Patent Publication Number: US-2003226152-A1

Title: Navigation in an interactive television ticker

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 260042.486; digeo Reference No. 696), entitled “USER-CUSTOMIZED INTERACTIVE TELEVISION TICKER, INCLUDING A FEATURE FOR VIEWER EXCLUSION OF TICKER TOPICS,” with inventors Paul G. Allen, David P. Billmaier, and Michael J. Markman, filed concurrently herewith, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] This disclosure relates generally to presentation of information on a display device, and in particular but not exclusively, relates to navigation in an interactive television “ticker” for purposes of controlling information to be presented by the ticker.  
       [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0005] It is relatively common to see television programs accompanied by a scrolling “ticker.” The term “ticker” derives from the fact that information in the ticker scrolls sequentially across the bottom of a television screen in a manner analogous to a stock market ticker tape. However, instead of simply including stock market information, current tickers carry a wide variety of other types of information. For instance, tickers that are present on sports channels typically scroll game scores or game schedules. Tickers that are present on news channels scroll the latest headlines, weather reports, or brief news updates.  
       [0006] Tickers are generally encoded in the same analog or digital signal as the television signal. For instance, with Motion Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) digital encoding, the ticker information is included along with the MPEG stream. A graphics generator or other mechanism generates the ticker information at a production studio (or other location) and then combines the ticker information with the television signal. The television signal is then broadcast to viewers. Obviously, with this current implementation, viewers have no control over the content, format, layout, or other presentation aspect of the ticker on their television (including whether or not to even display the ticker), since the production studio maintains such control and since the ticker information is integrated with the received television signal.  
       [0007] Because of this lack of control, viewers share common frustrations with tickers. For example, most tickers scroll from left to right at the bottom of the television screen at a certain speed set by the production studio. Many times, a stock price or sports score of interest to the viewer has scrolled by during a moment that the viewer was not looking at the television screen or was otherwise distracted, thereby causing the viewer to miss the ticker item. As a result, the viewer is forced to wait until the ticker item scrolls by again. This can be an annoying wait for the viewer if there are a large number of ticker items, which are of no interest to the viewer, to scroll through before the item of interest reappears. This can be very inconvenient if the viewer is in a rush and cannot afford the spend time to watch a ticker.  
       [0008] This problem highlights the fact that conventional tickers generally are not tailored to any particular viewer. They are broadcast to all viewers and are not intended to target any particular market or viewer segment. As a result, broadcasters are forced to include content in tickers that are only of a general nature, or if they want to provide more details and topics in the tickers, they are forced to increase the quantity of information scrolled in tickers so that they can ensure some level of specificity for each ticker topic. The consequence of this action is that, for the most part, viewers pay attention to only a portion of the ticker items that are scrolled and ignore the remainder, but are nevertheless still forced to view all of the content if they wish to locate a ticker item of interest. This reduces the effectiveness of the ticker&#39;s intent: to provide viewers with a quick and convenient mechanism for obtaining information.  
       [0009] Interactive television is increasing in use and popularity. With interactive television, viewers can now access the Internet through their television sets, as well as being able to receive interactive programming and content. Using interactive television tickers, interactive service providers can deliver national news, sports, entertainment, and business feeds to interactive television subscribers. Although such interactive television tickers provide some user/viewer control, such as being able to select subjects of interest through a settings page or preferences screen, the ticker itself behaves in much the same way as a broadcast television ticker—the viewer has little control over the presentation of information in the ticker (e.g., if the viewer misses an item, the viewer usually has to wait until that item scrolls by again).  
       [0010] Moreover, the static preferences screens are inconvenient to use, since they often need to be accessed and navigated through (via complex multiple menus) whenever viewers need to change a format feature of their ticker. Static preferences screens are also generally inadequate in situations where the viewer constantly wishes to change the type of information to be presented by the ticker, as would occur based on the subject matter of interest, the viewer&#39;s particular mood, the time budget that the viewer has for viewing tickers, and so forth. Repeatedly having to access a static preferences screen is simply too cumbersome for the viewer in such situations. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
     [0011] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example interactive video casting system that can implement tickers having navigational features in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating example components that can be included in the system of FIG. 1 to provide tickers having navigational features in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a client terminal that can be used in the system of FIG. 1 to present tickers having navigational features.  
     [0015] FIGS.  4 - 6  illustrate ticker navigation according to various embodiments of the invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a ticker having navigational features in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0017] Embodiments of a ticker having navigational features usable for controlling presentation of information by the ticker are described herein. In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.  
     [0018] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.  
