Systems and methods for creating aggregations of episodes of series programming in order

• US 20070154163A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Cordray, Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/324,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154163A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/278
• 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 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4332 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 21/4334 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• 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 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

A viewer of an episode of a series such as a television series may wish to access episodes of the series that the viewer missed when they were originally broadcast. Interactive applications may receive the viewer'"'"'s indication of interest to record missed episodes of the incomplete series, which may include instructions regarding recording options for including the missed episodes in a series aggregation. Interactive applications may identify the episodes to be included in the series aggregation, and record the missed episodes, which may then be stored and organized to create a series aggregation, in the order that they were first broadcast with episodes that the viewer may already have available. Interactive applications may present the episodes of the series aggregation in the order that they were originally broadcast, by providing the viewer with options on how to access the episodes.

Claims

1. A method for presenting episodes of a series for a user, comprising:

receiving an indication of interest in episodes of a series from a user;

collecting the episodes of the series for viewing by the user;

organizing the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available; and

presenting the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises notifying the user when all episodes of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises:

notifying the user when each episode of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available; and

presenting a sequence of episodes of the series, wherein the sequence of episodes includes the beginning episodes of the series.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a plurality of options for collecting the episodes of the series, the plurality of options comprising at least:

a first option that does not require any additional payment and collects the episodes of the series from free sources; and

a second option that does require additional payment and collects at least one episode of the series from at least one of a plurality of different media sources that are not free.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of different media sources that are not free comprises at least two of:

a broadcast provider that is not free;

a cable provider that is not free;

a satellite provider that is not free;

a video-on-demand (VOD) server that is not free;

a pay-per-view provider;

a DVD provider;

the Internet;

the user'"'"'s digital video recorder; and

a telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series comprises automatically receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series for a season, wherein the episodes of interest are in the season.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user of the status of the collecting of the episodes of the series.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the episodes of the series comprises:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected comprises including the identified episodes in a list of missed episodes;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user comprises removing the episodes that are already available from the list of missed episodes; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording further comprises removing the recorded episodes from the list of missed episodes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the episodes of the series for viewing by the user comprises collecting the episodes of the series out of the order in which they were originally made available for viewing by the user.

11. A system for presenting episodes of a series for a user, comprising:

an interactive media guidance application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured to;

collect episodes of a series for viewing by a user; and

organize the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available so that they may be viewed by the user in the order in which they were originally made available.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive an indication of interest in episodes of a series from a user; and

present the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises notifying the user when all episodes of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises:

notifying the user when each episode of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available; and

presenting a sequence of episodes of the series, wherein the sequence of episodes includes the beginning episodes of the series.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with a plurality of options for collecting the episodes of the series, the plurality of options comprising at least:

a first option that does not require any additional payment and collects the episodes of the series from free sources; and

a second option that does require additional payment and collects at least one episode of the series from at least one of a plurality of different media sources that are not free.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different media sources that are not free comprises at least two of:

a broadcast provider that is not free;

a cable provider that is not free;

a satellite provider that is not free;

a video-on-demand (VOD) server that is not free;

a pay-per-view provider;

a DVD provider;

the Internet;

the user'"'"'s digital video recorder; and

a telephone.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series comprises automatically receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series for a season, wherein the episodes of interest are in the season.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to notify the user of the status of the collecting of the episodes of the series.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein collecting the episodes of the series comprises:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected comprises including the identified episodes in a list of missed episodes;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user comprises removing the episodes that are already available from the list of missed episodes; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording further comprises removing the recorded episodes from the list of missed episodes.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein collecting the episodes of the series for viewing by the user comprises collecting the episodes of the series out of the order in which they were originally made available for viewing by the user.

22. A method for presenting episodes of a series for a user, comprising:

receiving an indication of interest in episodes of a series from a user;

in response to the indication, transmitting to a remote server a request to collect the episodes of the series for viewing by the user and to organize the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available;

receiving from the remote server data indicating the collected and organized episodes; and

presenting the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises notifying the user when all episodes of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises:

notifying the user when each episode of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available; and

presenting a sequence of episodes of the series, wherein the sequence of episodes includes the beginning episodes of the series.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing the user with a plurality of options for collecting the episodes of the series, the plurality of options comprising at least:

a first option that does not require any additional payment and collects the episodes of the series from free sources; and

a second option that does require additional payment and collects at least one episode of the series from at least one of a plurality of different media sources that are not free.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the plurality of different media sources that are not free comprises at least two of:

a broadcast provider that is not free;

a cable provider that is not free;

a satellite provider that is not free;

a video-on-demand (VOD) server that is not free;

a pay-per-view provider;

a DVD provider;

the Internet;

the user'"'"'s digital video recorder; and

a telephone.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series comprises automatically receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series for a season, wherein the episodes of interest are in the season.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising notifying the user of the status of the collecting of the episodes of the series.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein collecting the episodes of the series comprises:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected comprises including the identified episodes in a list of missed episodes;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user comprises removing the episodes that are already available from the list of missed episodes; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording further comprises removing the recorded episodes from the list of missed episodes.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein collecting the episodes of the series for viewing by the user comprises collecting the episodes of the series out of the order in which they were originally made available for viewing by the user.

32. A system for presenting episodes of a series for a user, comprising:

an interactive media guidance application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured to;

receive an indication of interest in episodes of a series from a user;

in response to the indication, transmit to a remote server a request to collect the episodes of the series for viewing by the user and to organize the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available;

receive from the remote server data indicating the collected and organized episodes; and

present the episodes of the series in the order in which they were originally made available.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises notifying the user when all episodes of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein presenting the episodes of the series comprises:

notifying the user when each episode of the series will be available for viewing in the order in which they were originally made available; and

presenting a sequence of episodes of the series, wherein the sequence of episodes includes the beginning episodes of the series.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with a plurality of options for collecting the episodes of the series, the plurality of options comprising at least:

a first option that does not require any additional payment and collects the episodes of the series from free sources; and

a second option that does require additional payment and collects at least one episode of the series from at least one of a plurality of different media sources that are not free.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the plurality of different media sources that are not free comprises at least two of:

a broadcast provider that is not free;

a cable provider that is not free;

a satellite provider that is not free;

a video-on-demand (VOD) server that is not free;

a pay-per-view provider;

a DVD provider;

the Internet;

the user'"'"'s digital video recorder; and

a telephone.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series comprises automatically receiving the indication of interest in episodes of the series for a season, wherein the episodes of interest are in the season.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to notify the user of the status of the collecting of the episodes of the series.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein collecting the episodes of the series comprises:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein:

identifying the episodes of the series to be collected comprises including the identified episodes in a list of missed episodes;

identifying the episodes of the series that are already available to the user comprises removing the episodes that are already available from the list of missed episodes; and

identifying and recording the episodes of the series that will be available for recording further comprises removing the recorded episodes from the list of missed episodes.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein collecting the episodes of the series for viewing by the user comprises collecting the episodes of the series out of the order in which they were originally made available for viewing by the user.