Abstract:
A particular system includes a processor and memory storing instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include sending a notification indicator to a first device in response to identifying content of interest associated with a first source. The operations also include, in response to user input responsive to the notification indicator, sending a menu display to the first device. The menu display includes a first user selectable option to view a submenu. The submenu includes an option to selectively enable display of an alert associated with the first source. The alert is displayable on the first device in conjunction with display of a first program.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The present application is a continuation of, and claims priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/350,244, filed Feb. 8, 2006 and entitled “Interactive Program Manager and Methods for Presenting Program Content,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Television users are presently able to access hundreds of channels providing a multitude of programs, only a small fraction of which will be of interest to a given user. To assist the user in determining programs of interest, current commercially available reception devices such as televisions, analog cable receivers, and digital cable and satellite receivers typically provide a program guide function that allows the user to access a grid showing programs that will be available on various channels in upcoming time slots. Brief descriptions of programs may also be accessible. Such receivers may also allow the user to search for programs in basic categories such as news, sports, movies, etc. 
     Current commercially available television recording technology also provides similar tools. For example, digital video recording machines, which typically store video on a bulk storage device such as a hard disk drive, allow users to select programs for recording using an on screen program guide that provides keyword searching of program titles, a program time grid, and basic program categorization. 
     Although these devices provide tools that improve over devices of earlier generations, these devices do not adequately address at least two situations. First, these devices fail to keep a user in touch with breaking news, local weather alerts, and program content that might be of interest when other program content is being viewed. Thus, these devices can create a dangerous situation for a user that is left unaware of a local severe weather alert, an evacuation order, or the like. 
     In addition, these devices tend to capture or identify too large of a result set when attempting to identify content that should be of interest to a user. As a result, these conventional tools still require users to examine upcoming programs to identify programs of interest. Thus, developers of the next generation of devices are focused on providing intelligence in receiving and recording devices for identifying programs of interest on behalf of the user. 
     Despite the development of multiple approaches to provide improved program guides to a user there is still a need for improved approaches for keeping a user informed of available program content whether or not the user is presently viewing a program from a content provider. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of a multimedia system for use with a monitor comprise a receiver, a controller and an analyzer. The receiver receives both broadcast and non-broadcast sources of multimedia content and presents the content via the monitor. The controller directs the receiver to select a first channel and forwards a second channel different from the first channel to a device other than the monitor. An analyzer in communication with the receiver monitors a program guide and at least the second channel for content of interest in accordance with a user profile. The analyzer communicates information via the receiver and the monitor in response to an operator input. 
     An embodiment of a method for interactively selecting program content comprises analyzing a program guide in response to a user profile to identify alternative content, providing a mechanism that enables a user to explore the alternative content, wherein exploration of the alternative content comprises a multiple level interactive menu and providing a mechanism that enables a user to direct the alternative content to a select device. 
     Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features and advantages are defined and protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The systems and methods for interactively presenting alternative content to a user can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components within the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles for enabling the interactive program manager. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numbers designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a multimedia environment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the interactive program manager of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating multiple embodiments of various operating modes of the monitor of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of an operating mode of the monitor of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for interactively presenting alternative content. 
         FIG. 6A  is a flow diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of a method for interactively presenting alternative content to a user. 
         FIG. 6B  is a flow diagram further illustrating the method of  FIG. 6A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An interactive program manager provides available broadcast and non-broadcast sources to one or more select devices in a multimedia system. As those skilled in the art will appreciate an identifying code or interactive callback address for directly invoking alternative multimedia content is used to communicate the availability of the alternative content and to controllably direct the multimedia system to the original content. Details of a system and method for providing such an interactive code and call back address are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,438 (the &#39;438 patent), the contents of which are incorporated by reference. A session can be established with an interactive program manager using the interactive callback address and other information such as that described in the &#39;438 patent, and upon completion of the session, a user can re-tune or select the original content. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, an interactive program manager associates the identifying code or interactive callback address with a location at which the presently viewed programming or application will be stored. The identifying code or interactive callback address may be a program-specific code that can be used to invoke one or more programs to configure a multimedia system. 
