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Electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time

a technology of electronic television and network idle time, applied in the field of information delivery, can solve problems such as incomplete and missing packets being picked up

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-08-21
DISPLAY VECTORS LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables continuous delivery of complete program guide data to users even during telephone calls by storing incomplete packets and resuming transmission when the line is on-hook, ensuring users receive up-to-date information efficiently without tying up telephone resources.

Problems solved by technology

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.

Method used

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  • Electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time
  • Electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time
  • Electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0012]Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of one embodiment 10 of the invention, showing how an electronic program guide can be downloaded to a user's home using the idle time of the telephone network. At the user's home 12 is a conventional telephone 14 connected via line 16 to a local phone company switching center 18. A switching system 20 detects whether the phone 14 is on or off-hook, and provides a control signal to a line switch 22 which connects the line 16 to the conventional voice telecommunications service at switch point 24 whenever the phone 14 is off-hook, and to an alternate switch point 26 whenever the phone 14 is on-hook. This type of switching arrangement is well known to those in the art and is used by telephone companies to send on-hook signals to user's phone systems, such as message waiting reset signals, diagnostic signals, etc.

[0013]In the present invention, electronic television program guide data is provided from a guide provider 28 to the p...

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PUM

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Abstract

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.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]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 fromthe 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.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to information delivery and, in particular, to an electronic television program guide delivery system using telephone network idle time.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]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...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H04M11/00H04J1/02H04J1/00H04M3/22H04M3/487H04N5/445H04N7/16H04N21/262H04N21/41H04N21/61H04N21/84
CPCH04M3/2272H04M3/4872H04N7/165H04N21/26208H04N21/26283H04N21/4131H04N21/6187H04N21/84H04N21/47
Inventor MANKOVITZ, ROY J.
Owner DISPLAY VECTORS LLC