Dynamic item highlighting system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for highlighting a program listing in a set of program listings based on selection criteria. The selection criteria may indicate that the a broadcaster has agreed to pay a service provider in return for the service provider ensuring that a program listing, corresponding to the program of the broadcaster, is highlighted in a program page that displays a set of program listings, such as television program listings. If there are multiple program listings, listed in a program page, that are to be highlighted, then details of the respective contracts may be used to determine which program listing to highlight. Such details may include the total contract value, a ratio of contract value-to-page view, and/or the time of contract formation.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 generating for display on a media device, a plurality of identifiers associated with a plurality of stored programs, wherein the plurality of identifiers include a first and a second identifier associated with a first and second program, from the plurality of stored programs, respectively;   visually distinguishing the first identifier from rest of the plurality of identifiers based on a first set of criteria;   receiving a push message from a server that comprises a second set of criteria;   in response to receiving the push message from the server, and without receiving a user input to change the first identifier:
 causing the second identifier to be visually distinguished from the rest of the plurality of identifiers based on the second set of criteria. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein visually distinguishing the first identifier from rest of the plurality of identifiers comprises highlighting the first identifier. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein distinguishing the second identifier to be visually distinguished from the rest of the plurality of identifiers comprises highlighting the second identifier. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first set of criteria includes determining whether the first program is associated with a newly formed contract. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first set of criteria includes determining whether the first program is associated with an expiring contract. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein an expiration date of the expiring contract may be examined to determine whether to visually distinguish the first program. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising, not visually distinguishing the first program if the first program is not associated with an expiring contract. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first set of criteria includes change in the number of page views remaining to trigger a payment. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 identifying attribute data of the user associated with the media device;   selecting the first set of selection criteria based on shared criterion between the user and a user population to which the user belongs; and   displaying a program listing on the media device based on the shared criteria.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the shared criterion is a geographic location. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the shared criterion is shared demographics. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 displaying an identifier associated with a channel on which a program was last viewed, wherein the identifier is displayed on a top page of program listing of a media device; and   displaying a currently broadcast program of the channel when the identifier is selected.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising automatically highlighting the identifier associated with the channel on which a program was last viewed. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising displaying identifiers for more than one channel on which programs were last viewed. 
     
     
         33 . A system comprising:
 control circuitry configured to:
 generate for display on a media device, a plurality of identifiers associated with a plurality of stored programs, wherein the plurality of identifiers include a first and a second identifier associated with a first and second program, from the plurality of stored programs, respectively; 
 visually distinguish the first identifier from rest of the plurality of identifiers based on a first set of criteria; 
 receive a push message from a server that comprises a second set of criteria; 
 in response to receiving the push message from the server, and without receiving a user input to change the first identifier:
 cause the second identifier to be visually distinguished from the rest of the plurality of identifiers based on the second set of criteria. 
 
   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein visually distinguishing the first identifier from rest of the plurality of identifiers comprises the control circuitry configured to highlight the first identifier. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the first set of criteria includes the control circuitry configured to determine whether the first program is associated with a newly formed contract. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising, the control circuitry configured to:
 identify attribute data of the user associated with the media device;   select the first set of selection criteria based on shared criterion between the user and a user population to which the user belongs; and   display a program listing on the media device based on the shared criteria.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the shared criterion is a geographic location. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising, the control circuitry configured to:
 display an identifier associated with a channel on which a program was last viewed, wherein the identifier is displayed on a top page of program listing of a media device; and   display a currently broadcast program of the channel when the identifier is selected.