SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTIPLE MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATION NAVIGATION

• US 20110078731A1
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Akitaka
• Application Number:
  US12/567,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for allowing a user to access media guidance application settings from any given mobile device and centralize the settings using a media equipment device are provided. One or more mobile devices may be detected with a media equipment device. The media equipment device may receive mobile media guidance application settings from the detected mobile devices. The media equipment device may replicate a mobile media guidance application for each of the detected mobile devices based on the received settings. Access to the replicated mobile media guidance applications associated with the detected mobile devices may be provided on the media equipment device. Changes to the settings of the replicated mobile media guidance applications associated with the detected mobile devices may be tracked and transmitted to the corresponding mobile device. The mobile device may modify a mobile media guidance application based on the changes received from the media equipment device.

Claims

1. A method for navigating an interactive program guide, the method comprising:

receiving with a media equipment device, first interactive program guide information from a first mobile device, wherein the first mobile device is configured to display a first mobile interactive program guide;

receiving with the first media equipment device, second interactive program guide information from a second mobile device different from the first mobile device, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display a second mobile interactive program guide;

generating a first interactive program guide based on the received first interactive program guide information;

generating a second interactive program guide based on the received second interactive program guide information; and

displaying, on the media equipment device, one of the first and second interactive program guides.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interactive program guide information is received using a first short-range communications path and the second interactive program guide information is received using a second short-range communications path different from the first short-range communications path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second interactive program guides are displayed simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first interactive program guide is displayed in a first window on a display of the first media equipment device and the second interactive program guide is displayed in a second window different from the first window.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying first and second options on the media equipment device, wherein;

the first interactive program guide is displayed in response to receiving a user selection of the first option; and

the second interactive program guide is displayed in response to receiving a user selection of the second option.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interactive program guide is displayed, further comprising:

performing a function with the displayed first interactive program guide; and

transmitting data associated with the function to the first mobile device corresponding to the displayed first interactive program guide.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein performing the function comprises:

displaying a mobile interactive program guide customization screen that allows a user to customize the first mobile interactive program guide provided on the first mobile device;

changing a visual characteristic of the first mobile interactive program guide associated with the first interactive program guide based on options selected with the mobile interactive program guide customization screen.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile interactive program guide customization screen comprises a window in which a preview of how the first mobile interactive program guide that includes the changed visual characteristic will appear on the first mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the data with the first mobile device; and

modifying a visual characteristic of the first mobile interactive program guide based on the received the data.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising displaying a prompt at the first mobile device requesting confirmation prior to modifying the visual characteristic.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the visual characteristic is modified without user input as a result of receiving the data.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein performing the function comprises:

executing a search for media assets using the first interactive program guide;

generating a list of media assets that result from the executed search.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein performing the function includes at least one of scheduling a media asset for recording, setting a reminder for a media asset, uploading an image, uploading a photograph, uploading a video, updating a list of previously accessed assets, and updating a list of favorite media assets.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile interactive program guide is associated with the first interactive program guide information.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein visual characteristics of the first interactive program guide when displayed on the media equipment device are substantially the same as visual characteristics of the first mobile interactive program guide when displayed on the first mobile device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein visual characteristics of the first interactive program guide when displayed on the media equipment device are different from visual characteristics of the first mobile interactive program guide when displayed on the first mobile device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interactive program guide is generated and displayed automatically when the first mobile device is within a short-range communications path of the media equipment device.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the first interactive program guide information from a first mobile device to the media equipment device automatically when the first mobile device is within a short-range communications path of the media equipment device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the short-range communications path is at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi, USB, firewire, infrared, and any combination of the same.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interactive program guide provides first functionality unique to the first mobile device and the second interactive program guide provides a second functionality unique to the second mobile device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first functionality comprises a telephony application and the second functionality comprises an email application.

22. A system for navigating an media guidance application, the system comprising:

a media equipment device that includes processing circuitry configured to;

receive, first media guidance application information from a first mobile device, wherein the first mobile device is configured to display a first mobile media guidance application;

receive, second media guidance application information from a second mobile device different from the first mobile device, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display a second mobile media guidance application;

replicate the first mobile media guidance application based on the received first media guidance application information;

replicate the second mobile media guidance application based on the received second media guidance application information; and

generate a display that includes one of the replicated first and second mobile media guidance applications.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first media guidance application information is received using a first short-range communications path and the second media guidance application information is received using a second short-range communications path different from the first short-range communications path.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the replicated first and the second mobile media guidance applications are displayed simultaneously.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate in the display the replicated first mobile media guidance application in a first window and the replicated second mobile media guidance application in a second window different from the first window.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

generate in the display first and second options, wherein;

the replicated first mobile media guidance application is displayed in response to receiving a user selection of the first option; and

the replicated second mobile media guidance application is displayed in response to receiving a user selection of the second option.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the replicated first mobile media guidance application is displayed, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

perform a function with the displayed replicated first mobile media guidance application; and

transmit data associated with the function to the first mobile device corresponding to the displayed replicated first mobile media guidance application.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

generate in the display a mobile media guidance application customization screen that allows a user to customize the first mobile media guidance application provided on the first mobile device; and

change a visual characteristic of the first mobile media guidance application associated with the first media guidance application based on options selected with the mobile media guidance application customization screen.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the mobile media guidance application customization screen comprises a window in which a preview of how the first mobile media guidance application that includes the changed visual characteristic will appear on the first mobile device.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the first mobile device is configured to:

receive the data; and

modify a visual characteristic of the first mobile media guidance application based on the received the data.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the first mobile device is further configured to display a prompt requesting confirmation prior to modifying the visual characteristic.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the visual characteristic is modified without user input as a result of receiving the data.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

execute a search for media assets using the replicated first mobile media guidance application; and

generate a list of media assets that result from the executed search.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to perform at least one of schedule a media asset for recording, set a reminder for a media asset, upload an image, upload a photograph, upload a video, update a list of previously accessed assets, and update a list of favorite media assets.

35. The system of claim 22, wherein the first mobile media guidance application is associated with the first media guidance application information.

36. The system of claim 22, wherein visual characteristics of the replicated first mobile media guidance application when displayed on the media equipment device are substantially the same as visual characteristics of the first mobile media guidance application when displayed on the first mobile device.

37. The system of claim 22, wherein visual characteristics of the replicated first mobile media guidance application when displayed on the media equipment device are different from visual characteristics of the first mobile media guidance application when displayed on the first mobile device.

38. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to replicate the first mobile media guidance application and generate the display automatically when the first mobile device is within a short-range communications path of the media equipment device.

39. The system of claim 22 wherein the first mobile device is configured to transmit the first media guidance application information to the media equipment device automatically when the first mobile device is within a short-range communications path of the media equipment device.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the short-range communications path is at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi, USB, firewire, infrared, HDMI and any combination of the same.

41. The system of claim 22, wherein the replicated first mobile media guidance application provides first functionality unique to the first mobile device and the replicated second mobile media guidance application provides a second functionality unique to the second mobile device.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the first functionality comprises a telephony application and the second functionality comprises IPTV capabilities.

43-63. -63. (canceled)