Program guide and reservation system for network based digital information and entertainment storage and delivery system

• US 20070094689A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven, Callahan, John, Williamson, Louis, McElhatten, David, Benya, Robert, Chiddix, James, Apfelbaum, Marc
• Application Number:
  US11/453,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094689A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/42204 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 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/4335 : Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 : for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 : with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable system, programming content can be readily reserved and accessed for viewing using interactive program guides in accordance with the invention. Such programming content may include in-progress programs, future programs and previously broadcast programs which are recorded at a headend in the cable system, and which may or may not have overlapping broadcast times. In addition, the user may reserve programs at a set-top terminal, and may also do so remotely from the terminal through a communications network such as, the Internet, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless telephone network, etc.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method for providing content of a broadcast program, comprising:

receiving a request for review of content of a broadcast program, the request including an identifier of the broadcast program;

in response to the request, providing at least one option to select an extent of the broadcast program to be reserved for review; and

making available for review the broadcast program to the selected extent thereof after the selected extent of the broadcast program is broadcast.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the selected extent includes a full extent of the program.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the request is received while the broadcast program is being broadcast, the selected extent including content from a beginning of the broadcast program.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the broadcast program has one or more episodes related thereto, the selected extent including at least one of the episodes.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the broadcast program includes a TV program.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the broadcast program includes video content.

39. A method for providing program content comprising:

providing a plurality of previews associated with a plurality of programs, respectively;

showing at least one of the previews; and

receiving a signal while the at least one preview is being shown, the signal indicating a reservation of the program, associated with the at least one preview, for subsequent review of content of the program.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the at least one preview includes information concerning a time of broadcast of the associated program.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the program includes a TV program.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein the program includes video content.

43-98. -98. (canceled)

99. A system for providing content of a broadcast program, comprising:

an interface for receiving a request for review of content of a broadcast program, the request including an identifier of the broadcast program;

a processor responsive to the request for providing at least one option to select an extent of the broadcast program to be reserved for review; and

a mechanism for making available for review the broad cast program to the selected extent thereof after the selected extent of the broadcast program is broadcast.

100. The system of claim 99 wherein the selected extent includes a full extent of the program.

101. The system of claim 99 wherein the request is received while the broadcast program is being broadcast, the selected extent including content from a beginning of the broadcast program.

102. The system of claim 99 wherein the broadcast program has one or more episodes related thereto, the selected extent including at least one of the episodes.

103. The system of claim 99 wherein the broadcast program includes a TV program.

104. The system of claim 99 wherein the broadcast program includes video content.

105. A system for providing program content comprising:

a processor for providing a plurality of previews associated with a plurality of programs, respectively, at least one of the previews being shown; and

an interface for receiving a signal while the at least one preview is being shown, the signal indicating a reservation of the program, associated with the at least one preview, for subsequent review of content of the program.

106. The system of claim 105 wherein the at least one preview includes information concerning a time of broadcast of the associated program.

107. The system of claim 105 wherein the program includes a TV program.

108. The system of claim 105 wherein the program includes video content.

109-151. -151. (canceled)