Cross-device sharing of reminders

• US 20030005448A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Bernhardson, Marcus, Forsander, Conny, Axelsson, Karin, Paulsson, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic program guide system comprising: receiving means for receiving at least one electronic program guide corresponding to a broadcast program; selecting means for selecting a desired program from said electronic program guide; notification means for creating a notification for the program selected from said electronic program guide; communication means for access to a communications network; transmission means for transmitting a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to at least one remote electronic program guide system using said communications network; and reception means for receiving a notification from a remote electronic program guide system.

Claims

1. An electronic program guide system comprising:

receiving means for receiving at least one electronic program guide corresponding to a broadcast program;

selecting means for selecting a desired program from said electronic program guide;

notification means for creating a notification for the program selected from said electronic program guide;

communication means for access to a communications network;

transmission means for transmitting a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to at least one remote electronic program guide system using said communications network; and

reception means for receiving a notification from a remote electronic program guide system;

2. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communication means is a network modem.

3. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reception means further comprises authorization means for determining if a notification received originated within an authorized remote electronic program guide system.

4. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmission means also are arranged to transmit an alert message indicating said notification to an server to be forwarded as an SMS to a mobile handset of a user of said at least one remote electronic program guide system.

5. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmission means is arranged to transmit said notification as an electronic mail to said at least one remote electronic program guide system.

6. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notification includes information indicating the program selected from said electronic program guide.

7. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notification includes recording parameters for the program selected from said electronic program guide.

8. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said authorization means further are arranged to authorize recording of the program selected from said electronic program guide if a notification received originated within an authorized remote electronic program guide system.

9. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notification includes information indicating the program selected from said electronic program guide and recording parameters for the program selected from said electronic program guide.

10. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for generating recording instructions to a recording device associated with said electronic program guide system based on said notification.

11. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising user input means for obtaining user acceptance of said notification before generating the recording instructions.

12. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmission means are arranged to transmit a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to a plurality of remote electronic program guide systems.

13. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic program guide system is incorporated in an integrated receiver decoder.

14. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic program guide system is incorporated in a set-top box.

15. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic program guide system is incorporated in a mobile handset.

16. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic program guide system is incorporated in a television receiver.

17. The electronic program guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic program guide system is incorporated in a mobile display appliance.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

determining in the remote electronic program guide system if a notification received originated within an authorized remote electronic program guide system.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

transmitting an alert message indicating said notification to an SMS server to be forwarded as an SMS to a mobile handset of a user of said remote electronic program guide system.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

transmitting said notification as an electronic mail to said remote electronic program guide system.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

authorizing recording of the program selected from said electronic program guide if a notification received originated within an authorized remote electronic program guide system.

23. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

generating recording instructions to a recording device associated with said electronic program guide system based on said notification.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

generating recording instructions to a recording device associated with said electronic program guide system based on said notification.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the step of:

obtaining user acceptance of said notification before generating the recording instructions.

26. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to a plurality of remote electronic program guide systems.

18. A method for providing notifications of a program selected from an electronic program guide system comprising the steps of:

browsing the electronic program guide for identification of a program of interest;

selecting a desired program from said electronic program guide;

creating a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide;

transmitting the notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to at least one remote electronic program guide system.

27. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to perform the following steps:

providing an electronic program guide for identification of a program of interest;

providing selection options for a desired program from said electronic program guide;

creating a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide; and

obtaining transmission of the notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to at least one remote electronic program guide system.

28. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer comprising software code portions for performing the following steps when said product is run on a computer:

providing an electronic program guide for identification of a program of interest;

providing selection options for a desired program from said electronic program guide;

creating a notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide; and

obtaining transmission of the notification of the program selected from said electronic program guide to at least one remote electronic program guide system.