Program portals and methods and systems for finding and viewing programs

• US 20060026635A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Potrebic, Peter J., Lam, Waiman, Flora, William T., Jule, Todd San, Schrader, Joseph Alton
• Application Number:
  US10/909,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026635A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

Methods and systems that enable users to find and view programs are described. In one embodiment, a program-viewing portal application executes on a client device and is configured to enable a user to access programs within a particular program type, and to view, as part of a program selection process, non-textual images associated with individual programs within the particular program type. In one implementation, the program-viewing portal application comprises a movie portal application that presents, as part of the user'"'"'s selection process, movie cover art that enables the user to browse movies that are currently playing or will be playing shortly, and to view movies sorted in accordance with their genre and/or rating.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media comprising:

a program-viewing portal application configured to;

enable a user to access programs within a particular program type; and

view, as part of a program selection process, non-textual images associated with individual programs within the particular program type.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein at least some of the non-textual images are derived from an associated individual program.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to retrieve one or more non-textual images from a local cache.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to retrieve one or more non-textual images from a remote content provider.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to categorize programs of a particular program type into categories, and present, via a user interface, visual indicia of the categories for selection by a user.

6. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein at least some of the categories are based on metadata associated with individual programs.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are currently on.

8. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are currently on, and wherein individual programs are sorted and presented in reverse chronological order.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are on in the future.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are new releases.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein programs within a particular category can be filtered in accordance with filter parameters and/or sorted in accordance with sorting parameters.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein programs within a particular category can be filtered in accordance with filter parameters and/or sorted in accordance with sorting parameters, and wherein at least some of the parameters are based on metadata associated with the programs.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein programs within a particular category can be filtered in accordance with filter parameters and/or sorted in accordance with sorting parameters, and wherein at least some of the parameters are based on metadata associated with the programs, wherein said metadata can comprise one or more of program title, program start time, program rating, or release year.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are top rated.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are top rated, and wherein top rated programs can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises programs that are top rated, and wherein top rated programs can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters, and wherein said one or more parameters include at least one of a rating parameter, a title parameter, a start time parameter or a release year parameter.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises genres into which programs fall.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises genres into which programs fall, and wherein programs within a particular genre can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein one category comprises genres into which programs fall, and wherein programs within a particular genre can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters, and wherein said one or more parameters include at least one of a rating parameter, a title parameter or a start time parameter.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select a list view of programs that does not include the non-textual images.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select one or more people associated with a particular program and discover additional information about the one or more people.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to ascertain information about the one or more people.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select one or more people associated with a particular program and discover additional information about the one or more people, and wherein the portal application is configured to present facial images of at least some of said one or more people.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select one or more people associated with a particular program and discover additional information about the one or more people, and wherein the portal application is configured to acquire said additional information from one or more remote content providers.

25. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1.

26. A method comprising:

receiving, with a client device, electronic program guide data from a guide data provider;

storing the electronic program guide data on the client device; and

creating user-navigable links between the electronic program guide data and data that is available from a remote data provider that is different from the guide data provider.

27. One or more computer-readable media comprising:

a movie-viewing portal application configured to;

sort electronic program guide data to identify movies within the guide data; and

enable a user to browse a collection movies and view, for at least some of the movies, non-textual images associated with the movie.

28. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein at least some of the non-textual images comprise a movie'"'"'s cover art.

29. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to retrieve one or more non-textual images from a local cache.

30. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to retrieve one or more non-textual images from a remote content provider.

31. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to categorize movies into different categories, and present, via a user interface, visual indicia of the categories for selection by a user.

32. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises movies that are currently on.

33. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises movies that are currently on, and wherein individual movies are sorted and presented in reverse chronological order.

34. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises movies that are on in the future.

35. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises movies that are top rated.

36. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises movies that are top rated, and wherein top rated movies can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters.

37. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises movies that are top rated, and wherein top rated movies can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters, and wherein said one or more parameters include at least one of a release year parameter, a rating parameter, a title parameter or a start time parameter.

38. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises genres into which movies fall.

39. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises genres into which movies fall, and wherein movies within a particular genre can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters.

40. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein one category comprises genres into which movies fall, and wherein movies within a particular genre can be further sorted in accordance with one or more parameters, and wherein said one or more parameters include at least one of a release year parameter, a rating parameter, a title parameter or a start time parameter.

41. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to sort the electronic program guide data to identify and provide access to program types that are different from movies.

42. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select a list view of movies that does not include the non-textual images.

43. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to ascertain information associated with one or more of actors, actresses, or directors.

44. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to ascertain information associated with one or more of actors, actresses, or directors, and wherein the portal application is configured to acquire information associated with actors, actresses and directors from a remote content provider.

45. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select one or more people associated with a particular movie and discover additional information about the one or more people.

46. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select one or more people associated with a particular movie and discover additional information about the one or more people, and wherein the portal application is configured to present facial images of at least some of said one or more people.

47. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the portal application is configured to enable a user to select one or more people associated with a particular movie and discover additional information about the one or more people, and wherein the portal application is configured to acquire said additional information from one or more remote content providers.

48. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

the one or more computer-readable media of claim 27.

49. A method comprising:

presenting, via a client device, a portal user interface to a user to enable the user to select individual programs from a program type;

receiving one or more program-associated user selection;

responsive to said receiving, retrieving at least one non-textual image associated with a program; and

presenting, via the client device, both program information and an associated non-textual image for at least one program.

50. The method of claim 49 further comprising prior to retrieving said at least one non-textual image, ascertaining whether said at least one non-textual image is locally cached and if so, retrieving said at least one non-textual image from a local cache.

51. The method of claim 49 further comprising prior to retrieving said at least one non-textual image, ascertaining whether said at least one non-textual image is locally cached and if not, retrieving said at least one non-textual image from a remote source.

52. The method of claim 49 further comprising prior to retrieving said at least one non-textual image, ascertaining whether said at least one non-textual image is locally cached and if not, and in an event that the client device does not have a persistent on-line connection with the Internet, locally retrieving a default non-textual image.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the act of receiving comprises receiving a selection associated with programs that are currently on.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the act of receiving comprises receiving a selection associated with programs that are on next.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the act of receiving comprises receiving a selection associated with a genre.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein the act of receiving comprises receiving a selection associated with program ratings.

57. The method of claim 49, wherein said act of retrieving comprises retrieving one or more non-textual images associated with program that is not the subject of a current user interface presentation.

58. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement the method of claim 49.

59. A device embodying the one or more computer-readable media of claim 58.

60. One or more computer-readable media comprising:

a program-viewing portal application configured to;

enable a user to access programs within a particular program type, at least some of the programs being described in an electronic program guide; and

receive, as part of a program selection process, metadata associated with individual programs within the particular program type, wherein the metadata is provided by a content provider other than a provider that provided data for the electronic program guide.