Media planner

• US 20040203639A1
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cho, Wei Wei Ada, Ozer, Stuart, Thornthwaite, Warren Neal
• Granted Patent: US 8,001,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A media planner displays descriptors that represent programs that are scheduled for broadcast on tiles according to a layout. The layout arranges the tiles according to a day and a day part based on a scheduled broadcast date and time associated with a program.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving descriptors associated with programs scheduled for broadcast;

associating a date and day part with the descriptors, the date being based on a scheduled broadcast date and the day part being based on a scheduled broadcast time; and

generating a layout of the descriptors for display so that the descriptors are grouped according to associated day parts and arranged in columns that represent associated dates.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the descriptors comprise at least one of a title, an actor name, a director name, a year, and a plot description.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the programs scheduled for broadcast comprise at least one of television programs, movies, video-on-demand, and music.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the day part is selected from a group of day parts comprising morning, afternoon, late afternoon, evening, late night;

6;

00am-10;

59am, 11;

00am-3;

59pm-4;

00pm-6;

59pm, 7;

00pm-10;

59pm, and 11;

00pm-5;

59pm.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating further comprises sorting the descriptors according to a rank.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the rank is based on ratings associated with the programs.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the rank is based on a frequency with which a viewer previously viewed a program.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the rank is based on a duration with which a viewer previously viewed a program.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating further comprises sorting the descriptors alphabetically.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating further comprises:

determining an available display resolution; and

using the available display resolution to determine a number of descriptors to arrange.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the descriptors that are received to select descriptors associated with recommended programs; and

generating a layout of the descriptors that are selected.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a program that a viewer is not interested in; and

preventing a descriptor associated with the program that the viewer is not interested in from being displayed.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected descriptor; and

displaying a website associated with the program that is associated with the selected descriptor.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected descriptor; and

displaying additional information associated with the program that is associated with the selected descriptor.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the additional information comprises a broadcast channel, a broadcast time, a duration, and a plot description.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected descriptor; and

scheduling a media recorder to record the program associated with the selected descriptor.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the media recorder comprises a digital video recorder.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected descriptor;

determining that the program associated with the selected descriptor is currently being broadcast; and

causing the broadcast of the program that is associated with the selected descriptor to be displayed.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a selected date; and

displaying descriptors associated with programs scheduled for broadcast on the selected date, the descriptors displayed in an electronic program guide grid arranged by broadcast channel and broadcast time.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a descriptor selected by the viewer from the electronic program guide grid; and

including the descriptor selected by the viewer in the layout of the descriptors, wherein the layout arranges the descriptors, grouping the descriptors according to day part, in columns that represent days.

68. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating further comprises:

determining viewing preferences of a viewer; and

sorting the descriptors according to a rank based on frequencies with which other viewers, having viewing preferences similar to the viewing preferences of the viewer, have viewed the programs associated with the descriptors.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving descriptors associated with programs scheduled for broadcast;

filtering the descriptors to select recommended descriptors that are associated with recommended programs; and

generating a layout of the recommended descriptors so that the recommended descriptors are grouped according to associated day parts and arranged in columns that represent associated dates.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the filtering comprises selecting recommended descriptors that are associated with one or more new programs.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the filtering comprises:

determining a rating threshold; and

selecting recommended descriptors that are associated with programs rated by a rating authority, the programs having a rating within the rating threshold.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the filtering comprises:

determining a genre; and

selecting recommended descriptors that are associated with programs that are associated with the genre.

25. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the filtering comprises:

determining a viewer identity; and

selecting recommended descriptors based on the viewer identity.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the selecting recommended descriptors comprises:

selecting a descriptor that is associated with a program or broadcast channel that the viewer has previously selected.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein a day part associated with the descriptor is the same as a day part associated with the program or broadcast channel that the viewer has previously selected.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the selecting recommended descriptors comprises:

determining a program that the viewer has previously selected;

determining another viewer that has selected the program; and

selecting a descriptor that is associated with another program that the another viewer has selected.

29. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the selecting recommended descriptors comprises:

selecting descriptors that are associated with programs that are scheduled to be broadcast on channels that the viewer has access to, based on a subscription associated with the viewer.

30. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the selecting recommended descriptors comprises:

receiving an indication of one or more favorite programs from the viewer; and

selecting descriptors that are associated with the favorite programs.

31. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the selecting recommended descriptors comprises:

determining a channel that the viewer may subscribe to; and

selecting descriptors that are associated with programs that are scheduled for broadcast on the channel that the viewer may subscribe to.

32. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a day area that can display one or more day indicators;

a day part area that can display one or more day part indicators; and

one or more schedule areas that can display one or more approximately equal sized tiles, each tile representing a scheduled program, each schedule area associated with a day indicator and a day part indicator.

33. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 32, wherein the day indicators are selected from a group of day part indicators comprising Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

34. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 32, wherein the day part indicators are selected from a group of day part indicators comprising morning, early afternoon, evening, prime time, late night, 6:

00am-10;

59am, 11;

00am-3;

59pm, 4;

00pm-6;

59pm, 7;

00pm-10;

59pm, and 11;

00pm-5;

59pm.

35. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 32, wherein the one or more schedule areas display different numbers of tiles.

36. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 32, further comprising a filter selection area that allows a user to select a filter to apply to the displayed tiles.

37. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 36, wherein the filter to apply to the displayed tiles is selected from a group of filters comprising favorites, movies, sports, drama, comedy, and music.

38. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 32, further comprising a selectable indicator that represents a function associated with a scheduled program.

39. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 38, wherein the function is selected from a group of functions comprising providing additional information associated with the scheduled program and selecting the scheduled program to be recorded.

40. A system, comprising:

a data repository to store descriptors, broadcast dates, and broadcast times associated with programs scheduled for broadcast; and

a layout generator to generate a layout of the descriptors for display, the layout arranging the descriptors such that each descriptor is associated with a day based on a broadcast date and a day part based on a broadcast time.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, further comprising a selector to select the descriptors to be displayed.

42. The system as recited in claim 40, further comprising an EPG grid generator to generate for display an EPG grid that arranges the descriptors such that each descriptor is associated with a broadcast-channel, a broadcast time, and a broadcast duration.

43. The system as recited in claim 40, further comprising a sorter that arranges the descriptors to be displayed according to a rank.

44. A media planning system, comprising:

storage means for storing descriptors associated with programs; and

planner generation means for generating a layout of the descriptors, the layout arranging the descriptors such that each descriptor is associated with a day based on a broadcast date associated with the descriptor and a day part based on a broadcast time associated with the descriptor.

45. The media planning system as recited in claim 44, further comprising a filtering means for filtering the descriptors that are stored to select descriptors to be displayed.

46. The media planning system as recited in claim 44, further comprising a sorting means for sorting the descriptors to be displayed based on a rank.

47. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

receive data describing programs scheduled for broadcast; and

generate a display layout that arranges descriptors associated with the programs such that each descriptor is associated with a day and a day part, wherein the day is based on a scheduled broadcast date associated with the descriptor and the day part is based on a scheduled broadcast start time associated with the descriptor.

48. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to:

determine an available display resolution; and

generate the display layout based on the available display resolution.

49. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to filter the data describing programs scheduled for broadcast to select descriptors to be displayed.

50. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to select the descriptors associated with the programs based on a rating.

51. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to select the descriptors associated with the programs based on a genre.

52. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to select the descriptors associated with the programs based on a viewer identity.

53. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to select the descriptors associated with the programs based on previously selected programs.

54. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to select the descriptors associated with the programs based on a viewer subscription.

55. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to sort the data describing programs scheduled for broadcast.

56. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

generate a display layout that arranges descriptors associated with programs such that each descriptor is associated with a day and a day part, wherein the day is based on a scheduled broadcast date associated with the descriptor and the day part is based on a scheduled broadcast start time associated with the descriptor;

receive an indication of a selected descriptor; and

generate a display of information associated with a program associated with the selected descriptor.

57. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

generate a display layout that arranges descriptors associated with programs such that each descriptor is associated with a day and a day part, wherein the day is based on a scheduled broadcast date associated with the descriptor and the day part is based on a scheduled broadcast start time associated with the descriptor;

receive an indication of a selected descriptor; and

schedule a recording device to record a program associated with the selected descriptor.

58. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

generate a display layout that arranges descriptors associated with programs such that each descriptor is associated with a day and a day part, wherein the day is based on a scheduled broadcast date associated with the descriptor and the day part is based on a scheduled broadcast start time associated with the descriptor;

receive an indication of a selected day; and

generate a display layout that arranges descriptors associated with programs such that each descriptor is associated with a broadcast channel, a broadcast time, and a broadcast duration.

59. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

generate a display layout that arranges descriptors associated with programs such that each descriptor is associated with a day and a day part, wherein the day is based on a scheduled broadcast date associated with the descriptor and the day part is based on a scheduled broadcast start time associated with the descriptor;

receive an indication of a selected descriptor; and

direct a tuner to tune to a broadcast associated with the selected descriptor.

60. A client device, comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

a media planner application stored in memory and executed on the processor to generate a displayable layout of program descriptors grouped according to associated day parts and arranged in columns that represent associated broadcast dates.

61. The client device as recited in claim 60, wherein the media planner application further comprises a sorting component that sorts the program descriptors based on a rank.

62. The client device as recited in claim 60, further comprising:

a program recommendation application stored in memory and executed on the processor to select one or more recommended broadcast programs for which to display an associated program descriptor in the layout of program descriptors.

63. The client device as recited in claim 60, further comprising a digital video recorder application stored in memory and executed on the processor to receive an indication of a selected program descriptor and storing a broadcast program associated with the selected descriptor in memory.

64. The client device as recited in claim 60 embodied as a digital video recorder.

65. A digital video recorder comprising:

a program memory to store broadcast programs;

a processing unit to generate a displayable layout of program descriptors associated with programs scheduled to be broadcast, the layout arranging the program descriptors based on day parts that are associated with broadcast times and days that are associated with broadcast dates, so that upon user selection of a program descriptor, the processing unit stores a broadcast program in the program memory.

66. The digital video recorder as recited in claim 65, wherein the processing unit sorts the program descriptors in the displayable layout based on a rank associated with the program descriptors.

67. The digital video recorder as recited in claim 65, wherein the processing unit selects program descriptors to be arranged in the layout that are associated with recommended broadcast programs.