Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications

• US 20080155607A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Klappert, Walter R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4334 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4622 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 21/47202 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 21/482 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 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• 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 5/76 : 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 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications are provided. In particular, the systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications provided herein generally relate to enhancing remote access capabilities by providing algorithms and techniques for managing and correcting disparities that may be found between program listings data used by the interactive media guidance application and the remote access server.

Claims

1. A method for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

receiving an action request for a program from a user device, wherein the user device utilizes first program information obtained from a first program information database to generate the action request for the program;

transmitting the action request for the program to be processed using second program information from a second program information database to schedule the action request for the program, wherein the second program information database is different from the first program information database;

detecting a disparity between the first program information for the program and the second program information for the program;

searching for alternate scheduling information for the program in response to detecting the disparity; and

transmitting the alternate scheduling information to the user equipment for scheduling the action request to be performed by the user equipment.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein transmitting the action request comprises transmitting the action request to a media service provider or to the user equipment.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the media service provider is selected from the group consisting of:

a cable service provider, and a satellite service provider.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a notebook computer, a wireless device, and a cellular telephone.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the action request is for an action selected from the group consisting of:

scheduling a recording of the program, and setting a reminder for the program.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises an interactive program guide.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein the action request comprises one or more interactive program guide functions executed on a set-top box.

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein transmitting the action request for the program further comprises transmitting a channel and a start time for the program based on the first program information database.

10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein searching for alternate scheduling information for the program comprises transmitting a search request to be processed using the second program information database.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the search request comprises a SQL-type search string to be executed against the second program information database.

12. The method defined in claim 10 further comprising receiving results for the search request at the first program information database.

13. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising receiving the second program information for the program.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein the received second user information comprises a program title for the program.

15. The method defined in claim 13 wherein

searching for the alternate scheduling information further comprises assigning a similarity rating to program information for a plurality of channels associated with the second program database, wherein the similarity rating is proportional to the similarity of the program information for each channel to the received program information;

and

transmitting the alternate scheduling information comprises transmitting alternate scheduling information for one or more of the plurality of channels each having a similarity rating that satisfies a predetermined minimum criterion.

16. The method defined in claim 13 wherein

searching for the alternate scheduling information comprises assigning a similarity rating to program information for a plurality of channels associated with the second program database, wherein the similarity rating is proportional to the similarity of the program information for each channel to the received program information;

and

transmitting the alternate scheduling information comprises transmitting alternate scheduling information for a single channel from the plurality of channels, wherein the program information associated with the single channel;

     1) has a similarity rating that satisfies a predetermined minimum criterion, and

     2) is the most similar among the plurality of channels to the received program information as defined by the similarity rating.

17. The method defined in claim 1 wherein searching for alternate scheduling information comprises searching for alternate scheduling information from the second program information database, wherein the second program information database comprises program information for a plurality of media service providers.

18. The method defined in claim 1 wherein searching for alternate scheduling information comprises searching a plurality of databases for alternate scheduling information, wherein each database is associated with a different media service provider.

19. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the first program information and the second program information each include their respective source information;

and

detecting the disparity between the first program information and the second program information comprises detecting a disparity between the source information of the first program information and the source information of the second program information.

20. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising:

transmitting a request for corrected program information for the program in response to detecting the disparity in the source information; and

receiving corrected program information at the first program information database.

21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein searching for alternate scheduling information comprises searching for alternate scheduling information based on the corrected program information.

22. The method defined in claim 1 wherein searching for alternate scheduling information comprises searching for alternate scheduling information based on other program information associated with the program from the first program information database.

23. The method defined in claim 22 wherein:

the other program information is selected from the group consisting of;

program title, series identifier, program identifier, program description, standard/high definition indicator, episode title, and any combination thereof.

24. The method defined in claim 22 further comprising:

transmitting a search request comprising a search string including at least a subset of the other program; and

receiving, at the first program information database, search results comprising program information from the second program information database.

