Interactive television systems with conflict management capabilities
First Claim
1. A method for using an interactive television application that is implemented using user equipment, comprising:
- providing a user with an opportunity to use the interactive television application to create a time-based setting in the interactive television application;
providing the user with an opportunity to request delivery of on-demand content;
using the interactive television application to determine whether there is a conflict between the requested on-demand content and the time-based setting; and
providing the user with an opportunity to instruct the interactive television application how to resolve the conflict between the requested on-demand content and the time-based setting.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive television system is provided in which a user can use an interactive television application to establish time-based settings. The user may set television program reminders, advance-order pay-per-view programs, schedule programs for recording, and establish parental controls to prevent television viewing during certain times on certain channels. The interactive television application may be used to support video recorder functions such as personal video recorder functions implemented locally on the user'"'"'s set-top box or other equipment and network-based video recorder functions implemented using servers at cable television headends and other network locations. The interactive television application may also be used to deliver video-on-demand content. When the user requests that video be delivered, conflicts may arise between the requested video delivery and the previously-established time-based settings. The interactive television application may provide the user with on-screen options that allow the user to select how to resolve these conflicts.
316 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for using an interactive television application that is implemented using user equipment, comprising:
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providing a user with an opportunity to use the interactive television application to create a time-based setting in the interactive television application;
providing the user with an opportunity to request delivery of on-demand content;
using the interactive television application to determine whether there is a conflict between the requested on-demand content and the time-based setting; and
providing the user with an opportunity to instruct the interactive television application how to resolve the conflict between the requested on-demand content and the time-based setting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. User equipment for use in an interactive television system in which television programming is delivered to a plurality of users over communications paths, the user equipment for each user comprising:
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control circuitry;
a user input interface for providing the user with an opportunity to provide user inputs to the control circuitry; and
a display for displaying video and screens generated by an interactive television application to the user, wherein the control circuitry, user input interface, and display are configured to;
provide the user with an opportunity to use the interactive television application to create a time-based setting in the interactive television application;
provide the user with an opportunity to request delivery of on-demand content;
use the interactive television application to determine whether there is a conflict between the requested video and the time-based setting; and
provide the user with an opportunity to instruct the interactive television application how to resolve the conflict between the requested video and the time-based setting. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification