Pong, the Atari creation that launched the computer game craze, came with these instructions: "Avoid missing ball for high score."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8191093 | Providing information pertaining to audio-visual and personal bi-directional services The present invention provides methods and systems for accessing services in a television system. In one embodiment, a DHCT presents a subscriber an EPG presentation containing a plurality of selectable bi-directional services that are purchasable for a period of ti... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8132209 | Information processing device This invention relates to an information processing apparatus for allowing a user at a remote location to make easy and quick reservation of a TV program for unattended recording over a network. In step S103, the user accesses an EPG server to get an HTML-bas... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8010981 | Method and system for creating television programming guide A household level electronic program guide which provides a PC user with a specific guide of television stations which are available at a location where a cable has been scanned to determine the television channels and stations being broadcast thereon and being prov... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8001570 | Transparent access of STB MHP digital TV middleware to IP video content The invention relates to a set-top box receiver allowing access to interactive digital TV coming from any IP-network. It makes use of the SAP/SDP protocols as a logic link between “classic” DVB services (satellite, terrestrial, cable) and IP services. The invent... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7979881 | System and method for identifying audio/visual programs to be recorded A token schema is provided for identifying a broadcast audio and/or visual program to facilitate recording of the identified program. The token schema includes program criteria for identifying a corresponding audio/or visual program, which is sufficient to enable a ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7962938 | Specialized media presentation via an electronic program guide (EPG) An electronic program guide (EPG) is enhanced to have entries that enable access to one or more images. When an image-related entry is selected by a user, a television-based device presents the one or more images that are associated with the selected entry. In a des... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7934234 | Transmission and reception of television programmes and other data In a digital television system, a receiver/decoder (or “set-top-box”) can download one or more of several applications which can be run by the receiver/decoder to provide interactivity with the user. The applications include: an Internet browser application whic... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7840981 | Method and apparatus for receiving full-motion digital video multi-casts, interactive data and interactive voice via a DSL circuit An IP multicast aware switched digital method and apparatus are provided in a settop unit wherein packet streams containing reference information are multicast while a select set of program information is routed to the settop units so that multicast streams can be i... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7788692 | System and method for simultaneously displaying video programming and instant messaging Instant messaging (IM) and TV programming are displayed simultaneously on a TV screen. An instant messaging window on the screen displays posted messages and identifies the TV program (if any) being currently viewed by each user posting messages. An icon accompanyin... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7673316 | System and method for enhancing broadcast programs with information on the world wide web The present invention is directed to a system and method for viewer real-time access complementary information related to a broadcast program including selecting a plurality of topics drawing his or her attention and for accessing additional information related to t... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7673315 | System and method for providing program criteria representing audio and/or visual programming A system and method are disclosed for providing program criteria representing a plurality of audio and/or visual programs. A plurality of tokens are stored in a database of one or more computers, each token having an identifier for identifying a predetermined audio ... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7665108 | Broadcasting program viewing method using electronic program guide and system thereof A broadcasting program viewing system using an electronic program guide and a method for the same, includes the steps of storing the EPG for guiding broadcasting programs and a tag for downloading the broadcasting programs guided to the EPG from the corresponding br... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7665109 | Electronic program guide with hyperlinks to target resources An electronic programming guide (EPG) resides in a user interface unit memory and is executable on the processor of the user interface unit to organize programming information that is descriptive of the programs supplied over an interactive entertainment system. The... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7543323 | Retrieving content using batch mode and real-time logical addresses Displaying content associated with a television program using logical addresses identifying the content. Content associated with the television program is automatically displayed by a set top box. Before the broadcast of a program, television listing information, su... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7496945 | Interactive program guide for bidirectional services The present invention provides methods and systems for accessing services in a television system. In one embodiment, a DHCT presents a subscriber an EPG presentation containing a plurality of selectable bi-directional services that are purchasable for a period of ti... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7444661 | Electronic program guide utilizing multiple tuning sources A system, software and method capable of communicating with a device coupled to the system via a network such that the tuning capabilities of the device can be made available for access and control via the system's program guide through placement of the device's tun... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7421724 | Systems and methods for displaying information regions in an interactive electronic program guide A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7418672 | Integrated content guide for interactive selection of content and services on personal computer systems with multiple sources and multiple media presentation A integrated content guide for multiple sources is provided with hyper-text type links to allow for the selection of various programs. The hyper-text links are provided for a transmitted and then stored digital bit stream. This allows for the embedding within the co... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7409700 | System and method for enhanced broadcasting and interactive An enhanced interactive television broadcast is disclosed wherein an audio/video broadcast is viewed on a first display system, and an “enhancement” to the broadcast is simultaneously viewed or experienced on a second, separate display system. The “enhancement... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7406704 | Virtual channel system for web appliance, including interactive television A virtual channel system for a web appliance includes an interactive television having a virtual channel memory disposed therein. The virtual channel memory includes data associated with at least one consumer selectable virtual channel. The data is an updatable Web ... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7404200 | System for processing and decoding MPEG compatible data and internet information A video decoder system operates in different configurations to request and acquire information using one or more communication links and different communication protocols. A method for acquiring information requested by a User via a program guide selection involves ... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7370026 | Method and apparatus for providing personalized supplemental programming A method and apparatus for providing personalized supplemental programming is provided. In one embodiment, the invention can include searching text for a keyword, the text associated with primary programming to be provided to an element of an entertainment system, a... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7363644 | System for using a channel and event overlay for invoking channel and event related functions A convergence system suitable for accepting inputs from several television or personal computing sources is disclosed. The sources can be output on a display. The convergence system is controlled by a multi-function controller suitable for providing a set of functio... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7363588 | GUI for organizational environment A method and apparatus are described for providing a graphical user interface for a plurality of users under a predetermined format substantially controlled by an employer of the plurality of users. The method includes the steps of disposing a proxy server between t... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7356830 | Method and apparatus for linking a video segment to another segment or information source A given video segment is configured to include links to one or more other video segments or information sources. The given video segment is processed in a video processing system to determine an association between an object, entity, characterization or other featur... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7340761 | System and method for delivering radio programs and related schedule information An Internet-enabled television system provides an electronic program guide for the radio (radio EPG) depicting radio programs available via the Internet. The radio EPG displays the programming available for a plurality of radio stations and time slots. The radio EPG... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7340763 | Internet browsing from a television A system for automatically using internet information which is contained within a commercial on an entertainment medium e.g. television. The system determines information indicative of the web address. This can be done automatically by optical character recognition ... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7337457 | Apparatus and method for providing and obtaining product information through a broadcast signal The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing and obtaining product information through a broadcast signal. In this present invention, information identifying a product item, which is in a scene to be presented from a broadcast signal, and a... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7327673 | Asymmetric digital subscriber line provision flow control on digital subscriber line access multiplexer switches Disclosed is a system for an ADSL access network for providing ADSL provision flow control at a DSLAM switch. The system includes an element management system in communication with a DSLAM switch; and a network management system in communication with the element man... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7313805 | Content navigator graphical user interface system and method In a system and method for enabling a user to simultaneously display a set of selectable categories, a set of channels related to a selected category, and individual content associated with a selected channel, of potential interest to the user. The system includes a... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7313807 | Television transmitter, television transmitting method, television receiver and television receiving method A TV transmitter, a TV transmitting—method, a TV receiver and a TV receiving method allowing users to find and choose desired programs through the use of a program guide displayed by graphical user interface (GUI). The TV transmitter comprises a signal generation ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309013 | TV and control method thereof A TV includes a memory module including a mounting part detachably mounted with kinds of memory cards; an input part to receive an access command to access the memory card mounted thereon; and a signal processor operating data communication corresponding to the acce... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7310807 | System and method for local video distribution A system and method are disclosed for facilitating local video distribution. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include linking a plurality of users with associated carrier frequencies. The associated frequencies may be given approximatel... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7284257 | Announcing the availability of an electronic programming guide to receivers of enhanced television transmissions A unique session identifier may be utilized to announce the availability of an electronic programming guide to users of an enhanced television distribution system. In some embodiments, the unique session identifier may be utilized in a variety of systems to provide ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7281261 | Remotely accessing and programming a set top box Systems and methods for remotely programming a set top box and for remotely scheduling an event on a set top box. A set top box includes a server that allows an access device to access the set top box over an always on connection between the set top box and a networ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7277894 | Control system, control apparatus, control method, storage medium, and program A remote controller for controlling a television receiver can be set such that each of users can enjoy viewing television programs in a viewing environment optimized for each user. In an operation history registration mode, data indicating an operation performed by ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7275256 | System and method for providing an interactive, visual complement to an audio program A system and method for providing an interactive, visual complement to one or more audio programs. In one aspect, the system comprises an audio subsystem for generating an audio signal corresponding to a sound recording. The system also comprises a video subsystem f... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7272843 | Broadcasting method and broadcast signal receiver apparatus A broadcasting method and a broadcast signal receiving apparatus is provided wherein auxiliary information, such as video and audio data, for supplementing broadcast information presented through a broadcasting network in an interlocked manner can be watched and lis... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7269838 | Internet television program guide system with embedded real-time data An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access television program listings containing embedded real-time data over an Internet communications link. The television program listing may be for a sporting even... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7269837 | Interactive television advertising method A method of providing advertising from a central database server connected to a global computer network to distributed sites via interactive television. A representative icon is presented to a subscriber on a television screen indicating an advertisement. When a the... | 09/11/2007 |