     [0019] Moreover, the term “ticker” as used herein is intended to generally describe a presentation of information on a display screen, such as a display screen for a television, and is not intended to be limited solely to implementations where the information is presented in a manner to exactly mimic a stock market ticker. In one embodiment, the ticker can comprise text and graphics that are scrolled or otherwise presented in a region of the display screen, along with a television image (such as an image from a live broadcast or from a recorded program). Various embodiments will be described herein in the context of “scrolling” the ticker information. It is to be appreciated that the term “scrolling” is merely illustrative of a technique to present dynamic ticker information, and that this term, in some embodiments, can encompass implementations where the ticker information is presented via screen segments of information, text segments, one-word-at-a-time, and the like, rather than the traditional format of one-character-at-a-time typically associated with stock market tickers.  
     [0020] As an overview, an embodiment of the invention provides a ticker that can be implemented in a television system, such as an interactive television system. The ticker has navigation features, including a feature to lock the ticker to a specific category, subcategory, or item in a manner that the ticker cycles through this content and does not present content from non-locked categories, subcategories, or items. Such a navigation feature can be accessed from a screen interface in which the ticker is rendered on the display screen, while the ticker is being presented and with use of a remote control, and without the need to navigate to a static preferences screen (or settings page). Thus, the user can view only ticker items of interest, and need not be presented with the remainder of the ticker items, by using navigation to control what the ticker presents. Unlocking can be performed without the use of a static preferences screen, and can be performed by using the same screen interface as that through which the ticker is rendered.  
     [0021]FIG. 1 shows an example of an interactive video casting system  100  for distributing ticker content, Internet content, and television content according to an embodiment of the invention. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the system  100  can be integrated with a cable television distribution system to provide interactive television tickers. It is to be appreciated that in another embodiment, tickers having navigation features may be implemented in systems that are not necessarily interactive in nature. The system  100  includes an Internet  102 , a plurality of content sources  104 , a plurality of distribution centers (depicted as the head-ends or H/Es  106 ), and a plurality of client terminals  108  (depicted as set top boxes). In addition, a content source  104  is depicted as receiving data from data feeds  112 , advertisement servers  114 , image sources  116 , and streaming video sources  118 . The content source  104  may also receive content from a broadcast video source. For the sake of clarity and to avoid clutter, not all of these sources are shown in FIG. 1 for each content source  104 .  
     [0022] The plurality of content sources  104  is coupled to the Internet  102 . For example, a content source  104  may comprise a web site portal such as Go2Net.com™, or a news web site such as CNN.com™, or other types of sources. Each content source  104  may have various data feeds  112 , servers  114 , and sources  116 / 118  coupled to it.  
     [0023] For example, news or stock quote feeds  112  (including data for tickers) may be fed into the content source  104 . Servers  114  may provide advertisements for insertion into multimedia content delivered by the content source  104 . Sources  116  and  118  may provide images  116 , streaming video  118 , and other content to the content source  104 . Various other feeds, servers, and sources may also be coupled to the content source  104  of FIG. 1. An example configuration of components that can be integrated with the system  100  to provide ticker information to client terminals  108  is shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0024] The Internet  102  comprises a network of networks and is well known in the art. Communications over the Internet  102  can be accomplished using standard protocols such as transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), file transfer protocol (FTP), or other protocols. The Internet  102  is coupled to the plurality of distribution centers  106 , and each distribution center  106  is in turn coupled to a plurality of client terminals  108 , which may comprise a set top box, a PC, an interactive television set, or another type of communication device or display device.  
     [0025] In alternative or in addition to the Internet  102  being used to distribute multimedia content (including ticker data) from the content sources  104  to distribution centers  106 , communications channels or networks  120  (which can include satellite delivery sources/networks) apart from the Internet  102  may couple one or more content sources  104  to one or more distribution centers  106 . One example of such an alternate path for communications is illustrated by a first dashed line  120  in FIG. 1. Alternately or additionally, peering connections may exist between distribution centers  106 . One example of such peering is illustrated by a second dashed line  122  in FIG. 1. Other communications configurations are also possible and are included within the scope of the present invention.  
     [0026] Caches  110  may be provided at (or otherwise coupled to) the distribution centers  106 . Such caches  110  may be used to increase the performance in the delivery of multimedia content (including ticker data) to the client terminals  108 . For example, larger files for video and other high bandwidth content may be stored in such caches  110 , which may be closer-in-time to the client terminals  108  than to the content sources  104 . In addition, reliability and guaranteed bandwidth may be provided because the Internet  102  is not in-between such caches  110  and the client terminals  108 . In one embodiment, the caches  110  or other storage media in the system  100  can store ticker information, rather than or in addition to having such information buffered, cached, or otherwise stored at the client side.  
