System and method for expiration reminders of rentable media offerings

• US 7,155,733 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jerding, Dean F., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BELIVEAU, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US10/780,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/241 Operating system [OS] processes, e.g. server setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 : Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4782 : 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 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 : involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

The invention can be viewed as a system for providing media information to a user via an interactive media services client device coupled to a programmable media services server device. A method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes adding a media title to a media title list in response to user input.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (“

STT”

) comprising steps of;

providing a list of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles, wherein the currently viewable list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to a reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided a mechanism for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation that is currently available for on-demand viewing;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list;

providing a list of coming soon video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles, wherein the coming soon list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are scheduled to be available for on-demand viewing on a future release date and are not currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided a mechanism for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation that is not currently available for on-demand viewing;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list;

responsive to receiving viewer input requesting display of the reminder list, displaying the reminder list, including displaying on a single screen a plurality of titles, including titles of the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as entries in the displayed reminder list, wherein the displayed reminder list is distinct from the list of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the list of coming soon video-on-demand presentations, and wherein the future release date of the coming soon video-on-demand presentation is displayable through viewer selection of the title of the coming soon video-on-demand presentation in the reminder list;

determining whether a message should be provided to a viewer indicating that the currently available video-on-demand presentation will not be available for rent after a certain future date; and

responsive to both determining that the message should be provided and receiving additional viewer input requesting display of the list of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations, providing to the viewer a message separate from the reminder list that the currently available video-on-demand presentation will not be available for rent after the certain future date.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying on the single screen titles of the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as entries in the displayed reminder list includes displaying the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as intermingled entries in a list arranged alphabetically by titles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying on the single screen titles of the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as entries in the displayed reminder list includes displaying the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation in a currently viewable sub-list and displaying the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation in a coming soon sub-list.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the currently viewable sub-list and the coming soon sub-list are displayed in a side-by-side visual arrangement on the screen.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein navigational control is provided to the viewer for transitioning between the currently viewable sub-list and the coming soon sub-list for selection of items listed in the currently viewable sub-list and the coming soon sub-list.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the message includes an option to rent the currently available video-on-demand presentation.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the message is configured as a barker screen.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the message further includes an option to remove the video-on-demand presentation from the reminder list.

9. A television set-top terminal (“

STT”

) comprising;

memory configured to store program code; and

a processor programmed by the program code to enable the STT to provide the functions of,

providing a list of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles, wherein the currently viewable list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to a reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided a mechanism for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation that is currently available for on-demand viewing;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular currently viewable video-on-demand presentation listed on the currently viewable video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list;

providing a list of coming soon video-on-demand presentations listed by their respective titles, wherein the coming soon list identifies video-on-demand presentations that are scheduled to be available for on-demand viewing on a future release date and are not currently available for on-demand viewing;

presenting an option to a viewer for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list, wherein a viewer is provided a mechanism for indicating interest in being reminded at a future time about a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation that is not currently available for on-demand viewing;

receiving viewer input selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list in response to the option provided for selecting a particular coming soon video-on-demand presentation listed on the coming soon video-on-demand presentations list to be added to the reminder list;

responsive to receiving viewer input requesting display of the reminder list, displaying the reminder list, including displaying on a single screen a plurality of titles, including titles of the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as entries in the displayed reminder list, wherein the displayed reminder list is distinct from the list of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations and the list of coming soon video-on-demand presentations, and wherein the future release date of the coming soon video-on-demand presentation is displayable through viewer selection of the title of the coming soon video-on-demand presentation in the reminder list;

determining whether a message should be provided to a viewer indicating that the currently available video-on-demand presentation will not be available for rent after a certain future date; and

responsive to both determining that the message should be provided and receiving additional viewer input requesting display of the list of currently viewable video-on-demand presentations, providing to the viewer a message separate from the reminder list that the currently available video-on-demand presentation will not be available for rent after the certain future date.

10. The STT of claim 9, wherein the displaying on the single screen titles of the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as entries in the displayed reminder list includes displaying the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as intermingled entries in a list arranged alphabetically by titles.

11. The STT of claim 9, wherein the displaying on the single screen titles of the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation and the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation as entries in the displayed reminder list includes displaying the selected currently viewable video-on-demand presentation in a currently viewable sub-list and displaying the selected coming soon video-on-demand presentation in a coming soon sub-list.

12. The STT of claim 11, wherein the currently viewable sub-list and the coming soon sub-list are displayed in a side-by-side visual arrangement on the screen.

13. The STT of claim 12, wherein navigational control is provided to the viewer for transitioning between the currently viewable sub-list and the coming soon sub-list for selection of items listed in the currently viewable sub-list and the coming soon sub-list.

14. The STT of claim 11, wherein the message includes an option to rent the currently available video-on-demand presentation.

15. The STT of claim 11, wherein the message is configured as a barker screen.

16. The STT of claim 11, wherein the message further includes an option to remove the video-on-demand presentation from the reminder list.