Electronic program guide with related-program search feature

• US 20040221310A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Herrington, W. Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US10/852,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20040221310A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/4532 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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

Abstract

A system for searching for programs is provided. The system may provide the user with an opportunity to indicate an interest in a given program. The system may provide the user with an opportunity to request that the system locate programs that are related to the given program in which the user has indicated an interest. The system may locate program listings that are related to the given program. The located program listings may be related to the given program based on attributes of the given program. The system may display a list of located listings and allow the user to select listings from the list. The system may tune to a program selected from the list, may display an information display screen for a program selected from the list, etc. The system may provide the user with an opportunity to configure and save search parameters. The system may sort related program listings based on the attributes of the given program. The system may provide the user with the opportunity to retrieve saved searches to locate currently available program listings and the opportunity to delete a saved search, rename, a saved search, receive automatic notifications of programs matching a saved search, etc.

Claims

1-10. -10. (cancelled)

11. A method for allowing a user of an interactive television program guide system to search for television program listings, wherein a remote control is used to interface with an interactive television program guide implemented at least partially on user television equipment, the method comprising:

displaying a display screen that includes a video for a given program;

allowing the user to use a single key on the remote control while the video for the given program is being displayed to direct the program guide system to locate program listings related to the given program based on attributes of the given program; and

displaying a display screen including the program listings located by the system.

12. The method defined in claim 11, further comprising sorting the program listings located by the system for display.

13. The method defined in claim 11, further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to select any of the displayed program listings.

14. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising tuning to a particular program when the user selects a listing for the particular program from the displayed listings.

15. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising tuning to a current program when the user selects a particular one of the displayed listings that lists a current program.

16. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising displaying an information display screen that contains information related to a particular one of the displayed listing when the user selects that particular listing.

17. The method defined in claim 11, further comprising locating programs based on attributes of the given program.

18. An interactive television program guide system for searching for television program listings, comprising:

an interactive television program guide implemented at least partially on user television equipment and configured to;

display a display screen that includes a video for a given program;

allow the user to use a single key on a remote control while the video for the given program is being displayed;

direct the interactive television program guide to locate program listings related to the given program based on attributes of the given program; and

display a display screen that includes the program listings located by the system.

19. The system defined in claim 18, wherein the user television equipment is further configured to sort the program listings located by the system for display.

20. The system defined in claim 18, wherein the user television equipment is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to select any of the displayed program listings.

21. The system defined in claim 20, wherein the user television equipment is further configured to tune to a particular program when the user selects a listing for the particular program from the displayed listings.

22. The system defined in claim 20, wherein the user television equipment is further configured to tune to a current program when the user selects a particular one of the displayed listings that lists a current program.

23. The system defined in claim 20, wherein the user television equipment is further configured to display an information display screen that contains information related to a particular one of the displayed listing when the user selects that particular listing.

24. The system defined in claim 18, wherein the user television equipment is further configured to locate programs based on attributes of the given program.

25-40. -40. (Cancelled)

41. An interactive television program guide system for searching for television program listings, comprising:

means for displaying a display screen that includes a video for a given program;

means for allowing the user to use a single key on a remote control while the video for the given program is being displayed to direct the program guide system to locate program listings related to the given program based on attributes of the given program; and

means for displaying a display screen including the program listings located by the system.

42. The system defined in claim 41, further comprising means for sorting the program listings located by the system for display.

43. The system defined in claim 41, further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to select any of the displayed program listings.

44. The system defined in claim 43, further comprising means for tuning to a particular program when the user selects a listing for the particular program from the displayed listings.

45. The system defined in claim 43, further comprising means for tuning to a current program when the user selects a particular one of the displayed listings that lists a current program.

46. The system defined in claim 43, further comprising means for displaying an information display screen that contains information related to a particular one of the displayed listing when the user selects that particular listing.

47. The system defined in claim 41, further comprising means for locating programs based on attributes of the given program.

48. A machine readable medium for searching for television program listings having machine program logic recorded therein for:

displaying a display screen that includes a video for a given program;

allowing the user to use a single key on a remote control while the video for the given program is being displayed to direct the program guide system to locate program listings related to the given program based on attributes of the given program; and

displaying a display screen including the program listings located by the system.

49. The machine readable medium of claim 48, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locating sorting the program listings located by the system for display.

50. The machine readable medium of claim 48, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locating providing the user with an opportunity to select any of the displayed program listings.

51. The machine readable medium of claim 50, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locating tuning to a particular program when the user selects a listing for the particular program from the displayed listings.

52. The machine readable medium of claim 50, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locating tuning to a current program when the user selects a particular one of the displayed listings that lists a current program.

53. The machine readable medium of claim 50, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locating displaying an information display screen that contains information related to a particular one of the displayed listing when the user selects that particular listing.

54. The machine readable medium of claim 48, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for locating programs based on attributes of the given program.

55. A method for searching for television program listings, comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to indicate an interest in a given program;

displaying an on-screen list of attributes related to the given program in response to the user indicating an interest in the given program;

providing the user with an opportunity to select at least one attribute to define the parameters of a search; and

providing the user with an opportunity to save the search using the interactive television program guide.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

providing the user with an opportunity to select a saved search; and

displaying a list of program listings related to the selected saved search.

57. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

providing the user with an opportunity to name a saved search.

58. An interactive television program guide system for searching for television program listings, comprising:

an interactive television program guide implemented at least partially on user television equipment and configured to;

provide a user with an opportunity to indicate an interest in a given program;

display an on-screen list of attributes related to the given program in response to the user indicating an interest in the given program;

provide the user with an opportunity to select at least one attribute to define the parameters of a search; and

provide the user with an opportunity to save the search using the interactive television program guide.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the television program guide is further configured to:

provide the user with an opportunity to select a saved search; and

display a list of program listings related to the selected saved search.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the television program guide is further configured to:

provide the user with an opportunity to name a saved search.

61. An interactive television program guide system for searching for television program listings, comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to indicate an interest in a given program;

means for displaying an on-screen list of attributes related to the given program in response to the user indicating an interest in the given program;

means for providing the user with an opportunity to select at least one attribute to define the parameters of a search; and

means for providing the user with an opportunity to save the search using the interactive television program guide.

62. The system of claim 61, further comprising:

means for providing the user with an opportunity to select a saved search; and

means for displaying a list of program listings related to the selected saved search.

63. The system of claim 61, further comprising:

means for providing the user with an opportunity to name a saved search.

64. A machine readable medium for searching for television program listings having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

providing a user with an opportunity to indicate an interest in a given program;

displaying an on-screen list of attributes related to the given program in response to the user indicating an interest in the given program;

providing the user with an opportunity to select at least one attribute to define the parameters of a search; and

providing the user with an opportunity to save the search using the interactive television program guide.

65. The machine readable medium of claim 64, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

providing the user with an opportunity to select a saved search; and

displaying a list of program listings related to the selected saved search.

66. The machine readable medium of claim 64, further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

providing the user with an opportunity to name a saved search.