     [0027] In an embodiment, servers may be present in the distribution centers  106 , with such servers including or being coupled to the caches  110  or other storage media. Alternatively or in addition, these servers may be located remotely from but still communicatively coupled to the distribution centers  106 , via the Internet  102  or other communications channels or networks. Examples of such servers that can be used in connection with providing ticker information to client terminals  108  are shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0028] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, different or multiple portals may be used to access the information provided through the interactive video casting systems of FIG. 1, based on the type of client terminal being used by the end user. That is, for example, a television portal may be provided for an end user that uses a television set coupled to the client terminal  108  to access the information. A PC portal may be provided for an end user that uses a PC to access the information. Portals can be provided for end users that use cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), audio devices, and the like to access the interactive video casting system  100  of FIG. 1.  
     [0029] Such portals may be provided in several possible ways. In one embodiment, the client terminal (e.g., the end user&#39;s display device or audio device) can be suitably configured with an adapter that includes hardware and software. The adapter converts the television signals, the Internet or web page content, or other information provided from the interactive video casting system into a digitized format or other format that is compatible with the operational features of the particular client terminal  108 .  
     [0030] In another embodiment, a cable service provider can deliver signals having different formats to the various client terminals  108 , with the client terminals not necessarily having special adapters. Therefore, as an example, the cable service provider or other party can generate/deliver information (e.g., television programming, web page content, ticker information, and the like) having a format that is compatible for end users that receive the information via a television set. The cable service provider or other party can also generate/deliver the same information (e.g., simultaneously with the television portal on the same communication link, separately on a different communication link, on-demand independent of the television portal, and the like) using a format that is compatible with end users that receive the information via PCs, PDAs, cellular telephones, and the like. Thus, the term “interactive video casting system” is used to describe generally a system that can deliver video information and other information over any network and any network-compatible device by broadcasting, multicasting, or unicasting. An “interactive television system” is one type of or one means of access to an “interactive video casting system.” 
     [0031]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating example components that can be included in the system  100  of FIG. 1 to provide data for tickers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The data feeds  112  include a plurality of different ticker data feeds  200  that provide a variety of different topical data that can be displayed in a ticker. For instance, the different ticker data can include sports data, weather data, national news, and so forth. The sources that can provide this data can include entities such as Reuters™, The Sporting News™ (TSN), Associated Press™ (AP)™, and others. In one embodiment, the ticker data from the data feeds  200  comprises “raw” unformatted data (e.g., data with minimal or no formatting or graphics).  
     [0032] The raw ticker data is provided to a feed server  202 . In an embodiment, the feed server  202  operates as a content aggregator that pulls or otherwise receives the raw ticker data from the data feeds  200 . The feed server  202  also performs data manipulation on the received ticker data to manipulate the data into a database format so that the data can be indexed and stored. A feed engine  204 , which can be embodied in software or other machine-readable instructions stored on one or more machine-readable media according to an embodiment, can reside and run in the feed server  202  to perform at least some of this data manipulation.  
     [0033] The feed server  202  is coupled to provide the manipulated ticker data to a production server  206 . The production server  206  includes or is otherwise coupled to a database  208 . The feed engine  204  calls on the database  208 , and instructs the database  208  where to place the various ticker data. For example, the database  208  can include a plurality of database code objects  210  that cooperate with ticker tables  212  (such as a sports table  214 , a weather table  216 , and so forth) to index or store ticker data. The feed engine  204  calls the database  208  and identifies the database code objects and ticker tables where the ticker data is to be stored.  
     [0034] The various components of the database  208 , such as the ticker tables  212 , can also be configured in a manner that optimizes the organization and distribution of the ticker data. For example, ticker data unique to various geographic regions can be segregated from or otherwise identifiable from each other, so that ticker data that is relevant to only particular client terminals  108  need not be broadcast to all client terminals. For instance, California weather information can be segregated from Oregon weather information in the database  208  in a manner that client terminals  108  of California users do not receive Oregon weather information, unless specifically requested. This feature improves transmission efficiency and transmission time, since the bandwidth of communication paths to certain client terminals  108  are not clogged by non-relevant ticker data.  
     [0035] In an embodiment, the production server  206  can also perform data manipulation, such as before the data is stored in the database  208 , while it is stored in the database  208 , or after the data is retrieved from the database  208  for transmission to client terminals  108 . For instance, the production server  206  can perform data manipulation to place the ticker data into a format that is “consumable” or otherwise compatible with operating software of the client terminals  108 . For instance, the production server  206  can place the ticker data into formats such as hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or other suitable formats.  
     [0036] The production server  206  is coupled to provide ticker data from the database  208  to one or more distribution servers  218 , which may be located in or otherwise communicatively coupled to a distribution center  106  (such as a head-end). The distribution server  218  operates to provide the ticker data to the client terminals  108  via several possible communication paths or channels, as will be described with reference to FIG. 3.  
     [0037] It is to be appreciated that the components shown in FIG. 2 are merely illustrative of the various components of one embodiment that can be used to provide ticker information. For example, other embodiments can use more or fewer servers, as well as different components, to perform the various operations. Moreover, the various servers and their components (such as the feed engine  204  and the database  208 ) can be distributed elsewhere in the system  100 , instead of or in addition to the locations shown in FIG. 2. There may be multiple feed servers  202 , production servers  206  and databases  208 , distribution servers  218 , and so on to account for load balancing, redundancy in case of outages or broken connections, and other factors that can affect distribution of ticker information.  
     [0038]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a client terminal  108  for the system  100  of FIG. 1 that can implement an embodiment of the invention to present tickers having navigational features. For the sake of simplicity of illustration and explanation, only the components that are germane to understanding an embodiment of the invention are shown in FIG. 3. It is understood that the embodiment of the client terminal  108  shown in FIG. 3 can have other components different than or in addition to what is shown. Moreover, the various illustrated components may be suitably combined in some embodiments, instead of being separate. It also should be noted that the client terminal  108  is only one embodiment of the invention and that some or all of the components described as embodied in the client terminal  108  can be incorporated into a client television rather than in a separate device. A bus  301  is shown symbolically to depict coupling between the various components.  
     [0039] To briefly describe an embodiment, the client terminal  108  receives ticker data from the distribution server  218 , and then performs the appropriate processing of the data to allow the data to be displayed in a ticker on a display screen of a television set. The client terminal  108  can be passive in that it receives the ticker data (as well as updates) when the data is sent by the distribution server  218 , independently of whether the client terminal  108  requested the ticker data (e.g., the distribution server  218  “pushes” the ticker data to client terminals  108 ). Alternatively or in addition, the client terminal  108  can poll or otherwise explicitly request the ticker data from the distribution server  218 , including polling the distribution server  218  for updated data (e.g., the client terminal  108  “pulls” the ticker data from the distribution server  218 ). In some embodiments, both push and pull mechanisms may be involved.  
     [0040] Ones it receives the ticker data from the distribution server  218 , the data can be buffered or cached (if appropriate), and processed for presentation on the display screen of the television set. In an embodiment, software in the client terminal  108  can work in conjunction with a user-customizable ticker template to display the ticker (and its ticker items) in the appropriate scrolling layout, format, locations, time intervals, topics, content, and so forth. This software in the client terminal  108  can also provide the various navigational and selection controls, including those used in connection with locking a category, subcategory, or item. In one embodiment where the ticker data is obtained from the Internet  102 , this software can comprise browser-based software or other software capable to cooperate with a web browser. According to various embodiments, the ticker can be generated and made interactive through Flash, C++, Java, HTML, or other suitable code or software.  
     [0041] The client terminal  108  comprises a first tuner  300  to tune to a Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) stream  302  or other video source. The stream  302  may include video, live transmission, and/or application code, including corresponding text and graphic resources. In an embodiment where tickers are provided in an integrated manner along with the video signal, the ticker can be received by way of the stream  302 . One skilled in the art will recognize that there will be a plurality of streams  302 , depending on the number of channels and programs that the cable service provider makes available to the client terminal  108 .  
     [0042] The first tuner  300  is coupled to a decoder  306  that decodes the video, application, and/or audio into a format that is compatible with a television set coupled to the client terminal  108 . The client terminal  108  may include a second tuner  310 . The second tuner  310  can work in conjunction with a cable modem  312  to obtain ticker data  314  from the Internet  102 , such as via a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) connection with the distribution server  218 . In addition to the ticker data  314 , Internet content can also be received by the client terminal  108  by way of the DOCSIS connection through the second tuner  310  and the cable modem  312 .  
     [0043] In addition, the client terminal  108  includes or is coupled to an input interface  315 , through which other sources  316  of ticker data can be provided to the client terminal  108 . An example of the input interface  315  comprises an out-of-band tuner that can be used to tune to ticker data that is provided from the distribution server  218  via an out-of-band channel. In an embodiment, the out-of-band channel(s) can comprise one or more low-bandwidth frequencies carried on the same coaxial cable used to provide the MPEG streams and the Internet content. The out-of-band channel(s) tuned to by the input interface  315  to receive ticker data can be used alternatively or in addition to the DOCSIS channel tuned to by the second tuner  310  in such an embodiment.  
