Method and system for displaying a series of recordable events

• US 20130251349A1
• Filed: 05/09/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Mark D., Rodgers, Deborah E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,253,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/293
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A method and system for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events is described. A system, such as the system of a digital video recorder, may receive a set of recordable events data, such as a listing of all television shows to be broadcast over a two-week period. The system analyzes the set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events, where each set includes recordable events having the same title. The system analyzes each set of recordable events to determine sub-sets of recordable events based on relationships between the recordable events of each sub-set. The system displays an identifier for each sub-set of a given set of recordable events when the given set of recordable events is selected for display. A user may select to record a sub-set of recordable events by selecting the identifier that represents the sub-set.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method comprising:

determining, using a computer-readable processor, a set of recordable events comprising a plurality of recordable events, wherein each recordable event of the set of recordable events is associated with a first recordable event descriptor;

determining, using the computer-readable processor, a first subset of recordable events and a second subset of recordable events within the set of recordable events, wherein each recordable event of the first subset is associated with a second recordable event descriptor but not a third recordable event descriptor, and wherein each recordable event of the second subset is associated with the third recordable event descriptor but not the second recordable event descriptor;

providing for, using the computer-readable processor, a display device displaying an identifier of the first subset of recordable events and an identifier of the second subset of recordable events.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

storing, by a computer-readable data storage device, program instructions executable by the computer-readable processor, and

storing, by the computer-readable data storage device, a recordable events data set including data regarding each recordable event of the set of recordable events and data regarding other recordable events,

wherein determining the set of recordable events comprises executing, using the processor, the program instructions to analyze the recordable events data set.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, using the computer-readable processor, a selection to record the first subset of recordable events; and

providing for, using the computer-readable processor, storage of at least one recordable event in response to receiving the selection to record the first subset of recordable events,

wherein the recordable events data set pertains to a given period of time, and

wherein the at least one recordable event is transmitted, for subsequent storage, during the given time period.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

providing for, using the computer-readable processor, storage of at least one other recordable event in response to receiving the selection to record the first subset of recordable events, wherein the at least one other recordable event is transmitted, for subsequent storage, after occurrence of the given time period.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing for, using the computer-readable processor, the display device displaying an identifier of the set of recordable events.

26. The method of claims 25,

wherein displaying the identifier of the set of recordable events comprises displaying the first recordable event descriptor,

wherein displaying the identifier of the first subset of recordable events comprises displaying the second recordable event descriptor, and

wherein displaying the identifier of the second subset of recordable events comprises displaying the third recordable event descriptor.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, using the computer-readable processor, a selection of the first recordable event descriptor,

wherein determining the set of recordable events occurs in response to receiving the selection of the first recordable event descriptor.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving the selection of the first recordable event descriptor includes receiving one or more alpha-numeric characters of the first recordable event descriptor.

29. The method of claim 21,

wherein the first recordable event descriptor is a title of a television show,

wherein the second recordable event descriptor is a television channel descriptor, and

wherein the third recordable event descriptor is a time-slot descriptor or a day(s)-of-the-week descriptor.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining, using the computer-readable processor, a third subset of recordable events within the set of recordable events, wherein each recordable event of the third subset is associated with the second recordable event descriptor and a fourth recordable descriptor, but not a fifth recordable event descriptor, and wherein each recordable event of the first subset is associated with the fifth recordable event descriptor, but not the fourth recordable event descriptor; and

providing for, using the computer-readable processor, the display device displaying an identifier of the third subset of recordable events.

31. The method of claim 30,

wherein the first recordable event descriptor is a title of a television show,

wherein the second recordable event descriptor is a television channel descriptor,

wherein the fourth recordable event descriptor is a first time-slot descriptor;

and

wherein the fifth recordable event descriptor is a second time-slot descriptor different than the first time-slot descriptor.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable program instructions executable by a computer-readable processor to perform operations comprising:

determining, using the computer-readable processor, a set of recordable events comprising a plurality of recordable events, wherein each recordable event of the set of recordable events is associated with a first recordable event descriptor;

determining, using the computer-readable processor, a first subset of recordable events and a second subset of recordable events within the set of recordable events, wherein each recordable event of the first subset is associated with a second recordable event descriptor but not a third recordable event descriptor, and wherein each recordable event of the second subset is associated with the third recordable event descriptor but not the second recordable event descriptor;

providing for, using the computer-readable processor, a display device displaying an identifier of the first subset of recordable events and an identifier of the second subset of recordable events.

33. A system comprising:

a computer-readable processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable data storage device storing program instructions executable by the processor,

wherein the program instructions are executable to cause the processor to determine a set of recordable events comprising a plurality of recordable events,

wherein each recordable event of the set of recordable events is associated with a first recordable event descriptor,

wherein the program instructions are executable to cause the processor to determine a first subset of recordable events and a second subset of recordable events within the set of recordable events,

wherein each recordable event of the first subset is associated with a second recordable event descriptor but not a third recordable event descriptor, and

wherein each recordable event of the second subset is associated with the third recordable event descriptor but not the second recordable event descriptor, and

a user interface configured to provide data for displaying an identifier of the first subset of recordable events and an identifier of the second subset of recordable events.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the user interface provides the data for displaying the identifier of the first subset of recordable events and the identifier of the second subset of recordable events to a display device.

35. The system of claim 33,

wherein the computer-readable processor is configured to receive a selection to record the first subset of recordable events and to provide for storage of at least one recordable event in response to receiving the selection to record the first subset of recordable events,

wherein the recordable events data set pertains to a given period of time, and

wherein the at least one recordable event is stored into the data storage device during the given time period.

36. The system of claim 35,

wherein the computer-readable processor is configured to cause the data storage device to store at least one other recordable event in response to receiving the selection to record the first subset of recordable events, and

wherein the at least one recordable event is stored into the data storage device after occurrence of the given time period.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the system is within a digital video recorder connectable to the display device.

38. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

a communications interface configured to receive a recordable events data set including regarding each recordable event of the set of recordable events and data regarding other recordable events and a selected recordable event to be stored within the data storage device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the communications interface comprises at least one of a cable television interface, a radio frequency interface, a land-line telephone system telephone line, and an Internet connection.

40. The system of claim 33,

wherein the program instructions are executable to cause the processor to determine a third subset of recordable events within the set of recordable events,

wherein each recordable event of the third subset is associated with the second recordable event descriptor and a fourth recordable descriptor, but not a fifth recordable event descriptor,

wherein each recordable event of the first subset is associated with the fifth recordable event descriptor, but not the fourth recordable event descriptor;

and

wherein the program instructions are executable to cause the processor to provide for displaying an identifier of the third subset of recordable events.