Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording

• US 7,895,622 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Lemmons, Thomas R., Thomas, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US12/814,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 41, 725 93- 95, 386/86
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2318 using striping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2335 involving reformatting operations of audio signals, e.g. by converting from one coding standard to another details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• 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 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/47208 : for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• 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 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• 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 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 : Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• 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

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded.

Claims

1. A method for use in an interactive television program guide system in which television programs are recorded and played back on-demand, the method comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to indicate at least one program for recording by the remote media server;

recording the program with the remote media server in response to the user indicating a desire to record the program by the remote media server;

providing the user with an opportunity to indicate at least one program for recording by a local media server;

recording the program with a local media server in response to the user indicating a desire to record the program by the local media server; and

providing the user with an opportunity to indicate a desire to access a directory of program listings associated with programs recorded by the remote media server and with programs recorded by the local media server, wherein the programs were recorded in response to the user indicating a desire to record the programs with the remote media server or with the local media server; and

providing the directory of program listings associated with the programs recorded by the remote media server and programs recorded by the local media server in response to the user indicating the desire to access the directory of program listings.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising sorting the directory of program listings by title or theme in response to the user indicating a desire to access the directory of program listings sorted by title or theme.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising overlaying the directory of program listings over a program that the user is watching on user television equipment in response to the user indicating a desire to view the directory of program listings.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying information about at least one of the programs in response to the user indicating a desire to view information about the at least one of the programs.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically caching on the remote media server all programs as the programs are broadcast; and

playing back at least a portion of a cached program in response to the user indicating a desire to view at least a portion of the cached program.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising deleting a program recorded by the remote media server or the local media server in response to the user indicating a desire to delete the program.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically deleting programs recorded by the remote media server or the local media server.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the user with an opportunity to define a super-program sequence; and

playing back at least a portion of a program according to the super-program sequence.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording program associated data for the at least one program.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the program associated data comprises interactive content.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a directory of program listings associated with programs to be recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server in response to the user indicating a desire to view a directory of program listings associated with programs to be recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server, wherein the programs were indicated by the user for recording by the remote media server or by the local media server.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is not recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server and at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server, in response to the user indicating a desire to view program listings.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is not recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server and at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is to be recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server, in response to the user indicating a desire to view program listings.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to enter a parental control code in response to the user indicating a desire to play back a program with the remote media server or with the local media server.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the user with an opportunity to set a video format in which programs are recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server; and

recording programs in the video format.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically caching programs that are being viewed by users; and

playing back at least a portion of a cached program in response to the user indicating a desire to view at least a portion of the cached program.

17. An interactive television program guide system in which television programs are recorded and played back on-demand by a remote media server for a number of users, the system comprising:

a remote media server configured to store and retrieve programs on-demand for each user;

a local media server configured to store and retrieve programs on-demand for each user;

interactive program guide television equipment on which an interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide is configured to;

provide a user with an opportunity to indicate at least one program for recording by the remote media server;

provide the user with an opportunity to indicate at least one program for recording by the local media server;

provide the user with an opportunity to indicate a desire to access a directory of program listings associated with programs recorded by the remote media server and with programs recorded by the local media server, wherein the programs were recorded in response to the user indicating a desire to record the programs with the remote media server or with the local media server; and

provide the directory of program listings in response to the user indicating the desire to view the directory of program listings.

18. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to provide a directory of program listings sorted by title or theme in response to the user indicating a desire to access the directory of program listings sorted by title or theme.

19. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to overlay the directory of program listings over a program that the user is watching on user television equipment in response to the user indicating a desire to view a directory of program listings.

20. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to display information about at least one of the programs in response to the user indicating a desire to view information about the at least one of the programs.

21. The system defined in claim 17, wherein:

the remote media server is further configured to automatically cache all programs as the programs are broadcast; and

the remote media server is further configured to play back at least a portion of a cached program in response to the user indicating a desire to view at least a portion of the cached program with the interactive television program guide.

22. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the remote media server is further configured to delete a program recorded by the remote media server in response to the user indicating a desire to delete the program with the interactive television program guide and the local media server is further configured to delete a program recorded by the local media server in response to the user indicating a desire to delete the program with the interactive television program guide.

23. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the remote media server is further configured to automatically delete programs recorded by the remote media server and the local media server is further configured to automatically delete programs recorded by the local media server.

24. The system defined in claim 17, wherein:

the interactive television program guide is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to define a super-program sequence;

the remote media server is further configured to play back at least a portion of a program according to the super-program sequence; and

the local media server is further configured to play back at least a portion of a program according to the super-program sequence.

25. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the remote media server and the local media server are further configured to record program associated data for the at least one program.

26. The system defined in claim 25, wherein the program associated data comprises interactive content.

27. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to display a directory of program listings associated with programs to be recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server in response to the user indicating a desire to view a directory of program listings associated with programs to be recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server, wherein the programs were indicated by the user for recording by the remote media server or by the local media server.

28. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to display at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is not recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server and at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server, in response to the user indicating a desire to view program listings.

29. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to display at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is not recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server and at least one program listing associated with at least one program that is to be recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server, in response to the user indicating a desire to view program listings.

30. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the interactive television program guide is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to enter a parental control code in response to the user indicating a desire to play back a program with the remote media server or with the local media server.

31. The system defined in claim 17, wherein:

the interactive television program guide is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to set a video format in which programs are recorded by the remote media server or by the local media server;

the local media server is further configured to record programs in the video format; and

the remote media server is further configured to record programs in the video format.

32. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the remote media server and the local media server are further configured to:

automatically cache programs that are being viewed by users; and

play back at least a portion of a cached program in response to the user indicating a desire to view at least a portion of the cached program.