PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH USER DESIGNATED FAVORITE THEMES

• US 20110093898A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TV Guide Networks, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Herrington, W. Benjamin, Rosenthol, Joshua A.
• Application Number:
  US12/884,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a user may inform a program guide of the user'"'"'s interests. The interactive program guide system displays a list of available programming themes. The user may select a programming theme from the available programming themes and designate a level of interest in that theme. The user may designate, e.g., a high level of interest, i.e., a “favorite,” or a low level of interest in the theme. The programming guide will modify a list of themes according to the selected theme and level of user interest. The user is thus able to view the themes list and quickly identify programs of interest by the location of the selected theme in the themes list, or by a distinctive display of the selected theme.

Claims

1-106. -106. (canceled)

107. A method for using an interactive media guidance system in which an interactive media guidance application is at least partially implemented on user equipment of a user, comprising:

displaying a default list of hierarchically organized programming themes and programming sub-themes;

receiving, using a processor, a selection of at least one of the programming themes and at least one of the programming sub-themes from the default list of hierarchically organized programming themes and programming sub-themes and an indication of interest in each of the selected programming themes and programming sub-themes; and

displaying a user list of programming themes including the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes, wherein all of the selected programming themes and programming sub-themes are displayed in a single hierarchical level.

108. The method of claim 107, further comprising alternating between displaying the default list of hierarchically organized programming themes and programming sub-themes and the user list of programming themes.

109. The method of claim 107, further comprising searching listings data for programming satisfying a search criterion in response to selecting as the search criterion at least one of the programming themes and programming sub-themes.

110. The method of claim 109 further comprising displaying a list of the programming satisfying the search criterion.

111. The method of claim 107, wherein the programming themes are broad categories and the programming sub-themes are narrower categories that have common differentiating characteristics within the programming themes.

112. The method of claim 107, wherein the receiving the indication comprises receiving a designation of a high level of interest in the each of the selected at least one of the programming themes and the selected at least one of the programming sub-themes.

113. The method of claim 107, wherein each of the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes are marked with a color.

114. The method of claim 107, wherein each of the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes are displayed with an icon.

115. The method of claim 107, further comprising ordering all of the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes in the user list based on the indication of interest in each of the selected programming themes and programming sub-themes

116. The method of claim 107, further comprising storing the user list as a part of a user preference profile.

117. An interactive media guidance system in which an interactive media guidance application is at least partially implemented on user equipment of a user, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a selection of at least one of a programming themes and at least one of the programming sub-themes from a default list of hierarchically organized programming themes and programming sub-themes, and

receive an indication of interest in each of the selected programming themes and programming sub-themes;

a monitor configured to;

display a default list of hierarchically organized programming themes and programming sub-themes, and

display a user list of programming themes including the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes, wherein all of the selected programming themes and programming sub-themes are displayed in a single level.

118. The system of claim 117, wherein the processor is further configured to alternate between displaying the default list of hierarchically organized programming themes and programming sub-themes and the user list of programming themes.

119. The system of claim 117, wherein the processor is further configured to search listings data for programming satisfying a search criterion in response to selecting as the search criterion at least one of the programming themes and programming sub-themes.

120. The system of claim 119, wherein the monitor is further configured to display a list of the programming satisfying the search criterion.

121. The system of claim 117, wherein the programming themes are broad categories and the programming sub-themes are narrower categories that have common differentiating characteristics within the programming themes.

122. The system of claim 117, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a designation of a high level of interest in the each of the at least one selected programming themes and programming sub-themes.

123. The system of claim 117, wherein each of the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes are marked with a color.

124. The system of claim 117, wherein each of the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes are displayed with an icon.

125. The system of claim 117, further comprising a memory configured to order all of the selected at least one of the programming themes and selected at least one of the programming sub-themes in the user list based on the indication of interest in each of the at least one selected programming themes and programming sub-themes.

126. The system of claim 117, further comprising a memory configured to store the user list as a part of a user preference profile.