Method and system for presentation of pre-generated programming information

• US 20030145325A1
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gist Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gist Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Ruderman, David, Finster, Paul, Morahg, Yoav
• Application Number:
  US10/066,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

A method and system for the presentation of pre-generated customized programming information to viewers. The system receives a request for programming information, and provides, in response to the request, at least one of a plurality of customized views of the programming information to the viewer, wherein the plurality of views are generated according to viewer characteristic data before receipt of the request. In one embodiment, the viewer characteristic data includes the options available to the viewer or the level of customization available to the viewer, while at least one of the customized views of the programming information may include a collection of Web page listings.

Claims

1. A method for presenting programming information to a viewer, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of programming information display options;

generating, at a programming listing server, a first display configuration, wherein the first display configuration corresponds to a first combination of the options included in the plurality of programming information display options;

generating, at a programming listing server, a second display configuration, wherein the second display configuration corresponds to a second combination of the options included in the plurality of programming information display options;

storing the first display configuration and the second display configuration in a memory associated with the programming listing server;

selecting one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to send to the viewer, wherein the first display configuration is sent to the viewer responsive to the viewer being associated with the first combination of the options and wherein the second display configuration is sent to the viewer responsive to the viewer being associated with the second combination of the options; and

providing the selected one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to the viewer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming information display options comprise:

a plurality of viewing preferences selectable by the viewer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming information display options comprise:

a set-top box characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display configuration comprises:

an HTML page.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display configuration comprises:

JavaScript code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display configuration comprises:

an XML page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display configuration comprises:

a JavaScript data structure.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the viewer f or programming information; and

determining which combination of the options is associated with the viewer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at the programming listing server an indication to update a viewer-local program listing source; and

determining which combination of options is associated with the viewer;

wherein providing the selected one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to the viewer comprises;

responsive to the indication, pushing the selected one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to the viewer-local program listing source.

10. A system for presenting programming information to a viewer, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory device connected to the processor; and

a plurality of instructions stored on the memory device, the plurality of instructions configured to cause the processor to;

generate a first display configuration, wherein the first display configuration corresponds to a first combination of display options included in a plurality of display options;

generate a second display configuration, wherein the second display configuration corresponds to a second combination of display options included in the plurality of display options;

select one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to send to the viewer, wherein the first display configuration is sent to the viewer responsive to the viewer being associated with the first combination of display options and wherein the second display configuration is sent to the viewer responsive to the viewer being associated with the second combination of display options; and

initiate transfer of the selected one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to the viewer.

11. A method for presenting programming information to a viewer, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of programming information display options;

generating, at a programming listing server, a plurality of display configurations, wherein each of the plurality of display configurations corresponds to a set of the plurality of programming information display options;

storing the plurality of display configurations in a memory associated with the program listing server;

selecting one of the plurality of display configurations to send to the viewer, wherein the selected one of the plurality of display configurations corresponds to one set of the plurality of programming information display options associated with the viewer; and

providing the selected one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to the viewer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of display configurations comprises:

a set-top box characteristic.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a request from the viewer for programming information; and

determining which of the plurality of programming information display options is associated with the viewer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

caching, at the program listing server, the selected one of the plurality of display configurations.

15. A system for presenting programming information to a viewer, the system comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of programming information display options;

means for generating a plurality of display configurations, wherein each of the plurality of display configurations corresponds to a set of the plurality of programming information display options;

means for selecting one of the plurality of display configurations to send to the viewer, wherein the selected one of the plurality of display configurations corresponds to one set of the plurality of programming information display options associated with the viewer; and

means for providing the selected one of the first display configuration and the second display configuration to the viewer.