Interactive television system with programming-related links

Abstract

An interactive television system with programming-related links is provided. The system may include user television equipment on which interactive program guide and non-program-guide applications may be implemented. Information that is displayed in a display screen for a non-program-guide application may be related to programming. A display screen or overlay for programming that is related to the information may be displayed when a user selects the displayed information. The display or overlay for the programming may include advertisements, video, graphics, options, or programming descriptions. The display screen or overlay may have been displayed by the program guide application.

1 . An interactive television system having user television equipment on which an interactive program guide application and an interactive non-program-guide application are each at least partially implemented, said user television equipment being configured to: 
 display a first information display region that includes at least one non-program-guide option that is related to programming using the non-program-guide application;    provide a user with an opportunity to select the non-program-guide option that is related to the programming; and    use the program guide application to display a second information display region that includes a plurality of options that are related to the programming when the non-program-guide option is selected, wherein the plurality of options provides the user with an opportunity to access program guide data and non-program-guide data.    
     
     
         2 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second information display region includes at least one of: 
 a program guide option that is related to the programming;    a plurality of program guide options that are related to the programming;    video that is related to the programming;    a graphic that is related to the programming; and    an advertisement that is related to the programming.    
     
     
         3 - 7 . (canceled)  
     
     
         8 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the non-program-guide option is at least one of: 
 an advertisement;    a graphic;    a phrase that is related to the programming; and    a word that is related to the programming.    
     
     
         9 - 11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the user television equipment is further configured to display an indicator with the non-program-guide option to indicate to the user that the non-program-guide option is related to the programming.  
     
     
         13 . The system defined in  claim 12 , wherein the opportunity to select the non-program-guide option is provided by providing the user with an opportunity to select the indicator.  
     
     
         14 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the user television equipment includes a program guide database of programming information for the program guide application, and wherein the user television equipment is further configured to access the program guide database to determine which programming is related to the selected non-program-guide option.  
     
     
         15 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second information display region is at least one of: 
 an overlay; and    a display screen.    
     
     
         16 . (canceled)  
     
     
         17 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the user television equipment is further configured to 
 provide the user with an opportunity to return to the first information display region when the second information display region has been displayed.    
     
     
         18 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the programming is at least one of: 
 a particular program;    a particular channel;    a particular network; and    a particular service package.    
     
     
         19 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . The system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the non-program-guide application comprises executable code that includes a program guide function that is executed when the non-program-guide option is selected.  
     
     
         23 - 43 . (canceled)  
     
     
         44 . A method for providing an interactive television system having user television equipment on which an interactive program guide application and an interactive non-program-guide application are each at least partially implemented, the method comprising: 
 displaying a first information display region that includes at least one non-program-guide option that is related to the programming using the non-program-guide application;    providing a user with an opportunity to select the non-program-guide option that is related to the programming; and    using the program guide application to display a second information display region that includes a plurality of options that are related to the programming when the non-program-guide option is selected, wherein the plurality of options provides the user with an opportunity to access program guide data and non-program-guide data.    
     
     
         45 . The method defined in  claim 44 , wherein the second information display region includes at least one of: 
 a program guide option that is related to the programming;    a plurality of program guide options that are related to the programming;    video that is related to the programming;    a graphic that is related to the programming; and    an advertisement that is related to the programming.    
     
     
         46 . The method defined in  claim 44 , wherein the non-program-guide option is at least one of: 
 an advertisement;    a graphic;    a phrase that is related to the programming; and    a word that is related to the programming.    
     
     
         47 . The method defined in  claim 44 , further comprising displaying an indicator with the non-program-guide option to indicate to the user that the non-program-guide option is related to the programming.  
     
     
         48 . The method defined in  claim 47 , wherein providing the user with the opportunity to select the non-program-guide option further comprises providing the user with an opportunity to select the indicator.  
     
     
         49 . The method defined in  claim 44 , further comprising accessing a program guide database of programming information for the program guide application to determine which programming is related to the selected non-program-guide option.  
     
     
         50 . The method defined in  claim 44 , further comprising displaying the second information display region in at least one of: 
 an overlay; and    a display screen.    
     
     
         51 . The method defined in  claim 44 , further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to return to the first information display region when the second information display region has been displayed.  
     
     
         52 . The method defined in  claim 44 , wherein the programming is at least one of: 
 a particular program;    a particular channel;    a particular network; and    a particular service package.    
     
     
         53 . The method defined in  claim 44 , wherein the non-program-guide application comprises executable code that includes a program guide function that is executed when the non-program-guide option is selected.