Interactive program guide with preferred items list apparatus and method

• US 20050108756A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bergeron, Michael A., McKay, Philip, Wibisono, Himgan, Nishikawa, Yuko, Golden, Dayan
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

While reviewing potential programs when using an interactive programming guide, a viewer can select to place information regarding specific programs in a list (in one embodiment, such entries are made on an automated basis). The viewer can then recall that list to make a final selection of a present program to view (or record). In some embodiments, this list can be automatically cleared in response to a predetermined trigger event.

Claims

1. A method to facilitate use of an interactive program guide, comprising:

providing access to characterizing descriptors as individually correspond to a plurality of discrete selectable audio/visual programs;

displaying an interactive program guide comprising at least one of the characterizing descriptors as corresponds to a particular one of the discrete selectable audio/visual programs;

detecting preliminary selection of a particular one of the discrete selectable audio/visual programs to provide a preliminarily selected audio/visual program;

when a user selects the preliminarily selected audio/visual program, automatically taking a first predetermined action with respect to the preliminarily selected audio/visual program;

when a user preliminarily selects a different one of the plurality of discrete selectable audio/visual program, automatically taking a second predetermined action with respect to the preliminarily selected audio/visual program, which second predetermined action is different than the first predetermined action;

when a user takes an action with respect to the preliminarily selected audio/visual program, which action does not comprise either selecting the preliminarily selected audio/visual program or preliminarily selecting a different audio/visual program, automatically taking a third predetermined action with respect to the preliminarily selected audio/visual program, which third predetermined action is different than the first and the second predetermined action.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the characterizing descriptors as individually correspond to a plurality of discrete selectable audio/visual programs comprise at least one of:

a programming network identifier;

a broadcast starting time;

a description of audio/visual content as corresponds to the audio/visual program;

audio/visual program media source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of discrete selectable audio/visual programs are embodied in a plurality of media.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein taking a first predetermined action comprises adding information regarding the preliminarily selected audio/visual program to a list of preferred items.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein taking a second predetermined action comprises moving an area of visual focus away from the preliminarily selected audio/visual program.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein taking a third predetermined action comprises displaying the list of preferred items.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

taking a first predetermined action comprises adding information regarding the preliminarily selected audio/visual program to a list of preferred items;

taking a second predetermined action comprises moving an area of visual focus away from the preliminarily selected audio/visual program; and

taking a third predetermined action comprises displaying the list of preferred items.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting preliminary selection of a particular one of the discrete selectable audio/visual programs further comprises detecting at least a predetermined relationship between a present position of one of the characterizing descriptors as corresponds to the particular one of the discrete selectable audio/visual programs and an area of visual focus.

9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising determining when the user selects the preliminarily selected audio/visual program by detecting when the user asserts a selection action at a time when a characterizing descriptor as corresponds to the preliminarily selected audio/visual program occupies, at least in part, a same portion of a display as a predetermined area of visual focus.

10. A method to facilitate provision of an interactive programming guide, comprising:

providing access to characterizing descriptors as individually correspond to a plurality of discrete selectable items of audio/visual content;

providing an updatable list of preferred items of audio/visual content;

displaying an interactive programming guide comprising at least one of the characterizing descriptors;

providing an area of visual focus on a particular displayed one of the characterizing descriptors;

in response to a first signal, adding information regarding the discrete selectable item of audio/visual content as corresponds to the particular displayed one of the characterizing descriptors as is presently in the area of visual focus to the updatable list of preferred items of audio/visual content;

in response to a second signal that is different from the first signal, moving the area of visual focus to a different one of the characterizing descriptors;

in response to a third signal that is different from both the first signal and the second signal, displaying the updatable list of preferred items of audio/visual content.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the response to the third signal further comprises not displaying characterizing descriptors as correspond to items of audio/visual content that are not on the list of preferred items of audio/visual content.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal from a remote control device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of discrete selectable items of audio/visual content are embodied in a plurality of media.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

automatically adding information corresponding to a particular one of the plurality of discrete selectable items of audio/visual content to the updatable list of preferred items of audio/visual content when the area of visual focus is on a characterizing descriptor as corresponds to the particular one of the plurality of discrete selectable items of audio/visual content for greater than a predetermined length of time.