Video on demand methods and systems

• US 7,386,874 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mighdoll, Lee S., Goldman, Phillip Y., Bruck, Timo, White, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US10/930,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20050028197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725 45- 47, 725 52- 53, 725/62, 725/132, 725/134, 725/140, 725/142, 725/152, 725/55, 725/89, 725/100, 724/89, 724/134, 724/142
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers'"'"' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

Claims

1. A method of presenting video entertainment comprising:

receiving a composite signal comprising plural transmission channels;

mapping the transmission channels to plural viewing channels wherein viewing channels have monikers that distinguish different programming;

on certain of said viewing channels, providing broadcast programming channels;

displaying an electronic programming guide including at least said plural viewing channels and at least one additional viewing channel comprising a favorites channel listed amongst the plural viewing channels;

upon receiving an indication of the favorites channel selection, displaying a list of locally stored programs on a single favorites page; and

upon completion of viewing a selected locally stored program, the selected locally stored program is not deleted, but is overwritten when storage space is needed, wherein locally stored viewed programs are overwritten before locally stored non-viewed programs;

wherein displaying a list of locally stored programs on a single favorites page further comprises;

when there is a single locally recorded program, then automatically playing the single locally recorded program;

when there is more than one locally recorded program, then displaying the list of locally recorded programs.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording a favorite broadcast program when a terminal is not activated to display the favorite broadcast program.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising listing the recorded favorite broadcast program in the list of locally stored programs when the single favorites page is displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the list of locally stored programs on the single favorites page has the locally stored programs listed by title and length.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising playing back one of the locally stored programs upon receiving an indication of a selection made on the single favorites page.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the locally stored programs on a single favorites page are recorded from the broadcast programming channels.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the locally stored programs were recorded because a terminal was not activated to display a favorite broadcast program during broadcast.

8. A computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

9. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

receiving plural transmission channels;

mapping the transmission channels to plural viewing channels having monikers that distinguish different programming;

on certain of the plural viewing channels displaying broadcast programming;

displaying an electronic programming guide comprising the plural viewing channels and at least one additional viewing channel comprising a favorites channel listed amongst the other viewing channels; and

upon receiving a selection indication of the favorites channel, displaying a list of locally recorded programs;

wherein upon completion of viewing a selected locally recorded program, the selected locally recorded program is not deleted after viewing but is overwritten by a subsequent recording of a favorite broadcast program, and wherein the selected locally recorded program is overwritten instead of another locally recorded program because the selected locally recorded program was already viewed;

wherein displaying a list of locally stored programs further comprises;

when there is a single locally recorded program, then automatically playing the single locally recorded program;

when there is more than one locally recorded program, then displaying the list of locally recorded programs.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the list includes the title and length of the locally recorded programs.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions for recording the favorite broadcast program received on a transmission channel when a terminal is not activated to display the favorite broadcast program.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions for listing a recorded favorite broadcast program in the list of locally recorded programs.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions for playing back one of the locally recorded programs upon receiving an indication of a program selection.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein at least one of the locally recorded programs was recorded from broadcast programming.

15. A system for receiving a composite signal comprising plural transmission channels and providing entertainment, the system comprising:

a display;

a remote control;

a digital processor;

volatile and non-volatile memory;

at least one network connection; and

digital processor executable instructions for performing a method comprising,

mapping the transmission channels to viewing channels comprising monikers that distinguish different programming,

on certain of said viewing channels, providing broadcast programming channels,

displaying an electronic programming guide having the viewing channels and at least one additional viewing channel comprising a favorites channel listed amongst the other viewing channels,

displaying a list of locally stored programs upon receiving a selection of the favorites channel; and

upon completion of viewing a selected locally stored program, the selected locally stored program is not deleted, but is overwritten when disk space is needed, wherein viewed locally stored programs are overwritten before non-viewed locally stored programs;

wherein displaying a list of locally stored programs upon receiving a selection of a favorites channel further comprises;

when there is only a single locally stored program, automatically playing the single locally stored program upon receiving a selection of the favorites channel,

when there are at least two locally stored programs, displaying the list of locally stored programs upon receiving a selection of the favorites channel.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital processor executable instructions for performing a method further comprise instructions for recording a favorite broadcast program when the display is not activated to display the favorite broadcast program.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the digital processor executable instructions for performing a method further comprise instructions for listing the recorded favorite broadcast program in the list of locally stored programs when the favorites channel is selected.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the list of locally stored programs are listed by title and length.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital processor executable instructions for performing a method further comprise instructions for playing back one of the locally stored programs upon receiving an indication of a selection of a program in the list.

20. A system for receiving a composite signal comprising plural transmission channels and providing entertainment, the system comprising:

a display;

a remote control with a menu button;

a digital processor;

volatile and non-volatile memory;

at least one network connection; and

digital processor executable instructions for performing a method comprising,

mapping the transmission channels to viewing channels comprising monikers that distinguish different programming,

on certain of said viewing channels, providing broadcast programming channels,

displaying an electronic programming guide having the viewing channels and at least one additional viewing channel comprising a favorites channel listed amongst the other viewing channels,

monitoring viewing channels to determine at least one favorite television program;

if the display is not activated by a user to watch the at least one favorite television program, then storing the at least one favorite television program locally to the non-volatile memory if there is sufficient storage space in the non-volatile memory;

displaying a list of locally stored programs upon receiving a selection of the favorites channel, the list including the favorite television program, if stored;

displaying a playback user interface control panel upon receiving indication that the menu button on the remote control has been pressed; and

upon completion of viewing a selected locally stored program, the selected locally stored program is not deleted, but is overwritten when disk space is needed, wherein viewed locally stored programs are overwritten before non-viewed locally stored programs;

wherein displaying a list of locally stored programs upon receiving a selection of a favorites channel further comprises;

when there is only a single locally stored program, automatically playing the single locally stored program,

when there are at least two locally stored programs, displaying the list of locally stored programs.