Interactive program guide with continuous data stream and client-server data supplementation

• US 8,151,296 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Hassell, Joel G., Thomas, William L., Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALCE, JASON P
• Application Number:
  US12/705,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725 35- 36, 725/40, 725/42, 725 48- 50, 725/136, 725/58
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment obtains program guide data from two data delivery mechanisms. Current program guide data is obtained from a continuous data stream. Other program guide data (which may include the current program guide data) is obtained by the program guide from a program guide server. The continuous data stream may also include program and program grouping identifiers. The program guide may perform real-time actions associated with programs identified in the continuous data stream.

Claims

1. A system for providing program guide data that includes unique identifiers associated with programs, the system comprising:

a continuous data stream processor configured to select a particular unique identifier associated with a particular program for inclusion in a continuous data stream;

distribution equipment configured to distribute the particular unique identifier to user equipment in the continuous data stream when the particular program is currently being broadcasted; and

an interactive program guide implemented on the user equipment configured to;

monitor the continuous data stream for the presence of the particular unique identifier, wherein the presence of the particular unique identifier indicates when the particular program is being currently broadcasted;

perform a real-time action associated with the particular program when the particular unique identifier is detected in the continuous data stream; and

prefetch current program guide data from the continuous data stream when the real-time action is performed.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the particular program belongs to a program grouping, and wherein the interactive program guide is configured to perform an action associated with at least one other program belonging to the program grouping when the particular unique identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

3. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the real-time action comprises authorizing a viewing of the particular program, wherein the particular program is a pay-per-view program.

4. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the real-time action comprises displaying a program reminder for the particular program.

5. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the real-time action comprises recording the particular program.

6. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the real-time action comprises locking the particular program and prompting a user for a control code.

7. The system defined in claim 1, wherein:

the particular unique identifier is a program grouping identifier associated with a program grouping for the particular program, and wherein the interactive program guide is configured to perform an action associated with at least one other program belonging to the program grouping when the program grouping identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

8. The system defined in claim 1 wherein:

the particular unique identifier is a program grouping identifier associated with a program grouping for the particular program; and

the real-time action comprises recording the particular program when the program grouping identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

9. The system defined in claim 1 wherein:

the particular unique identifier is a program grouping identifier associated with a program grouping for the particular program; and

the real-time action comprises locking the particular program and prompting a user for a control code when the program grouping identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

10. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to store the particular unique identifier and the real-time action associated with the particular unique identifier.

11. The system defined in claim 10, wherein interactive program guide is further configured to expire the real-time action associated with the particular unique identifier if the particular unique identifier is not detected in the continuous data stream within a predefined period of time, thereby causing the interactive program guide to halt monitoring for the presence of the particular unique identifier.

12. The system defined in claim 1, wherein:

the program guide data includes first and second types of program guide data; and

the distribution equipment is configured to distribute the first type of program guide data in the continuous data stream at a first repetition rate, and to distribute the second type of program guide data in the continuous data stream at a second repetition rate that is different from the first repetition rate.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the continuous data stream processor is configured to assign a respective priority to each of the first and second types of program data; and

the distribution equipment is configured to determine the first and second repetition rates based at least in part on the respective priority assigned to the first and second types of program data.

14. A method implemented on user equipment for providing program guide data that includes unique identifiers associated with programs, the method comprising:

selecting a particular unique identifier associated with a particular program for inclusion in a continuous data stream;

distributing the particular unique identifier to the user equipment in the continuous data stream only when the particular program is being currently broadcasted;

monitoring the continuous data stream for the presence of the particular unique identifier, wherein the presence of the particular unique identifier indicates when the particular program is being currently broadcasted;

performing a real-time action associated with the particular program when the particular unique identifier is detected in the continuous data stream; and

prefetching current program guide data from the continuous data stream by the interactive program guide when the real-time action is performed.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the particular program belongs to a program grouping, the method further comprising performing an action associated with at least one other program belonging to the program grouping when the particular unique identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

16. The method defined in claim 14, wherein performing the real-time action comprises authorizing a viewing of the particular program, wherein the particular program is a pay-per-view program.

17. The method defined in claim 14, wherein performing the real-time action comprises displaying a program reminder for the particular program.

18. The method defined in claim 14, wherein performing the real-time action comprises recording the particular program.

19. The method defined in claim 14, wherein performing the real-time action comprises locking the particular program and prompting a user for a control code.

20. The method defined in claim 14, wherein one or more of the unique identifiers is a program grouping identifier associated with a program grouping for the particular program, the method further comprising performing an action associated with at least one other program belonging to the program grouping when the program grouping identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

21. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the particular unique identifier is a program grouping identifier associated with a program grouping for the particular program, and wherein performing the real-time action comprises recording the particular program when the program grouping identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

22. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the particular unique identifiers is a program grouping identifier associated with a program grouping for the particular program, and wherein performing the real-time action comprises locking the particular program and prompting a user for a control code when the program grouping identifier is detected in the continuous data stream.

23. The method defined in claim 14 further comprising storing the unique identifier and the real-time action associated with the unique identifier.

24. The method defined in claim 23, further comprising expiring the real-time action associated with the unique identifier if the unique identifier is not detected in the continuous data stream within a predefined period of time, thereby halting the monitoring for the presence of the unique identifier.

25. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the program guide data includes first and second types of program guide data, the method further comprising:

distributing the first type of program guide data in the continuous data stream at a first repetition rate; and

distributing the second type of program guide data in the continuous data stream at a second repetition rate that is different from the first repetition rate.

26. The method defined in claim 25 further comprising:

assigning to each of the first and second types of program data a respective priority; and

determining the first and second repetition rates based at least in part on the respective priority assigned to the first and second types of program data.