Real time personal channel
First Claim
1. A method of providing a viewer with a personal viewing channel that displays the viewer'"'"'s preferred programs irrespective of the true channel on which the programs are carried, said viewer'"'"'s preferred programs being compiled into a program listing prior to the viewer selecting the personal viewing channel, comprising the steps of:
- storing information indicative of the true channel and start broadcast time of each viewer preferred program based on the compiled program listing;
scrutinizing the stored information to identify which preferred program should appear on said personal viewing channel in accordance with its start broadcast time; and
displaying, on said personal viewing channel, said identified preferred program.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A viewer can select one of a plurality of personal channels on a set-top box (10) and receive preferred programming on that channel irrespective of the true channel on which such programs are actually carried. The set-top box stores a look-up table (38) that identifies for each personal channel, the start time and true channel for each preferred program associated with a corresponding personal channel. Upon selection of the personal channel, the look-up table is scrutinized to determine which preferred program should be selected. Upon selection, the preferred program is displayed on the personal channel.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of providing a viewer with a personal viewing channel that displays the viewer'"'"'s preferred programs irrespective of the true channel on which the programs are carried, said viewer'"'"'s preferred programs being compiled into a program listing prior to the viewer selecting the personal viewing channel, comprising the steps of:
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storing information indicative of the true channel and start broadcast time of each viewer preferred program based on the compiled program listing;
scrutinizing the stored information to identify which preferred program should appear on said personal viewing channel in accordance with its start broadcast time; and
displaying, on said personal viewing channel, said identified preferred program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
scrutinizing the stored information to identify which preferred program should appear on a second picture-in-picture display in accordance with its start time; and
displaying, on said second picture-in-picture display, said identified preferred program.
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15. A method of providing a viewer with a personal viewing channel that displays the viewer'"'"'s preferred programs irrespective of the actual channel on which the programs are broadcast, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a program listing of viewer preferred programs prior to the viewer selecting the personal viewing channel;
storing information indicative of the actual channel and start broadcast time of each of the viewer preferred programs;
scrutinizing the stored information to identify which of the preferred programs should appear on said personal viewing channel in accordance with their start broadcast time; and
displaying, on said personal viewing channel, said identified preferred program. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
scrutinizing the stored information to identify which preferred program should appear on a second picture-in-picture display in accordance with its start time; and
displaying, on said second picture-in-picture display, said identified preferred program.
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Specification