Gemstar development limited

• US 20040237108A1
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Drazin, Jonathan P. V., Kram, Achim H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program

Abstract

A system and method for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs includes presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen, presenting listings of past programs on-screen an indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time. Also, a system and method for handling information controllable from an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprises receiving information in a user'"'"'s system, storing the received information in the user'"'"'s system, displaying access to the stored information by means of a user interface and enabling the user to select one of a plurality of management options for controlling the operation of the stored information through the user interface.

Claims

1. A system for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprising:

means for presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen;

means for presenting listings of past programs on-screen; and

means, associated with the on-screen listings of past programs, for indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for indicating the availability of the past program at a later date is operable to highlight within the on-screen listings of past programs programs that are to be repeated.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving a user selection of a past program.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising means responsive to the user selection for generating options for the user to select.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the options include record or watch functions.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising means operable so that on selection of the record function, the system is automatically set to cause a repeat of the selected past program to be recorded.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising means operable so that on selection of the watch function, the system is automatically set to notify the viewer when a repeat of the selected past program is about to be broadcast.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the guide is presentable in a grid format, with time along one axis of the grid and channel along another axis of the grid.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein time is presented along a horizontal axis of the grid.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein channel is presented along a vertical axis of the grid.

11. A computer program, preferably on a data carrier, for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs, the computer program including instructions for:

presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen;

presenting listings of past programs on-screen; and

indicating in association with the on-screen listings of past programs whether the past program is available again at a future time.

12. A method for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprising:

receiving program listings information;

presenting listings of present or future programs;

presenting listings of past programs; and

indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of indicating further comprises highlighting in the guide programs that are to be repeated.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a user selection of a past program and generating options for the user to select.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the options include record and/or watch functions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein on selection of the record function, recording of a repeat of the selected program is set automatically.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein on selection of the watch function, the method further comprises automatically notifying the viewer when a repeat of the selected program is about to be broadcast.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of automatically notifying the viewer comprises generating and presenting an icon a pre-determined time prior to the start of the program.

19. A system for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprising:

means for presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen;

means for presenting listings of past programs on-screen;

means for receiving user selections of functions associated with past programs, for example recording or watching or listening;

means for identifying whether the past program is to be repeated; and

means for activating the selected function associated with the past program in the event that the past program is repeated.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for identifying whether the past program is to be repeated comprises means for searching the past and future listings to determine a match between the listings information.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising means associated with the on-screen listings of past programs for indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time.

22. A method for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs, the method comprising:

presenting listings of past programs on-screen;

receiving user selections of functions associated with past programs, for example recording or watching or listening;

identifying whether the past program is to be repeated; and

activating the selected function associated with the past program in the event that the past program is repeated.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of identifying whether the past program is to be repeated comprises searching past and future program listings to determine a match between at least part of the listings information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the part of the listings information compared is a program and/or episode identifier.

25. A computer program for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs, the computer program comprising instructions for:

presenting listings of past programs on-screen;

receiving user selections of past programs for recording or watching or listening;

identifying whether the past program is to be repeated; and

causing the repeat of the past program to be recorded or notifying the user of the repeat of the past program, in the event that the past program is repeated.

26. The computer program of claim 25, wherein the computer program is on a data carrier.

27. The computer program of claim 25, wherein the instructions for identifying whether the past program is to be repeated comprise instructions for searching past and future program listings to determine a match between at least part of the listings information.

28. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the part of the listings information compared is a program and/or episode identifier.

63. The computer program of claim 25, further comprising means for identifying past programs.

64. The computer program of claim 63, wherein the means for identifying past programs comprises means for comparing the stop time of programs with real time derived from either a real time clock or a downloaded real time signal to identify programs that have finished.

65. The computer program of claim 64, wherein the means for comparing is operable to compare the stop time of programs with real time derived from either a real time clock or a downloaded real time signal each time the electronic program guide is accessed by the viewer.

29. A system for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprising:

means for presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen; and

means for presenting listings of past programs on-screen.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for identifying past programs.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for identifying past programs comprises means for comparing the stop time of programs with real time derived from either a real time clock or a downloaded real time signal to identify programs that have finished.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the means for comparing is operable to compare the stop time of programs with real time derived from either a real time clock or a downloaded real time signal each time the electronic program guide is accessed by the viewer.

33. A system for handling information controllable from an electronic program guide for television or radio programs, the system comprising:

means for receiving information in a user'"'"'s system;

means for storing the received information in the user'"'"'s system;

means for displaying access to the stored information by means of a user interface; and

control means for enabling the user to select one of a plurality of management options for controlling the operation of the stored information through the user interface.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for storing the received information is Flash memory, DRAM, a non-volatile, or an optical storage device.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for storing the received information is a hard disk.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for receiving the information is an aerial, satellite, cable or ADSL receiver.

37. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for erasing stored information from the means for storing the information.

38. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for automatically deleting stored information from the means for storing the information.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the means for automatically deleting stored information from the means for storing the information is arranged to delete the stored information in response to detection of insufficient storage space for recording of desired information.

40. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for categorizing received information.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the means for categorizing received information is operable to categorize the information according to subject matter, date of receipt and/or storage of the information by the system, or channel on which the information was transmitted.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the means for categorizing further comprises allocating a color identifier to different categories of stored information.

43. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for searching the stored information.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the means for searching the stored information is operable to search by date of receipt and/or storage of the information by the system, and/or subject matter, and/or channel on which the information was transmitted.

45. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for displaying a portion of the stored information in the user interface on selection of associated stored information by the user.

46. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for receiving information is adapted to receive information provided by a service provider, and/or the user.

47. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

means for presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen;

means for presenting listings of past programs on-screen; and

means associated with the on-screen listings of past programs for indicating whether or not the past program is available again at a future time.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the means for indicating whether or not the past program is available again at a future time is operable to highlight within the on-screen listings of past programs programs that are to be repeated.

49. The system of claim 47, further comprising means for receiving a user selection of a past program.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising means responsive to the user selection for generating options for the user to select.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the options include record and/or watch functions.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising means operable so that on selection of the record function, the system is automatically set to cause a repeat of the selected past program to be recorded.

53. The system of claim 51, further comprising means operable so that on selection of the watch function, the system is automatically set to notify the viewer when a repeat of the selected past program is about to be broadcast.

54. The system of claim 33, wherein the guide is presentable in a grid format, with time along one axis of the grid and channel along another axis of the grid.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein time is presentable along a horizontal axis of the grid.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein channel is presentable along a vertical axis of the grid.

57. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

means for identifying whether the past program is to be repeated; and

means for activating the selected function associated with the past program in the event that the past program is repeated.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the means for identifying whether the past program is to be repeated comprises means for searching the past and future listings to determine a match between the listings information.

59. The system of claim 47, further comprising means associated with the on-screen listings of past programs for indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time.

60. A method for handling information controllable from an electronic program guide for television or radio programs, the method comprising:

receiving information in a user'"'"'s system;

storing the received information in the user'"'"'s system;

displaying links to the stored information by means of a user interface; and

controlling the selection one of a plurality of management options for controlling the operation of the stored information through the user interface.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising visually displaying information relevant to the status of the stored information.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the step of visually displaying information comprises displaying information on whether or not the information has been viewed by the user, and/or whether or not the user has elected to keep or delete stored information, and/or the viewing duration of stored information, and/or the progress of viewed information.