CLIENT-SERVER BASED INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH REMOTE SERVER RECORDING

• US 20090150937A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Lemmons, Thomas R., Thomas, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2318 using striping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2335 involving reformatting operations of audio signals, e.g. by converting from one coding standard to another details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• 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 21/2543 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 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• 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 21/4334 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 : for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• 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 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 : Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• 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 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded.

Claims

1. A method for providing multiple program guides for a media server, comprising:

providing user equipment comprising the media server;

associating different personal media server information with different users of the user equipment;

providing each user with a personalized listing of recorded programs based on the personal media server information associated with that user;

receiving a user selection of an option to delete a recorded program from the personalized listing of recorded programs of that particular user; and

in response to receiving the user selection, deleting the recorded program from the media server only when the recorded program is only associated with the particular user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the associating comprises associating different programs that have been scheduled to be recorded for different users.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the associating comprises associating different programs that have been recorded for different users.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises displaying different personal media server information based on which one of the users is currently using their program guide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises requiring a particular one of the users to provide a parental control code to access their associated personal media server information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises displaying program guide display screens that are personalized for a current one of the users.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises displaying different lists of recorded programs for different ones of the users.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises displaying different lists of programs scheduled to be recorded for different ones of the users.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises providing each one of the users with an option to delete different recorded programs.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises providing a particular one of the users with an opportunity to schedule a recording that will be associated with that user.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises providing a particular one of the users with an opportunity to provide settings for a scheduled recording.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording a program that is scheduled to be recorded by one of the users.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises providing a particular one of the users with an opportunity to play a recording that is associated with that user.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing each user comprises providing a particular one of the users with an opportunity to provide settings for playing a recording that is associated with that user.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the deleting comprises deleting personal media server information that associates the recorded program with the particular user.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the deleting comprises displaying the personalized listing of recorded programs provided to the particular user without a listing of the recorded program.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a global list of programs that are available from the media server.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising simultaneously recording two different programs that have been scheduled to be recorded by two different users.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically deleting a recording that is associated with a particular one of the users when the recording has not been accessed by that particular user for a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically deleting a recording that is associated with one or more of the different users of the user equipment when each of the different users has accessed the recording.

21. A system for providing multiple program guides for a media server, comprising:

a user input device;

a display device;

the media server; and

an interactive television application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured to;

associate different personal media server information with different users of the system;

provide each user with a

personalized listing of recorded programs based on the personal media server information associated with that user;

receive a user selection of an option to delete a recorded program from the personalized listing of recorded programs of that particular user; and

in response to receiving the user selection, delete the recorded program from the media server only when the recorded program is only associated with the particular user.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to associate different programs that have been scheduled to be recorded for different users.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to associate different programs that have been recorded for different users.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to display different personal media server information based on which one of the users is currently using their program guide.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to require a particular one of the users to provide a parental control code to access their associated personal media server information.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to display program guide display screens that are personalized for a current one of the users.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to display different lists of recorded programs for different ones of the users.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to display different lists of programs scheduled to be recorded for different ones of the users.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to provide each one of the users with an option to delete different recorded programs.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to provide a particular one of the users with an opportunity to schedule a recording that will be associated with that user.

31. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to provide a particular one of the users with an opportunity to provide settings for a scheduled recording.

32. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to record a program that is selected to be recorded by one of the users.

33. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to provide a particular one of the users with an opportunity to play a recording that is associated with that user.

34. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to provide a particular one of the users with an opportunity to provide settings for playing a recording that is associated with that user.

35. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to delete personal media server information that associates the recorded program with the particular user.

36. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to display the personalized listing of recorded programs provided to the particular user without a listing of the recorded program that was selected to be deleted.

37. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to store a global list of programs that are available from the media server.

38. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to simultaneously record two different programs that have been scheduled to be recorded by two different users.

39. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to automatically delete a recording that is associated with a particular one of the users when the recording has not been accessed by that particular user for a predetermined period of time.

40. The system of claim 21 wherein the interactive television application is further configured to automatically delete a recording that is associated with one or more of the different users when each of the different users has accessed the recording.