25. The method defined in claim 24 further comprising searching for alternate scheduling information from the search results.

26. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising transmitting information regarding the disparity between the first program information and the second program information to a provider of data for the first program information database.

27. The method defined in claim 26 wherein the user equipment is serviced by a first media service provider and is located in a first geographical area;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

storing information regarding the disparity at the first program information database; and

selecting the first program information based on the stored disparity information for subsequent action requests to user equipment located in a second geographical area substantially similar to the first geographical area and serviced by the first media service provider.

28. The method defined in claim 1 wherein:

the first program information comprises a channel and a start time for the program;

the second program information comprises the channel and the start time, and a program title; and

detecting the disparity between the first program information and the second program information comprises comparing the program title from the second program information to a title for the program from the first program information database.

29. The method defined in claim 28 wherein searching for alternate scheduling information comprises searching program information for each of a plurality of media service providers for a program title that is substantially similar to the program title from the first program information database.

30. The method defined in claim 27 further comprising transmitting a notification to the user device that indicates the media service provider for the substantially similar title.

31. A method for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

maintaining a lookup table that cross-references program identification or source identification information for a program information service provider and a media service provider, wherein the program identification or source identification information for the program information service provider and the program identification or source identification information for the media service provider are different;

receiving a program action request from a user device identifying a program using the program identification or source identification information for the program information service provider;

cross-referencing the program identification or source identification information of the program action request with the corresponding program identification or source identification information for the media service provider in the lookup table; and

transmitting scheduling information comprising the program identification information or the source identification information of the media service provider for receipt by user equipment for scheduling the action request for the program to be performed by the user equipment.

32. The method defined in claim 31 wherein transmitting the scheduling information comprises transmitting the scheduling information to a media service provider or to the user equipment.

33. The method defined in claim 31 wherein the media service provider is selected from the group consisting of:

a cable service provider, and a satellite service provider.

34. The method defined in claim 31 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises an interactive program guide.

35. The method defined in claim 31 wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a notebook computer, a wireless device, and a cellular telephone.

36. The method defined in claim 31 wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

37. A method for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

receiving scheduling information for scheduling an action to be performed by user equipment for a program, wherein the action was requested by a user using a user device, and the scheduling information is from a first program information database;

transmitting program information other than the scheduling information from a second program information database, wherein the first program information database and the second program information database are different;

receiving, responsive to the transmitted program information, alternate scheduling information for re-scheduling the action for the program to be performed by the user equipment based on a disparity detected between the program information from the second program information database and the scheduling information for the program from the first program information database.

38. The method defined in claim 37 wherein the scheduling information for scheduling an action is received by a media service provider or by the user equipment.

39. The method defined in claim 37 wherein the media service provider is selected from the group consisting of:

a cable service provider, and a satellite service provider.

40. The method defined in claim 37 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises an interactive program guide.

41. The method defined in claim 37 wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a notebook computer, a wireless device, and a cellular telephone.

42. The method defined in claim 37 wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

43. A method for remote record scheduling on a home video recorder, comprising:

receiving a record request for a program from a remote user device, wherein the remote user device utilizes first program information obtained from a remote access server database to generate the record request for the program;

transmitting the record request including a channel and start time for the program to the home video recorder, wherein the home video recorder utilizes second program information from a media service provider database to schedule the record request for the program, and the remote access server database and the media service provider database are different;

responsive to transmitting the record request, receiving a program title from a media service provider server based on the record request for the program scheduled by the home video recorder;

detecting a disparity between the program title received from the media service provider server and a title of the requested program to be recorded based on the record request generated from the first program information obtained from the remote access server database;

in response to detecting the disparity, searching for alternate scheduling information of the requested program; and

transmitting to the home video recorder the alternate scheduling information for scheduling the record request for the program to be recorded by the home video recorder.