     The multimedia system may include one or more auxiliary devices, such as a recorder/player and a monitor that are integrated with an interactive program manager that controllably presents a first channel to the monitor and additional information to a select device, which in some configurations includes the monitor. The interactive program manager, when enabled by a user, notifies the user when one or more opportunities exist for reconfiguring the multimedia system to present alternative program content from broadcast and non-broadcast sources. Broadcast sources may include live and previously recorded audio and video information or program content. Non-broadcast sources may include audio and video information forwarded by an auxiliary device such as a recorder/player and one or more data feeds. The one or more data feeds may include ancillary information regarding available or soon to be available program content (e.g., a program guide), information associated with program content stored on a medium that is forwarded by a recorder/player and/or information available from alternative sources external to a content provider such as information available via a publicly accessible data network. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, the interactive program manager includes logic for analyzing information from a program guide and one or more data feeds in light of information stored in a user profile to identify potential program content or data that might be of interest to a user associated with the information in the user profile. According to one embodiment of the interactive program manager, a content classification hierarchy is used for classifying the content of programming events and for defining a user&#39;s particular interests defined in a user profile. The classification hierarchy is comprised of trees of subject categories of increasing specificity. This allows programming events to be classified with specificity and allows user preferences to be expressed with equal specificity, both to emphasize particular categories of interest and to exclude categories not of interest to the user. For example, rather than simply being enabled to specify an interest in “sports,” a user may specify that he is interested in football and tennis but not basketball or baseball and may further express interest in particular football teams and tennis players. Thus, the interactive program manager evaluates program content according to the classification hierarchy, using user profiles defined according to the classification system. As a result, evaluations generated by the interactive program manager reflect actual user preferences much more accurately than if conventional general categories were used. Further, among multiple programs that are evaluated as being of interest to a user, the degree of specificity of the matches provides a manner of ranking those programs based on user preferences. 
     The use of hierarchical classification as described above enables intelligent identification of program content that will be of particular interest to a given user who is not presently tuned or otherwise configured to use, e.g., listen to or view, the content. This intelligence may be implemented to automatically record programming events of interest, to alert a user of upcoming programming events of interest, to automatically display programming events of interest as they become available, or to selectively provide programs to the user and/or a recorder. When this intelligence is coupled with metadata describing individual program segments as described above, it becomes possible to provide the user with a personalized viewing experience. 
     Moreover, this intelligence may be implemented to enable a user to reconfigure a multimedia system in real time to switch from a first channel to an alternative channel, record an alternative channel while continuing to view a first channel, to record a first channel while viewing an alternative channel, all while selectively monitoring one or more data feeds for additional information. This additional information may be presented in real time via one or more areas of a display. Alternatively, the additional information can be continuously monitored for select events or items, the occurrence of or inclusion of which, that trigger the interactive program manager to present corresponding information on the display. 
     Users are provided with a suitably configured monitor and/or one or more additional devices the combination of which comprises an interactive program manager that is configured to receive broadband signals from a content provider. According to exemplary embodiments, the interactive program manager is configured to insert an identifying code or interactive callback address either in a program signal (an in-band signal) or in an out-of-band signal. The interactive program manager is also configured to store the identity of the source or channel on which the presently viewed programming is being received in one or more storage devices. The interactive program manager is also configured to detect and store information accompanying the transmission of the identifying code or interactive callback address regarding an image to be displayed on the display device (such as a “key,” “icon,” or “indicator”) or an audio message to be reproduced to indicate the availability of alternative content that might be of interest to a user. The interactive program manager is also coupled to a processor configured to generate a video image based on the received or pre-stored “key,” “icon,” or “indicator” information, or alternatively, is programmed to generate the video signal and is coupled to the display device in such a manner as to provide such a signal to that device. 
     Furthermore, the interactive program manager is adapted to communicate with a user via a menu presented on the display of the monitor upon receipt of a command input from the user in response to observing the indicator (i.e., seeing the “icon” or hearing the message). The menu includes one or more inputs for controllably configuring the multimedia system and/or updating the user profile. The interactive program manager may first store the identity of the channel on which the program then being viewed is being transmitted. When the program responsible for generating the menu is terminated, the interactive program manager distributes one or more channels or sources of information in accordance with various configuration parameters identified during the communication session with the user. 
