Adaptable programming guide for networked devices

• US 20050022241A1
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Inventors: Griggs, Theodore L.
• Application Number:
  US10/846,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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 21/482 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An electronic content guide is disclosed. The electronic content guide preferably includes a source field for listing content sources and output devices. The electronic content guide also includes a first content field for listing schedule data corresponding to first content data presently available for viewing from each one of the content sources and for listing display information corresponding to the first content data being displayed for viewing at a present time by each one of the output devices. Preferably, the source field and the first content field are displayable in parallel columns. The electronic content guide can also include a second content field, displayable in a column parallel to the source field and the first content field, corresponding to a second content data. In one embodiment, the first content data from each content source can be displayed simultaneously on more than one of the output devices.

Claims

1. An electronic content guide comprising:

a. a source field for listing content sources and output devices; and

b. a first content field for listing schedule data corresponding to first content data presently available for viewing from each one of the content sources and for listing display information corresponding to the first content data being displayed for viewing at a present time by each one of the output devices.

2. The electronic content guide of claim 1 wherein the source field and the first content field are displayable in parallel columns.

3. The electronic content guide of claim 2 wherein the content sources comprise scheduled broadcast content, including at least one of:

a network station, a cable channel, a satellite-based channel, and a pay-per-view channel.

4. The electronic content guide of claim 3 wherein the first content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title and a corresponding program time.

5. The electronic content guide of claim 4 wherein the content sources further comprise non-scheduled content including at least one of:

on-demand programming, streaming media content, and downloadable multimedia files.

6. The electronic content guide of claim 5 wherein the first content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a program title and a source identifier.

7. The electronic content guide of claim 6 wherein the content sources further comprise consumer source devices including at least one of:

a DVD player, a VCR, a PVR, an MP3 player, a digital video recorder, a PDA, a cellular telephone, and a computer.

8. The electronic content guide of claim 7 wherein the first content data corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.

9. The electronic content guide of claim 8 wherein the output devices comprise at least one of:

a television, a stereo speaker, a computer monitor, a computer speaker, a display device, and a storage device.

10. The electronic content guide of claim 9 wherein the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.

11. The electronic content guide of claim 9 wherein the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise an output device location corresponding to a program title and a status identifier.

12. The electronic content guide of claim 10 further comprising a second content field, displayable in a column parallel to the source field and the first content field, corresponding to a second content data.

13. The electronic content guide of claim 12 wherein the second content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title that is immediately available for viewing from the content sources after completion of the presently available first content data, the program title including a corresponding program time.

14. The electronic content guide of claim 13 wherein the second content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a download time and a download fee.

15. The electronic content guide of claim 14 wherein the second content data corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a physical location of the consumer source devices.

16. The electronic content guide of claim 15 wherein the second content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a physical location of the output devices where the first content data are being displayed.

17. The electronic content guide of claim 16 further comprising a descriptor field for displaying a detailed description of each content source, each output device, the first content data, and the second content data.

18. An electronic content guide comprising:

a. a source field for listing content sources and output devices; and

b. a first content field for listing schedule data corresponding to first content data presently available for viewing from the content sources and for listing display information corresponding to the first content data being displayed for viewing at a present time by the output devices; and

c. a second content field for listing schedule data corresponding to second content data that are immediately available for viewing from the content sources after completion of the presently available first content data and for listing locations of the output devices where the first content data are being displayed.

19. The electronic content guide of claim 18 wherein the source field, the first content field and the second content field are displayable in parallel columns.

20. The electronic content guide of claim 19 wherein the content sources comprise scheduled broadcast content, including at least one of:

a network station, a cable channel, a satellite-based channel, and a pay-per-view channel.

21. The electronic content guide of claim 20 wherein the first content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title and a corresponding program time.

22. The electronic content guide of claim 21 wherein the content sources further comprise non-scheduled content including at least one of:

on-demand programming, streaming media content, and downloadable multimedia files.

23. The electronic content guide of claim 22 wherein the first content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a program title and a source identifier.

24. The electronic content guide of claim 23 wherein the content sources further comprise consumer source devices including at least one of:

a DVD player, a VCR, a PVR, an MP3 player, a digital video recorder, a PDA, a cellular telephone, and a computer.

25. The electronic content guide of claim 24 wherein the first content data corresponding to the consumer source device comprises a program title and a status identifier.

26. The electronic content guide of claim 25 wherein the output devices comprise at least one of:

a television, a stereo speaker, a computer monitor, a computer speaker, a display device, and a storage device.

27. The electronic content guide of claim 26 wherein the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.

28. The electronic content guide of claim 26 wherein the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise an output device location corresponding to a program title and a status identifier.

29. The electronic content guide of claim 27 wherein the second content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title and a corresponding program time.

30. The electronic content guide of claim 29 wherein the second content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a download time and a download fee.

31. The electronic content guide of claim 30 wherein the second content data corresponding to the consumer devices comprise a physical location of the consumer source devices.

32. The electronic content guide of claim 31 wherein the second content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a physical location of the output devices where the first content data are being displayed.

33. The electronic content guide of claim 32 further comprising a descriptor field for displaying a detailed description of each content source, each output device, the first content data, and the second content data.

34. An electronic content guide comprising:

a. a source field for listing content sources and output devices; and

b. a first content field for listing schedule data corresponding to first content data presently available for viewing from the content sources and for listing display information corresponding to the first content data being displayed for viewing at a present time by each one of the output devices;

wherein the first content data from each content source can be displayed simultaneously on more than one of the output devices.

35. The electronic content guide of claim 34 wherein the source field and the first content field are displayable in parallel columns.

36. The electronic content guide of claim 35 wherein the content sources comprise scheduled broadcast content, including at least one of:

a network station, a cable channel, a satellite-based channel, and a pay-per-view channel.

37. The electronic content guide of claim 36 wherein the first content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title and a corresponding program time.

38. The electronic content guide of claim 37 wherein the content sources further comprise non-scheduled content including at least one of:

on-demand programming, streaming media content, and downloadable multimedia files.

39. The electronic content guide of claim 38 wherein the first content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprises a program title and a source identifier.

40. The electronic content guide of claim 39 wherein the content sources further comprise consumer source devices including at least one of:

a DVD player, a VCR, a PVR, an MP3 player, a digital video recorder, a PDA, a cellular telephone, and a computer.

41. The electronic content guide of claim 40 wherein the first content data corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.

42. The electronic content guide of claim 41 wherein the output devices comprise at least one of:

a television, a stereo speaker, a computer monitor, a computer speaker, a display device, and a storage device.

43. The electronic content guide of claim 42 wherein the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.

44. The electronic content guide of claim 42 wherein the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise an output device location corresponding to a program title and a status identifier.

45. The electronic content guide of claim 43 further comprising a second content field, displayable in a column parallel to the source field and the first content field, corresponding to a second content data.

46. The electronic content guide of claim 45 wherein the second content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title that is immediately available for viewing from the content sources after completion of the presently available first content data, the program title including a corresponding program time.

47. The electronic content guide of claim 46 wherein the second content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a download time and a download fee.

48. The electronic content guide of claim 47 wherein the second content data corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a physical location of the consumer source devices.

49. The electronic content guide of claim 48 wherein the second content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a physical location of the output devices where the first content data are being displayed.

50. The electronic content guide of claim 49 further comprising a descriptor field for displaying a detailed description of each content source, each output device, the first content data, and the second content data.