Automated detection/resumption of interrupted television programs
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring viewing of television programs in a television system, the method comprising:
- (a) automatically determining that a first showing of a television program has been interrupted in response to at least one of a channel change and a power on operation;
(b) accessing electronic program information to locate at least one repeat showing of the interrupted television program in response to determining that the first showing has been interrupted; and
(c) notifying a user of the repeat showing.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, program product and method access electronic program information in response to a determination that a showing of a television program has been interrupted to locate one or more repeat showings of the interrupted television program. Then, if a repeat showing is located for an interrupted television program, a number of different activities are performed, including but not limited to notifying the user of the repeat showing (either immediately or at a later time), setting a timer to remind the user of the repeat showing, automatically displaying the repeat showing, or automatically recording the repeat showing, among others. The determination that a showing of a television program has been interrupted may be responsive to manual input by a user (e.g., depression of a button on a remote control), or may be automated to be responsive to tracking what programs are being viewed in a television system (e.g., by tracking viewing times for one or more television programs). Moreover, for automated determinations of television program interruptions, such determinations may be performed at different times, e.g., after a channel change that occurs while a user is watching a television program, or during power on after a power off occurs while a viewer is watching a television program.
387 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring viewing of television programs in a television system, the method comprising:
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(a) automatically determining that a first showing of a television program has been interrupted in response to at least one of a channel change and a power on operation;
(b) accessing electronic program information to locate at least one repeat showing of the interrupted television program in response to determining that the first showing has been interrupted; and
(c) notifying a user of the repeat showing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-implemented method of automatically recording an interrupted television program, the method comprising:
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(a) automatically determining that a first showing of a television program has been interrupted in response to at least one of a channel change and a power on operation;
(b) accessing electronic program information to locate at least one repeat showing of the interrupted television program in response to determining that the first showing has been interrupted; and
(c) automatically controlling a storage device to record at least a portion of the repeat showing.
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20. A computer-implemented method of monitoring viewing of television programs in a television system, the method comprising:
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(a) tracking a viewing time associated with a first showing of a television program;
(b) determining that the first showing of the television program is interrupted by determining that the viewing time associated with the first showing exceeds a predetermined threshold when viewing of the first showing is terminated;
(b) accessing electronic program information to locate at least one repeat showing of the interrupted television program in response to determining that the first showing has been interrupted. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An apparatus configured to monitor viewing of television programs in a television system, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a memory; and
(b) a program resident in the memory and configured to automatically determine that a first showing of a television program has been interrupted in response to at least one of a channel change and a power on operation, to access electronic program information to locate at least one repeat showing of the interrupted television program in response to determining that the first showing has been interrupted, and to notify a user of the repeat showing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A program product for use in monitoring viewing of television programs in a television system, the program product comprising:
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(a) a program configured to automatically determine that a first showing of a television program has been interrupted in response to at least one of a channel change and a power on operation, to access electronic program information to locate at least one repeat showing of the interrupted television program in response to determining that the first showing has been interrupted, and to notify a user of the repeat showing; and
(b) a signal bearing medium bearing the program. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification