Patent ID: 6130720
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An apparatus to provide a subscriber with information on a television receiver for use with an Information Provider (IP), the television receiver having a display screen and including an on-screen display processor which displays operational data on the display screen with active video information from a video input signal to provide a user interface for adjusting operational functions of the television receiver, the apparatus comprising,a bi-directional communication link interconnecting the television receiver and the IP,requesting means in the television receiver for requesting data over the bi-directional communication link,receiving means in the television receiver for receiving the requested data over the bi-directional communication link, the requested data being separate from the video input signal received by the television receiver,processing means for processing the data from said receiving means into formatted text information, anddisplay means, using the on-screen display processor of the television receiver to display the formatted text information from said processing means on the display screen of the television receiver,wherein the information includes a database containing local information.