     [0044] Further alternatively or in addition, the input interface  315  can comprise another television broadcast tuner (such as the first tuner  300 ) to tune to one or more channels that may be carrying ticker data. For example, ticker data (including updates) may be broadcast in one or more channel frequencies specifically dedicated for transmission of ticker data to client terminals  108 . Thus, as an illustration, the first tuner  300  can tune to a channel showing a television program, while the input interface  315  is tuned to receive ticker data (in the form of packets, for example) from a ticker channel to allow a ticker to be simultaneously shown on the same television screen as the television program.  
     [0045] Yet another example of the input interface  315  is an interface to receive outputs of recording devices such as a PVR or a digital video recorder (DVR) that may have ticker data stored therein, which may be received via download. Alternatively or in addition, the input interface  315  can comprise a communication interface, such as an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line modem, a wireless communication interface, and so forth, which can provide a link to the server  218  to receive ticker data, for instance.  
     [0046] An embodiment of the client terminal  108  may include a processor  320  to control operation of the various components shown in FIG. 3. The processor  320  may work in conjunction with ticker software or other machine-readable instructions stored on at least one machine-readable storage medium  322 . Such software may cooperate with the processor  320  to present ticker data in a ticker template or other screen interface or user interface, configure the format and layout of the ticker displayed on the display screen of the television, control the scroll speed of the ticker, process received user commands, perform user customization of the ticker, obtain ticker data (and updates) from the distribution server  218 , and other operations. In an embodiment, the ticker software can be pre-installed in the client terminal  108 . In another embodiment, the ticker software may be installed by way of download from the system  100 .  
     [0047] An audio and video output subsection  308  of the client terminal  108  receives decoded video and/or other applications (including ticker templates and the ticker data presented therein), and provides the decoded information to a television set. A wireless interface  318  operates to receive commands from a user input device (such as a wireless remote control). Such commands can include user commands to customize the ticker. The wireless interface  318  provides these commands to the processor  320  so that the processor  320  can cooperate with the ticker software to perform the corresponding operation.  
     [0048] In an embodiment of the invention, the storage medium  322  can also store user data  324  comprising user customization settings related to operation of the ticker. For instance, the user data  324  can include saved settings that identify what the viewer has locked, so that the viewer need not necessarily re-lock the same things each time he renders the ticker. This data can also be stored in other suitable locations in the system  100 . In any of these storage locations, multiple sets of user data  324  may be stored, such as in implementations where multiple users in a household log into a same client terminal  108  and where each user may have different preferences as to how they wish to view a ticker.  
     [0049] The storage medium  322  can include cache(s), buffer(s), or other types of storage locations where ticker data may be stored. For example, received sports scores can be stored in the storage medium and retrieved during the appropriate times during the course of the scrolling of the ticker. The ticker data stored in the storage medium  322  can be replaced as updates are received from the distribution server  218 . In one embodiment, less time-dependent ticker information (e.g., information that need not necessarily be updated several times per day), including graphics for weather displays, game schedules, and the like, can be downloaded to the storage medium  322  during non-peak television viewing periods (such as late at night), and then retrieved from the storage medium  322  when that piece of information is appropriate for presentation in the ticker.  
     [0050] FIGS.  4 - 6  are television screen shots illustrating ticker navigation operations according to various embodiments of the invention. For simplicity of explanation, not all of the possible navigational operations are depicted, as such other possible operations can be ascertained by examination of the operations specifically shown in FIGS.  4 - 6 . Moreover, it is to be appreciated that the format, layout, direction, content, and other characteristics of the ticker shown in FIGS.  4 - 6  are merely illustrative and that variations are possible.  
     [0051] In FIG. 4, a television set  400  is coupled to the client terminal  108  in a manner that allows a display screen  402  of the television set to show a television program  404 . The television program  404  in this example comprises a video image of a basketball game shown on a particular channel or from a recording. A ticker  406  is shown scrolling across the bottom of the display screen  402 . The ticker  406  can be contained in a screen interface that overlays the television program  404 , or the television program  404  may be scaled appropriately on the display screen  402  to fit the screen interface for the ticker  406  and thereby avoid the need for an overlay. An embodiment of the ticker  406  always displays the current time  421 .  
     [0052] A user input device, such as a wireless remote control  410 , is in communication with the client terminal  108  (via the wireless interface  318 ) to perform conventional television-viewing operations and also to control operation of the ticker  406  according to an embodiment of the invention, including navigational operations. The remote control  410  includes a numeric keypad  412  that the viewer can use to select one of a plurality of television channels. In an embodiment, the remote control  410  can include a ticker button  414 , which if pressed, causes a command to be sent to the client terminal  108  to instruct the ticker software to render the ticker  406  on the display screen  402 . If the ticker button  414  is pressed again, the ticker  406  is taken off the display screen  402 . Alternatively or in addition, a TV button  422  can be pressed to dismiss the ticker  406  and return to full-screen television mode. In an embodiment, the ticker  406  remains rendered on the display screen  402  even if the viewer uses the numeric keypad  412  or other buttons of the remote control  410  to change the channel. The remote control  410  may also have an OK button  419  that can be used to perform locking operations according to one embodiment.  
     [0053] In the example of the ticker  406  in FIG. 4, the ticker  406  is scrolling from right to left (as symbolically depicted by an arrow  408 ). It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments, the ticker  406  may be scrolling in different directions and may also be positioned differently on the display screen  402 . For the sake of illustration, the ticker  406  is shown as being set in a cycle where it is presenting NFL™ football sports scores (e.g., “Rams 3, Patriots 14” is the current moving ticker text item  409  that is being displayed for a “Sports” category  420  and an NFL subcategory  405 ). There may be any suitable number of categories and subcategories through which the user can navigate. A content gauge  411  can provide the viewer with a visual indication as to the total amount of ticker items in a particular subcategory, the amount remaining to be scrolled, the amount that has already been scrolled, and so forth.  
     [0054]FIG. 4 illustrates an example where the viewer has performed a “lock” on the subcategory  405  so as to cause the ticker  406  to scroll only the items under that category, thereby not scrolling items from other categories and subcategories). In the specifically illustrated example, the viewer has locked the NFL™ subcategory  405  such that NFL™ scores (and updates thereof) are the only moving text items  407  that the ticker  406  will repeatedly cycle through and render. Other ticker items, such as weather reports, stock indexes, headlines, are not scrolled by the ticker  406  while it is locked on to the NFL™ subcategory  405 . In this manner, the viewer has ensured that he is presented with only information that is of interest to him, with the effect that the cycling time for the information is faster, since the ticker  406  need not cycle through non-locked items.  
     [0055] In one embodiment, the ticker data corresponding to non-locked ticker items are still received from the distribution server  218  and stored by the client terminal  108 , but are not displayed until the lock is removed. In other embodiments, the ticker data corresponding to excluded topics is not received from the distribution server  218  until the lock is removed.  
     [0056] In one embodiment, selection of the ticker category, subcategory, or item for locking may be performed via a stationary navigation control  424  in the form of a “center focus” box. As an example, the subcategories  405 ,  407 , and  413  sequentially scroll through the center focus box—the “navigation” performed in this sense is done by having these subcategories scroll into the stationary center focus box, rather than actively moving the center focus box to a particular subcategory. When a particular subcategory comes into center focus, the items corresponding to that subcategory begin scrolling. Once a subcategory comes into center focus, the user can press the OK button  419  on the remote control  410  to initiate the locking of that subcategory. Once locked, the items for that locked category can scroll (such as from right to left, or bottom to top), while the non-locked subcategories remain “frozen” and are not scrolled.  
     [0057] In another embodiment, the user may use arrow keys  416  on the remote control  410  to navigate through the categories, subcategories, and items in the ticker  406 , such as via the navigation control  424  in the form of a movable selection rectangle, when choosing categories, subcategories, or items to lock. For example, right-left arrow keys may be used to navigate through the subcategories, while up-down arrow keys may be used to navigate through items under each subcategory or through categories. Once the navigation control  424  is positioned over an item to be excluded, the user can press a button or combination of buttons on the remote control  410  to initiate the exclusion.  
     [0058] Various possible navigation implementations are possible when deciding which topic to lock. As an example, a viewer may move through each category by way of all the subcategories via the navigation control  405 . Categories are momentarily displayed in the vertical axis and then settle in the panel or other location to the left of the television program  404  while that category is active, as depicted in FIG. 4 for the Sports category  420 .  
     [0059] With regards to the subcategories, the right-left arrow keys on the remote control  410  can bring any subcategory into center focus to lock that subcategory without having to select a category first, in one example embodiment. The right-left or the up-down arrow keys may also be used to select items within a subcategory. When using these arrow keys, the navigation control  424  may be moved to a position over the desired selection (e.g., in embodiments where the navigation control  424  is a selection rectangle), or the contents of the ticker  406  may themselves be moved so that they are positioned in the stationary navigation control  424  (e.g., in embodiments where the navigation control  424  is a center focus box). In such embodiments where the center focus box is stationary, the ticker can be provided with backup, forward, up, and down controls to steer the desired information into the center focus box.  
