SOURCE-LINKED ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING GUIDE

• US 20160066049A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar UK Holdings Ltd (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Mountain, Dale Llewelyn
• Granted Patent: US 9,628,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/47214 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 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526

Abstract

Surfacing or providing to an end-user via an electronic programming guide one or more alternative or alternate options for accessing particular content of interest, that which is initially itemized or presented for selection in or within the electronic programming guide.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

outputting, by a television receiver for display by a presentation device, an electronic programming guide for selection of programming from a television provider;

detecting, by the television receiver, a command to define a timer to record particular programming at a time of broadcast of the particular programming by the television provider;

outputting, in response to the detecting, by the television receiver for display by the presentation device, an interactive interface within the electronic programming guide that provides a plurality of options for access to the particular programming from sources other than the television provider wherein the plurality of options includes a first option corresponding to a first source for which an active subscription exists for access to the particular programming, wherein the plurality of options includes a second option corresponding to a second source for which no active subscription exists, and wherein the second option identifies terms for access to the particular programing from the second source;

receiving input corresponding selection of the first option or the second option;

receiving the particular programming; and

outputting the particular programming for display by the presentation device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional input corresponding to selection of a particular indicator to decline access to the particular programming from any source other than the television provider, wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming at the time of broadcast of the particular programming by the television provider; and

storing the particular programming to a persistent storage medium for subsequent access therefrom.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input corresponds to selection of the first option and wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming from the first source without incurring additional fees.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

perfecting initialization of or agreement to a subscription foe the second source, wherein the input corresponds to selection of the second option and wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programing from the second source.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting, for display within the interactive interface, at least one advertisement for a service or package offered by the television provider based upon one or more particular attributes of the particular programming.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting, for display within the interactive interface, one or more indicators that each, when selected, activate the television receiver to access content from a particular network-accessible resource.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the input, logging the selection to update a number of particular instances of selection of each of the plurality of options; and

reporting a total number of particular instances of selection the options for reimbursement from entities associated with each source.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein storing includes recording the particular programming to the persistent storage medium at the time of broadcast of the particular programming.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detaining that unused storage space of the persistent storage medium is insufficient for storing the particular programming,

displaying, within the interactive interface, a list of recorded content for suitable for deletion;

receiving further input corresponding to selection of a particular recorded content for deletion; and

deleting the particular recorded content from the persistent storage medium, thereby increasing the unused storage space.

2. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

12. A television receiver, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory element communicatively coupled with and readable by at least one processor and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including;

outputting, to a presentation device using an output interface of the television receiver, an electronic programming guide for selection of programming from a television provider

detecting a command to define a timer to record particular programming at a time of broadcast of the particular programming by the television provider;

outputting, to presentation device using the output interface, an interactive interface within the electronic programming guide that provides a plurality of options for access to the particular programming from sources other than the television provider, wherein the plurality of options includes a first option corresponding to a first source for which an active subscription exists for access to the particular programming, wherein the plurality of options includes a second option corresponding to a second source for which no active subscription exists, and wherein the second option identifies terms for access to the particular programming from the second source;

receiving input corresponding to selection of the first option or the second option;

receiving the particular programming; and

outputting the particular programming to the presentation device using the output interface.

14. The television receiver of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

receiving additional input corresponding to selection of a particular indicator to decline access to the particular programming from any source other than the television provider, wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming at the time of broadcast of the particular programming by the television provider; and

storing the particular programming to a persistent storage medium for subsequent access therefrom.

15. The television receiver of claim 12, wherein the input corresponds to selection of the first option and wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming from the first source without incurring additional fee.

16. The television receiver of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

perfecting initialization of or agreement to a subscription for the second source, wherein the input corresponds to selection of the second option and wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming from the second source.

17. The television receiver of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

outputting, to the presentation device for display within the interactive interface, at least one advertisement for a service or package offered by the television provide based upon one or more particular attributes of the particular programming.

19. The television receiver of claim 14, wherein the operations further include:

determining that unused storage space of the persistent storage medium is insufficient for storing the particular programming;

receiving further input corresponding to selection of a particular recorded content for deletion; and

deleting the particular recorded content from the persistent storage medium, thereby increasing the unused storage space.

13. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a television receiver, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

outputting, to a presentation device using an output interface of the television receiver, an electronic programming guide for selection of programming from a television provider

detecting a command to define a timer to record particular programming at a time of broadcast of the particular programming by the television provider;

outputting, to presentation device using the output interface, an interactive interface with the electronic programming guide that provides a plurality of options for access to the particular programming from sources other than the television provider, wherein the plurality of options includes a first option corresponding to a first source for which an active subscription exists for access to the particular programming, wherein the plurality of options includes a second option corresponding to a second source for which no active subscription exists, and wherein the second option identifies terms for access to the particular programming from the second source;

receiving input corresponding to selection of the first option or the second option;

receiving the particular programming; and

outputting the particular programming to the presentation device using the output interface.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the operations further include:

receiving additional input corresponding to selection of a particular indicator to decline access to the particular programming from any source other than the television provider, wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming at the time of broadcast of the particular programming by the television provider; and

storing the particular programming to a persistent storage medium for subsequent access therefrom.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the operations further include:

determining that unused storage space of the persistent storage medium is insufficient for storing the particular programming;

receiving further input corresponding to selection of a particular recorded content for deletion; and

deleting the particular recorded content from the persistent storage medium, thereby increasing the unused storage space.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the operations further include:

outputting, to the presentation device for display within the interactive interface, at least one advertisement for a service or package offered by the television provide based upon one or more particular attributes of the particular programming.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the operations further include:

perfecting initialization of or agreement to a subscription for the second source, wherein the input corresponds to selection of the second option and wherein receiving the particular programming includes receiving the particular programming from the second source.