METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PRESENTING AN INTERACTIVE MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATION

• US 20090235309A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Roe, Glen E.
• Application Number:
  US12/051,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods and devices for presenting an interactive media guidance application are provided in accordance with various embodiments. In some embodiments, methods for presenting an interactive media guidance application are provided, the methods comprising: accessing guide listings from storage, wherein at least a portion of the guide listings have corresponding channel numbers and a relative ordering in the guide listings; accessing user channel preference information, wherein the user channel preference information specifies a station ordering based on at least one of a selection of a location and a selection of a media provider; and presenting the guide listings to a user based on the station ordering such that the at least a portion of the guide listings are presented with channel numbers different from the corresponding channel numbers and in an order different from the relative ordering.

Claims

1. A method for presenting an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

accessing guide listings from storage, wherein at least a portion of the guide listings have corresponding channel numbers and a relative ordering in the guide listings;

accessing user channel preference information, wherein the user channel preference information specifies a station ordering based on at least one of a selection of a location and a selection of a media provider; and

presenting the guide listings to a user based on the station ordering such that the at least a portion of the guide listings are presented with channel numbers different from the corresponding channel numbers and in an order different from the relative ordering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user channel preference information is based upon a travel reservation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user channel preference information includes a zip code of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the station ordering is based on a selection of a location by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the station ordering is based on a selection of a media provider by the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selection of the media provider includes a selection of at least one of a feed, a time zone, and a provider programming package for the media provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the station ordering includes a mapping of stations to channel numbers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the guide listings using a skin based on the user channel preference information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a station in the station ordering for which a guide listing is not available in the guide listings.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein an identifier corresponding to the station is grayed-out in the guide listings presented.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying in the guide listings presented a station that is not associated with any station in the station ordering.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a station in the station ordering to a portion of the guide listings by comparing a characteristic of the station to a characteristic of the guide listings.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

14. A device for presenting an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

processing circuitry that;

accesses guide listings from storage, wherein at least a portion of the guide listings have corresponding channel numbers and a relative ordering in the guide listings;

accesses user channel preference information, wherein the user channel preference information specifies a station ordering based on at least one of a selection of a location and a selection of a media provider; and

presents the guide listings to a user based on the station ordering such that the at least a portion of the guide listings are presented with channel numbers different from the corresponding channel numbers and in an order different from the relative ordering.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the user channel preference information is based upon a travel reservation.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the user channel preference information includes a zip code of the user.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the station ordering is based on a selection of a location by the user.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the station ordering is based on a selection of a media provider by the user.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the selection of the media provider includes a selection of at least one of a feed, a time zone, and a provider programming package for the media provider.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the station ordering includes a mapping of stations to channel numbers.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry also presents the guide listings using a skin based on the user channel preference information.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry also identifies a station in the station ordering for which a guide listing is not available in the guide listings.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein an identifier corresponding to the station is grayed-out in the guide listings presented.

24. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry also identifies in the guide listings presented a station that is not associated with any station in the station ordering.

25. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry also associates a station in the station ordering to a portion of the guide listings by comparing a characteristic of the station to a characteristic of the guide listings.

26. The device of claim 14, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

27. A device for presenting an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

means for accessing guide listings from storage, wherein at least a portion of the guide listings have corresponding channel numbers and a relative ordering in the guide listings;

means for accessing user channel preference information, wherein the user channel preference information specifies a station ordering based on at least one of a selection of a location and a selection of a media provider; and

means for presenting the guide listings to a user based on the station ordering such that the at least a portion of the guide listings are presented with channel numbers different from the corresponding channel numbers and in an order different from the relative ordering.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the user channel preference information is based upon a travel reservation.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the user channel preference information includes a zip code of the user.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the station ordering is based on a selection of a location by the user.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein the station ordering is based on a selection of a media provider by the user.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the selection of the media provider includes a selection of at least one of a feed, a time zone, and a provider programming package for the media provider.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein the station ordering includes a mapping of stations to channel numbers.

34. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for presenting the guide listings using a skin based on the user channel preference information.

35. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for identifying a station in the station ordering for which a guide listing is not available in the guide listings.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein an identifier corresponding to the station is grayed-out in the guide listings presented.

37. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for identifying in the guide listings presented a station that is not associated with any station in the station ordering.

38. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for associating a station in the station ordering to a portion of the guide listings by comparing a characteristic of the station to a characteristic of the guide listings.

39. The device of claim 27, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.