Electronic television program guide schedule system and method

• US 7,047,547 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Bruce, Morris, Michael, Youman, Roger, Alten, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/351,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 348/569, 348/564, 725/39, 725/30, 725/45, 725/46, 725/25, 725/28
• US Class Current: 725/28
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

An electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and program schedule information from the memory and displays a portion of the program schedule information in overlaying relationship with a television program appearing on a television channel in at least one mode of operation of the television programming guide. The data processor controls the video display generator with video control commands, issued in response to the user control commands, to display program schedule information for any chosen one of the plurality of television programs in overlaying relationship with at least one television program then appearing on any chosen one of the plurality of channels on the television receiver.

Claims

1. A method for using an electronic program guide to restrict access to program schedule information, the method comprising:

providing a user with the ability to set parental control options; and

restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options, wherein restricted program schedule information is capable of being viewed when a code is received from the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with channel identifier information in a schedule information database.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with rating information in a schedule information database.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with title information in a schedule information database.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with channel identifier information transmitted with a program signal.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with rating information transmitted with a program signal.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with title information transmitted with a program signal.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising restricting the ability to access television programming based on the parental control options.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with the ability to activate the parental control options.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with the ability to deactivate the parental control options.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises providing the user with the ability to indicate channels to which access is to be restricted.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises providing the user with the ability to indicate ratings of television programs to which access is to be restricted.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises providing the user with the ability to indicate television program titles to which access is to be restricted.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising unrestricting the ability to view the program schedule information that is restricted based on the parental control options by providing the user with the ability to submit a valid lockout code.

17. A system that implements an electronic program guide that restricts access to program schedule information, the system comprising:

means for providing a user with the ability to set parental control options; and

means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options, wherein restricted program schedule information is capable of being viewed when a code is received from the user.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with channel identifier information in a schedule information database.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with rating information in a schedule information database.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with title information in a schedule information database.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the means f or restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with channel identifier information transmitted with a program signal.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with rating information transmitted with a program signal.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises means for restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with title information transmitted with a program signal.

26. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for restricting the ability to access television programming based on the parental control options.

27. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for providing the user with the ability to activate the parental control options.

28. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for providing the user with the ability to deactivate the parental control options.

29. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises means for providing the user with the ability to indicate channels to which access is to be restricted.

30. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises means for providing the user with the ability to indicate ratings of television programs to which access is to be restricted.

31. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises means for providing the user with the ability to indicate television program titles to which access is to be restricted.

32. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for unrestricting the ability to view the program schedule information that is restricted based on the parental control options by providing the user with the ability to submit a valid lockout code.

33. A system that implements an electronic program guide that restricts access to program schedule information, the system comprising user television equipment configured to:

provide a user with the ability to set parental control options; and

restrict the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options, wherein restricted program schedule information is capable of being viewed when a code is received from the user.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to restrict the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the at least one record field comprises at least one record field associated with channel identifier information.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the at least one record field comprises at least one record field associated with rating information.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the at least one record field comprises at least one record field associated with title information.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to restrict the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the at least one code comprises at least one code associated with channel identifier information.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the at least one code comprises at least one code associated with rating information.

41. The system of claim 38 wherein the at least one code comprises at least one code associated with title information.

42. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to restrict the ability to access television programming based on the parental control options.

43. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to provide the user with the ability to activate the parental control options.

44. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to provide the user with the ability to deactivate the parental control options.

45. The system of claim 33 wherein the parental control options comprise an ability to indicate to channels to which access is to be restricted.

46. The system of claim 33 wherein the parental control options comprise comprises an ability to indicate ratings of television programs to which access is to be restricted.

47. The system of claim 33 wherein the parental control options comprise an ability to indicate television program titles to which access is to be restricted.

48. The system of claim 33 wherein the user television equipment is further configured to unrestrict the ability to view the program schedule information that is restricted based on the parental control options by providing the user with the ability to submit a valid lockout code.

49. Machine-readable media for use in a system in which an electronic program guide that restricts access to program schedule information is implemented on user television equipment, wherein the media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising:

providing a user with the ability to set parental control options; and

restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options, wherein restricted program schedule information is capable of being viewed when a code is received from the user.

50. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database.

51. The machine-readable media of claim 50 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with channel identifier information in a schedule information database.

52. The machine-readable media of claim 50 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with rating information in a schedule information database.

53. The machine-readable media of claim 50 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field in a schedule information database comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one record field associated with title information in a schedule information database.

54. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on the parental control options comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal.

55. The machine-readable media of claim 54 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with channel identifier information transmitted with a program signal.

56. The machine-readable media of claim 54 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with rating information transmitted with a program signal.

57. The machine-readable media of claim 54 wherein restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code transmitted with a program signal comprises restricting the ability to view program schedule information based on at least one code associated with title information transmitted with a program signal.

58. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for restricting the ability to access television programming based on the parental control options.

59. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for providing the user with the ability to activate the parental control options.

60. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for providing the user with the ability to deactivate the parental control options.

61. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises providing the user with the ability to indicate channels to which access is to be restricted.

62. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises providing the user with the ability to indicate ratings of television programs to which access is to be restricted.

63. The machine-readable media of claim 49 wherein providing the user with the ability to set parental control options comprises providing the user with the ability to indicate television program titles to which access is to be restricted.

64. The machine-readable media of claim 49 further encoded with machine-readable instructions for unrestricting the ability to view the program schedule information that is restricted based on the parental control options by providing the user with the ability to submit a valid lockout code.