Adaptable programming guide for networked devices

• US 20020053081A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: DigitalDeck, Inc.
• Inventors: Griggs, Theodore L.
• Application Number:
  US10/000,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20020053081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for scheduling and distributing program is disclosed. The schedule utilized in the system and method preferably comprises a source field and one or more corresponding content data fields. The source field lists program providers and the content fields lists programs that are available from the program providers. The schedule is preferably configured to list programs having different start times and/or different ranges of duration times within entries of the same column. In the preferred method of the instant invention, the schedule is generated from user preferences that include selected program providers. In the system of the instant invention, the schedule is a displayable electronic schedule, wherein a user can select programs listed within the schedule with a suitable control device in order to initiate the distribution of the selected program to a user location over a network.

Claims

1. An electronic program schedule comprising:

a. a source field for listing content providers; and

b. a content field for listing a first set of variable program times corresponding to times when content data is available from the content providers.

2. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, wherein the content field is configured for listing program titles available from the content providers corresponding to a first set of entries with program times.

3. The electronic program schedule of claim 2, wherein the source field and the content field are displayable in parallel columns with each one of the content providers aligned with a corresponding program title and a corresponding program time.

4. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a second set of entries in the content field.

5. The electronic program schedule of claim 4, wherein the second set of entries list program times corresponding to times when a second set of content data is available from the content providers.

6. The electronic program schedule of claim 5, wherein the second set of entries further list program titles corresponding to the second set of content data.

7. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a descriptor field for displaying a detailed description of a portion of the content data available from one or more of the content providers.

8. The electronic program schedule of claim 7, wherein the portion of the content data is selected by a user.

9. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a filter field with at least one filter selection, wherein each filter selection is configured to select content providers listed in the source field.

10. The electronic program schedule of claim 2, further comprising a filter field with at least one filter selection, wherein each filter selection is configured to select the program titles listed in the source data field.

11. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a search field for searching content data available from the content providers.

12. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising an appliance field for providing a listing of at least one networked appliances.

13. The electronic program schedule of claim 12, wherein the appliance filed is configured for listing a status of each networked appliances.

14. The electronic program schedule of claim 12, further comprising a control field for selectively operating each networked appliance.

16. The schedule of claim 15, wherein the source field is configured for listing the content providers in a first column and corresponding program availabilities in an adjacent and second column.

17. The schedule of claim 16, wherein the content field further comprises a third column for listing additional program availabilities.

18. The schedule of claim 15, wherein the content field is configured for listing variable program times from the scheduled program providers.

19. The schedule of claim 15, wherein the content field is configured to provide a description of a selected program availability.

20. The schedule of claim 15, wherein the program availabilities are selectable with a control device.

21. The schedule of claim 15, further comprising a filter field with one or more filter sections for filtering content provider listed in the source field.

22. The schedule of claim 15, further comprising a filter field with one or more filter selections for filtering program availabilities listed in the content field.

23. The schedule of claim 15, further comprising a search field for searching program availabilities from the content providers.

24. The schedule of claim 23, wherein the search field is configured for searching program availabilities from a selected content provider.

25. Th schedule of claim 15, wherein the content field is further configured for listing one or more appliances and a status corresponding to the one or more appliances.

26. The schedule of claim 24, further comprising a control filed for selectively controlling the one or more appliances.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the user preferences comprise content providers selected from a plurality of content providers.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the displayable program schedule is periodically updated.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the displayable programs schedule is updated based on content data selected from the program schedule.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the displayable program schedule is displayable on a monitor.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the controller comprises screen, wherein the content data is selected through screen.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the controller comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a mouse, a keyboard and an infrared remote.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein user preferences are automatically updated based on available contend data selected from the displayable program schedule.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the available content data comprises digital video programs.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the available content data comprise scheduled programs.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the user preferences are stored at a web server data base and, wherein the displayable program schedule is configured to be viewed from one or more remote user locations over a network.

39. The program schedule system of claim 38, wherein the means for generating an customized electronic program schedule comprises a graphic user interface operable on a web server over the internet.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the means for selecting the programs comprises a internet appliance.

15. A schedule for simultaneously displaying program availabilities from scheduled content providers and on-demand content providers, the schedule comprising:

a. a source field for listing the scheduled content providers and for listing the on-demand content providers; and

b. a content field for listing the program availabilities.

27. A system for providing content data to a user, the system comprising

a. a displayable program schedule for displaying available content data;

and

b. a controller to select available content data from the displayable program schedule, wherein the displayable program schedule is generated from user preferences.

38. A program scheduling system comprising:

a) means for generating an customized electronic program schedule; and

b) a means for selecting programs from the customized electronic program schedule, wherein the customized electronic program schedule displays available programs from a plurality of pre-selected content providers.

41. The system of clam 40, wherein the internet appliance is a personal computer.

42. A method of scheduling programs comprising:

a. generating program preferences;

b. cataloging programs from a plurality of content providers based on the program preferences;

c. displaying cataloged programs in a program schedule; and

d. transmitting a program from the cataloged programs.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of transmitting the program is initiated by a user selecting the program form the program schedule.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the program is transmitted to a user location over the internet.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the program is transmitted over a network to an internet appliance coupled to the network.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the program is a digital video program.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the digital video program is down-loaded to a storage device couple to the internet appliance.