Interactive media guidance system having multiple devices

• US 7,840,977 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Armaly, Samir B, Walker, Todd A, Knee, Robert A
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US11/324,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64792 Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16

Abstract

When selecting a television program for recording, a user may configure the delivery of the selected television program and associated data and interactive applications to different user equipment devices in a home network, which may have different capabilities. Because the user equipment devices in the home network may have different capabilities, the user may wish to deliver different types and amount of content, different amounts of data, and different versions of interactive applications to the user equipment devices in the home network.

Claims

1. A method for recording high-definition television programs comprising:

allowing a user to select a high-definition television program for recording from a first user equipment device;

determining if the selected television program is available in standard definition;

recording the high-definition and standard-definition versions of the selected television program, wherein the standard-definition version is recorded if determined to be available;

allowing a user to request to view the recorded program from a second user equipment device, wherein the first user equipment and the second user equipment are connected via a communications path; and

receiving the standard-definition version of the recorded program at the second user equipment device if the second user equipment device is not configured to display high-definition television programs.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising in response to determining that the standard definition version is not available, causing the high-definition version of the recorded television program to be converted into standard definition.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the converting is performed by a scaler and interlacer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the high-definition version of the recorded program is provided to the second user equipment device if the second user equipment device is capable of displaying high-definition television programs.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the high-definition version is recorded on the first user equipment device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein an interactive program guide is implemented on the first user equipment device and a user selects to record the high-definition television program using the interactive program guide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein an interactive program guide is implemented on the second user equipment device and a user requests to view the recorded program using the interactive program guide.

8. A system for recording high-definition television programs comprising:

a first user equipment device configured to;

allow a user to select a high-definition television program for recording;

determine if the selected television program is available in standard definition; and

cause the high-definition and standard-definition versions of the selected television program to be recorded, wherein the standard-definition version is recorded if determined to be available; and

a second user equipment device that is connected to the first user equipment device via a communications path and is configured to;

allow a user to request to view the recorded program; and

receive the standard-definition version of the recorded program if the second user equipment device is not configured to display high-definition television programs.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first user equipment device is further configured to cause the high-definition version of the recorded television program to be converted into standard definition in response to determining that the standard definition version is not available.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the converting is performed by a scaler and interlacer.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the high-definition version of the recorded program is provided to the second user equipment device if the second user equipment device is capable of displaying high-definition television programs.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the high-definition version is recorded on the first user equipment device.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein an interactive program guide is implemented on the first user equipment device and a user selects to record the high-definition television program using the interactive program guide.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein an interactive program guide is implemented on the second user equipment device and a user requests to view the recorded program using the interactive program guide.