     [0060] According to an embodiment of the invention, the OK button  419  can be used to lock a particular category, subcategory, item, or multiples or combinations thereof. Once something is locked, such as the NFL™ subcategory  405 , other subcategories  407  and other categories  417  may be “grayed out” in an embodiment, and their corresponding ticker items are not scrolled. For instance in FIG. 4, the grayed-out subcategories  407  can comprise scores from the NHL™ or NBA™. As another example, the grayed out category  417  can be the weather category. In other embodiments, the non-locked elements need not necessarily be grayed out, and can just be held stationary.  
     [0061] Alternatively or in addition to the arrow keys  416  and to the OK button  419 , the buttons  418  can also be used for navigation and locking. These buttons  418  can comprise buttons that are similar to play, rewind, fast forward, pause, etc. buttons usable for recording devices.  
     [0062] As described above to lock a subcategory so as to exclude other subcategories according to one embodiment, the viewer can press the OK button  419  when that subcategory is in center focus. When a subcategory is locked, the user can manually cycle through the ticker items in the locked subcategory using the up-down arrow keys on the remote control  410 , or have the ticker  406  automatically cycle or scroll through that subcategory&#39;s ticker items.  
     [0063] To lock an item so as to exclude other items from the same subcategory (e.g., so as to be presented with updated scores from only one football game, while not being presented with scores from other football games) according to an embodiment, the viewer first locks the corresponding subcategory, uses the arrow keys to navigate to an item of interest, and then presses the OK button  419  to lock the item of interest. This is depicted in FIG. 5, where the ticker item  409  having the Rams/Patriots score is locked. The navigational control  424  is shown as having selected the ticker item  409 , while other scores in that subcategory  405  are frozen or grayed out at  502 . In an embodiment, once an item is locked, the ticker software keeps track of an identifier in the ticker feed that corresponds to that item, so that updates can be provided for that item, which in the case of FIG. 5 would be updated scores for the Rams/Patriots game.  
     [0064] Various actions can be used to unlock. To unlock a subcategory, for example, the viewer can press the right or left arrow key. Pressing one of these keys will cause a subcategory to the right/left of center focus to move into center focus, thereby unlocking the ticker  406 . If the element to the right of center focus is a category, then that category animates away and the first subcategory in that category comes into center focus. If the element to the left of center focus is a subcategory in a second and different category, the subcategory comes into center focus, and the category or subcategory to the right reappears.  
     [0065] To unlock a ticker item, for example, the viewer can press the up or down arrow key. Pressing the up or down key will cause navigation to a non-visible ticker item adjacent to the current ticker item and will place that adjacent ticker item into view, thereby unlocking the ticker item, but retaining the lock on the subcategory. If there are no items below the current ticker item when the down arrow button is pressed, pressing the down arrow button starts at the top of the list in that subcategory. The ticker  406  starts at the bottom of the list, if the up arrow button is pressed when the current ticker item is the item at the top of the list.  
     [0066] Pressing the OK button  419  again or pressing some other button on the remote control  410  can also initiate an unlock of the ticker  406 . In an embodiment, the OK button  419  can be used to toggle between three different states of the locking feature: lock subcategory, lock item, and unlock. It is to be appreciated that these types of navigation movements and button presses for purposes of locking and unlocking are illustrative and can vary from one ticker implementation to another.  
     [0067]FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of an “auto-mode,” where the ticker  406  is cycling through topics in its default mode. In one embodiment, the ticker  406  goes to the auto-mode if the user explicitly unlocks the ticker  406  or if there is a period of inactivity while the ticker  406  is locked. There may be different types of auto-modes. In an auto-mode for subcategories, the ticker  406  cycles through all items in a subcategory, even if items change due to updates.  
     [0068] In an auto-mode for “all content,” the ticker  406  cycles through all items (in categories and subcategories) one after another. The example of FIG. 6 illustrates an auto-mode where the ticker  406  is sequentially cycling through subcategories of the sports category  420 . The ticker  406  has almost completed cycling football scores from the NFL™ subcategory  405 , and is beginning to cycle basketball scores from the NBA™ subcategory  407 . As illustrated, the ticker  406  is transitioning from a moving text item  502  for a football score to a moving text item  600  for a basketball score, and the starting-to-fill content gauge  411  indicates that the first basketball score is being presented.  
