Personal editing system

• US 6,286,141 B1
• Filed: 05/22/1997
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Soundview Technologies Inc (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soundview Technologies Inc (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Elam, Carl M., Schmidt, David H., Browne, H. Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/861,741
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/10, 348/906, 348/460, 348/734, 348/725, 348/563, 348/564, 725/39-47, 725/53-58
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A personal editing apparatus and method allowing a user to enter program selection criteria and based on those criteria, and received extended data, display personalized programming information to the user.

Claims

1. A television editing system comprising:

an input device for receiving and buffering externally provided television programming information;

a data sorter for extracting and sorting additional data associated with the input television programming information;

memory means for separately storing the additional data;

a user control for inputting television programming criteria to identify programming;

a signal receiving unit for receiving signals, the signals including the television programming criteria;

a display controller, coupled to the memory means, for controlling display of personalized information about television programming based on the stored additional data and the television programming criteria; and

a signal transceiver for relaying signals between the signal receiving unit and a receiver, the signals including a channel selection signal to automatically change the channel on the receiver so that the personalized information can be displayed.

2. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes means for receiving the television programming information from one of an antenna, a cable, a direct broadcast satellite, a fiber optic cable, and a telephone line.

3. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the additional data is input from one of a television, radio, telephone line, and external storage device.

4. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the user control comprises one of an infrared remote control, a keyboard, a card reader, a scanner, and a magnetic disc reader, and a memory recording device.

5. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the input device, the data sorter, the memory means, the signal receiving unit, and the display controller is incorporated within a television receiver.

6. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the system is external to a television receiver.

7. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the display controller includes means for coupling to a television receiver.

8. The television editing system according to claim 6, wherein the input device includes means for receiving the television programming information via an IF signal output from the television receiver.

9. The television editing system according to claim 8, wherein the input device further comprises an IF probe coupled to the television receiver for detecting the IF signal output from the television receiver.

10. The television editing system according to claim 7, wherein the coupling means comprises a video-out connection.

11. The television editing system according to claim 1, further comprising v-chip circuitry to prevent display of television programming having a rating greater than a preselected rating.

12. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the user control comprises a memory device for storing a previously selected channel number.

13. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of users can input television programming criteria such that the display controller controls display of personalized information regarding each of the plurality of users.

14. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the personalized information is displayed as a picture within a picture on a television display screen.

15. The television editing system according to claim 1, further comprising scanning and displaying means for scanning and displaying selected television programs identified by the personalized information.

16. The television editing system according to claim 1, further comprising an identification entry device for entry of a personalized identification number prior to entry of the television programming criteria.

17. The television editing system according to claim 1, further comprising a program history library for storing program time and channel information.

18. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the signal transceiver is incorporated within the user control.

19. The television editing system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises one of a television receiver, a cable receiver, or a satellite receiver.

20. A television editing system comprising:

a user control for inputting television programming criteria to identify programming;

a signal receiving unit for receiving signals, the signals including the television programming criteria;

a program history library for storing information related to viewing habits of a user of the television editing apparatus based on the input television programming criteria

a display controller, coupled to the memory means, for controlling display of personalized information about television programming based on the stored information in the program history library; and

a signal transceiver for relaying signals between the signal receiving unit and a receiver, the signals including a channel selection signal to automatically change the channel on the receiver so that the personalized information can be displayed.

21. The television editing system according to claim 20, further comprising a monitoring device allowing for monitoring of the program history library of another user.

22. The television editing system according to claim 20, further comprising an input device for receiving and buffering externally provided television programming information.

23. The television editing system according to claim 22, wherein the input device includes means for receiving the television programming information from one of an antenna, a cable, a direct broadcast satellite, a fiber optic cable, and a telephone line.

24. The television editing system according to claim 22, wherein the user control comprises one of an infrared remote control, a keyboard, a card reader, a scanner, and a magnetic disc reader, and a memory recording device.

25. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the signal receiving unit, the program history library, and the display controller is incorporated within a television receiver.

26. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein the system is external to a television receiver.

27. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein the display controller includes means for coupling to a television receiver.

28. The television editing system according to claim 27, wherein the coupling means comprises a video-out connection.

29. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein the user control comprises a memory device for storing a previously selected channel number.

30. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein a plurality of users can input television programming criteria such that the display controller controls display of personalized information regarding each of the plurality of users.

31. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein the personalized information is displayed as a picture within a picture on a television display screen.

