Abstract:
A virtual channel system for a web appliance includes an interactive television having a virtual channel memory disposed therein. The virtual channel memory includes data associated with at least one consumer selectable virtual channel. The data is an updatable Web page that is displayed when its associated virtual channel is selected. The interactive television also includes a user data input memory that includes user demographic information. The user demographic data can be used to customize the virtual channels available at the ITV. More specifically, the ITV system uses the demographic data to establish the virtual channels available to a specific consumer in accordance with the demographic information that he or she has input to the ITV system.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority from the following U.S. provisional application, filed Sep. 8, 2000, Ser. No. 60/231,465. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to television systems. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Televisions are ubiquitous, as are Internet computers. Currently, however, consumers typically purchase and use two separate systems to enjoy television and Internet access. Namely, consumers must purchase a television to watch television, and a computer to access the Internet. One result not only is that costs are duplicated and significant space is required, but also that undertaking both activities at once, in one room, can be difficult. 
   Moreover, the need for two systems burdens some consumers who, while familiar with operating a television and its remote control, might not be familiar with operating an Internet computer. Nonetheless, while perhaps not requiring comprehensive Internet support, such consumers can still benefit from advantages provided by simple, straightforward, intuitive Internet interaction. For example, many consumers might only desire easy access to a weather site or traffic site for obtaining up-to-date information before proceeding to work in the morning, without having to know a great deal about how to operate a Web browser. As recognized herein, it consequently would be advantageous to provide an Internet access appliance that is easy and intuitive to use, for instance one that could be used like a television remote control. 
   To the extent that attempts have been made to combine television with Internet features, the above-noted consumer needs have remained unfulfilled. For instance, in the system known as “WebTV”, preselected Internet pages are loaded once into a television during manufacture and never subsequently updated, with the preselected pages being accessible through the television using a computer keyboard with its attendant complexity. Since the pages are not updated, however, many Internet-related features such as up-to-date traffic, weather, and news, are not immediately available. Instead, the consumer must access a central site using one of the preselected pages, and then be redirected to a desired Web page. In terms of currently expected speeds of Internet access, this consumes an undue amount of time. Furthermore, it requires browser or browser-like operations that must be initiated by a consumer who might only wish to turn on the television and immediately access up-to-date information using the relatively simple TV remote control without further ado. 
   Still further, current systems provide the same preselected Web pages to all consumers. As understood herein, it would be advantageous to tailor, for each consumer, what Web pages are provided in a television to that particular consumer. In this way, a consumer is much more likely to gain useful and enjoyable Internet access than he or she would be able to gain otherwise. 
   Additionally, as mentioned above, in the above-mentioned WebTV system, a keyboard is required for user input to access Web sites. For television functions, however, consumers are accustomed to using a much simpler input device, namely, a remote control. Thus, existing systems that attempt to integrate television and Internet computers do not do so seamlessly, but rather require the operation of two separate systems that happen to be housed together and that require two separate input devices. This complicates matters for the consumer, and is confusing. The object of the present invention is to address one or more of the above-noted consumer needs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An interactive television includes a television tuner and a virtual channel memory inside the television. The virtual channel memory stores Web pages associated with virtual channel numbers on the interactive television. The virtual channel numbers are selectable for display using the interactive television, and the Web pages are periodically received in the virtual channel memory. Additionally, the interactive television includes a user data input memory. The user data input memory stores user demographic information that is used to establish the Web page(s) stored in the virtual channel memory. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, an interactive television includes a television tuner and a virtual channel memory inside the television. The virtual channel memory stores Web pages associated with virtual channel numbers on the interactive television. The virtual channel numbers are selectable for display using the interactive television. Moreover, the Web pages are periodically received in the virtual channel memory. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the interactive television includes a user data input memory that stores user demographic information. Preferably, the user demographic information is used to establish the Web page(s) stored in the virtual channel memory. In a preferred embodiment, the user data input memory further includes user preferences that are also used to establish the Web page(s) stored in the virtual channel memory. 
   In yet another aspect of the present invention, an interactive television system includes a Web server, a television signal source, and an interactive television The interactive television receives information from the Web server and the television signal source. Moreover, the interactive television includes a virtual channel memory, and the virtual channel memory includes a computer page that has an associated virtual channel. The virtual channel is selectable to display the computer page using the interactive television. 
   In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing internet content via an interactive television system includes providing an interactive television that has a virtual channel memory. The virtual channel memory includes a Web page associated with a virtual channel. The Web page is periodically updated in the virtual channel memory. A consumer is able to select the virtual channel or a television channel for display on the interactive television. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the interactive television (ITV) system of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the ITV of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart of the overall method of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the method for establishing and/or changing virtual channels. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , an interactive television (ITV) system is shown, generally designated  10 . As show, the system  10  includes one or more content providers  12  that provide various types of content to one or more Web servers  14  (only one content provider  12  and one Web server  14  shown for clarity of disclosure). The Web server  14  accesses a content database  16  for storage of data therein. The content on the Web server  14  can be any appropriate content, including but not limited to hypertext markup language (HTML) pages, .jpeg and gif image files, .avi and .mpeg movie files, audio files, streaming video, and so on. 
   In one preferred embodiment, the system  10  also includes an ITV system server  18 , which can be, e.g., a Sony Corporation Web portal. The ITV system server  18  can be a Web server computer that accesses a customer database  20 . As described further below, the customer database  20  can store customer or consumer profiles that can be used to tailor virtual channels to a profile. Essentially, a virtual channel is downloaded content that is given a number, like conventional TV channels, e.g., a channel number at the end of the sequence of available TV channels. A virtual channel, once its channel number has been selected by the consumer using a TV remote control device, is displayed as a Web page or series of Web pages on the below-described ITV. In one implementation, the content of the virtual channels is stored in memory that is on board the ITV and that is periodically updated via the Internet, or the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a conventional TV signal. In another implementation, the virtual channel content is stored remote from the ITV, e.g., at a Web server, and is streamed real-time to the ITV via a high-speed Internet access connection. 
   The servers  14 ,  18  of the present invention can be implemented by any appropriate computer, such as Internet server computers, personal computers, laptop computers, mainframe computers, and the like. The servers  14 ,  18  access software to execute portions of the present invention. 
   Plural consumer ITVs  22  (only a single ITV  22  shown for clarity) access the servers  14 ,  18  via the Internet  24 . Also, each consumer ITV  22  receives television signals  26  from a source  28  of television signals. The source  28  can be plural broadcasters, or a cable television company, or a satellite dish, and so on. A conventional hand-held television remote control unit  30  can be manipulated by a consumer as the consumer views a display area  32  of the ITV  22  to input various selections to the ITV  22  in accordance with disclosure below. It will be appreciated that the remote control unit  30  is not a keyboard or keypad that is associated with a computer. Rather, it is a conventional remote TV control that has numeric buttons, up/down and left/right buttons, and a power button, as well as other buttons that might be conventionally provided on a TV remote control. The functions of the remote unit  30  can also be undertaken by conventional TV buttons on the lTV  22  itself. However, keyboards, keypads, motion-sensing (gesture) devices, and voice recognition input devices can also be used. 
   Now referring to  FIG. 2 , the ITV  22  is shown. While the embodiment below discusses an ITV  22  with a single housing that supports not only the display but also the microprocessor, virtual channel memory, and in general all of the electrical components shown in  FIG. 2 , it is to be understood that the term “interactive television” encompasses any apparatus that has a television tuner and the below-described virtual channel capability. For instance, the term “ITV” encompasses the single-housing television shown in  FIG. 2 , as well as a conventional television in combination with a set-top box that functions in accordance with the present invention. In the latter example, the set-top box might include, e.g., the microprocessor and memory discussed below. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the ITV  22  includes a housing  34  that holds a conventional television tuner  36 . The TV tuner  36  receives the TV signals  26  and outputs them to a two-position switch  42 , which in turn is controlled by a user interface  40  to output a consumer-selected TV channel (in a first position) or virtual channel (in a second position) to the display  32  of the ITV  22 . It is to be understood that the user interface  40  can include an infrared receiver or other receiver for sensing remote control signals from the remote control  30 . Also, the user interface  40  can include a visual portion, such as but not limited to a cursor that can be moved, by means of the remote control  30 , across an electronic channel guide, Web page icon, and so on that are presented on the display  32 , to enable a consumer to select a channel for display. 
   As mentioned above, not only can a consumer select a TV channel, but a virtual channel as well. In accordance with the present invention, a “virtual channel” is not a TV channel per se, but rather a Web-based channel that can be stored in a memory or other data storage  44  in the housing  34 . That is, the memory or other data storage  44  can be computer memory, or a hard disk drive, optical drive, solid state storage, tape drive, or any other suitable data storage medium. 
   A microprocessor  46  is also supported in the housing  34  to execute the logic steps set forth below, with the microprocessor  46 , memory  44 , TV tuner  36 , and switch  42  all being accessible via an internal data bus  47 . The microprocessor  46  assigns channel numbers to virtual channels or otherwise maintains a table of channel numbers versus TV channels and virtual channels. Accordingly, when, for instance, an electronic channel guide is displayed on the display  32  of the ITV  22 , the virtual channels are listed, typically at the end of the guide after the conventional TV channels, by channel number and by name. 
   Alternatively, the virtual channels can be stored in a location remote from the ITV  22 , e.g., they can be stored at the ITV system server  18 , for display of the channels (upon consumer selection thereof) real-time via the Internet (or other network) when data transfer rates are sufficiently high to support such real-time transfer. In any case, the ITV  22  includes a modem  48  that communicates with the Internet  24 . The modem  48  can be a cable modem, conventional twisted pair wire modem, DSL, wireless modem, or other appropriate communication device. It is to be understood that a single high data rate cable (e.g., either wire or optical fiber) can be provided to carry both Internet data and TV signals. 
   In any case, the modem  48  outputs a signal to a mixer  49 , which can mix the Web-based signal from the modem  48  with related signals from the TV tuner  36 . For instance, if a virtual channel of a cable newscast is selected, the Webbased content can be combined with an actual broadcast newscast from the associated news station for simultaneous display of the newscast in a window of the virtual channel. The signal from the mixer  49  is sent to the switch  42  and thence to the display  32  when the user selects a virtual channel. The mixer  49  can be established by a “Geode” chip made by National Semiconductor. As mentioned above, one or more of the microprocessor  46 , memory  44 , modem  48 , mixer  49 , and switch  42  can be housed in a set-top box that is electrically connected to a separate television housing which houses the tuner  36  and display  32 . 
   It may now be appreciated that the microprocessor  46  controls the functions of the ITV  22  in accordance with the logic below. The flow charts herein illustrate the structure of the logic modules of the present invention as embodied in computer program software. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the flow charts illustrate the structures of logic elements, such as computer program code elements or electronic logic circuits, that function according to this invention. Manifestly, the invention is practiced in its essential embodiment by a machine component that renders the logic elements in a form that instructs a digital processing apparatus (that is, a computer or microprocessor) to perform a sequence of function steps corresponding to those shown. Internal logic could be as simple as a state machine. 
   In other words, the present logic may be established as a computer program that is executed by a processor within, e.g., the present microprocessors/servers as a series of computer-executable instructions. In addition to residing on hard disk drives, these instructions may reside, for example, in RAM of the appropriate computer, or the instructions may be stored on magnetic tape, electronic read-only memory, or other appropriate data storage device. 
