MEDIA-ON-DEMAND REMINDERS

• US 20070094690A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jerding, Dean, Rodriguez, Arturo
• Application Number:
  US11/564,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094690A1
• 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: 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 for managing reminders for rentable media comprising steps of:

providing a currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list including a plurality of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles as currently viewable video-on-demand presentations, wherein the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to a video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided an option for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation that is currently available for on-demand viewing;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentation reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list;

adding the particular selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input selecting the particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list;

receiving viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list; and

providing the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein the video-on-demand presentations reminder list includes a subset of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

providing a coming soon video-on-demand presentations list including a plurality of video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles as coming soon video-on-demand presentations, wherein the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are scheduled to be available for video-on-demand viewing on a release date in the future and are not currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided an option for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation that will be available for on-demand viewing on the release date in the future;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentation reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list; and

adding the particular selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input selecting the particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list,

wherein the video-on-demand presentations reminder list provided responsive to receiving the viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list includes a subset of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list and a subset of the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subset of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the subset of coming soon video-on-demand presentations are displayed as visually separate sub-lists of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the subset of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the subset of coming soon video-on-demand presentations are displayed as visually intermingled sub-lists of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein each coming soon video-on-demand presentation is moved from a coming soon video-on-demand presentations reminder sub-list to a currently available video-on-demand presentation reminder sub-list when the release date for the coming soon video-on-demand presentation is no longer a date in the future.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein responsive to both determining that the release date for a video-on-demand presentation is no longer a date in the future and receiving additional viewer input requesting display of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list, providing to the viewer a message separate from the video-on-demand presentations reminder list that the video-on-demand presentation is now available for renting, wherein the message includes an option for the viewer to rent the video-on-demand presentation.

7. 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 the functions of

providing a currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list including a plurality of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles as currently viewable video-on-demand presentations, wherein the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are currently available for on-demand viewing,

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to a video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided an option for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation that is currently available for on-demand viewing,

receiving viewer input selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentation reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list,

adding the particular selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input selecting the particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list,

receiving viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, and

providing the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein the video-on-demand presentations reminder list includes a subset of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list.

8. The STT of claim 7, wherein the processor is programmed by the program code to enable the STT to provide the additional functions of

providing a coming soon video-on-demand presentations list including a plurality of video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles as coming soon video-on-demand presentations, wherein the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are scheduled to be available for video-on-demand viewing on a release date in the future and are not currently available for on-demand viewing,

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided an option for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation that will be available for on-demand viewing on the release date in the future,

receiving viewer input selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentation reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, and

adding the particular selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input selecting the particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list,

wherein the video-on-demand presentations reminder list provided responsive to receiving the viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list includes a subset of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list and a subset of the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list.

9. The STT of claim 8, wherein the subset of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the subset of coming soon video-on-demand presentations are displayed as visually separate sub-lists of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list.

10. The STT of claim 8, wherein the subset of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the subset of coming soon video-on-demand presentations are displayed as visually intermingled sub-lists of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list.

11. The STT of claim 8, wherein each coming soon video-on-demand presentation is moved from a coming soon video-on-demand presentations reminder sub-list to a currently available video-on-demand presentation reminder sub-list when the release date for the coming soon video-on-demand presentation is no longer a date in the future.

12. The STT of claim 8, wherein responsive to both determining that the release date for a video-on-demand presentation is no longer a date in the future and receiving additional viewer input requesting display of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list, providing to the viewer a message separate from the video-on-demand presentations reminder list that the video-on-demand presentation is now available for renting, wherein the message includes an option for the viewer to rent the video-on-demand presentation.

13. A computer-readable medium including executable program code for performing the step of:

providing a currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list including a plurality of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles as currently viewable video-on-demand presentations, wherein the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to a video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided an option for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation that is currently available for on-demand viewing;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentation reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list;

adding the particular selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input selecting the particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list;

receiving viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list; and

providing the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein the video-on-demand presentations reminder list includes a subset of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the executable program code performs the additional steps of

providing a coming soon video-on-demand presentations list including a plurality of video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles as coming soon video-on-demand presentations, wherein the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are scheduled to be available for video-on-demand viewing on a release date in the future and are not currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided an option for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation that will be available for on-demand viewing on the release date in the future;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentation reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list; and

adding the particular selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list responsive to receiving the viewer input selecting the particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation to be added to the video-on-demand presentations reminder list,

wherein the video-on-demand presentations reminder list provided responsive to receiving the viewer input requesting display of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list includes a subset of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list and a subset of the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the subset of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the subset of coming soon video-on-demand presentations are displayed as visually separate sub-lists of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the subset of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the subset of coming soon video-on-demand presentations are displayed as visually intermingled sub-lists of the video-on-demand presentations reminder list.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein each coming soon video-on-demand presentation is moved from a coming soon video-on-demand presentations reminder sub-list to a currently available video-on-demand presentation reminder sub-list when the release date for the coming soon video-on-demand presentation is no longer a date in the future.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein responsive to both determining that the release date for a video-on-demand presentation is no longer a date in the future and receiving additional viewer input requesting display of the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list, providing to the viewer a message separate from the video-on-demand presentations reminder list that the video-on-demand presentation is now available for renting, wherein the message includes an option for the viewer to rent the video-on-demand presentation.