The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2003
James Harold Gray, Ellijay, GA (US);
Thomas Jefferson Brothers, Gainesville, GA (US);
William Randolpoh Matz, Atlanta, GA (US);
James Harold Gray, Ellijay, GA (US);
Thomas Jefferson Brothers, Gainesville, GA (US);
William Randolpoh Matz, Atlanta, GA (US);
AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
According to one embodiment, a service provider determines whether to inform one or more users of an interactive television service of available content. Responsive to determining to inform the one or more users of the available content, a hot key signal is generated. The hot key signal is sent to the users via a side channel out-of-band with one or more channels for content. The hot key signal from the out-of band side channel is received by a terminal device. The terminal device determines whether the hot key signal is relevant to a user currently viewing content from the service provider. Responsive to determining the hot key signal is relevant to the user, an indication that the hot key signal has been received is displayed. Responsive to receiving an indication that the hot key is accepted, the user is directed to the available content indicated by the hot key signal.