Method and system of retrieving prior broadcasted programming at a user device from a service provider

• US 20080244657A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arsenault, Robert G., Riley, Xavier D.
• Application Number:
  US11/731,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26603 for automatically generating descriptors from content, e.g. when it is not made available by its provider, using content analysis techniques
• 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 21/482 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A communication system 10 includes a network such as the Internet 50 or a telephone system 52. A user device 14 communicates with the network. A service provider 12 communicates with the user device 14 through the network. The service provider 12 generates a program guide for programming, including currently broadcasting programs and past programming. The program guide includes program guide elements. The user device 14 selects a program guide element from the past programming to form a selection signal and communicates the selection signal to a service provider. The service provider 12 retrieves a program corresponding to the selection from a content repository 46 associated with the service provider 12 and communicates the program to a user device 14 through the network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system comprising:

coupling the user device to a network;

generating a program guide for programming including currently broadcasting programs and past programming, the programming guide comprising program guide elements;

selecting a first program guide element from the past programming to form a selection signal;

communicating the selection signal to a service provider;

retrieving a program corresponding to the selection from a content repository associated with the service provider; and

communicating the program to a user device through the network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a program guide comprises displaying a program guide on a user device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a program guide comprises displaying a program guide on a service provider website.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a set top box and a television.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein coupling the user device to a network comprises coupling the user device to a broadband network.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein coupling the user device to a network comprises coupling the user device to a wireless broadband network.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein coupling the user device to a network comprises coupling the user device to a cellular network.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein coupling the user device to a network comprises coupling the user device to a WiFi network.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein coupling the user device to a network comprises coupling the user device to a WiMax network.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein coupling the user device to a network comprises coupling the user device to a wired broadband network.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a set top box.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a set top box using a user interface screen.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a satellite television set top box.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a mobile user device.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element from a service provider website.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through the network.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a second network different than the network.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a wireless network.

20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a broadband network.

21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a cellular network.

22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a WiFi network.

23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a WiMax network.

24. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a wireless network.

25. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a broadband network.

26. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a cellular network.

27. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a WiFi network.

28. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a WiMax network.

29. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a satellite.

30. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising selecting a popularity measurement of the program and wherein the network comprises a satellite network and a terrestrial network and wherein prior to communicating the program, selecting the satellite or the terrestrial network in response to the popularity measurement.

31. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing the program in the user device.

32. A method of operating a communication system comprising:

coupling the user device to a terrestrial network and a satellite;

generating program guide for programming including currently broadcasting programs and past programming, the programming guide comprising program guide elements;

communicating the program guide through the satellite;

selecting a program guide element from the past programming to form a selection signal;

communicating the selection signal to a service provider through the terrestrial network;

retrieving a program corresponding to the selection from a content repository associated with the service provider; and

communicating the program to a user device.

33. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through the terrestrial network.

34. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through the satellite.

35. A method as recited in claim 32 further comprising selecting a popularity measurement of the program wherein prior to communicating the program, selecting the satellite or the terrestrial network in response to the popularity measurement.

36. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein generating a program guide comprises generating a program guide on a user device.

37. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein generating a program guide comprises generating a program guide on a service provider website.

38. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein the user device comprises a set top box and a television.

39. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

40. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein coupling the user device to a terrestrial network comprises coupling the user device to a broadband network.

41. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein coupling the user device to a terrestrial network comprises coupling the user device to a wireless broadband network.

42. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein coupling the user device to a terrestrial network comprises coupling the user device to a cellular network.

43. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein coupling the user device to a terrestrial network comprises coupling the user device to a WiFi network.

44. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein coupling the user device to a terrestrial network comprises coupling the user device to a WiMax network.

45. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein coupling the user device to a terrestrial network comprises coupling the user device to a wired broadband network.

46. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a set top box.

47. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a set top box using a user interface screen.

48. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a satellite television set top box.

49. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element at a mobile user device.

50. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein selecting a program guide element comprises selecting the program guide element from a service provider website.

51. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through the network.

52. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a second network different than the network.

53. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a wireless network.

54. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a broadband network.

55. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a cellular network.

56. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a WiFi network.

57. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the selection signal comprises communicating the selection signal through a WiMax network.

58. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a wireless network.

59. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a broadband network.

60. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a cellular network.

61. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a WiFi network.

62. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a WiMax network.

63. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein communicating the program comprises communicating the program through a satellite.

64. A method as recited in claim 32 further comprising storing the program in the user device.

65. A communication system comprising:

a network;

a user device in communication with the network;

a service provider communicating with the user device through the network, said service provider generating a program guide for programming including currently broadcasting programs and past programming, the programming guide comprising program guide elements;

the user device selecting a program guide element from the past programming to form a selection signal and communicating the selection signal to a service provider; and

the service provider retrieving a program corresponding to the selection from a content repository associated with the service provider and communicating the program to a user device through the network.

66. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein said user device displays the program guide.

67. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the user device comprises a set top box and a television.

68. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

69. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.

70. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the network comprises a broadband network.

71. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the network comprises a wireless broadband network.

72. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the network comprises a cellular network.

73. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the network comprises a WiFi network.

74. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the network comprises a WiMax network.

75. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the network comprises a wired broadband network.

76. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the user device communicates the selection signal through the network.

77. A system as recited in claim 65 wherein the user device communicates the selection signal through a second network different than the network.

78. A system as recited in claim 65 further comprising an audience measurement module generating a popularity measurement of the program corresponding to the selection and wherein the network comprises a satellite network and a terrestrial network and wherein the service provider, prior to communicating the program, selects the satellite or the terrestrial network in response to the popularity measurement.

79. A system as recited in claim 65 further comprising a storage device within the user device storing the program.