INTERACTIVE PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES

• US 20130097640A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemmons, Thomas R., Allison, Donald W., Henshaw, Jerry D., Marshall, Connie T.
• Application Number:
  US13/618,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20130097640A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Interactive program guide systems and related processes are provided which can automatically tune a television, or program a VCR, based on program selections made from program schedule information displayed on a television or other suitable video monitor. The interactive program guide is preferably implemented using a microprocessor-controlled set-top box that is coupled to the viewer'"'"'s television set. The set-top box receives program schedule information and software from a headend telecasting center. Preferably, program schedule information for the current day and at least six subsequent days is stored in a memory within the set-top box. The interactive program guide provides a display mode for allowing the viewer to apply a restrictive search selection criterion and a nonrestrictive sort attribute to the program schedule information.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A method of enabling a user to customize a channel display, the method comprising:

storing identification information for a plurality of users in a storage device;

requesting identification from a first user;

receiving, from the first user, a selection of at least one channel to be included in a favorite channel list associated with the first user;

receiving, from the first user, a selection of a favorite channel display mode;

in response to receiving the selection of the favorite channel display mode from the first user, retrieving the favorite channel list associated with the first user; and

generating, for display on a display device, the favorite channel list associated with the first user.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving identification information from a first user.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining that the received identification information matches the stored identification information for at least one of the plurality of users prior to generating the favorite channel list associated with the at least one of the plurality of users.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a user selection to disable the favorite channel list associated with the first user.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

generating the favorite channel list automatically in response to receiving identification information from the first user.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

sorting a plurality of channels using the favorite channel list.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

generating the favorite channel list in a predetermined order.

37. The method of claim 37, wherein the predetermined order is selected by the first user.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the predetermined order is based on an interest of the user.

39. A system for enabling a user to customize a channel display, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:

store identification information for a plurality of users;

generating a request of identification from a first user;

receive user selection signal indicative of at least one channel by storing the at least one channel in a favorite channel list associated with the first user;

receive, from the first user, a selection of a favorite channel display mode;

retrieve the favorite channel list associated with the first user; and

generate, for display on a display device, the favorite channel list associated with the first user.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive identification information from a first user.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the received identification information matches the stored identification information for at least one of the plurality of users prior to generating the favorite channel list associated with the at least one of the plurality of users.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a user selection to disable the favorite channel list associated with the first user.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

generate the favorite channel list automatically in response to receiving identification information from the first user.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

sort a plurality of channels using the favorite channel list.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

generate the favorite channel list in a predetermined order.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the predetermined order is selected by the first user.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the predetermined order is based on an interest of the user.