     [0069]FIG. 7 is a flowchart  700  illustrating operation of a ticker having navigational features in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. At least some of the elements of the flowchart  700  can be embodied in software or other machine-readable instruction stored in a machine-readable medium, such as at the client terminal  108  or remotely at a server. Moreover, it is appreciated that the various operations shown in the flowchart  700  need not necessarily occur in the exact order shown.  
     [0070] Beginning at a block  702 , ticker software, including upgrades or new components, is installed in the client terminal  108 , for instance. In one embodiment, the ticker software can be factory installed or installed via download. According to an embodiment, components of the ticker software may already be installed, but are not activated until the user subscribes to the ticker service with the cable service provider. Once the ticker software is installed and once the user has subscribed to receive the ticker service, non-time-sensitive ticker information (such as graphics, updated menu selections, less-frequently updated ticker items, and so on) can be downloaded at a block  704 . The download at the block  704  can occur during low-bandwidth-utilization hours (such as late at night), during commercial breaks, while the television set  400  is turned off, or other convenient times.  
     [0071] The ticker  406  is activated and navigated through at a block  706 . As described above, activation of the ticker  406  may be performed by activating (such as pressing) the ticker button  414  on the remote control  410 . Navigation (without necessarily performing locking) through the categories, subcategories, and items may be done via the arrow keys  416 .  
     [0072] Once activated, the user can perform some customization at a block  708 . This customization can include setting modes, and customizing the layout of the ticker  406  by moving components of the ticker  406  by clicking and dragging. In one embodiment, viewer behavior data may be used for customization. For example, viewer behavior data implicitly collected from the client terminal  108  (using techniques familiar to those skilled in the art) or explicitly provided user profile data can be used to determine which information to render in the ticker.  
     [0073] Ticker data is received at a block  710  via the techniques and communication paths described with reference to FIG. 3. It is also determined at the block  710  whether new ticker data to replace older ticker data is received, such as updated sports scores or weather reports. If no new ticker data is received, the existing ticker data is selected at a block  712 . New ticker data is rendered or otherwise presented at a block  714 , such as through a ticker template, including any customizations that may have been performed at the block  708 .  
     [0074] While scrolling the ticker  406  at the block  714 , commands corresponding to locking of ticker categories, subcategories, or items may be issued by the user from the remote control  410 . At a block  716 , the ticker software identifies whether a lock is requested and if so, the specific component of the ticker  406  that is to be locked. The ticker software can then limit what is cycled during the rendering (such as by graying out or freezing) the non-locked components of the ticker at a block  718 , and cause the ticker  406  to cycle only within the locked component. Cycling through the locked component involves checking for new data at the block  710 , and rendering the appropriate ticker item at the block  714 .  
     [0075] If an unlock of the ticker  406  is initiated, using the techniques described above, the ticker  406  can revert to the auto-mode at a block  720 . Thereafter, the ticker  406  will check for new data at the block  710 , and cycle through the unlocked categories, subcategories, and items at the block  714 .  
     [0076] The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention and can be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
     [0077] As an example, a satellite television (TV) delivery system may be implemented alternatively or in addition to a cable distribution system. A satellite TV delivery system may comprise a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) system. A DBS system may comprise a small 18 inch satellite dish (which is an antenna for receiving a satellite broadcast signal); a digital integrated receiver/decoder (IRD), which separates each channel, and decompresses and translates the digital signal so a television can show it; and a remote control. Programming for a DBS system may be distributed, for example, by multiple high-power satellites in geosynchronous orbit, each with multiple transponders. Compression (e.g., MPEG) is used to increase the amount of programming that can be transmitted in the available bandwidth.  
     [0078] A digital broadcast center (e.g., analogous to the head-end  106 ) may be used to gather programming content, ensure its digital quality, and transmit the signal up to the satellites. Programming may come to the broadcast center from content providers (TBS™, HBO™, CNN™, ESPN™, etc.) via satellite, fiber optic cable, and/or special digital tape. Satellite-delivered programming is typically immediately digitized, encrypted and uplinked to the orbiting satellites. The satellites retransmit the signal back down to every earth-station—or, in other words, every compatible DBS system receiver dish at customers&#39; homes and businesses.  
     [0079] Some programs may be recorded on digital videotape in the broadcast center to be broadcast later. Before any recorded programs are viewed by customers, technicians may use post-production equipment to view and analyze each tape to ensure audio and video quality. Tapes may then be loaded into a robotic tape handling system, and playback may be triggered by a computerized signal sent from a broadcast automation system. Back-up videotape playback equipment may ensure uninterrupted transmission when appropriate.  
     [0080] These and other modifications can be made to the invention in light of the above detailed description. The terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined entirely by the following claims, which are to be construed in accordance with established doctrines of claim interpretation.