44. The method defined in claim 43 wherein the home video recorder implements an interactive program guide.

45. A system for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

a receiver to receive an action request for a program from a user device, wherein the user device utilizes first program information obtained from a first program information database to generate the action request for the program; and

a processor configured to;

transmit the action request for the program to be processed using second program information from a second program information database to schedule the action request for the program, wherein the second program information database is different from the first program information database;

detect a disparity between the first program information for the program and the second program information for the program;

search for alternate scheduling information for the program in response to detecting the disparity; and

transmit the alternate scheduling information to the user equipment for scheduling the action request to be performed by the user equipment.

46. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor is configured to transmit the action request to a media service provider or to the user equipment.

47. The system defined in claim 46 wherein the media service provider is selected from the group consisting of:

a cable service provider, and a satellite service provider.

48. The system defined in claim 46 wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a notebook computer, a wireless device, and a cellular telephone.

49. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the action request is for an action selected from the group consisting of:

scheduling a recording of the program, and setting a reminder for the program.

50. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises an interactive program guide.

51. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

52. The system defined in claim 51 wherein the action request comprises one or more interactive program guide functions executed on the set-top box.

53. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the action request for the program further comprises a channel and a start time for the program based on the first program information database.

54. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor, in searching for alternate scheduling information for the program, is further configured to transmit a search request to be processed using the second program information database.

55. The system defined in claim 54 wherein the search request comprises a SQL-type search string to be executed against the second program information database.

56. The system defined in claim 54 wherein the processor is further configured to receive results for the search request at the first program information database.

57. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor is further configured to receive the second program information for the program.

58. The system defined in claim 57 wherein the received second user information comprises a program title for the program.

59. The system defined in claim 57 wherein the processor, in searching for the alternate scheduling information, is further configured to assign a similarity rating to program information for a plurality of channels associated with the second program database, wherein the similarity rating is proportional to the similarity of the program information for each channel to the received program information;

and

wherein the processor, in transmitting the alternate scheduling information, is further configured to transmit alternate scheduling information for one or more of the plurality of channels each having a similarity rating that satisfies a predetermined minimum criterion.

60. The system defined in claim 57 wherein

the processor, in searching for the alternate scheduling information, is further configured to assign a similarity rating to program information for a plurality of channels associated with the second program database, wherein the similarity rating is proportional to the similarity of the program information for each channel to the received program information;

and

wherein the processor, in transmitting the alternate scheduling information, is further configured to transmit alternate scheduling information for a single channel from the plurality of channels, wherein the program information associated with the single channel;

     1) has a similarity rating that satisfies a predetermined minimum criterion, and

     2) is the most similar among the plurality of channels to the received program information as defined by the similarity rating.

61. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor, in searching for alternate scheduling information, is further configured to search for alternate scheduling information from the second program information database, wherein the second program information database comprises program information for a plurality of media service providers.

62. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor, in searching for alternate scheduling information, is further configured to search a plurality of databases for alternate scheduling information, wherein each database is associated with a different media service provider.

63. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the first program information and the second program information each include their respective source information;

and

wherein the processor, in detecting the disparity between the first program information and the second program information, is further configured to detect a disparity between the source information of the first program information and the source information of the second program information.

64. The system defined in claim 63 wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a request for corrected program information for the program in response to detecting the disparity in the source information; and

receive corrected program information at the first program information database.

65. The system defined in claim 64 wherein the processor, in searching for alternate scheduling information, is further configured to search for alternate scheduling information based on the corrected program information.

66. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor, in searching for alternate scheduling information, is further configured to search for alternate scheduling information based on other program information associated with the program from the first program information database.

67. The system defined in claim 66 wherein:

the other program information is selected from the group consisting of;

program title, series identifier, program identifier, program description, standard/high definition indicator, episode title, and any combination thereof.

68. The system defined in claim 66 wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a search request comprising a search string including at least a subset of the other program; and

receive, at the first program information database, search results comprising program information from the second program information database.

69. The system defined in claim 68 wherein the processor is further configured to search for alternate scheduling information from the search results.

70. The system defined in claim 68 further comprising:

at least one storage device; and

wherein the processor is further configured to store the search results on the at least one storage device.

