Scheduling the recording of television programs

• US 20050196139A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blackketter, Dean J., Zigmond, Daniel J., Park, Timothy F., Glusker, Sharon F., Matheny, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/296
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A television receiving system displays an advertisement for a future television program. If the future television program is identified as recordable, the system also displays an option to set a reminder for the advertised program and/or an option to record the advertised program on a video recorder. If a viewer of the advertisement selects the reminder option, then a reminder is programmed in the system. If the viewer selects the record option, then the system automatically programs the video recorder to record the advertised program. If the viewer has established an interactive session during a television advertisement, and has not completed the interactive session when the advertisement ends, then the current television program is paused until the interactive session is completed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a signal containing an advertisement for a future video program;

displaying the advertised video program;

determining whether the signal contains an indicator identifying the future video program as recordable; and

if the future video program is recordable;

displaying an option to set a reminder for the advertised video program; and

programming a reminder operation if the viewer selects the option to set a reminder for the advertised video program

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further including.

displaying an option to record the advertised video program;

and

programming a record operation if a viewer selects the option to record the advertised video program.

3. A method comprising:

displaying an advertisement for a future television program on a web page;

displaying an option to set a reminder for the advertised television program; and

programming a reminder operation if the user selects the option.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 further including programming a record operation if a user selects an option to record the advertised television program.

5. An apparatus comprising a receiver configured to receive an advertisement for a future television program from a web page, wherein the receiver causes a display device coupled to the receiver to display the advertisement if a television broadcast signal contains an indicator identifying the future television program as recordable, and wherein the receiver programs a record operation on a video recorder coupled to the receiver if a user selects an option to record the advertised television program, wherein the receiver further causes the display device to display an option to set a reminder for the advertised television program and programs a reminder operation if the user selects the option.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the receiver further causes the display device to display an option to record the advertised television program.

7. A method of allowing a viewer to set a reminder for a future television program, the method comprising:

displaying an advertisement for the future television program during a current television program;

displaying an option to set a reminder for the advertised television program; and

programming a reminder operation if the viewer selects the option to set a reminder for the advertised television program.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further including displaying an option to record the advertised television program and programming a record operation on a video recorder if a viewer selects the option to record the advertised television program.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein programming a reminder operation includes automatically programming a television receiving system to generate a reminder notice prior to the broadcast of the advertised television program.

10. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the option to set a reminder for the advertised television program is displayed as part of the advertised television program.

11. A method as recited in claim 7 further including decoding information associated with the advertised television program from a television signal containing the advertised television program.

12. A method as recited in claim 7 further including removing the displayed option to set a reminder after a predetermined period of time.

13. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 7.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a television broadcast signal that contains an advertisement for a future television program, wherein the receiver causes a display device to display an option to set a reminder for the advertised television program; and

wherein the receiver programs a reminder operation if a viewer of the display device selects the option to set a reminder for the advertised television program.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein the receiver decodes information associated with the advertised television program from the television broadcast signal.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein the decoded information includes the date, time, and channel of the advertised television program.