     Having generally described the interactive program manager and methods for presenting program content, various additional embodiments will be described with respect to  FIGS. 1-6B . By way of example,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a multimedia environment  100 . Multimedia environment  100  includes monitor  160  and an interactive program manager  110  that processes program content provided by content provider  140  on its way to monitor  160 . Monitor  160  includes interface  162  for receiving command inputs from one or more local controls (not shown) integrated with monitor  160  or from wireless controller  170  via link  173 . Monitor  160  further includes processor  164  for receiving audio and video signal information and converting the same for presentation via display  165 , right-side speaker  166 , and left-side speaker  168 . Processor  164  converts right-side audio information into a right-channel analog signal, which is converted into right-side audio  167  by right-side speaker  166 . Processor  164  also converts left-side audio information into a left-channel analog signal, which is converted into left-side audio  169  by left-side speaker  168 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , interactive program manager  110  is coupled to content provider  140  via bus  145 . Interactive program manager  110  is coupled to monitor  160  via bus  117  and audio/video link  161 . Interactive program manager  110  is also coupled to profile store  150  via bus  155  and recorder/player  130  via audio/video link  133  and audio/video link  135 . Wireless controller  170  communicates with one or both of monitor  160  via link  173  and interactive program manager  110  via link  175  to convey various commands and data entries from a user. As indicated in  FIG. 1 , wireless controller  170  communicates commands and/or data to monitor  160  via link  173  and interface  162 . Similarly, wireless controller communicates commands and/or data to interactive program manager  110  via link  175  and interface  112 . 
     Bus  145  forwards signals associated with a plurality of channels  142 , program guide  144 , as well as one or more optional data feeds  146 . Each of the channels  142  includes audio and video information that together make up a program. Both channel information and the one or more data feeds  146  can be transmitted in analog and/or digital formats. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, closed-captioning information may be imbedded or otherwise coded into portions of an analog channel. A suitably configured decoder (not shown) integrated or otherwise coupled to monitor  160  converts the received closed-captioning information for presentation as text on display  165 . Data feeds  146  may contain information generated by content provider  140  or sources external to content provider  140 . Data feeds  146  are similarly processed by appropriately configured decoders or processors (not shown) integrated or otherwise coupled to one or more of interactive program manager  110  or monitor  160 . Program guide  144  includes information describing presently available program content across the plurality of channels  142  and program content that will be presented in the near future. 
     Bus  117  forwards control signals generated within interactive program manager  110  that when decoded or otherwise interpreted by processor  164  direct monitor  160  to function in one of various operational modes. In addition, bus  117  forwards configuration information or other data entered by a user via one or both of wireless controller  170  and monitor  160 . The configuration information and/or other data is received and processed by interactive program manager  110 . Processing includes one or both of updating logic and/or data associated with analyzer  118  or user profile  152 . Audio/video link  161  forwards analog and/or digital signals containing information from a select channel provided by content provider  140  or audio and video information from recorder/player  130  in accordance with the configuration information or data communicated to interactive program manager  110 , information in user profile  152  and information in program guide  144 . 
     As described above, one or more indicators, such as indicator  163  may be integrated within the various signals communicated via interactive program manager  110  to indicate to a user that alternative content is available. In the illustrated embodiment, indicator  163  is a visual signal that is presented on display  165 . In an alternative mode of operation, an audio indicator may be communicated in the form of an audible tone or a message communicated via speaker  166  and speaker  168 , or both the audio indicator and the visual indicator may be enabled. 
