(19) & (11) EP 1 467 566 B1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.: of the grant of the patent: H04N 7/173 (2006.01) 11.11.2009 Bulletin 2009/46 (21) Application number: 04015821.4 (22) Date of filing: 24.04.1996 (54) Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with remote product ordering Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur elektronischen Fernsehprogrammzeitplanung mit Warenfernbestellung Système électronique de choix de programmes télévisuels et procédé permettant de passer commande de produits à distance (84) Designated Contracting States: • Davis, Bruce AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC Lake Oswego, OR 97034 (US) NL PT SE • Knudson, Edward Littleton, CO 80127 (US) (30) Priority: 24.04.1995 US 428809 • Miller, Larry Greenwood Villiage, CO 80111 (US) (43) Date of publication of application: 13.10.2004 Bulletin 2004/42 (74) Representative: Hibbert, Juliet Jane Grace et al Kilburn & Strode LLP (62) Document number(s) of the earlier application(s) in 20 Red Lion Street accordance with Art. 76 EPC: London WC1R 4PJ (GB) 96913121.8 / 0 823 179 (56) References cited: (73) Proprietor: United Video Properties, Inc. WO-A-93/26121 WO-A-94/13107 Tulsa, OK 74136 (US) WO-A-95/28799 WO-A-95/32583 WO-A-96/08927 (72) Inventors: • Ellis, Michael D. Boulder, CO 80304 (US) Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). EP 1 467 566 B1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 1 467 566 B1 2 Description tems that can not be updated without physical replace- ment of integrated circuits and/or other parts. Background of the Invention [0005] Nor do these prior electronic guide systems have the capability of linking the user to other applications [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of ap- 5 or information systems which are not part of the electronic plication serial no. 247,101, which is a continuation-in- program guide application or data. part of application serial no. 119,367. This invention re- [0006] Nor do these prior electronic guide systems pro- lates to an electronic program schedule system, which vide video promotion of television programs and services provides a user with schedule information for broadcast that are functionally linked and visually displayed in an or cablecast programs viewed by the user on a television 10 integrated fashion. Program promotion is an important receiver. More particularly, it relates to an electronic pro- element of the effective marketing of television program- gram guide that provides the user with the capability to ming. The promotion of pay-per-view pay (i.e., "a la order products and services remotely at the user location carte") programs and other unregulated program servic- simply by depressing a button on a remote control device es is particularly important to cable television operators or other user-controlled device. 15 in the wake of re-regulation by the federal government. [0002] Electronic program guides ("EPGs") for televi- The current method of promoting such programming us- sion systems are known in the art. For example, one prior ing video is through dedicated "barker" channels that use system used an electronic character generator to display full screen continuous trailers (i.e., previews) which may textual schedule information on the full screen of a tele- or may not be accompanied by prices and ordering in- vision receiver. Other prior systems presented electron- 20 formation. Recently, such promotional videos have been ically stored program schedule information to a user for shown in split screens where part of the screen shows viewing while allowing the user to select display formats. general schedule information for a time period roughly Still other systems employed a data processor to input corresponding to the time period during which the general user-selection criteria, then stored only the program program being promoted is shown. Accordingly, there schedule information meeting these criteria, and subse- 25 exists a need for an electronic program guide which can quently used the stored information to automatically tune provide improved display and linking of video promotions a programmable tuner or activate a recording device at with program schedule information and order processing the time of broadcast of the selected television programs. functions. Such prior systems are generally discussed in "Stay [0007] The prior electronic program guides also fail to Tuned for Smart TV," published in the November 1990 30 provide the user with a simple and efficient method of issue of Popular Science. controlling access to individual channels and individual [0003] Collectively, the prior electronic program sys- programs. The amount of adult situations involving sex tems may be difficult to implement and cumbersome to and violence has steadily increased during the last 40 use. They also fail to provide viewing capabilities that years. The issue of how this affects children or other view- address in a more realistic manner the viewing habits of 35 ers has gained national attention. Providing a parent with the users of these electronic program systems. Moreo- the ability to lock-out a channel is a well known and wide- ver, many of these systems are complex in their design spread feature of certain television receivers and cable and are expensive to implement. Ease of use and econ- converter boxes. Despite this availability, the feature is omy are primary concerns of television program distrib- seldom used by parents. The main impediments to its utors and viewers as they contemplate dramatic increas- 40 effective use are the cumbersome ways in which it is es in the number and nature of program networks and generally implemented, as well as the requirement that other television-based services. And, as the number of entire channels be blocked in order to block access to television channels available to a user increases dramat- any objectional programming. A channel-oriented paren- ically with the advent of new satellite and cable-based tal lock is unfair to other programmers on the blocked technologies, the utility of these prior systems substan- 45 channel -- who, for example, offer adult-oriented pro- tially diminishes. gramming in the evening and youth-oriented program- [0004] These prior-art systems also fail to provide the ming the following morning--and inconvenient for viewers user with sufficient information, for example pricing and who want access to such programs. Thus, there is a par- the like, about pay-per-view events, premium services or ticular need for a system which provides password con- other packaged programming to which the user does not 50 trol to individual programs and channels using a flexible subscribe, nor do they provide the user with the capability and uncomplicated on-screen user interface. to automatically purchase such programming on demand [0008] The prior electronic program guides are also or impulse. Moreover, these prior-art systems are defi- deficient in that they do not provide the user with the cient in that they fail to provide an efficient and automatic ability to view on demand current billing status and, thus, method of updating or replacing the application software 55 a need exists for a system which can provide the user programs that implement the electronic guide at the user with current billing information on the user’s demand. sites, relying instead on manual or other cumbersome [0009] An additional problem with prior program forms of revision or replacement or hardware-based sys- guides is that when displaying schedule information in 2 3 EP 1 467 566 B1 4 grid format, i.e., columns representing time slots and righted programs, it is now possible to prevent the loss rows representing channels, program titles generally are of copyright royalties and other revenues that result when width-wise truncated to fit into the cells of the grid. The a home viewer makes an archival copy of a copyrighted width of a grid cell varies with the duration of the program. program. Many viewers may be willing to pay for profes- Since a 30 minute program is allotted only a small amount 5 sional copies of these programs that they can no longer of space for the program title and description, titles and/or copy themselves by recording off-the-air. As a result, a descriptions for half and even full hour programs often new marketing opportunity is available if a convenient must be truncated in order to fit into the allotted space. means for acquiring purchased archival copies of copy- Some systems simply cut off the description of a program righted programs can be provided. Users who would oth- without abbreviating it in any way, such that the user is 10 erwise have produced an amateur recording of a program unable to determine the subject matter of the program. using consumer equipment may decide to purchase a For example, a recent television program display includ- professionally produced and packaged copy from a li- ed the following text in a grid cell: "Baseball: Yankees v." censed distributor if they are unable to record the pro- Although some systems partially alleviate this problem gram on their own. by providing two lines of text in each grid cell, this solution 15 [0014] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a sim- is not ideal because program descriptions may still be plified electronic program schedule system that may be truncated.