TELEVISION SCHEDULE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION FOR MULTIPLE PROGRAM OCCURRENCES

• US 20080077957A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Russman, Robert, King, Molly, Alba, Theresa, Schein, Steven, Warden, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,522,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

An improved television guide system. According to one embodiment of the invention, television guide information is provided that includes multiple occurrences of a single show. The guide system of the present invention allows the user to identify a show and, thereafter, identify when the identified show will be played again. Accordingly, the user may more easily select shows for viewing or recordation.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. A method for providing a listing of instances of a program accessible from a plurality of sources, the method comprising:

receiving schedule guide information from a first and a second source;

merging the schedule guide information received from the first and second sources;

selecting a particular show in the merged schedule guide information; and

providing an alert when other instances of the particular show are added to the schedule guide information.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

displaying the merged schedule guide information; and

receiving an input for selecting the particular show from the displayed guide.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first source is an Internet source, a video vendor source, a satellite source, a cable source, or an antenna source.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second source is a source different from the first source.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising recording at least one of the other instances of the particular show that are added to the schedule guide information.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising switching an input of a television unit to a television signal carrying the particular show.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the selected particular show is provided by the first source and one of the other instances of the show that are added is provided by the second source.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the alert comprises displaying information about the particular television program represented by the instance added to the television schedule guide.

11. A system for providing a listing of instances of a program accessible from a plurality of sources, the method comprising:

a receiver operable to;

receive schedule guide information from a first and a second source; and

merge the schedule guide information received from the first and second sources; and

control circuitry operable to;

receive a selection for a particular show in the merged schedule guide information; and

provide an alert when other instances of the particular show are added to the schedule guide information.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a display monitor that displays the merged schedule guide information; and

wherein the control circuitry is further operable to receive the selection for the particular show from the displayed guide.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first source is an Internet source or a video vendor source, a satellite source, a cable source, or an antenna source.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the second source is a source different from the first source.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to record at least one of the other instances of the particular show that are added to the schedule guide information.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further operable to switch an input of a television unit to a television signal carrying the particular show.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the selected particular show is provided by the first source and one of the other instances of the show that are added is provided by the second source.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the alert comprises displaying information about the particular television program represented by the instance added to the television schedule guide.