     Interactive program manager  110  comprises controller  114 , receiver  116 , and analyzer  118 . Controller  114  is coupled to interface  112  via input bus  113 . Controller  114  is further coupled to receiver  116  and analyzer  118  via command bus  115 . Receiver  116  is coupled to content provider via bus  145 , which contains the above-described channels  142 , program guide  144 , and data feeds  146 . Receiver  116  is further coupled to recorder/player  130  via audio/video link  135 , which provides audio/video information from the output or player portion of recorder/player  130  and audio/video link  133 , which provides audio/video information from a select channel selected from the set of channels  142  provided by content provider  140  for recording by the recorder portion of recorder/player  130 . Receiver  116  forwards a separate and distinct channel (i.e., different from the channel sent to recorder/player  130 ) selected from the set of channels  142  to monitor  160  via audio/video link  161 . Analyzer  118  receives commands and configuration information from controller  114  and program guide  144  and one or more data feeds  146  via bus  145 , receiver  116  and command bus  115 . In addition, analyzer  118  receives user profile  152  from profile store  150  via bus  155 . Analyzer  118  is configured with one or more programs for identifying program content of interest to a user that is presently available and/or may become available in the near future. Analyzer  118  compares information from program guide  144  and data feed  146  in light of information from user profile  152  to determine when alternative program content might be of interest to a user. When so directed, analyzer  118  also monitors the status of broadcast and non-broadcast program content and in response to a timer or a triggering condition reports various information related to the program to the user. In addition to monitoring program content, analyzer  118  may be directed to report when information provided via data feed  146  or alternative data sources (not shown) indicate that an alert condition exists. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, interactive program manager  110  and profile store  150  are separate devices. It should be understood that the functions provided interactive program manager  110  and profile store  150  could be integrated or otherwise combined with monitor  160  or some other device such as a computing device, a set top box, or some other device communicatively coupled to monitor  160  and content provider  140  (not shown). For that matter, although the example embodiment depicts the interactive program manager  110  as a separate and distinct device among others shown in the multimedia system, it should be appreciated that one or more functional blocks of the interactive program manager  110  may be integrated with monitor  160 , recorder/player  130  or perhaps other devices communicatively coupled to these or other devices at a user premise. For example, analyzer  118  and user profile  152  could be integrated and supplied as an enhanced interactive service by content provider  140 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the interactive program manager  110  of  FIG. 1 . Interface  112  includes wireless receiver  210 , decoder  212  and output buffer  214 . Wireless receiver  210  is coupled to decoder  212  via connection  211 . Decoder  212  is further coupled to output buffer  214  via connection  213 . Interface  112  receives commands issued by a user via wireless controller  170 . Wireless receiver  210  receives and forwards the various encoded commands to decoder  212 , which transforms the information into a command that can be interpreted by controller  114 . Output buffer  214  receives the decoded or transformed command information and forwards the same via connection  113  to controller  114  for further processing. 
     Controller  114  includes I/O buffer  222 , processor  224  and memory  226 . I/O buffer  222 , processor  224  and memory  226  are communicatively coupled via local bus  223 . I/O buffer  222  receives command information from interface  113  and in accordance with interface logic  228  stored in memory  226  as executed by processor  224  forwards commands and information to receiver  116 , analyzer  118  and/or monitor  160  ( FIG. 1 ) via command bus  115 . In addition, I/O buffer  222  is further coupled to monitor  160  via bus  117 . 
     Receiver  116  includes I/O buffer  230 , processor  232 , memory  234 , switch  236 , switch  238 , tuner  240  and tuner  242 . I/O buffer  230 , processor  232  and memory  234  are communicatively coupled via local bus  231 . Processor  232  is coupled to switch  236  and switch  238  via connections  241  and  235 , respectively. Processor  232  is further coupled to tuner  240  and tuner  242  via connection  239  and connection  237 , respectively. Switch  236  has a first input configured to receive audio and video information via audio/video link  135 . Switch  236  has a second input configured to receive multiple channels from a content provider via link  253 . Switch  236  is configured with three outputs. A first output coupled to link  243  bypasses the tuners. A second output coupled to link  245  directs the multiple channels to tuner  240 . A third output coupled to link  244  directs the multiple channels to tuner  242 . Tuner  240  in accordance with one or more control commands provided by processor  232  selectively forwards the audio and video information associated with one of the received channels via link  248  to switch  238 . Tuner  242  in accordance with one or more control commands provided by processor  232  selectively forwards the audio and video information associated with a different channel via link  249  to switch  238 . Switch  238  is configured with three inputs and two outputs. A first input coupled to link  243  receives audio and video information from switch  236  via link  243 . A second input coupled to link  248  receives the audio and video information associated with a selected channel from tuner  240 . A third input coupled to link  249  receives the audio and video information associated with the alternative or different channel from tuner  242 . A first output of switch  238  is coupled to audio/video link  133 , which may be applied to an input of an auxiliary device such as the recorder/player  130  introduced in  FIG. 1 . A second output of switch  238  is coupled to audio/video link  161 , which is coupled to monitor  160  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , receiver  116  also receives one or more data feeds from content provider  140  ( FIG. 1 ) along bus  119 . Information provided by content provider  140  in the data feeds may be buffered by I/O buffer  230  and forwarded to analyzer  118  to assist in determining when alert conditions exist or otherwise monitoring the progress of program content. 
     Analyzer  118  includes I/O buffer  260 , processor  262  and memory  263 . I/O buffer  260 , processor  262  and memory  263  are communicatively coupled via local bus  261 . I/O buffer  260  receives command information from command buffer  115 , user profile information from bus  155 , content provider data including a program guide and possibly one or more data feeds via bus  119 . In addition, I/O buffer  260  may receive one or more alternative data feeds via bus  255 . These alternative data feeds can include information available from one or more information servers coupled to a publicly accessible or a privately accessible data network (not shown). I/O buffer  260  receives the command information, user profile information, program guide information and one or more data feeds and in accordance with logic  269  stored in memory  263  as executed by processor  262  forwards notices of triggering conditions and alerts to controller  114 , which is configured to communicate information to the user in response to the triggering conditions and/or alerts. Memory  263  may include one or more user profiles such as user profile  265  and one or more program guides  267  as may be desired. 
     In the example embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , controller  114 , receiver  116  and analyzer  118  each contain respective I/O buffers, local busses, memories and processors. It should be understood that in alternative embodiments, controller  114 , receiver  116  and analyzer  118  may be integrated in a single computing device. When configured as illustrated, local bus  223 , local bus  231  and local bus  261  may be wired or wireless connections, as known in the art. In addition each local bus may have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as caches, drivers, repeaters, and receivers, to enable communications. Further, each local bus may include address, control, and/or data connections to enable appropriate communications among the respective I/O buffers, processors and memories. Processor  224 , processor  232  and processor  262  are hardware devices for executing software, particularly that stored in memory  226 , memory  234  and memory  263 , respectively. Each of the processors can be any custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set), or generally any device for executing software instructions. Each of the memories can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random-access memory (RAM, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM), etc.) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), among other elements or devices. Moreover, each of the memories may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that the memories can have a distributed architecture, where various components are situated remote from one another, but can be accessed by each of the respective processors. 
     The logic stored in each of memory  226 , memory  234  and memory  263  may include one or more separate programs, each of which comprises an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions in addition to identified locations for data storage. The programs can be source programs, executable programs (object code), scripts, or any other entities comprising a set of instructions to be performed. When implemented as source programs, the programs are translated via a compiler, assembler, interpreter, or the like, which may or may not be included within the respective memories, so as to operate properly in connection with the processor and/or an associated operating system. Furthermore, the logic stored in each of memory  226 , memory  234  and memory  263  can be written in one or more object-oriented programming languages, which have classes of data and methods, or procedure programming languages, which have routines, subroutines, and/or functions. 
     Moreover, logic stored in each of memory  226 , memory  234  and memory  263  can be stored on any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In alternative embodiments, one or more of the programs can implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a menu  300  containing multiple user controllable inputs that together define embodiments of various operating modes of the monitor  160  of  FIG.1 . The example set of user controllable inputs includes controls for selectively enabling or disabling visual and audio indicators, picture-in-picture, alert(s), closed-captioning, as well as other data representations. In addition, the example set of user controllable inputs includes controls for selecting the source for display  165 , a picture-in-picture window, an alert window, a closed-captioning information window, as well as a data representation window. The example menu  300  is generated by interface logic  228  and presented by monitor  160  on display  165 . Edit indicator  305  defines a select input to modify. Edit indicator  305  is controllably directed up or down through the list of inputs via one or both of control inputs associated with wireless controller  170  and a control interface associated with monitor  160  ( FIG. 1 ). In addition each of the input items in menu  300  includes a highlight bar indicative of the present selection for that particular input item. The highlight bar is controllably directed left or right through the list of possible selections (e.g., channels, data feeds, uniform resource locator or enable/disable) associated with the input item via one or both of control inputs associated with wireless controller  170  and a control interface associated with monitor  160  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     In the example embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , menu  300  includes main display source  310 , picture-in-picture enable/disable  320 , picture-in-picture source  325 , visual indicator enable/disable  330 , audio indicator enable/disable  335 , alert enable/disable  340 , alert source  345 , closed-captioning enable/disable  350 , closed-captioning source  355 , data representation enable/disable  360 , and data source  365  input items. 
