SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING A DATABASE OF TELEVISION SCHEDULE INFORMATION

• US 20100247072A1
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Mankovitz, Roy J.
• Application Number:
  US12/773,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20100247072A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Compressed codes of as few as 1 to 8 digits, which are decoded by a decoder to convert the compressed code into channel, date, time and length information, identify single TV programs or a category of programs and are stored at a central location accessible over telephone lines through pay-per-use, toll free or regular toll numbers from remote locations. The channel, date, time and length information is used to select channels, start recording, and stop recording at the appropriate time or to control viewing on a TV.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A method for recording television programs, the method comprising:

receiving program schedule information for a television program;

receiving a user input that indicates one of a plurality of video recorders for recording the television program; and

transmitting a message, based on the program schedule information, over a communications link to the one of the plurality of video recorders to instruct the one of the plurality of video recorders to record the television program.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of video recorders are located at a local site.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving program schedule information comprises receiving, from a computer located at a site remote from the local site, using a data link, the program schedule information for the television program.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the program schedule information comprises a channel, a date, and a time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising scheduling, with the one of the plurality of video recorders, a recording for the channel.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

tuning to the channel at the date and the time; and

recording the television program with the one of the plurality of video recorders.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

the one of the plurality of video recorders communicating the date, the time, and the channel to a user equipment selected from the group consisting of a television, a cable box, and a satellite receiver;

tuning, with the user equipment, to the channel received by the one of the plurality of video recorders;

communicating the television program from the user equipment to the one of the plurality of video recorders; and

the one of the plurality of video recorders recording the television program received from the user equipment.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the message includes at least a portion of the program schedule information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the portion of the program schedule information comprises the date, and the time.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the message is in the form of infrared signals.

17. A system for recording of television, the system comprising:

a plurality of video recorders; and

a processor configured to;

receive program schedule information for a television program,

receive a user input that indicates one of the plurality of video recorders for recording the television program, and

transmit a message, based on the program schedule information, over a communications link to the one of the plurality of video recorders to instruct the one of the plurality of video recorders to record the television program.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of video recorders are located at a local site.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, from a computer located at a site remote from the local site, using a data link, the program schedule information for the television program.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the program schedule information comprises a channel, a date, and a time.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one of the plurality of video recorders is configured to schedule a recording for the channel.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one of the plurality of video recorders is further configured to:

tune to the channel at the date and the time; and

record the television program.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a user equipment selected from the group consisting of a television, a cable box, and a satellite receiver, wherein:

the one of the plurality of video recorders is further configured to;

communicate the channel to the user equipment at the date and the time, and

record the television program received from the user equipment; and

the user equipment is configured to;

tune to the channel received from the one of the plurality of video recorders, and

communicate the television program to the one of the plurality of video recorders.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the message includes at least a portion of the program schedule information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the portion of the program schedule information comprises the date, and the time.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the message is in the form of infrared signals.