Interactive computer system for providing television schedule information

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing information to a viewer, and for allowing the viewer to link, search, select and interact with information in a remote database, e.g., a database on the Internet. The television schedule and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as television screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A web based interactive television schedule guide (IPG) accessible by a television user comprising: 
 a database accessible through Internet for storing television schedule guide information related to a plurality of geographical regions;    an input device for receiving input from the user including information about a geographical region;    a processor remote from the database for accessing the database responsive to the information about the geographical region; and    a display remote from the database for displaying the IPG related to the geographical region.    
     
     
         2 . The IPG of  claim 2  further comprising a second database accessible through the Internet for providing downloadable computer software to the processor for searching and displaying information from the Internet; wherein the processor executes the downloadable computer software to search the Internet responsive to selections of the television user.  
     
     
         3 . The IPG of  claim 1  wherein the television schedule information includes program title, date, channel, time, and duration.  
     
     
         4 . The IPG of  claim 3  further comprising means for automatically tuning to a selected program title or channel.  
     
     
         5 . The IPG of  claim 3  further comprising means for automatically recording a selected program title or channel.  
     
     
         6 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a third database accessible from the IPG for providing previews of upcoming programs.  
     
     
         7 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a guide icon displayed on the display for establishing a link to the database and displaying the schedule information on the display.  
     
     
         8 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising an icon displayed on the display for establishing a link to a product database for purchasing a product.  
     
     
         9 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising an icon displayed within the IPG for establishing a link to a service provider database for information independent of the user's program choice.  
     
     
         10 . The IPG of  claim 9  wherein the service provider database includes at least on of th group of news, whether, sports, scores, financial data, and local traffic.  
     
     
         11 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a virtual agent for automatically searching the Internet and providing pointers to locations in the Internet based on preferences of the user.  
     
     
         12 . The IPG of  claim 11  wherein, the virtual agent includes means for learning from previous user choices to customizing the IPG for each particular user.  
     
     
         13 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising a chatroom Internet site related to a selected program.  
     
     
         14 . The IPG of  claim 1  further comprising an area for providing information about a particular future program.  
     
     
         15 . The IPG of  claim 14  wherein the information about a particular future program includes at least one of the group of a picture, video, and descriptive text.  
     
     
         16 . The IPG of  claim 14  wherein, the area for providing information about a particular future program is interactive in response to the user input.  
     
     
         17 . The IPG of  claim 1  wherein, the processor is located in at least one of the group of a television, a set-top box, and a VCR.  
     
     
         18 . The IPG of  claim 1  wherein, the user input includes at least one of the group of a remote control device, a keyboard, and a voice input.  
     
     
         19 . A method for displaying a television schedule guide stored on a web site comprising: 
 storing television schedule guide information for a plurality of geographical regions in a database accessible through Internet;    selecting a geographical region; and    displaying the television schedule guide responsive to the selected geographical region in a display remote from the database.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 storing in a second database a computer software for searching and displaying information from the Internet directly on-line;  
 downloading the computer software to a processor remote from the database and the second database; and  
 executing the downloaded computer software for searching the Internet.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of selecting a program from the schedule guide for automatic tuning; and automatically tuning to the selected program.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of selecting a program from the schedule guide for automatic recording; and automatically recording the selected program.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of storing television schedule information comprises storing program title, date, channel, time, and duration.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of displaying within the schedule guide previews of upcoming programs.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of displaying a schedule guide icon for establishing a link to the database and displaying the schedule information on the display in a specific format.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of displaying an icon for establishing a link to a product database for purchasing a product.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of displaying an icon within the schedule guide for establishing a link to a service provider database for information independent of the user's program choice.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of automatically searching the Internet and providing pointers to locations in the Internet based on preferences of the user.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of learning from previous user choices and customizing the display of the schedule guide for each particular user.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of establishing a link to a chatroom Internet site related to a selected program and entering the chatroom.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of providing information about a particular future program wherein, the information includes at least one of the group of a picture, video, and descriptive text.  
     
     
         32 . A method for displaying a television schedule guide stored in a remote database accessible via Internet, the method comprising: 
 storing television schedule guide information for a plurality of geographical regions in the database accessible by a plurality of television viewers;    receiving input from one of the plurality of television viewers for selecting a geographical region; and    displaying the television schedule guide responsive to the selected geographical region in a display remote from the database.