32. The television editing system according to claim 20, further comprising scanning and displaying means for scanning and displaying selected television programs identified by the personalized information.

33. The television editing system according to claim 20, further comprising an identification entry device for entry of a personalized identification number prior to entry of the television programming criteria.

34. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein the signal transceiver is incorporated within the user control.

35. The television editing system according to claim 20, wherein the receiver comprises one of a television receiver, a cable receiver, or a satellite receiver.

36. A method of editing a program display comprising the steps of:

acquiring additional data from received television programming;

entering program parameters identifying desired programming using a user control;

building a list of program information based on the additional data and the program parameters;

controlling a receiver by relaying signals through the user control, the signals including a channel selection signal to automatically change the channel on the receiver so that the list of program information can be displayed;

displaying the list of program information; and

selecting a program from the list.

37. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein the acquiring step includes the substep of acquiring the received television programming information from one of an antenna, a cable, a direct broadcast satellite, a fiber optic cable, and a telephone line.

38. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein the acquiring step includes the substep of acquiring the additional data from one of a television, radio, telephone line, and external storage device.

39. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein the entering step includes the substep of entering the program parameters with a user control comprising one of an infrared remote control, a keyboard, a card reader, a scanner, and a magnetic disc reader, and a memory recording device.

40. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein at least one of the acquiring, the building, and the controlling steps is performed within a television receiver.

41. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein at least one of the acquiring, the building and the controlling steps is performed external to a television receiver.

42. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein the displaying step includes the substep of coupling to a television receiver.

43. The editing method according to claim 41, wherein the acquiring step comprises the substep of receiving the television programming information via an IF signal output from the television receiver.

44. The editing method according to claim 43, wherein the acquiring step further comprises the substep of detecting the IF signal output from the television receiver via an IF probe coupled to the television receiver.

45. The editing method according to claim 42, wherein the coupling substep comprises coupling to a video-out connection of the television receiver.

46. The editing method according to claim 36, further the step of preventing displace of television programming having a rating greater than a preselected rating.

47. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein the entering step comprises storing a previously selected channel number.

48. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein a plurality of users can enter program parameters so that a separate list of program information can be displayed for each of the plurality of users.

49. The editing method according to claim 36, comprising the step of displaying the program information as a picture within a picture on a television display screen.

50. The editing method according to claim 36, further comprising the steps of scanning and displaying selected television programs identified by the program information.

51. The editing method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of entering a personalized identification number prior to the step of entering program parameters.

52. The television editing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising the step of storing program time and channel information in a program history library.

53. The editing method according to claim 36, wherein the receiver comprises one of a television receiver, a cable receiver, or a satellite receiver.

54. A method of editing a program display comprising the steps of:

inputting television programming criteria to identify programming using a user control;

storing information in a program history library related to viewing habits of a user based on the input television programming criteria;

building a list of program information based on the stored information in the program history library;

controlling a receiver by relaying signals through the user control, the signals including a channel selection signal to automatically change the channel on the receiver so that the list of program information can be displayed;

displaying the list of program information;

selecting a program from the list.

55. The editing method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of monitoring the program history library of another user.

56. The editing method according to claim 54, further comprising receiving and buffering externally provided television programming information.

57. The editing method according to claim 56, wherein the receiving step includes the substep of receiving the television programming information from one of an antenna, a cable, a direct broadcast satellite, a fiber optic cable, and a telephone line.

58. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein the inputting step includes the substep of inputting the program parameters with a user control comprising one of an infrared remote control, a keyboard, a card reader, a scanner, and a magnetic disc reader, and a memory recording device.

59. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein the at least one of the storing, the building, and the controlling steps is performed within a television receiver.

60. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein the at least one of the storing, the building, and the controlling steps is performed external to a television receiver.

61. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein the displaying step includes the substep of coupling to a television receiver.

62. The editing method according to claim 61, wherein the coupling substep comprises coupling to a video-out connection of the television receiver.

63. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein the controlling step comprises storing a previously selected channel number.

64. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein a plurality of users can enter program parameters so that a separate list of program information can be displayed for each of the plurality of users.

65. The editing method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of displaying the program information as a picture within a picture on a television display screen.

66. The editing method according to claim 54, further comprising scanning and displaying selected television programs identified by the programming criteria.

67. The editing method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of entering a personalized identification number prior to the step of entering program parameters.

68. The editing method according to claim 54, wherein the receiver comprises one of a television receiver, a cable receiver, or a satellite receiver.