     The highlight bar associated with the main display source  310  input indicates that “channel  1 ” is the selected source. As further indicated in  FIG. 3  main display source  310  includes selection items “Channel Y” and “Auxiliary Source” as possible alternative sources for video and/or audio information for presentation on display  165  of monitor  160 . The highlight bar associated with picture-in-picture enable/disable  320  indicates that picture-in-picture is enabled or on. The highlight bar associated with the picture-in-picture source  325  input indicates that “channel Y” is the selected source. As further indicated in  FIG. 3  picture-in-picture source  325  includes selection items “Channel  1 ” and “Auxiliary Source” as possible alternative sources for video information for presentation within a picture-in-picture window on display  165  of monitor  160 . The highlight bar associated with visual indicator enable/disable  330  indicates that the visual indicator is enabled or on. The highlight bar associated with audio indicator enable/disable  335  indicates that the audio indicator is disabled or off. The highlight bar associated with alert enable/disable  34  indicates that the alert input is enabled or on. The highlight bar associated with the alert source  345  input indicates that “Data Feed” is the selected source. As further indicated in  FIG. 3  alert source  345  includes selection item “Channel X” as a possible alternative source for video information for presentation within an alert window on display  165  of monitor  160 . The highlight bar associated with closed captioning enable/disable  350  input indicates that the closed captioning input is disabled or off. As a result of the closed captioning being selectively disabled, closed captioning source  355  does not contain a highlight bar. When closed captioning is enabled, closed captioning source  355  includes selection items “Channel  1 ” and “Channel Y.” The highlight bar associated with the data representation enable/disable  360  input indicates that the data representation input is disabled or off. As a result of the data representation being selectively disabled, data source  365  does not contain a highlight bar. When data representation is enabled, data source  365  includes “URL  1 ” and “URL  2 .” 
     Interactive program manager  110  can be configured to generate one or more alternative menus for presentation to a user with more or less user selectable configuration items than those presented in the illustrated embodiment. For example, an audio alert input that overrides the audio portion of the main display source when an alert condition is identified, a picture-in-picture audio select input that overrides the audio portion of the main display source with audio information from the picture-in-picture source and one or more additional data items may be added to further select and/or identify both the source associated with the data representation input and the alert input. Menu  300  may also be configured to provide an interface for defining information that will be used to trigger the alert and/or update the data representation. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of an operating mode of the monitor  165  of  FIG. 1 . The operating mode illustrated in  FIG. 4  presents the video content from channel  1  in the background  410  of display  165  and a host of other items in select areas of the foreground. For example, die video information from channel  2  is presented in picture-in-picture window  420 . By way of further example, alert information provided by a local broadcast channel as distributed by content provider  140  or some other source or an alternative data feed is presented in alert window  430 . In addition, indicator  163  (in its visual form) is presented in indicator window  163 . Alternatively, closed captioning information or alternative text messages may be presented in closed caption/alternative information window  440  and a data representation of information provided via a data stream is selectively presented in data representation window  450 . The example operating mode illustrated in  FIG. 4  is just one of many possible arrangements that can be generated via the interactive program manager  110  and monitor  160 . For example, alternative embodiments may include changing the location of one or more of the windows. In addition, one or more items may be integrated or otherwise arranged to share a select area of display  165 . 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method  500  for interactively presenting alternative content. In this regard, each block represents a specified step or function. When embodied in software and/or hardware/firmware, each block represents a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified function(s). Method  500  begins with block  510  where interactive program manager  110  analyzes a program guide in response to information provided in a user profile to identify alternative content. In block  520 , interactive program manager  110  presents for display an indicator that indicates that alternative content is available to the user. In block  530 , the interactive program manager  110  provides a mechanism that enables the user to explore the identified alternative content. Thereafter, as indicated in block  540 , the interactive program manager  110  provides a mechanism that enables the user to controllably direct the alternative content to a select device. 
     These mechanisms may comprise both software and/or hardware/firmware configured to present a layered or hierarchical menu to a user through one or more interfaces associated with wireless controller  170 , monitor  160  or interactive program manager  110 . In operation, the mechanism prompts or otherwise communicates with the user to determine whether the user would like to continue viewing the present program only, continue viewing the present program while recording the alternative content, continue viewing the present program while monitoring the alternative content, switch to the view the alternative content, switch to view the alternative content while recording the original program, and/or change the operating mode of monitor  160  in some manner. As described above, operating modes include selection of a main display source, picture-in-picture enable/disable, picture-in-picture source (when picture-in-picture is enabled), visual indicator enable/disable, audio indicator enable/disable, alert enable/disable, alert source (when alert is enabled), closed captioning service enable/disable, closed captioning source (when closed captioning is enabled), data representation enable/disable, and data source (when data representation is enabled). 