71. The system defined in claim 45 wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information regarding the disparity between the first program information and the second program information to a provider of data for the first program information database.

72. The system defined in claim 71 wherein the user equipment is serviced by a first media service provider and is located in a first geographical area;

and

the system further comprising;

at least one storage device; and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

store information regarding the disparity at the first program information database; and

select the first program information based on the stored disparity information for subsequent action requests to user equipment located in a second geographical area substantially similar to the first geographical area and serviced by the first media service provider.

73. The system defined in claim 45 wherein:

the first program information comprises a channel and a start time for the program;

the second program information comprises the channel and the start time, and a program title; and

the processor, in detecting the disparity between the first program information and the second program information, is further configured to compare the program title from the second program information to a title for the program from the first program information database.

74. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the processor, in searching for alternate scheduling information, is further configured to search program information for each of a plurality of media service providers for a program title that is substantially similar to the program title from the first program information database.

75. The system defined in claim 73 wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a notification to the user device that indicates the media service provider for the substantially similar title.

76. A system for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

maintain a lookup table that cross-references program identification or source identification information for a program information service provider and a media service provider, wherein the program identification or source identification information for the program information service provider and the program identification or source identification information for the media service provider are different;

receive a program action request from a user device identifying a program using the program identification or source identification information for the program information service provider;

cross-reference the program identification or source identification information of the program action request with the corresponding program identification or source identification information for the media service provider in the lookup table; and

transmit scheduling information comprising the program identification information or the source identification information of the media service provider for receipt by user equipment for scheduling the action request for the program to be performed by the user equipment.

77. The system defined in claim 76 wherein the processor, in transmitting the scheduling information, is further configured to transmit the scheduling information to a media service provider or to the user equipment.

78. The system defined in claim 76 wherein the media service provider is selected from the group consisting of:

a cable service provider, and a satellite service provider.

79. The system defined in claim 76 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises an interactive program guide.

80. The system defined in claim 76 wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a notebook computer, a wireless device, and a cellular telephone.

81. The system defined in claim 76 wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

82. A system for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

a receiver to receive scheduling information for scheduling an action to be performed by user equipment for a program, wherein the action was requested by a user using a user device, and the scheduling information is from a first program information database; and

a processor configured to;

transmit program information other than the scheduling information from a second program information database, wherein the first program information database and the second program information database are different; and

receive, responsive to the transmitted program information, alternate scheduling information for re-scheduling the action for the program to be performed by the user equipment based on a disparity detected between the program information from the second program information database and the scheduling information for the program from the first program information database.

83. The system defined in claim 82 wherein the scheduling information for scheduling an action is received by a media service provider or by the user equipment.

84. The system defined in claim 82 wherein the media service provider is selected from the group consisting of:

a cable service provider, and a satellite service provider.

85. The system defined in claim 82 wherein the interactive media guidance application comprises an interactive program guide.

86. The system defined in claim 82 wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a notebook computer, a wireless device, and a cellular telephone.

87. The system defined in claim 82 wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

88. A system for remote record scheduling on a home video recorder, the system comprising:

a receiver to receive a record request for a program from a remote user device, wherein the remote user device utilizes first program information obtained from a remote access server database to generate the record request for the program; and

a processor configured to;

transmit the record request including a channel and start time for the program to the home video recorder, wherein the home video recorder utilizes second program information from a media service provider database to schedule the record request for the program, and the remote access server database and the media service provider database are different;

receive, responsive to transmitting the record request, a program title from a media service provider server based on the record request for the program scheduled by the home video recorder;

detect a disparity between the program title received from the media service provider server and a title of the requested program to be recorded based on the record request generated from the first program information obtained from the remote access server database;

search for alternate scheduling information of the requested program in response to detecting the disparity; and

transmit to the home video recorder the alternate scheduling information for scheduling the record request for the program to be recorded by the home video recorder.

89. The system defined in claim 88 wherein the home video recorder implements an interactive program guide.