Series recording options using an interactive television program guide

• US 20050240968A1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donald W. Allison, Edward Knudson, Kevin D. Satterfield, Michael David Ellis, Thomas R. Lemmons
• Original Assignee: Donald W. Allison, Edward Knudson, Kevin D. Satterfield, Michael David Ellis, Thomas R. Lemmons
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Lemmons, Thomas R., Knudson, Edward B., Satterfield, Kevin D., Allison, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US11/149,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240968A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/4828 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. In addition, other options may be provided that allow the user to determine, for example, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all channels on which the program airs or only on a selected channels, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for all episodes including reruns or only new episodes, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for network or syndicated episodes, and whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all days or only on selected days of the week. Before the scheduled broadcast time of each episode of each selected program series, the system sends a reminder message to the user that reminds the user of the program episode or sends a record command to a videocassette recorder to initiate recording of the episode. The system allows a user to view a list of all currently requested program reminders and scheduled program recordings. The user may update, change, or cancel any entry in either list or the system may automatically update the lists to match new broadcast schedule information. If the user sets a reminder or schedules a recording that conflicts with an existing reminder or recording, the system may inform the user of the conflict and allow the user to resolve the conflict or the system may resolve the conflict.

Claims

1-254. -254. (canceled)

255. A method for displaying television programs on user television equipment of a plurality of users, comprising:

displaying at least one program listing related to at least one program currently scheduled for recording;

allowing a user to select a program listing from the at least one displayed program listing;

determining whether a program corresponding to the program listing is an episode of a series of programs;

in response to the determination that the program is an episode of a series of programs;

providing the user with at least one program recording option for the program; and

providing the user with at least one series recording option for the series of programs related to the program.

256. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one program listings are arranged in a list.

257. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one program recording option includes an option to cancel the recording of the program.

258. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option includes an option to cancel the recording of the series of programs, wherein the series of programs is scheduled for recording.

259. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one program recording option includes an option to update the program which is scheduled for recording.

260. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option includes an option to update the recording of the series of programs, wherein the series of programs is scheduled for recording.

261. The method of claim 255 further comprising recording on a server.

262. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on specific channels on which the episode is to be broadcast.

263. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on all channels on which the episode is to be broadcast.

264. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on specific days of the week on which the episode is to be broadcast.

265. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on all days of the week on which the episode is to be broadcast.

266. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for first-run broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

267. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for rerun broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

268. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for syndicated broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

269. The method of claim 255 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for all rerun, first-run, network, syndicated, and previously unrecorded broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

270. A system for displaying television programs on user television equipment of a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a display device;

a user interface;

an interactive television program guide implemented at least partially on circuitry, wherein the interactive television program guide is programmed to;

display on the display device at least one program listing related to at least one program currently scheduled to be recorded;

allow a user using the user interface to select a program listing from the at least one displayed program listing;

determine whether a program that corresponds to the program listing is an episode of a series of programs;

in response to the determination that the program is an episode of a series of programs;

provide the user with at least one program recording option for the program; and

provide the user with at least one series recording option for the series of programs related to the program.

271. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one program listings are arranged in a list.

272. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one program recording option includes an option to cancel the recording of the program.

273. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option includes an option to cancel the recording of the series of programs, wherein the series of programs is scheduled for recording.

274. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one program recording option includes an option to update the program which is scheduled for recording.

275. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option includes an option to update the recording of the series of programs, wherein the series of programs is scheduled for recording.

276. The system of claim 270 further comprising a server and wherein the interactive television program guide is further programmed to record on the server.

277. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on specific channels on which the episode is to be broadcast.

278. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on all channels on which the episode is to be broadcast.

279. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on specific days of the week on which the episode is to be broadcast.

280. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for particular episodes that are part of the series on all days of the week on which the episode is to be broadcast.

281. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for first-run broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

282. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for rerun broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

283. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for syndicated broadcasts of episodes that are part of the series.

284. The system of claim 270 wherein the at least one series recording option is an option to schedule a recording for all rerun, first-run, network, syndicated, and previously unrecorded broadcasts of epidoses that are part of the series.