       FIGS. 6A-6B  are flow diagrams illustrating an alternative embodiment of a method  502  for interactively presenting alternative content to a user. In this regard, each block represents a specified step or function. When embodied in software and/or hardware/firmware, each block represents a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified function(s). Method  502  begins with decision block  505  where a determination is made regarding the status of an indicator. When a user is interested in knowing what alternative content might be presently available or available at a select time in the future and has enabled the indicator, processing continues with block  510  as indicated by the flow control arrow labeled, “Yes,” exiting decision block  505 . Otherwise, when a user is not interested in alternative content and has not enabled the indicator, as shown by the flow control arrow labeled, “No,” exiting decision block  505 , processing may resume at the start. It should be understood that in most embodiments execution of method  502  may be paused for a period of time before repeating the determination in decision block  505 . 
     Method  502  continues with block  510  where interactive program manager  110  analyzes a program guide in response to information provided in a user profile to identify alternative content. In decision block  515  a determination is made whether alternative content identified by the programming guide or an alternative data source matches a possible user interest. When alternative content matches a user interest, processing continues with block  520  as indicated by the flow control arrow labeled, “Yes,” exiting decision block  515 . Otherwise, when alternative content does not match a user interest, as shown by the flow control arrow labeled, “No,” exiting decision block  515 , processing resumes after decision block  505 . 
     Method  502  continues with block  520  where interactive program manager  110  presents for display an indicator that indicates that alternative content is available to the user. In block  530 , the interactive program manager  110  establishes an interactive session with a user. As indicated in block  540 , during the interactive session, the interactive program manager  110  provides a mechanism that enables the user to explore the alternative content. As indicated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  connector “A” links block  540  with block  550 , where the interactive program manager  110  provides a mechanism that enables the user to direct the alternative content to a select device. 
     Thereafter, in decision block  555  a query is made to determine whether a tracking flag is enabled. The tracking flag is enabled when a user is interested in knowing what is occurring on an available but not selected channel or data source. When the tracking flag is enabled as indicated by the flow control arrow labeled, “Yes” exiting decision block  555  processing continues with block  560 . As indicated in block  560 , interactive program manager  110  analyzes content available on a select channel. In this case, the select channel is one of a data feed or an audio/video program that is not presently being forwarded to monitor  160  for presentation to a user. Otherwise, when tracking is not enabled, as indicated by the flow control arrow labeled, “No” exiting decision block  555  processing continues with decision block  565 . In decision block  565  a query is presented to the user whether to modify an operational mode of monitor  160 . When the response to the query associated with decision block  565  is affirmative, as indicated by the flow control arrow labeled “Yes” exiting decision block  565 , processing continues with block  570  where the operational mode of monitor  160  is changed. Otherwise, when the response to the query associated with decision block  565  is negative, processing returns to block  510  via connector “B.” That is, connector “B” bridges the second portion of method  502  as illustrated in  FIG. 6B  with the first portion of method  502  illustrated in  FIG. 6A . As further illustrated by the flow diagram of  FIG. 6B , after the operational mode of monitor  160  is modified in block  570 , processing may also return to block  510 . Otherwise, one or more criteria may be applied in a making a determination to terminate method  502 . 
     In operation, the interactive program manager  110 , as indicated in blocks  540  and  550 , prompts or otherwise communicates with the user to determine whether the user would like to continue viewing the present program, continue viewing the present program while recording the alternative content, continue viewing the present program while monitoring the alternative content, switch to the view the alternative content, switch to view the alternative content while recording the original program, and/or change the operating mode of monitor  160  in some manner. As described above, operating modes include selection of a main display source, picture-in-picture enable/disable, picture-in-picture source (when picture-in-picture is enabled), visual indicator enable/disable, audio indicator enable/disable, alert enable/disable, alert source (when alert is enabled), closed captioning service enable/disable, closed captioning source (when closed captioning is enabled), data representation enable/disable, and data source (when data representation is enabled). Operating modes may also include listening to audio programming only, the audio portion of a select channel of multimedia content, recorded audio material and the like. 
     Operational software programs that may be used by interactive program manager  110 , as well as operational software that may be used in conjunction with controllers, monitors, computers, among other devices that interface with system  100 , which comprise an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. 
     In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a RAM, a ROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (magnetic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable CDROM (optical). Note that the computer  364  readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed and the program can be electronically captured, via for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
     While various embodiments of the systems and methods for enabling an interactive program manager have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the accompanying claims. Accordingly, the systems and methods for enabling an interactive program manager are not to be restricted beyond the attached claims and their equivalents.