Reservation information setting apparatus and method thereof

• US 7,996,867 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Uchida, Mami, Mizobuchi, Ayumi, Takeda, Kasumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US09/895,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,693 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A reservation information setting apparatus and a method thereof are capable of a setting recording reservation and a program viewing reservation of a target broadcast program correctly and easily. By performing given operations, a control section forms a calendar as a schedule table, and displays the calendar on a display. Schedule information and reservation information, including a program viewing reservation and a recording reservation, are input into a selected date through the displayed calendar.

Claims

1. A schedule apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving electronic program guide (EPG) information;

means for creating a calendar and displaying the created calendar on a display device;

means for determining whether a date from said calendar has been selected, for determining, when a date has been selected, whether a request for the EPG information has been made for the selected date, for determining, when the request for the EPG information has not been made, whether an input of user schedule information has been made for the selected date within a predetermined period of time, and for performing timeout if no request for the EPG information and no input of user schedule information has been made for the selected date during the predetermined period of time;

means, responsive to a determination from the determining means that the date has been selected, for accepting an input of user schedule information in which a user is able to edit a personal event or events of the selected day, and responsive to determinations from the determining means that the date has been selected and that the request for the EPG information has been made for causing said EPG information which comprises at least program guide information of the selected date to be displayed and for accepting a viewing reservation schedule for a desired electronic broadcast program or programs; and

means for controlling display of the schedule information of the user'"'"'s personal event or events and schedule information of the electronic broadcast program or programs to be viewed on said calendar,

the personal event or events comprising events unrelated to the request for the EPG information, and

the text of the schedule information of the electronic broadcast program or programs being displayed on the calendar, the text comprises at least the start time and the broadcast channel of the broadcast program or programs.

2. A method for providing a schedule on a display screen of a monitor device, said method comprising:

receiving electronic program guide (EPG) information;

creating a calendar and displaying the created calendar on the display screen;

determining whether a date from said calendar has been selected, and when a date from said calendar has been selected, whether a request for the EPG information has been made for the selected date, for determining, when the request for the EPG information has not been made, whether an input of user schedule information has been made for the selected date within a predetermined period of time, and performing timeout if no request for the EPG information and no input of user schedule information has been made for the selected date during the predetermined period of time;

in response to a determination that the date has been selected, accepting an input of user schedule information in which a user is able to edit a personal event or events of the selected day, and in response to determinations that the date has been selected and that the request for the EPG information has been made causing said EPG information which comprises at least program guide information of the selected date to be displayed and accepting a viewing reservation schedule for a desired electronic broadcast program or programs; and

controlling display of the schedule information of the user'"'"'s personal event or events and schedule information of the electronic broadcast program or programs to be viewed on said calendar,

the personal event or events comprising events unrelated to the request for the EPG information, and

the text of the schedule information of the electronic broadcast program or programs being displayed on the calendar, the text comprises at least the start time and the broadcast channel of the broadcast program or programs.