Client-server electronic program guide

• US 7,065,709 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Lemmons, Thomas R., Thomas, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LE V
• Application Number:
  US10/298,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 715716-722, 715/744, 715/745, 725 37- 61
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/73 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• 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

Abstract

A client-server interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide client is implemented on user television equipment. The interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to define expressions that are processed by the program guide server. The program guide server may provide program guide data, schedules reminders, schedules program recordings, and parentally locks programs based on the expressions. Users'"'"' viewing histories may be tracked. The program guide server may analyze the viewing histories and generates viewing recommendations, targets advertising, and collects program ratings information based on the viewing histories.

Claims

1. A method for use in a client-server interactive program guide system for scheduling reminders according to user defined expressions and providing a customized viewing experience to a user based on programs having scheduled reminders, comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive program guide client implemented on user equipment without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

storing the expression on a program guide server;

processing the expression with the program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression;

scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression;

determining at least one program criteria associated with the programs that satisfy the expression;

determining a set of programs for which reminders have not yet been scheduled; and

applying the at least one associated program criteria to the set of programs for which reminders have not yet been scheduled to generate at least one personal viewing recommendation.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises providing at least one message from the program guide server to the program guide client before each of the programs that satisfy the expression begin.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises providing program identifiers for each of the programs that satisfy the expression from the program guide server to the program guide client, wherein the program identifiers are used by the program guide client to generate reminders prior to the start of the programs.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein scheduling reminders for programs that satisfy the expression further comprises, for each of the programs that satisfy the expression, storing a program listing and an associated program criteria in a viewing history database.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of:

providing the user with an opportunity to tune to the personal viewing recommendation,

scheduling with the program guide server a reminder for the personal viewing recommendation;

scheduling with the program guide server the personal viewing recommendation for recording; and

providing the user with an opportunity to order the personal viewing recommendation.

4. A method for use in a client-server interactive program guide system for scheduling programs for recording according to user defined expressions and providing a customized viewing experience to a user based on the scheduled programs, comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive program guide client implemented on user equipment without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

storing the expression on a program guide server;

processing the expression with the program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression;

scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording;

determining at least one program criteria associated with the programs that satisfy the expression;

determining a set of programs not yet scheduled for recording; and

applying the at least one associated program criteria to the set of programs not yet scheduled for recording to generate at least one personal viewing recommendation.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording comprises scheduling the recording of the programs that satisfy the expression at the user equipment.

6. The method defined in claim 4 wherein scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording comprises scheduling the recording of the programs that satisfy the at the program guide server.

23. The method of claim 4 wherein scheduling programs that satisfy the expression for recording further comprises, for each of the programs that satisfy the expression, storing a program listing and an associated program criteria in a viewing history database.

24. The method of claim 4 further comprising at least one of:

providing the user with an opportunity to tune to the personal viewing recommendation,

scheduling with the program guide server a reminder for the personal viewing recommendation;

scheduling with the program guide server the personal viewing recommendation for recording; and

providing the user with an opportunity to order the personal viewing recommendation.

7. A client-server interactive program guide system for scheduling reminders according to user defined expressions and providing a customized viewing experience to a user based on programs having scheduled reminders, comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive program guide client is implemented, wherein the program guide client is programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to define an expression without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

a communications path over which the expression is provided by the interactive program guide client to a program guide server, wherein the program guide server is programmed to find programs that satisfy the expression, to schedule reminders for programs that satisfy the expression, to determine at least one program criteria associated with the programs that satisfy the expression, to determine a set of programs for which reminders have not yet been scheduled, and to apply the at least one program criteria to the set of programs for which reminders have not yet been scheduled to generate at least one personal viewing recommendation.

8. The system defined in claim 7 wherein scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises providing at least one message from the program guide server to the program guide client before each of the programs that satisfy the expression begin.

9. The system defined in claim 7 wherein the program guide server is further programmed to provide program identifiers for each of the programs that satisfy the expression to the interactive television program guide client over the communications path, wherein the program identifiers are used by the interactive program guide client to generate the reminders prior to the start of the programs.

10. A client-server interactive program guide system for scheduling programs for recording according to user defined expressions and providing a customized viewing experience to a user based on the scheduled programs, comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive program guide client is implemented, wherein the interactive program guide client is programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to define an expression without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

a communications path over which the expression is provided by the interactive program guide client to a program guide server, wherein the program guide server is programmed to find programs that satisfy the expression, and to schedule the programs that satisfy the expression for recording, to determine at least one program criteria associated with the programs that satisfy the expression, to determine a set of programs not yet scheduled for recording, and to apply the at least one program criteria to the set of programs not yet scheduled for recording to generate at least one personal viewing recommendation.

11. The system defined in claim 10 wherein:

the user television equipment comprises a storage device; and

the program guide server is further programmed to schedule the programs that satisfy the expression for recording by the storage device.

12. The system defined in claim 10 wherein the program guide server comprises a storage device on which the programs that satisfy the expression are stored.

13. A method for use in an interactive program guide system for providing a customized viewing experience to a user, comprising:

generating a viewing history database comprising program listings and associated program criteria;

determining at least one of the associated program criteria from the viewing history database that meets a user preference profile;

determining from a program listing database a set of programs not yet watched;

applying the at least one of the associated program criteria to the set of programs not yet watched to generate at least one personal viewing recommendation; and

providing the personal viewing recommendation to a user.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein generating a viewing history database comprises storing the program listings and the associated program criteria for at least one of:

programs that the user has watched;

programs for which the user has scheduled reminders;

programs for which the user has scheduled for recording;

programs for which the user has searched; and

programs for which the user has ordered.

15. The method defined in claim 13 wherein the associated program criteria comprises at least one of program categories, ratings, casting, and languages.

16. The method defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one of the associated program criteria is the same as at least one criteria defined in the user preference profile.

17. An interactive program guide system for providing a customized viewing experience to a user, comprising:

user equipment on which an interactive program guide client is implemented, wherein the interactive program guide client is operative to provide the user with an opportunity to create a user preference profile;

a communications path over which the user preference profile is provided by the interactive program guide client to a program guide server, wherein the program guide server comprises;

a first database comprising program listings and associated program criteria based on the user'"'"'s viewing history at the interactive program guide client,

a second database comprising program listings available from the program guide server, and

processing circuitry operative (1) to determine at least one of the associated program criteria from the first database that meets the user preference profile, (2) to determine from the second database a set of programs not yet watched by the user at the interactive program guide client, (3) to apply the at least one of the associated program criteria to the set of programs not yet watched to generate at least one personal viewing recommendation, and (4) to provide the personal viewing recommendation to the user at the interactive program guide client over the communications path.

18. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the first database comprising program listings and associated program criteria is based on at least one of:

programs that the user has watched;

programs for which the user has scheduled reminders;

programs for which the user has scheduled for recording;

programs for which the user has searched; and

programs for which the user has ordered.

19. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the associated program criteria comprises at least one of program categories, ratings, casting, and languages.

20. The system defined in claim 17 wherein at least one of the associated program criteria is the same as at least one criteria defined in the user preference profile.