Interactive television program guide for recording enhanced video content

• US 7,293,276 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, William L, Phillips, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US10/306,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20030126607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 725 41- 43, 725/60
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/812 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 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Interactive television systems and methods are provided for enhancing program guide content using recording and alert features for video related to promotions, advertisements, and other selectable displays presented in an interactive television application such as an interactive television program guide. An option to record video related to a selectable display may be presented to users. The option to record may be presented in an information display screen that is displayed in response to a user selecting a selectable display. The interactive television system may automatically record the related video in response to the user selecting the record option using a local or a network-based recording and storage device. Users may access a list of recordings that have been recorded. Other types of media may be integrated into the list, and listings may be selected and viewed by the user.

Claims

1. A method for using an interactive television program guide to allow a user to record a video related to an advertisement, comprising:

using the interactive television program guide to display a screen of interactive television program guide content including at least one selectable advertisement; and

in response to a single user selection of a selectable advertisement of the at least one selectable advertisement and without any further input from the user, both;

(1) using the interactive television program guide to display a screen of additional information that is related to the selected advertisement; and

(2) automatically scheduling a recording of a video related to the selected advertisement.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically scheduling a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement comprises scheduling a recording of the video on a network-based personal video recorder.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically scheduling a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement comprises scheduling a recording of the video on a personal video recorder at the user'"'"'s location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the video related to the selected advertisement comprises a video broadcast over a television channel to a user in a home.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an alert to notify the user when the video related to the selected advertisement has been recorded.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to record at least one additional video related to the selected advertisement.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to access a list of recorded videos.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to select a video from the list of recorded videos for viewing.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising allowing the user to control the playback of the selected video.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising allowing the user to set parental controls for the playback of the selected video.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving user input to automatically schedule all available videos related to the selected advertisement for recording at a later time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically scheduling a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement comprises copying the video to a network location accessible by the user.

13. User equipment for use in an interactive television system in which television programming is delivered to a plurality of users over communications paths, the user equipment for each user comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

display a screen of interactive television program guide content including at least one selectable advertisement; and

in response to a single user selection of a selectable advertisement of the at least one selectable advertisement and without any further input from the user, both;

(1) display a screen of additional information that is related to the selected advertisement; and

(2) automatically schedule a recording of a video related to the selected advertisement.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is configured to schedule a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement on a network-based personal video recorder.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is configured to schedule a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement on a personal video recorder at the user'"'"'s location.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the video related to the selected advertisement comprises a video broadcast over a television channel to a user in a home.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide an alert to notify the user when the video related to the selected advertisement has been recorded.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to record at least one additional video related to the selected advertisement.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to access a list of recorded videos.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to select a video from the list of recorded videos for viewing.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the user to control the playback of the selected video.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to set parental controls for the playback of the selected video.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is configured to automatically schedule all available videos related to the selected advertisement for recording at a later time.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is configured to copy the video related to the selected advertisement to a network location accessible by the user.

25. A machine-readable medium for use in allowing a user of an interactive television program guide to record a video related to an advertisement, comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

displaying a screen of interactive television program guide content including at least one selectable advertisement; and

in response to a single user selection of a selectable advertisement of the at least one selectable advertisement and without any further input from the user, both;

(1) displaying a screen of additional information that is related to the selected advertisement; and

(2) automatically scheduling a recording of a video related to the selected advertisement.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for scheduling a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement on a network-based personal video recorder.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for scheduling a recording of the video related to the selected advertisement on a personal video recorder at the user'"'"'s location.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the video related to the selected advertisement comprises a video broadcast over a television channel to a user in a home.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for providing an alert to notify the user when the video related to the selected advertisement has been recorded.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for providing the user with an opportunity to record at least one additional video related to the selected advertisement.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for providing the user with an opportunity to access a list of recorded videos.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising machine program logic for providing the user with an opportunity to select a video from the list of recorded videos for viewing.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising machine program logic for allowing the user to control the playback of the selected video.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising machine program logic for providing the user with an opportunity to set parental controls for the playback of the selected video.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for automatically scheduling all available videos related to the selected advertisement for recording at a later time.

36. The-machine-readable medium of claim 25 further comprising machine program logic for copying the video related to the selected advertisement to a network location accessible by the user.