System and method for using a personal digital assistant as an electronic program guide

• US 20030149978A1
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Plotnick, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US10/072,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• 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 21/47214 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 21/478 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system and method for using a personal digital assistant to browse and select program listings. The method of the present invention involves browsing one or more program listings to select a given program listing. The program listings are presented on the personal digital assistant through the use of a local electronic program guide. Where a program corresponding to the given program listing is not being aired when selected, the given program is marked for a reminder in the local electronic program guide. The reminder in the local electronic program guide is synchronized with a remote electronic program guide running on a remote device.

Claims

1. A method for using a personal digital assistant to browse and select program listings, the method comprising:

browsing one or more program listings to select a given program listing, the program listings presented on the personal digital assistant through the use of a local electronic program guide;

where a program corresponding to the given program listing is not being aired when selected, marking the given program for a reminder in the local electronic program guide;

synchronizing the reminder in the local electronic program guide with a remote electronic program guide running on a remote device.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising tuning the program on a display device where the program corresponding to the given program listing is being aired when selected.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:

marking the given program listing in the local electronic program guide with a video record mark, the mark indicating that the program associated with the given program listing is to be recorded at it'"'"'s air time; and

synchronizing the video record mark in the local program guide with the remote electronic program guide running on a remote device.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising

marking the given program listing in the local electronic program guide with a video record mark, the mark indicating that the program associated with the given program listing is to be recorded at it'"'"'s air time;

and

copying one or more parameters associated with the given program listing to a recording device to instruct the recording device to record the program associated with the given program listing.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of copying one or more parameters comprises copying a channel the program is airing on, a title of the program, a start time of the program, an end time of the program, and a description of the program.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising marking the given program for a reminder in a calendar application on the personal digital assistant.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising issuing an alert when the given program is scheduled to air.

8. A system for using a personal digital assistant to browse and select program listings, the system comprising:

a program listing server to distribute program guide data over a distribution network;

a mobile computing device storing a local electronic program guide, the mobile computing device operative to receive the program guide data, which is presented by the local electronic program guide, the local program guide further operative to receive input to set a recording mark or a future program reminder; and

a remote electronic program guide operative to synchronize the recording mark or future program reminder set on the local program guide.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the mobile computing device comprises a personal digital assistant.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the mobile computing device comprises calendar software.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the calendar software records the future program reminder.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the future program reminder comprises a broadcast channel, a program title, a start time and an end time.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the calendar software issues an alert when the start time is arrived at.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the personal digital assistant is operative to synchronize the recording mark with a recording device.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the personal digital assistant is operative to synchronize the recording mark with the remote electronic program guide.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein the remote electronic program guide is resident on a set top terminal.

17. A method for using a personal digital assistant to browse and select program listings, the method comprising:

browsing one or more program listings to select a given program listing, the program listings presented by a remote electronic program guide;

where a program corresponding to the given program listing is not being aired when selected, marking the given program for a reminder in the remote electronic program guide;

synchronizing the reminder in the remote electronic program guide with a local electronic program guide running on a personal digital assistant.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising browsing the program listings presented by a remote electronic program guide stored on a set top terminal.