Method, system, and apparatus for customizing television channel lists

• US 20040194135A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kahn, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/403,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20040194135A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus to customize television channel lists are disclosed. The television channel lists are updated by adding/deleting ranges of channels from the channel list where the channel ranges are defined by a user.

Claims

1. A method for customizing a television channel list comprising the steps of:

receiving a first channel indicator corresponding to a first channel and a second channel indicator corresponding to a second channel, the first and second channels defining a range of television channels; and

selectively updating a customized channel list with respect to inclusion of the range of television channels responsive to the received first and second channel indicators.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving an operation indicator representing actions related to inclusion of the range of television channels in the customized channel list;

wherein the step of selectively updating the customized channel list is further responsive the operation indicator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation indicator is an add indicator or a delete indicator and wherein the selectively updating step comprises at least the steps of:

adding the range of television channels to the customized channel list if the operation indicator is the add indicator; and

removing the range of television channels from the customized channel list if the operation indicator is the delete indicator.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation indicator is selected by a user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation indicator is automatically selected responsive to a user action.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

soliciting the first and second channels from a user; and

generating the first and second channel indicators responsive to the solicited first and second channels, respectively.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the soliciting step comprises at least the steps of:

displaying a graphical user interface having a channel range selection area for receiving the first and second channels from a user, wherein the first and second channel indicators are generated responsive to the first and second channels received from the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the soliciting step comprises at least the steps of:

displaying a graphical user interface depicting a plurality of available television channels; and

enabling the selection of the first channel and the second channel from the plurality of depicted available television channels graphically through a user interface, wherein the first and second channel indicators are generated responsive of the first and second channels selected by the user.

9. A system for customizing a television channel list comprising:

means for receiving a first channel indicator corresponding to a first channel and a second channel indicator corresponding to a second channel, the first and second channels defining a range of television channels; and

means for selectively updating a customized channel list with respect to inclusion of the range of television channels responsive to the received first and second channel indicators.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving an operation indicator representing actions related to inclusion of the range of television channels in the customized channel list;

wherein the means for selectively updating the customized channel list is further responsive the operation indicator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operation indicator is an add indicator or a delete indicator and wherein the selectively updating means comprises at least:

means for adding the range of television channels to the customized channel list if the operation indicator is the add indicator; and

means for removing the range of television channels from the customized channel list if the operation indicator is the delete indicator.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising

means for soliciting the first and second channels from a user;

and

means for generating the first and second channel indicators responsive to the solicited first and second channels, respectively

13. A television system having a customized channel selection list comprising:

a processor that generates a graphical user interface to solicit a first and second channel from a user, the first and second channels defining a range of television channels;

receives a first channel indicator corresponding to the first channel and a second channel indicator corresponding to the second channel; and

selectively updates a customized channel list with respect to inclusion of the range of television channels responsive to the received first and second channel indicators; and

a display device that displays the graphical user interface generated by the processor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor further receives an operation indicator representing actions related to inclusion of the range of television channels in the customized channel list, wherein the processor selectively updates the customized channel list further responsive to the operation indicator.

15. A television apparatus for customizing a channel selection list for use with a television, the apparatus comprising:

a processor that generates a graphical user interface to solicit a first and second channel from a user, the first and second channels defining a range of television channels;

receives a first channel indicator corresponding to the first channel and a second channel indicator corresponding to the second channel; and

selectively updates a customized channel list with respect to inclusion of the range of television channels responsive to the received first and second channel indicators; and

a display circuit that produces the graphical user interface for display on the television.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor further receives an operation indicator representing actions related to inclusion of the range of television channels in the customized channel list, wherein the processor selectively updates the customized channel list further responsive to the operation indicator.

17. A computer readable medium including software that is configured to control a general purpose computer to implement a method for customizing a television channel list, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first channel indicator corresponding to a first channel and a second channel indicator corresponding to a second channel, the first and second channels defining a range of television channels; and

selectively updating a customized channel list with respect to inclusion of the range of television channels responsive to the received first and second channel indicators.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method implemented in software to control the general purpose computer further comprises the step of:

receiving an operation indicator representing actions related to inclusion of the range of television channels in the customized channel list;

wherein the selectively updating step of the method implemented in software to control the general purpose computer is further responsive the operation indicator.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operation indicator is an add indicator or a delete indicator and the selectively updating step of the method implemented in software to control the general purpose computer comprises at least the steps of:

adding the range of television channels to the customized channel list if the operation indicator is the add indicator; and

removing the range of television channels from the customized channel list if the operation indicator is the delete indicator.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method implemented in software to control the general purpose computer further comprises the steps of:

soliciting the first and second channels from a user; and

generating the first and second channel indicators responsive to the solicited first and second channels, respectively.