   Now referring to  FIG. 3 , the overall logic can be seen. Commencing at block  50 , real time TV signals  26  are received at the tuner  36 . Assuming the ITV  22  is energized, at block  52  consumer channel selections are received by means of the user interface  40 , and these channel selections are available to the microprocessor  46 . Based on the selections, the microprocessor  46  controls the switch  42  to display the selected TV channel or virtual channel at block  54 . 
   When a virtual channel is selected, the microprocessor  46  retrieves the associated Web page from the memory  44  for display of the channel. When the content of the virtual channel is stored at a Web server  14  that is remote from the ITV  22  (when, for instance, the lTV  22  has high speed Internet access), the microprocessor  46  retrieves the associated Web page directly from the particular server for display of the channel. Accordingly, in the preferred embodiment the ITV  22  can directly access Web servers  14  other than the ITV system server  18 . 
   In accordance with the present invention, the virtual channels are not simply Web pages that remain static for the life of the ITV  22 . Instead, they are periodically updated as the underlying Web pages on the respective Web servers  14  are updated. Accordingly, the logic moves from block  54  to block  56  wherein a DO loop is entered at either one or both of the Web server  14  and ITV system server  18 . This DO loop can be entered periodically, or it can be entered in response to a user-induced or automatically induced command from the microprocessor  46 , sent via the Internet  24 . 
   At decision diamond  58 , it is determined, for each virtual channel, whether an update at the corresponding Web site has occurred. The determination at decision diamond  58  can be made by the server  14 / 18 , assuming the server knows the current content of the virtual channels of the ITV  22  (normally the case when the virtual channels are stored at a server remote from the ITV), or it can be made by the microprocessor  46  (normally the case when the virtual channels are stored in the local memory  44 ). For instance, the server  14 / 18  can send information pertaining to the update to the microprocessor  46 , which can then determine whether the memory  44  stores the latest version of the virtual channel under test. If it does, the logic loops back to block  56 . In the event of an update, however, the logic moves to block  60  to download the entire new Web page or pages that establish the virtual channel or, more preferably to download only the changed portions thereof. 
   The download can be sent via the TV signal  26  in the VBI of the signal, or it can be sent via the Internet  24  (or other network) and modem  48  (by means of a DSL or cable modem line or wireless modem line) to the memory  44 . In any case, the virtual channels are periodically updated. 
     FIG. 4  shows the logic undertaken by the microprocessor  46  for establishing or changing what virtual channels are available to a particular ITV  22 . Commencing at block  62 , if it is desired to prompt the consumer for input, a prompt is displayed. The prompt can be displayed in a channel being viewed by sending the prompt through the VBI of a viewed TV channel or through the Internet when viewing a virtual channel. Alternatively, user channel selections are recorded and used in developing a user profile. 
   Moving to block  64 , the consumer&#39;s response is received. The response is ordinarily input by means of the remote control unit  30 , although other input devices as discussed above can be used. Accordingly, a prompt might ask a consumer directly what types of virtual channels are of interest. Or, it might ask about the consumer&#39;s personal preferences on a number of topics, or about the consumer&#39;s personal demographics. 
   In any case, the response is stored in memory at block  66 . Moving to block  68 , the response is transmitted to one of the servers  14 ,  18  (typically to the ITV system server  18 ). The transmission is via the Internet, and it can be undertaken sometime after the consumer input is stored, e.g., during a low-usage time period. Alternatively, when the ITV  22  is continuously in communication with the Internet, the response can be sent immediately after it is received by the microprocessor  46 , without first storing it. 
   Then, at block  70  a consumer profile can be constructed by the server  18  based on the consumer&#39;s responses, using models known in the art to predict what types of content the consumer might desire in the virtual channels of the ITV  22 . At block  72 , the profile is used to establish and/or alter the virtual channels of the ITV  22  by downloading new content via the VBI or modem  48 . 
   While the particular VIRTUAL CHANNEL SYSTEM FOR WEB APPLIANCE, INCLUDING INTERACTIVE TELEVISION as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular means “at least one”. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for”.