Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders

• US 7,971,222 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US12/827,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 725/87, 725/91, 725 93- 97
• US Class Current: 725/91
• 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 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• 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 21/2747 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4343 Extraction or processing of packetized elementary streams [PES]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.

Claims

1. A method of providing a plurality of users access to recordings of a plurality of broadcast television programs having scheduled start-times and end-times, wherein the plurality of broadcast television programs are broadcast to the users, the method comprising:

selectively recording a subset of the plurality of broadcast programs on storage of a server remote to the users, based on popularity of the subset;

providing a first user of the plurality of users at a first user device with access to at least a portion of a first recorded broadcast program of the subset during a retention-period; and

removing the recorded first broadcast program from the storage at the end of the retention-period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the first user device to tune to the first broadcast program at a tune-time, wherein the tune-time is after the scheduled start-time of the first broadcast program;

determining that the start-time of the first broadcast program has elapsed; and

providing, upon determining, the portion of the recorded first broadcast program to the first user device, wherein the portion corresponds to a portion of the first broadcast program that was broadcasted by the facility prior to the tune-time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion is accessed before the end of the retention-period.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request, at the remote server, from the first user device to access the recorded first broadcast program; and

transmitting the portion of the recorded first broadcast program from the remote server to the first user device upon receiving the request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded first broadcast program is no longer accessible after the retention-period elapses.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the popularity of the subset is based the popularity of at least one program of the subset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the popularity of the subset is based on the popularity of at least one channel that provides at least one program of the subset.

8. A system for providing a plurality of users access to recordings of a plurality of broadcast television programs having scheduled start-times and end-times, wherein the plurality of broadcast television programs are broadcast to the users, the system comprising:

a server remote to the users configured to;

selectively record a subset of the plurality of broadcast programs on storage of a server remote to the users, based on popularity of the subset;

provide a first user of the plurality of users at a first user device with access to at least a portion of a first recorded broadcast program of the subset during a retention-period; and

remove the recorded first broadcast program from the storage at the end of the retention-period.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server remote to the users is further configured to:

receive a request from the first user device to tune to the first broadcast program at a tune-time, wherein the tune-time is after the scheduled start-time of the first broadcast program;

determine that the start-time of the first broadcast program has elapsed; and

provide, upon determining, the portion of the recorded first broadcast program to the first user device, wherein the portion corresponds to a portion of the first broadcast program that was broadcasted by the facility prior to the tune-time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the portion is accessed before the end of the retention-period.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the server remote to the users is further configured to:

receive a request from the first user device to access the recorded first broadcast program; and

transmit the portion of the recorded first broadcast program to the first user device upon receiving the request.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the recorded first broadcast program is no longer accessible after the retention-period elapses.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the popularity of the subset is based the popularity of at least one program of the subset.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the popularity of the subset is based on the popularity of at least one channel that provides at least one program of the subset.