Systems and methods for interactive program guides with personal video recording features

• US 20080181574A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Reichardt, M. Scott, Thomas, William L., Baumgartner, Joseph P., Gaydou, Danny R.
• Application Number:
  US11/894,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20080181574A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/83
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10962 wherein both recording and playback take place simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• 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 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47214 : 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 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• 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 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode

Abstract

Methods and systems that provide enhanced personal video recorder (“PVR”) and interactive television program guide (“IPG”) functionality are provided. An interactive television application (“application”) may be implemented to provide such functionality. The application may be used to display a list of PVR recordings, to schedule recordings to a PVR, to configure recordings, to view a list of scheduled recordings, to configure recording settings, or to select delete priority settings for recordings. The application may integrate pay-per-view and PVR functionality. The application may send user notifications for changes that are to be made to the recording content of a PVR. Live programming may be buffered by the application using a straight buffers that are created for each new program. Parallel buffers for concurrent programs may be implemented using multiple tuners. Straight buffers may be used in managing or controlling the flow of programming. Television content may be automatically paused when a user is engaged in using the application. Multiple IPGs for different users of a PVR may be implemented. Other PVR related features are also provided.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method of managing recorded programs, comprising:

storing the recorded programs on a personal video recorder, wherein each of the recorded programs is associated with a different program characteristic;

assigning a delete priority setting to each of the recorded programs based on the different program characteristic for each program; and

automatically deleting at least one of the recorded programs from the personal video recorder based on the delete priority setting assigned to the at least one of the programs.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the different program characteristic is a different program type of each of the recorded programs.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the different program characteristic is a different channel type of each channel used to obtain each of the recorded programs.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the different program characteristic is a different channel used to obtain each of the recorded programs.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the different program characteristic is a different series that each of the recorded programs is associated with.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying a list of the different program characteristics that are associated with the recorded programs, wherein the delete priority setting assigned to each of the recorded programs is based on an order of the list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically deleting comprises:

automatically deleting from the personal video recorder one of the recorded programs that is associated with the program characteristic positioned at a top of the list.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user selection to change the order of the different program characteristics on the list; and

updating the delete priority setting for one or more of the recorded programs based on the user selection.

10. A method of managing recorded programs stored on a personal video recorder, comprising:

assigning a different delete priority setting to each of the recorded programs;

identifying, based on the delete priority setting for each of the recorded programs, a delete priority order in which the recorded programs will be deleted from the personal video recorder; and

automatically deleting one of the recorded programs that is located in a first position in the delete priority order.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying a list of the recorded programs showing the delete priority order.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first position in the delete priority order is at a top position in the list.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a user selection to change the delete priority order of the recorded programs on the list; and

displaying the list with a different delete priority order based on the user selection.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user indication to view one of the recorded programs; and

changing the delete priority setting for the one of the recorded programs in response to receiving the user indication.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user indication of a period of time in which to retain one of the recorded programs, wherein assigning the delete priority setting for the one of the recorded programs comprises assigning the delete priority setting based on the period of time.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user indication to mark at least one of the recorded programs as a preferred recording, wherein the at least one of the recorded programs is positioned in the delete priority order such that the at least one of the recorded programs is deleted after those of the recorded programs that have not been marked as a preferred recording.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein assigning the delete priority setting for at least one of the recorded programs comprises converting a recording priority setting for the at least one of the recorded programs to the delete priority setting.

18. A system for managing recorded programs, comprising:

user equipment comprising a personal video recorder, the user equipment operative to;

store the recorded programs on the personal video recorder, wherein each of the recorded programs is associated with a different program characteristic;

assign a delete priority setting to each of the recorded programs based on the different program characteristic for each program; and

automatically delete at least one of the recorded programs from the personal video recorder based on the delete priority setting assigned to the at least one of the programs.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the different program characteristic is a different program type of each of the recorded programs.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the different program characteristic is a different channel type of each channel used to obtain each of the recorded programs.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the different program characteristic is a different channel used to obtain each of the recorded programs.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the different program characteristic is a different series that each of the recorded programs is associated with.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising a display device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

display on the display device a list of the different program characteristics that are associated with the recorded programs; and

assign a delete priority setting to each of the recorded programs based on an order of the list.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

automatically delete from the personal video recorder one of the recorded programs that is associated with the program characteristic positioned at a top of the list.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a user input device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

receive from the user input device a user selection to change the order of the different program characteristics on the list; and

update the delete priority setting for one or more of the recorded programs based on the user selection.

26. A system for managing recorded programs stored on a personal video recorder, comprising:

user equipment comprising the personal video recorder, the user equipment operative to;

assign a different delete priority setting to each of the recorded programs;

identify, based on the delete priority setting for each of the recorded programs, a delete priority order in which the recorded programs will be deleted from the personal video recorder; and

automatically delete one of the recorded programs that is located in a first position in the delete priority order.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a display device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

display on the display device a list of the recorded programs showing the delete priority order.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first position in the delete priority order is at a top position in the list.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a user input device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

receive from the user input device a user selection to change the delete priority order of the recorded programs on the list; and

display on the display device the list with a different delete priority order based on the user selection.

30. The system of claim 26, further comprising a user input device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

receive from the user input device a user indication to view one of the recorded programs; and

change the delete priority setting for the one of the recorded programs in response to receiving the user indication.

31. The system of claim 26, further comprising a user input device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

receive from the user input device a user indication of a period of time in which to retain one of the recorded programs; and

assign the delete priority setting for the one of the recorded programs based on the period of time.

32. The system of claim 26, further comprising a user input device, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

receive from the user input device a user indication to mark at least one of the recorded programs as a preferred recording; and

position the at least one of the recorded programs in the delete priority order such that the at least one of the recorded programs is deleted after those of the recorded programs that have not been marked as a preferred recording.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the user equipment is further operative to:

convert a recording priority setting for the at least one of the recorded programs to the delete priority setting for the at least one of the recorded programs.