System and method for interactive television

Abstract

A system and method for interactive television (ITV) includes presenting both TV channels and “virtual channels” on an ITV. A virtual channel can be a Web page stored in memory of the ITV (or remote therefrom) and accessed by a microprocessor in the ITV when a user selects the virtual channel number using a conventional TV remote control. The particular Web page can be established based on consumer data, such as demographic data supplied by the consumer or consumer responses to prompts displayed along with a channel. The Web page associated with the virtual channel can be updated or changed by sending data to the ITV through the VBI of a TV signal or via the Internet, through a modem on the ITV.

1 . A method for enabling a consumer to access the Internet using a television having at least one television tuner, comprising: 
 configuring the television to have plural television channels, the television channels receiving TV signals including vertical blanking intervals (VBI):    sending audio-video content including at least portions of a movie in the VBI; and    allowing a user to present the audio-video programming on the television.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein content received in the VBI is stored in memory within the television.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein content received in the VBI is stored in memory remote from the television.  
   
   
       4 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of sending content includes: 
 sending information pertaining to at least one content to the television; and    at the television, using the information to determine whether to download the content to the television.    
   
   
       10 . An interactive television (ITV) system, comprising: 
 a television tuner supported on a housing of the ITV, the tuner receiving audio-video content in a vertical blanking interval (VBI); and    a display presenting the audio-video content received in the VBI.    
   
   
       11 - 40 . (canceled)