Program reminder system
First Claim
1. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way communication with a plurality of viewer stations having a video display operatively coupled to a controller, the head end providing to the viewer stations programming comprising a plurality of programs provided on a plurality of channels, the system including at least one interactive program guide for listing one or more of the plurality of programs, a method of reminding a user that a selected program is available, the method comprising the steps of:
- displaying the program guide on the video display;
selecting the selected program from the program guide;
setting a reminder tag associated with the selected program and the user, said reminder tag indicating that the user has requested to be reminded at a future time of the availability of the selected program;
storing the reminder tag at the head end;
monitoring the reminder tag to determine the future time; and
reminding the user at the future time that the selected program is available.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A program reminder system is provided to remind a user of an interactive viewing system when a preselected program is available. The interactive viewing system includes at least one program guide that allows user selection of a program for which a reminder is to be set. When a reminder has been set, the system displays a reminder panel shortly before the selected program becomes available. The reminder panel identifies the selected program, informs the user that it will shortly be available, and allows the user to turn to the appropriate channel for viewing the selected program.
660 Citations
19 Claims
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1. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way communication with a plurality of viewer stations having a video display operatively coupled to a controller, the head end providing to the viewer stations programming comprising a plurality of programs provided on a plurality of channels, the system including at least one interactive program guide for listing one or more of the plurality of programs, a method of reminding a user that a selected program is available, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying the program guide on the video display; selecting the selected program from the program guide; setting a reminder tag associated with the selected program and the user, said reminder tag indicating that the user has requested to be reminded at a future time of the availability of the selected program; storing the reminder tag at the head end; monitoring the reminder tag to determine the future time; and reminding the user at the future time that the selected program is available. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way communication with a plurality of viewer stations having a video display operatively coupled to a controller, the head end providing to the viewer stations programming comprising a plurality of programs provided on a plurality of channels, the head end storing program schedule information which identifies for the plurality of programs a time at which the program is available and a channel on which the program is available, the system including at least one interactive program guide for listing one or more of the plurality of programs, a method of reminding a user that a selected program is available, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying the program guide on the video display of the user'"'"'s viewer station; selecting the selected program from the program guide; setting a reminder tag associated with the selected program and the user, the reminder tag indicating that the user is to be reminded at a future time of the availability of the selected program; storing the reminder tag at the head end; monitoring the reminder tag to determine the future time; and displaying a reminder panel on the video display of the user'"'"'s viewer station at the future time, the future time being shortly before a time at which the selected program is available, the reminder panel identifying the selected program. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way communication with a plurality of viewer stations having a video display operably coupled to a controller, the head end providing to the viewer stations programming comprising a plurality of programs provided on a plurality of channels, the head end storing program schedule information which identifies for the plurality of programs a time at which the program is available and a channel on which the program is available, the system including at least one interactive program guide for listing one or more of the plurality of programs on the video display, a method for reminding a user that a selected program is available, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting the selected program from the program guide; setting a reminder tag associated with the selected program and the user, the reminder tag being stored at the head end and indicating that the user is to be reminded of the availability of the selected program at a future time, the future time being a predetermined time before the availability of the selected program; displaying a reminder panel on the video display at the future time; and allowing the user to respond to the reminder panel to turn directly to a channel on which the selected program is available. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way communication with a plurality of viewer stations having a video display operably coupled to a controller, the head end providing to the viewer stations programming comprising a plurality of programs provided on a plurality of channels, the head end storing program schedule information which identifies for the plurality of programs a time at which the program is available and a channel on which the program is available, the system including at least one interactive program guide for listing one or more of the plurality of programs on the video display, a system for reminding a user that a selected program is available, the system comprising:
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an input device for inputting user commands to the controller, the user commands including commands to cause the display of the program guide on the video display of the user'"'"'s viewer station, the user commands further including commands to allow the user to navigate through the program guide to display program information for the plurality of programs to locate and identify the selected program, wherein identification of the selected program in the program guide causes the controller to set a reminder tag associated with the user and the selected program, the reminder tag indicating that the user is to be reminded of the selected program at a future time; a communication system associated with the controller for communicating the reminder tag to the head end for monitoring to determine the future time, the communication system receiving from the head end a reminder signal at the future time; and a display system associated with the controller for displaying a reminder panel on the video display of the user'"'"'s viewer station at the future time the reminder panel being displayed in response to the reminder signal. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification