Viewer selection of programs to be subsequently delivered
First Claim
1. A method for allowing a user to receive programs desired by said user, said method comprising:
- accepting from said user information pertaining to a program desired to be viewed by said user;
storing said user information on a user device at a location of said user;
matching by a first entity, other than said user, said accepted user information stored on said user device at said user location against a list of known programs currently scheduled to be delivered to users;
upon a non-match condition making said user request available for discovery at the initiative of potential content providers by setting a flag on said user device at said user location, said potential content provider being an entity different from said first entity;
matching, by said potential content provider, information available to said content provider against said user request; and
delivering programs to said user from said potential content provider which match said accepted descriptive material.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Television users may record abstracts of programs that they desire and program providers may access the recorded program abstracts from time to time so as to provide the program content that matches the requested program. In one embodiment, the user may select a TV program (or movie) that is not currently available and then at a time subsequent thereto that program is made available to the user, either privately, or over the public network. In another embodiment, users of the system may record program requests. Program providers may then access these requests from time to time and provide the requested program, even if the program had not been available at the time the request was initially posted.
49 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for allowing a user to receive programs desired by said user, said method comprising:
-
accepting from said user information pertaining to a program desired to be viewed by said user; storing said user information on a user device at a location of said user; matching by a first entity, other than said user, said accepted user information stored on said user device at said user location against a list of known programs currently scheduled to be delivered to users; upon a non-match condition making said user request available for discovery at the initiative of potential content providers by setting a flag on said user device at said user location, said potential content provider being an entity different from said first entity; matching, by said potential content provider, information available to said content provider against said user request; and delivering programs to said user from said potential content provider which match said accepted descriptive material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for delivering entertainment programs to a user, said system comprising:
-
means for allowing said user to input and store desired programs on a device controlled by and at a location of said user; means independent from said user'"'"'s control for determining which, if any, of said stored desired programs are currently available to said user;
said determining means controlled, at least in part, by a first program provider in communication with said user;means controlled in part by said determining means for informing said user that one or more of said stored desired programs are currently available and for subsequently informing said viewer that desired programs which were determined not to have been currently available to said user have become available; and wherein said determining means includes; means for allowing at least one potential program provider other than said first program provider to review determined unavailable desired programs by setting a flag on said user controlled device, to determine if said potential program provider can deliver to said user one or more of said unavailable desired stored programs. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for allowing a user to receive entertainment programs desired by said user, said method comprising:
-
recording, under control of said user, and on a device controlled by and at a location of said user requests pertaining to a program desired to be viewed by said user;
said desired programs not necessarily currently scheduled, either as stand-alone programs, programs which are part of a series, or programs which have not yet been created for availability to said user;accessing recorded ones of said requests by other than said user; determining, at least in part independent of control by said user, whether or not a program corresponding to an accessed request is currently scheduled so as to be available for delivery to said user; upon a determination that there are no currently scheduled programs matching an accessed request, making said user request available by setting a flag on said user controlled device so that potential third party content providers may determine if they have content matching a request identified by said flag; and allowing said potential content provider to deliver to said user electronically a program corresponding to said user-requested program only after both said user and said potential content provider are in agreement as to terms of said delivery. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification