Set top to internet device communication and use

Abstract

A method and system for providing Web-based information that is relevant to a program being viewed on a television. A data stream providing a set of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) is provided along with the program content. The URLs identify Web sites that are relevant to the program content. Based on user preferences specified in a user profile, URLs for Web sites that are likely to be of particular interest to the user can be culled from the overall set of URLs. These URLs are sent to a device connected to the Internet (e.g., a personal computer system), allowing the user to access Web-based information relevant to the program content. The program content continues to be displayed on the television and the Web-based information is displayed on the personal computer system. Accordingly, the user can view targeted information that is of interest without interrupting the display on the television.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to the electronic transfer of information over a network of communicatively coupled devices. More specifically, the present invention pertains to the distribution of targeted Web-based information that is relevant to a program being viewed on a television. BACKGROUND ART [0002] In many instances today, broadcasters and advertisers attempt to tie television programming and commercials to related sites on the World Wide Web (“Web”). It is becoming quite common to see, superimposed somewhere on the television screen, a banner or label identifying the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for a Web site that can provide information supplementing the program information being displayed on the screen. It is also increasingly common for advertisers to display the URL for their Web site in their commercial. The broadcasters and advertisers hope to attract viewers to their Web sites for marketing purposes as well as to provide viewers with inform...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a system and method for directing viewers to relevant web pages while they watch TV or listen to radio. The system identifies relevant web pages based on the program content being viewed or the user's preferences. The viewer can access these relevant web pages on their own device without interrupting the TV or radio display. The invention also allows multiple devices to access the relevant information and interact with each other. Additionally, the invention allows the TV or radio to receive commands from other devices and perform various functions based on those commands."

Problems solved by technology

A disadvantage to banners and the like is that they can be somewhat disruptive to viewers, blocking aspects of the program being viewed and diverting the user's attention from the program itself.

In addition, banners and the like are of limited effectiveness because they place the burden of accessing the Web site on the viewer.

Because of this inconvenience, many viewers will not follow through and access the promoted Web site, reducing the size of the audience that broadcasters and advertisers had hoped to reach via the Internet.

The audience is further reduced by the number of viewers who are not comfortable with accessing and navigating the Internet, and who will probably not attempt to access the Web site because of the perceived difficulty in doing so.

Another problem with the prior art is that multiple URLs cannot readily be provided during the program or commercial, although there may be multiple Web sites relevant to the ongoing program or commercial that might be of interest.

The display of multiple URLs would further clutter the screen, and viewers would typically not be able to make note of more than a couple of URLs at a time anyway.

Accordingly, only a single URL is typically displayed, limiting viewer access to supplementary information of relevance or likely interest.

Furthermore, the URLs displayed during programs and commercials cannot be tailored for different viewers; that is, all viewers see the same URL.

Thus, instead of seeing a full-size image, viewers must contend with smaller images, reducing the quality of the display and diminishing the viewing experience.

Images