Availability and expiration reminders for rentable media

• US 20060271964A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jerding, Dean F., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Application Number:
  US11/496,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271964A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/241 Operating system [OS] processes, e.g. server setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• 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 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 : Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/4882 : 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 21/6118 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 : involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

The invention can be viewed as a system for providing media information to a user via an interactive media services client device coupled to a programmable media services server device. A method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes adding a media title to a media title list in response to user input.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (“

STT”

) comprising the steps of;

providing on a single screen for display a plurality of titles corresponding to respective media presentations, wherein each displayed title on the single screen is associated with a respective reminder previously set, wherein each respective reminder indicates interest in being reminded of a media presentation corresponding to the title associated with the reminder; and

providing for display a first list and a second list on the single screen, wherein the second list is distinct from the first list, wherein the first list includes at least one title of a currently available media presentation and the second list includes at least one title of a coming soon media presentation that is not currently available, and wherein the future release date of a media presentation corresponding to a title in the second list is displayable through viewer selection of its title in the second list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each displayed title on the single screen corresponds to a respective video-on-demand presentation.

3. A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (“

STT”

) comprising the steps of;

providing on a single screen for display a plurality of titles corresponding to respective media presentations, wherein each displayed title on the single screen is separated into a respective group of titles according to the respective availability of the media presentation corresponding to the displayed title; and

associating each displayed title on the single screen with a respective reminder previously set, wherein each respective reminder indicates interest in being reminded of a media presentation corresponding to the title associated with the reminder.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each displayed title on the single screen corresponds to a respective video-on-demand presentation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a first displayed title on the single screen is transferred from a second group of titles to a first group of titles responsive to a change in the availability of the media presentation corresponding to the first displayed title.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second group of titles corresponds to media presentations not currently available and having respective future release dates.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein a first group of titles on the single screen corresponds to currently available media presentations and a second group of titles on the single screen corresponds to coming soon media presentations not currently available.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the future release date of a media presentation corresponding to a first displayed title in the second group of titles is displayable through viewer selection of the first displayed title in the second group of titles.

9. A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (“

STT”

) comprising the steps of;

providing a list of rentable video presentations by their respective titles, wherein a start time of one of the rentable video presentations to be transmitted from a remote location at a time corresponding to the start time is specified by a viewer;

receiving viewer input configured to select one of the titles from the list of rentable video presentations;

associating the selected rentable video presentation with a reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input; and

responsive to associating the selected rentable video presentation with the reminder list, providing reminder information to the viewer, the reminder information being configured to remind the viewer within the availability period of the selected rentable video presentation of the expiration time of its availability period.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing reminder information is performed responsive to viewer input requesting access to the reminder list.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing reminder information is performed responsive to viewer input requesting access to a list of video presentations currently available for rent.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing reminder information is performed via a displayed barker.

13. A television set-top terminal (STT) comprising:

memory configured to store program code; and

a processor programmed by the program code to enable the STT to;

provide on a single screen for display a plurality of titles corresponding to respective media presentations, wherein each displayed title on the single screen is associated with a respective reminder previously set, wherein each respective reminder indicates interest in being reminded of a media presentation corresponding to the title associated with the reminder, said displayed single screen including a first list and a second list, wherein the second list is distinct from the first list, wherein the first list includes at least one title of a currently available media presentation and the second list includes at least one title of a coming soon media presentation that is not currently available, and wherein the future release date of a media presentation corresponding to a title in the second list is displayable through viewer selection of its title in the second list.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each displayed title on the single screen corresponds to a respective video-on-demand presentation.

15. A television set-top terminal (STT) comprising:

memory configured to store program code; and

a processor programmed by the program code to enable the STT to;

provide on a single screen for display a plurality of titles corresponding to respective media presentations, wherein each displayed title on the single screen is separated into a respective group of titles according to the respective availability of the media presentation corresponding to the displayed title; and

associate each displayed title on the single screen with a respective reminder previously set, wherein each respective reminder indicates interest in being reminded of a media presentation corresponding to the title associated with the reminder.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each displayed title on the single screen corresponds to a respective video-on-demand presentation.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein a first displayed title on the single screen is transferred from a second group of titles to a first group of titles responsive to a change in the availability of the media presentation corresponding to the first displayed title.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second group of titles corresponds to media presentations not currently available and having respective future release dates.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein a first group of titles on the single screen corresponds to currently available media presentations and a second group of titles on the single screen corresponds to coming soon media presentations not currently available.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the future release date of a media presentation corresponding to a first displayed title in the second group of titles is displayable through viewer selection of the first displayed title in the second group of titles.

21. A television set-top terminal (STT) comprising:

memory configured to store program code; and

a processor programmed by the program code to enable the STT to;

provide a list of rentable video presentations by their respective titles, wherein a start time of one of the rentable video presentations to be transmitted from a remote location at a time corresponding to the start time is specified by a viewer;

receive viewer input configured to select one of the titles from the list of rentable video presentations;

associate the selected rentable video presentation with a reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input; and

responsive to associating the selected rentable video presentation with the reminder list, provide reminder information to the viewer, the reminder information being configured to remind the viewer within the availability period of the selected rentable video presentation of the expiration time of its availability period.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to provide reminder information responsive to viewer input requesting access to the reminder list.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to provide reminder information responsive to viewer input requesting access to a list of video presentations currently available for rent.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to provide reminder information via a displayed barker.