Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders

• US 10,382,828 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US15/852,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4343 Extraction or processing of packetized elementary streams [PES]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.

Claims

1. A method for storing a media asset for a predetermined period of time that is based on a type of the media asset, the method comprising:

receiving a request to store the media asset;

based on receiving the request, extracting metadata relating to the media asset, the metadata comprising a plurality of fields;

determining whether a type field is present in the plurality of fields of the metadata; and

based on determining that the type field is present in the plurality of fields of the metadata;

determining a type of the media asset from data within the type field;

comparing the type to a plurality of candidate types, wherein each candidate type corresponds to a respective candidate retention period for retaining the media asset in storage;

based on the comparing, assigning a retention period corresponding to a matching respective candidate retention period;

storing at a time of recordation the media asset in memory of a server remote from a user equipment on which the request was received;

determining whether an amount of time corresponding to the retention period has elapsed since the time of recordation; and

based on determining that the amount of time corresponding to the retention period has elapsed since the time of recordation, deleting the recording from the memory of the server and transferring to a memory of the user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to playback the media asset at a first time, wherein the first time is after a scheduled start-time of the media asset;

based on receiving the request to playback, determining that the scheduled start-time of the media asset has passed; and

based on determining that the start-time of the media asset has passed, generating for display a portion of the stored media asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the media asset in memory at the time of recordation further comprises:

storing the media asset in the memory on a server remote to user equipment at which the request to store the media asset was received;

receiving a request, at the remote server, from the user equipment, to playback the media asset; and

transmitting the stored media asset from the remote server to the user equipment device base on receiving the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request to store the media asset further comprises:

determining, at a server remote to user equipment at which the request to store the media asset was received, whether the media asset matches a criterion, wherein the criterion is not set by a user; and

in response to determining that the media asset matches the criterion;

storing the media asset in the memory;

in response to determining that the media asset does not match the criterion

refraining from storing the media asset in the memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request to store the media asset further comprises:

determining, whether the media asset is part of a plurality of media assets that are scheduled to be automatically stored in the memory;

based on determining that the media asset is not part of the plurality of media assets;

generating for display a selectable option on user equipment to store the media asset;

receiving a selection of the user selectable option;

based on the selection, storing the media asset in the memory.

6. A system for storing a media asset for a predetermined period of time that is based on a type of the media asset, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

receive a request to store the media asset;

based on receiving the request, extract metadata relating to the media asset, the metadata comprising a plurality of fields;

determine whether a type field is present in the plurality of fields of the metadata; and

based on determining that the type field is present in the plurality of fields of the metadata;

determine a type of the media asset from data within the type field;

compare the type to a plurality of candidate types, wherein each candidate type corresponds to a respective candidate retention period for retaining the media asset in storage;

based on the comparing, assign a retention period corresponding to a matching respective candidate retention period;

store at a time of recordation the media asset in memory of a server remote from a user equipment on which the request was received;

determine whether an amount of time corresponding to the retention period has elapsed since the time of recordation; and

based on determining that the amount of time corresponding to the retention period has elapsed since the time of recordation, delete the recording from the memory of the server and transfer to a memory of the user equipment.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a request to playback the media asset at a first time, wherein the first time is after a scheduled start-time of the media asset;

based on receiving the request to playback, determine that the scheduled start-time of the media asset has passed; and

based on determining that the start-time of the media asset has passed, generate for display a portion of the stored media asset.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when storing the media asset in memory, to:

store the media asset in the memory on a server remote to user equipment at which the request to store the media asset was received;

receive a request, at the remote server, from the user equipment, to playback the media asset; and

transmit the stored media asset from the remote server to the user equipment device base on receiving the request.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein control circuitry is further configured, when receiving the request to store the media asset, to:

determine, at a server remote to user equipment at which the request to store the media asset was received, whether the media asset matches a criterion, wherein the criterion is not set by a user;

based on determining that the media asset matches the criterion;

store the media asset in the memory; and

based on determining that the media asset does not match the criterion;

refrain from storing the media asset in the memory.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein control circuitry is further configured, when receiving the request to store the media asset, to:

determine, whether the media asset is part of a plurality of media assets that are scheduled to be automatically stored in the memory; and

based on determining that the media asset is not part of the plurality of media assets;

generate for display a selectable option on user equipment to store the media asset;

receive a selection of the user selectable option; and

based on the selection, store the media asset in the memory.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising memory with non-transitory computer readable instructions encoded thereon for storing a media asset for a predetermined period of time that is based on a type of the media asset, the instructions comprising:

an instruction to receive a request to store the media asset;

an instruction to, based on receiving the request, extract metadata relating to the media asset, the metadata comprising a plurality of fields;

an instruction to determine whether a type field is present in the plurality of fields of the metadata; and

an instruction to, based on determining that the type field is present in the plurality of fields of the metadata;

determine a type of the media asset from data within the type field;

compare the type to a plurality of candidate types, wherein each candidate type corresponds to a respective candidate retention period for retaining the media asset in storage;

based on the comparing, assign a retention period corresponding to a matching respective candidate retention period;

an instruction to store at a time of recordation the media asset in memory of a server remote from a user equipment on which the request was received;

an instruction to determine whether an amount of time corresponding to the retention period has elapsed since the time of recordation; and

an instruction to, based on determining that the amount of time corresponding to the retention period has elapsed since the time of recordation, delete the recording from the memory of the server and transfer to a memory of the user equipment.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

an instruction to receive a request to playback the media asset at a first time, wherein the first time is after a scheduled start-time of the media asset;

an instruction to, based on receiving the request to playback, determine that the scheduled start-time of the media asset has passed; and

an instruction to, based on determining that the start-time of the media asset has passed, generate for display a portion of the stored media asset.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

an instruction to store the media asset in the memory on a server remote to user equipment at which the request to store the media asset was received;

an instruction to receive a request, at the remote server, from the user equipment, to playback the media asset; and

an instruction to transmit the stored media asset from the remote server to the user equipment device base on receiving the request.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

an instruction to determine, at a server remote to user equipment at which the request to store the media asset was received, whether the media asset matches a criterion, wherein the criterion is not set by a user;

an instruction to, based on determining that the media asset matches the criterion;

store the media asset in the memory; and

an instruction to, based on determining that the media asset does not match the criterion;

refrain from storing the media asset in the memory.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

an instruction to determine, whether the media asset is part of a plurality of media assets that are scheduled to be automatically stored in the memory; and

an instruction to, based on determining that the media asset is not part of the plurality of media assets;

generate for display a selectable option on user equipment to store the media asset;

receive a selection of the user selectable option; and

based on the selection, store the media asset in the memory.