Steven Te Weinstein

US Patent:

6604242, Aug 5, 2003

Filed:

May 18, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/081488

Inventors:

Steven Weinstein - Palo Alto CA
James E. Palmer - Redwood City CA
Tyler M. Johnson - Piedmont CA
James R. Fulker - Palo Alto CA
Geoffrey A. Katz - San Francisco CA
Mark A. Vickers - Belmont CA
Chee Yu - Dublin CA

Assignee:

Liberate Technologies - San Carlos CA

International Classification:

H04N 7173

US Classification:

725109, 725 37

Abstract:

The invention provides an improved method and system for interactive broadcast and web information browsing. In embodiments of the invention, web information is presented in conjunction with a broadcast television image, either at an edge of the image screen or overlaid with the image screen in an opaque, transparent or translucent image. The presented web information is fully interactive and can be interacted with by the user using all known features of interactive web presentation.

US Patent:

6668278, Dec 23, 2003

Filed:

Sep 21, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/401117

Inventors:

Wei Yen - Cupertino CA
Steven Weinstein - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

Liberate Technologies - San Carlos CA

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709218, 709200, 709217, 707 5, 706 10, 725116, 340825, 345807, 37910006

Abstract:

The invention provides a method and system for receiving incoming information from multiple information sources, both interactive and passive, and for engagingly presenting that information to a recipient on a presentation interface. The system includes a âbackgroundâ element, which interacts with interactive information sources and receives from passive information sources, and determines whether information from those sources is likely to be interesting to the recipient, possibly using one information so source to determine priority for another. The system also includes a âforegroundâ element, which presents information to the recipient when active, but not when inactive. The background is operative even when the foreground element is inactive, and when the background detects new information of interest to the recipient (for example, exceeding a selected threshold of interest or satisfying a selected criterion for interest), it causes the foreground to become active and engage the recipient to select and view that new information. The threshold or criterion may be adaptively responsive to recipient preferences, whether explicitly expressed or implied, but may also be relatively fixed, such as a scheduled time of day.

US Patent:

7072948, Jul 4, 2006

Filed:

Dec 22, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/745450

Inventors:

Wei Yen - Cupertino CA, US
Steven Weinstein - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

TVWorks, LLC - Philadelphia PA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709218, 709217, 3405001, 340825, 375219, 37910006

Abstract:

The invention provides a method and system for receiving incoming information from multiple information sources, both interactive and passive, and for engagingly presenting that information to a recipient on a presentation interface. The system includes a “background” element, which interacts with interactive information sources and receives from passive information sources, and determines whether information from those sources is likely to be interesting to the recipient, possibly using one information source to determine priority for another. The system also includes a “foreground” element, which presents information to the recipient when active, but not when inactive. The background is operative even when the foreground element is inactive, and when the background detects new information of interest to the recipient (for example, exceeding a selected threshold of interest or satisfying a selected criterion for interest), it causes the foreground to become active and engage the recipient to select and view that new information. The threshold or criterion may be adaptively responsive to recipient preferences, whether explicitly expressed or implied, but may also be relatively fixed, such as a scheduled time of day.

US Patent:

20040148636, Jul 29, 2004

Filed:

Jul 23, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/625752

Inventors:

Steven Weinstein - Palo Alto CA, US
James Palmer - Redwood City CA, US
Tyler Johnson - Piedmont CA, US
James Fulker - Palo Alto CA, US
Geoffrey Katz - San Francisco CA, US
Mark Vickers - Belmont CA, US
Chee Yu - Dublin CA, US

Assignee:

LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES - SAN CARLOS CA

International Classification:

H04N007/173
G06F013/00
H04N005/445

US Classification:

725/113000, 725/037000, 725/110000, 725/112000, 725/111000

Abstract:

The invention provides an improved method and system for interactive broadcast and web information browsing. In embodiments of the invention, web information is presented in conjunction with a broadcast television image, either at an edge of the image screen or overlaid with the image screen in an opaque, transparent or translucent image. The presented web information is fully interactive and can be interacted with by the user using all known features of interactive web presentation.

US Patent:

20130019260, Jan 17, 2013

Filed:

Sep 14, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/616551

Inventors:

Steven Weinstein - Palo Alto CA, US
James E. Palmer - Redwood City CA, US
Tyler M. Johnson - Piedmont CA, US
James R. Fulker - Palo Alto CA, US
Geoffrey A. Katz - San Francisco CA, US
Mark A. Vickers - Belmont CA, US
Chee Yu - Dublin CA, US

Assignee:

TVWORKS, LLC - Philadelphia PA

International Classification:

H04N 21/40

US Classification:

725 25, 725 37

Abstract:

The invention provides an improved method and system for interactive broadcast and web information browsing. In embodiments of the invention, web information is presented in conjunction with a broadcast television image, either at an edge of the image screen or overlaid with the image screen in an opaque, transparent or translucent image. The presented web information is fully interactive and can be interacted with by the user using all known features of interactive web presentation.

US Patent:

59917997, Nov 23, 1999

Filed:

Dec 20, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/770238

Inventors:

Wei Yen - Cupertino CA
Steven Weinstein - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

Liberate Technologies - Redwood Shores CA

International Classification:

G06F 1338
G06F 1517

US Classification:

709218

Abstract:

The invention provides a method and system for receiving incoming information from multiple information sources, both interactive and passive, and for engagingly presenting that information to a recipient on a presentation interface. The system includes a "background" element, which interacts with interactive information sources and receives from passive information sources, and determines whether information from those sources is likely to be interesting to the recipient, possibly using one information source to determine priority for another. The system also includes a "foreground" element, which presents information to the recipient when active, but not when inactive. The background is operative even when the foreground element is inactive, and when the background detects new information of interest to the recipient (for example, exceeding a selected threshold of interest or satisfying a selected criterion for interest), it causes the foreground to become active and engage the recipient to select and view that new information. The threshold or criterion may be adaptively responsive to recipient preferences, whether explicitly expressed or implied, but may also be relatively fixed, such as a scheduled time of day.