APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PRESENTING AN INTERACTIVE PROGRAMMING GUIDE

• US 20090007173A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Borghesani, Linda I.
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• 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 21/47 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for presenting an interactive programming guide are provided. An embodiment may include providing an apparatus configured to deliver media programs and an interactive programming guide to a monitor to be viewed by a user. The interactive programming guide may list channels and media programs available to the user. The apparatus may be configured to filter the interactive programming guide by limiting the channels and media programs listed in the interactive programming guide based on one or more attributes of the media programs. The user may be able to choose the attributes to be used as the filter either through a current media program being watched by the user or through the interactive programming guide. The attributes may be identified through metadata associated with the media programs.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to receive a command to filter an interactive programming guide; and

to deliver the filtered interactive programming guide to a monitor for display thereon.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a request for a media program;

send the media program to the monitor for display thereon; and

wherein the command is received during the display of the media program on the monitor or within a predetermined period following the display of the media program and the command is to filter the interactive programming guide based on one or more attributes of the media program.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to request the media program from an external source.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to send the command to an external source and to receive the filtered interactive programming guide from an external source.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to request and receive an interactive programming guide from an external source;

and to filter the interactive programming guide in accordance with the command.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising at least one memory element and wherein the processor is further configured to record the media program to the at least one memory element and retrieve the media program from the at least one memory element in response to receiving the request for the media program.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to deliver the interactive programming guide to the monitor for display thereon, wherein the interactive programming guide includes a graphical user interface for listing one or more attributes of a plurality of media programs and for allowing the selection of the at least one attribute and;

wherein the command to filter the interactive programming guide is based on the at least one attribute.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a command to filter an interactive programming guide; and

delivering the filtered interactive programming guide to a monitor for display thereon.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a request for a media program;

sending the media program to the monitor for display thereon; and

wherein receiving the command is during the display of the media program on the monitor or within a predetermined period following the display of the media program and the command is to filter the interactive programming guide based on one or more attributes of the media program.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising requesting the media program from an external source.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising sending the command to an external source to an external source and receiving the filtered interactive programming guide from the external source.

12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising requesting an interactive programming guide from an external source;

receiving the interactive programming guide from the external source; and

filtering the interactive programming guide in accordance with the command.

13. The method according to claim 9 further comprising recording the media program and retrieving the media program in response to receiving the request for the media program.

14. The method according to claim 8 further comprising delivering the interactive programming guide to the monitor for display thereon, wherein the interactive programming guide includes a graphical user interface for listing one or more attributes of a plurality of media programs and for allowing the selection of the at least one attribute and;

wherein the command to filter the interactive programming guide is based on the at least one attribute.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving a command to filter an interactive programming guide; and

a second executable portion for delivering the filtered interactive programming guide to a monitor for display thereon.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15 further comprising a third executable portion for receiving a request for a media program;

a fourth executable portion for sending the media program to the monitor for display thereon; and

wherein the first executable portion is for receiving the command during the display of the media program on the monitor or within a predetermined period following the display of the media program and the command is to filter the interactive programming guide based on one or more attributes of the media program.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising a fifth executable portion for requesting the media program from an external source.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising a fifth executable portion for sending the command to an external source to an external source and a sixth executable portion receiving the filtered interactive programming guide from the external source.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising a fifth executable portion for requesting an interactive programming guide from an external source;

a sixth executable portion for receiving the interactive programming guide from the external source; and

a seventh executable portion filtering the interactive programming guide in accordance with the command.

20. The computer program product according to claim 16 further comprising a fifth executable for recording the media program and a sixth executable portion for retrieving the media program in response to receiving the request for the media program.

21. The computer program product according to claim 15 further comprising a third executable portion for delivering the interactive programming guide to the monitor for display thereon, wherein the interactive programming guide includes a graphical user interface for listing one or more attributes of a plurality of media programs and for allowing the selection of the at least one attribute and;

wherein the a first executable portion for receiving command to filter the interactive programming guide is based on the at least one attribute.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to receive a command to filter an interactive programming guide; and

to deliver the filtered interactive programming guide to a monitor for display thereon;

wherein the processor is further configured to receive a request for a media program;

send the media program to the monitor for display thereon; and

wherein the command is received during the display of the media program on the monitor or within a predetermined period following the display of the media program and the command is to filter the interactive programming guide based on one or more attributes of the media program.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to send the command to an external source and to receive the filtered interactive programming guide from an external source.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to request and receive an interactive programming guide from an external source;

and to filter the interactive programming guide in accordance with the command.