Program guide system for recording television programs

• US 20040019903A1
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Thomas, William L., Knudson, Edward B., Davis, Bruce L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45 Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4753 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• 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 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

An interactive program guide system is provided. The system facilitates recording of programs selected from the program guide. The system handles the recording and viewing of pay programs, parentally-controlled programs, consecutive programs on different television channels, and programs with and without copy protection. Programs may be recorded using combination television videocassette recorder (TV/VCR) units.

Claims

1. An interactive program guide system including user equipment with which an interactive television program guide is provided and which includes a video recorder and a television, comprising:

means for receiving television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

means for selecting a program for recording from the interactive television program guide;

means for locking the selected program, wherein when the selected program is locked access to the selected program is blocked;

means for displaying a message when the selected program becomes locked to ask the user whether to retain the recording selection;

means for receiving a response from the user that indicates whether the user desires to retain the recording selection; and

means for unlocking the selected program and directing the video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to retain the recording selection.

2. The interactive program guide system defined in claim 1 wherein the means for locking the selected program is performed by using blocking criteria.

3. The interactive program guide system defined in claim 2 wherein the blocking criteria is selected from the group consisting of program titles, ratings, channel numbers, time periods, content, and any combination thereof.

4. A method for using an interactive program guide system using user equipment with which an interactive television program guide is provided and which includes a video recorder and a television, comprising:

receiving television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

selecting a program for recording from the interactive television program guide;

locking the selected program, wherein when the selected program becomes locked, access to the selected program is blocked;

displaying a message when the selected program becomes locked to ask the user whether to retain the recording selection;

receiving a response from the user that indicates whether the user desires to retain the recording selection; and

unlocking the selected program and directing the video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to retain the recording selection.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein locking the selected program comprises allowing the user to set blocking criteria.

6. The method defined in claim 5 wherein the blocking criteria is selected from the group consisting of program titles, ratings, channel numbers, time periods, content, and any combination thereof.

7. An interactive program guide system including user equipment with which an interactive television program guide is provided and which includes a video recorder and a television, comprising:

communications circuitry configured to receive television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

display circuitry configured to display the interactive television program guide;

control circuitry configured to (1) provide a user with an opportunity to select a program for recording from the interactive television program guide, (2) provide the user with an opportunity to lock the selected program, wherein when the user locks the selected program, access to the selected program is blocked, (3) direct the display circuitry to display a message when the selected program becomes locked to ask the user whether to retain the recording selection, (4) process a user response that indicates whether the user desires to retain the recording selection, and (5) unlock the selected program and direct the video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to retain the recording selection.

8. The interactive program guide system defined in claim 7 wherein the control circuitry provides the user with the opportunity to lock the selected program based on blocking criteria.

9. The interactive program guide system defined in claim 8 wherein the blocking criteria is selected from the group consisting of program titles, ratings, channel numbers, time periods, content, and any combination thereof.

10. A machine-readable medium for implementing an interactive television program guide comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

receiving television program guide information for use in an interactive television program guide;

providing a user with an opportunity to select a program for recording from the interactive television program guide;

locking the selected program, wherein when the selected program becomes locked, access to the selected program is blocked;

displaying a message when the selected program becomes locked to ask the user whether to retain the recording selection;

receiving a response from the user that indicates whether the user desires to retain the recording selection; and

unlocking the selected program and directing a video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to retain the recording selection.

11. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 10 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locking the selected program wherein the locking the selected program comprises allowing the user to set blocking criteria.

12. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 11 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for allowing the user to set blocking criteria wherein the blocking criteria is selected from the group consisting of program titles, ratings, channel numbers, time periods, content, and any combination thereof.

13. An interactive program guide system including user equipment with which an interactive television program guide is provided and which includes a video recorder and a television, comprising:

means for receiving television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

means for selecting a program for recording from the interactive television program guide;

means for determining whether a user is interested in locking programs;

means for displaying a message when the user is interested in locking programs and a program has been selected for recording, asking the user whether to override program locks during the recording;

means for receiving a response from the user that indicates whether the user desires to override program locks during the recording; and

means for unlocking the selected program if it is locked and directing the video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to override program locks during the recording.

14. The interactive program guide system defined in claim 13 wherein the means for determining whether a user is interested in locking programs comprises means for determining whether a parental control number has been created.

15. A method for using an interactive program guide system using user equipment with which an interactive television program guide is provided and which includes a video recorder and a television, comprising:

receiving television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

selecting a program for recording from the interactive television program guide;

determining whether a user is interested in locking programs;

displaying a message when the user is interested in locking programs and a program has been selected for recording, asking the user whether to override program locks during the recording;

receiving a response from the user that indicates whether the user desires to override program locks during the recording; and

unlocking the selected program if it is locked and directing the video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to override program locks during the recording.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the determining whether a user is interested in locking programs comprises determining whether a parental control number has been created.

17. An interactive program guide system including user equipment with which an interactive television program guide is provided and which includes a video recorder and a television, comprising:

communications circuitry configured to receive television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

control circuitry configured to (1) provide a user with an opportunity to select a program for recording from the interactive television program guide, (2) determine whether a user is interested in locking programs, (3) direct display circuitry to display a message when the user is interested in locking programs and a program has been selected for recording, asking the user whether to override program locks during the recording, (4) process a user response that indicates whether the user desires to override program locks during the recording, and (5) unlock the selected program if it is locked and direct a video recorder to record the selected program when the response from the user indicates that the user desires to override program locks during the recording.

18. The interactive program guide system defined in claim 17 wherein the control circuitry determines whether a user is interested in locking programs by determining whether a parental control number has been created.

19. A machine-readable medium for implementing an interactive television program guide comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

receiving television program guide information for use in the interactive television program guide;

providing a user with an opportunity to select a program for recording from the interactive television program guide;

determining whether a user is interested in locking programs;

displaying a message when the user is interested in locking programs and a program has been selected for recording, asking the user whether to override program locks during the recording;

receiving a response from the user that indicates whether the user desires to override program locks during the recording; and

unlocking the selected program if it is locked and directing a video recorder to record the selected program when the response received from the user indicates that the user desires to override program locks during the recording.

20. The machine-readable medium defined in claim 19 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for determining whether a user is interested in locking programs by determining whether a parental control number has been created.