML electronic program guide for an MPEG digital TV system |
6744873, | Jan 15 2000 | MCCRACKEN, WILLIAM E | Telephone accessory device |
7171567, | Aug 02 1999 | S AQUA SEMICONDUCTOR, LLC | System for protecting information over the internet |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Apr 19 2006 | MANKOVITZ, ROY J | SILVERIUS S A LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 025531 | /0768 | |
Jan 17 2008 | Silverius S.A. LLC | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Aug 11 2015 | SILVERIUS S A LLC | BENHOV GMBH, LLC | MERGER SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 037017 | /0643 | |
Dec 20 2019 | BENHOV GMBH, LLC | INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 143 LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 051421 | /0832 | |
Dec 30 2019 | INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS | DISPLAY VECTORS LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 053368 | /0937 |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Mar 18 2013 | M1552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Year, Large Entity. |
Oct 21 2014 | ASPN: Payor Number Assigned. |
Jun 23 2017 | M1553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Year, Large Entity. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Aug 21 2015 | 4 years fee payment window open |
Feb 21 2016 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Aug 21 2016 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Aug 21 2018 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Aug 21 2019 | 8 years fee payment window open |
Feb 21 2020 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Aug 21 2020 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Aug 21 2022 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Aug 21 2023 | 12 years fee payment window open |
Feb 21 2024 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Aug 21 2024 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Aug 21 2026 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |