Internet television program guide system with embedded real-time data

Abstract

An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access television program listings containing embedded real-time data over an Internet communications link. The television program listing may be for a sporting event that is currently being broadcast and the real-time data may be the current score of the event, the current weather where the event is taking place, or any other suitable real-time information on the event. The real-time data may be presented in the form of video stills, video clips, textual information, audio clips, or suitable combinations of such media. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings to search for a desired program. If desired, the user can obtain additional information on a selected program by accessing an associated web page.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for providing program listings and data that is associated with a live event, the system comprising:
 a server comprising:
 communications circuitry configured to:
 receive data that is associated with a live event, 
 receive a plurality of program listings, and 
 transmit, to a user equipment device, the data and a program listing of the plurality of program listings that is for the live event; and 
 
 control circuitry configured to:
 determine that the data is associated with the live event, 
 identify the program listing of the plurality of program listings that is for the live event, and 
 generate the data and the program listing that is for the live event for simultaneous display by the user equipment device based on the identifying. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is on a web page, and the communications circuitry is further configured to transmit, to the user equipment device, the web page for display by the user equipment device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the communications circuitry is further configured to receive the data that is associated with the live event from a first source and receive the plurality of program listings from a second source. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first source is a real-time data processing facility and the second source is a media library or a data server. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the server is at a location remote to the user equipment device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is at least one of real-time sports scores and real-time weather data. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to store the program listing that is for the live event in a relational database format. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to store the program listing that is for the live event in an object-oriented database format. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the data and the program listing that is for the live event are generated for simultaneous display in a cell. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing program listings and data that is associated with a live event, the method comprising:
 receiving, using communications circuitry at a server, data that is associated with a live event;   receiving, using the communications circuitry, a plurality of program listings;   determining, using control circuitry at the server, that the data is associated with the live event;   identifying, using the control circuitry, a program listing of the plurality of program listings that is for the live event;   generating, using the control circuitry, the data and the program listing that is for the live event for simultaneous display by a user equipment device based on the identifying; and   transmitting, using the communications circuitry, to the user equipment device, the data and the program listing that is for the live event.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is on a web page, and further comprising transmitting, using the communications circuitry, to the user equipment device, the web page for display by the user equipment device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is received from a first source and the plurality of program listings is received from a second source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first source is a real-time data processing facility and the second source is a media library or a data server. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the server is at a location remote to the user equipment device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is at least one of real-time sports scores and real-time weather data. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising storing, using the control circuitry, the program listing that is for the live event in a relational database format. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising storing, using the control circuitry, the program listing that is for the live event in an object-oriented database format. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data and the program listing that is for the live event are generated for simultaneous display in a cell. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable media for providing program listings and data that is associated with a live event, the computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions encoded thereon for:
 receiving, using communications circuitry at a server, data that is associated with a live event;   receiving, using the communications circuitry, a plurality of program listings;   determining, using control circuitry at the server, that the data is associated with the live event;   identifying, using the control circuitry, a program listing of the plurality of program listings that is for the live event;   generating, using the control circuitry, the data and the program listing that is for the live event for simultaneous display by a user equipment device based on the identifying; and   transmitting, using the communications circuitry, to the user equipment device, the data and the program listing that is for the live event.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 20 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is on a web page, and further comprising computer-readable instructions encoded thereon for transmitting, using the communications circuitry, to the user equipment device, the web page for display by the user equipment device. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 20 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is received from a first source and the plurality of program listings is received from a second source. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 22 , wherein the first source is a real-time data processing facility and the second source is a media library or a data server. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 20 , wherein the server is at a location remote to the user equipment device. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 20 , further comprising computer-readable instructions encoded thereon for storing, using the control circuitry, the program listing that is for the live event in a relational database format. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 20 , further comprising computer-readable instructions encoded thereon for storing, using the control circuitry, the program listing that is for the live event in an object-oriented database format. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 20 , wherein the data and the program listing that is for the live event are generated for simultaneous display in a cell. 
     
     
         28 . A system for providing program listings and data that is associated with a live event, the system comprising:
 means for receiving, using communications circuitry at a server, data that is associated with a live event;   means for receiving, using the communications circuitry, a plurality of program listings;   means for determining, using control circuitry at the server, that the data is associated with the live event;   means for identifying, using the control circuitry, a program listing of the plurality of program listings that is for the live event;   means for generating the data and the program listing that is for the live event for simultaneous display by a user equipment device based on the identifying; and   means for transmitting, using the communications circuitry, to the user equipment device, the data and the program listing that is for the live event.   
     
     
         29 . The system  claim 28 , wherein the server is at a location remote to the user equipment device. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data that is associated with the live event is on a web page, and further comprising means for transmitting over an Internet communications link, using the communications circuitry, to the user equipment device, the web page for display by the user equipment device. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising means for storing, using the control circuitry, the program listing that is for the live event in a relational database format or in an object-oriented database format.