Method and system for displaying a series of recordable events

• US 20060146436A1
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Networks North America, Inc. (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Mark D., Rodgers, Deborah E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• 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 21/4147 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 21/4622 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A method and system for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events is described. A system, such as the system of a digital video recorder, may receive a set of recordable events data, such as a listing of all television shows to be broadcast over a two-week period. The system analyzes the set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events, where each set includes recordable events having the same title. The system analyzes each set of recordable events to determine sub-sets of recordable events based on relationships between the recordable events of each sub-set. The system displays an identifier for each sub-set of a given set of recordable events when the given set of recordable events is selected for display. A user may select to record a sub-set of recordable events by selecting the identifier that represents the sub-set.

Claims

1. A method for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events, the method comprising:

analyzing a set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events;

analyzing each set of recordable events for determining a respective relationship among one or more subsets of recordable events of each set of recordable events; and

displaying a respective identifier for each of the one or more subsets of recordable events for a given set of recordable events when the given set of recordable events is selected for display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the set of recordable events data at a communication interface and storing the set of recordable events data in data storage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more subsets of recordable events defines a respective series of recordable events.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting to record a series involves selecting an identifier for the series via a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first relationship among a first subset of recordable events of a first set of recordable events involves determining a first common time-slot, a first common channel/frequency number, and a first common day(s)-of-the-week schedule, among the recordable events of the first set of recordable events.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the respective relationship among the remaining subsets of recordable events of the first set of recordable events involves determining a respective common time-slot, a respective common channel/frequency number, and a respective common day(s)-of-the-week schedule, for each of the remaining subsets of recordable events of the first set of recordable events.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein (i) each of the remaining subsets of recordable events of the first set of recordable events define a respective series of recordable events, and (ii) selecting a series of recordable events of the first set of recordable events to be recorded involves selecting an identifier for the series to be recorded, via a graphical user interface that displays the respective identifiers for the first set of recordable events.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing a first relationship among a first subset of recordable events to determine a plurality of sub-relationships and splitting the first subset of recordable events into a plurality of series, wherein the plurality of series includes a respective series for each of the plurality of sub-relationships.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of sub-relationships represent a respective day of the week.

10. A method for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events, the method comprising:

analyzing a set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events;

analyzing each set of recordable events for determining (i) a first relationship among a first subset of each set of recordable events, and (ii) a second relationship among a second subset of each set of recordable events; and

displaying at least (i) a first identifier for a first subset of a first set of recordable events, and (ii) a second identifier for a second subset of the first set of recordable events, via a graphical user interface for a recordable events recorder in response to a user selecting the first set of recordable events via the graphical interface, wherein the first subset defines a first series of recordable events, and the second subset defines a second series of recordable events.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the recordable events recorder is a digital video recorder.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first relationship and the second relationship each involve a respective time-slots, a respective day(s)-of-the-week schedule, and a respective channel number/frequency.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the one or more sets of recordable events represent all episodes of a respective television show for which data is included in the set of recordable events data.

14. A system for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events, the system comprising:

a communication interface for receiving a set of recordable events data;

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication interface, the processor for executing a set of program instructions;

data storage communicatively coupled to the processor, the data storage for storing the set of recordable events data and the program instructions, wherein the program instructions include instructions for (i) analyzing the set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events, (ii) analyzing each set of recordable events for determining a respective relationship among one or more subsets of recordable events of each set of recordable events; and

a user interface for displaying a respective identifier for each of the one or more subsets of recordable events for a given set of recordable events when the given set of recordable events is selected for display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface includes means for receiving a user selection signal that indicates which of the one or more subsets of recordable events is to be recorded.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means to record which of the one or more subsets of recordable events is to be recorded, wherein the recordable events are recorded in the data storage.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for receiving a user selection signal is selected from the group consisting of a wireless remote control receiver, a keypad, a touch screen, and a speech recognition system.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the set of recordable events data includes a list of recordable events, each recordable event being correlated with (i) a channel number/frequency number, (ii) a day(s) of the week schedule, and (iii) a time-slot.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication interface comprises an interface selected from the group consisting of (i) a cable television interface, (ii) a radio frequency interface, (iii) a land-line telephone system telephone line, and (iv) an Internet connection.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the recordable events are selected from the group consisting of (i) television shows, (ii) radio programs, and (iii) Internet transmissions.