Technique for Effectively Accessing Programming Listing Information in an Entertainment Delivery System
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating user access to programming content via a program guide, comprising:
- identifying at least one group of program channels which are associated with a programming content provider;
listing on the program guide a plurality of indicators, indicating two or more of the program channels in the group, as an aggregation exclusive of any indicator indicating a program channel outside the group; and
allowing a selection of one of the indicators to access programming content offered by the program channel indicated thereby.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable system, programming content can be readily reserved and accessed for viewing using an interactive program guide, a network home graphic user interface (GUI), Quick View Guide, etc., 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.
49 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating user access to programming content via a program guide, comprising:
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identifying at least one group of program channels which are associated with a programming content provider;
listing on the program guide a plurality of indicators, indicating two or more of the program channels in the group, as an aggregation exclusive of any indicator indicating a program channel outside the group; and
allowing a selection of one of the indicators to access programming content offered by the program channel indicated thereby. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for managing a subscription based program channel provided through a multi-channel communications network, comprising:
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listing an identifier of at least one program provided by the program channel;
receiving a selection by a user of the identifier to review content of the program;
in response to the selection, determining whether the user is a subscriber to the program channel; and
inquiring whether the user wants to subscribe to the program channel when it is determined that the user is not a subscriber to the program channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for facilitating user access to programming content via a program guide, comprising:
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allowing a selection of an indicator indicating a program channel on the program guide;
in response to the selection, listing a plurality of identifiers identifying a predetermined number of programs offered by the program channel; and
allowing a selection of one of the identifiers to access content of the program identified thereby. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification