Patent ID: 6064376
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A system for providing promotional information and television program listings to viewer television units, each television unit having a display screen divided into a promotional information region in which the promotional information is displayed and a television program listings region in which the television program listings are displayed, comprising:a main facility for providing the promotional information and a global video stream of promotional videos included in the promotional information; anda plurality of television distribution facilities, each connected to an associated plurality of the viewer television units, each of the plurality of television distribution facilities simultaneously receiving the global video stream in parallel, receiving television program listings data for the television program listings, and providing a video signal over a given channel so that the promotional information and the included global video stream of promotional videos are displayed on the viewer television units associated with that television distribution facility in the promotional information region and the program listings are displayed on the viewer television units associated with that television distribution facility in the program listings region, wherein each of the television distribution facilities simultaneously provides its video signal to its associated viewer television units over its given channel, wherein each of the television distribution facilities simultaneously adjusts the relative sizes of the promotional information region and the program listings region in parallel in real time as the global video stream of promotional videos is being provided by the main facility to the television distribution facilities and displayed on the viewer television units.