Broadcast programming guide

• US 8,429,688 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silver, Edward Michael, Roberts, Linda Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US09/955,217
• Time in Patent Office: 4,234 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• 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 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for generating a broadcast programming guide. Based on either designation by or a habit of a user, a programming guide comprising one or more favorite channels of the user is created by a microcomputer of a receiver. The programming guide comprises programming information. Preferably, the programming information is obtained from one or more external sources. The programming guide preferably also comprises one or more suggested channels based on the favorite channels. The programming guide is presented to the user when the receiver is powered on or when the programming guide is requested by the user.

Claims

1. A broadcast signal receiver, comprising:

a processor communicating with memory, the memory storing information causing the processor at least to;

monitor tuner selections of a tuner over a period of time to determine favorite channel selections at times of days;

create a viewing habits data table in the memory that stores each favorite channel selection, a corresponding day of week for each favorite channel selection, and a corresponding time of day for each favorite channel selection;

when the viewing habits data table is undefined for a time of day, then query for genres associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

query for programs matching each genre associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

determine suggested channels broadcasting programs matching the genres associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table; and

suggest the suggested channels when the favorite channel does not exist for the time of day.

2. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to generate a programming guide using only the viewing habits data table.

3. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to automatically display the favorite channel selections.

4. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to receive a request for a programming guide.

5. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to retrieve the viewing habits data table from the memory.

6. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to notify that a favorite program is about to start.

7. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to automatically display the viewing habits data table when the broadcast signals receiver is electrically powered on.

8. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 1, further comprising information that causes the processor to prompt for a selection from the viewing habits data table.

9. The broadcast signal receiver of claim 8, further comprising information that causes the processor to display the viewing habits data table in a graphical user interface.

10. A method, comprising:

monitoring tuner selections of a tuner over a period of time to determine favorite channel selections at times of days;

creating a viewing habits data table in memory that stores each favorite channel selection, a corresponding day of week for each favorite channel selection, and a corresponding time of day for each favorite channel selection;

when a favorite channel does not exist in the viewing habits data table for a time of day, then querying for genres associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

querying for programs matching each genre associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

determining suggested channels that broadcast programs matching the genres associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

modifying the viewing habits data table to add a column that lists a genre associated with each favorite channel selection; and

suggesting the suggested channels when the favorite channel does not exist for the time of day.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a request for a programming guide.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically displaying the viewing habits data table.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically displaying a listing of the favorite channels.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising prompting to select one of the favorite channel selections from the viewing habits data table.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising notifying that a favorite program is about to start.

16. The method of 10, further comprising retrieving the viewing habits data table from the memory.

17. A memory storing processor executable instructions for performing a method for generating programming guides, the method comprising:

monitoring tuner selections of a tuner over a period of time to determine favorite channel selections at times of days;

creating a viewing habits data table in memory that stores each favorite channel selection, a corresponding day of week for each favorite channel selection, and a corresponding time of day for each favorite channel selection;

when a favorite channel does not exist in the viewing habits data table for a time of day, then querying for genres associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

querying for programs matching each genre associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

determining suggested channels that broadcast programs matching the genres associated with each favorite channel selection listed in the viewing habits data table;

modifying the viewing habits data table to add a column that lists a genre associated with each favorite channel selection; and

suggesting the suggested channels when the favorite channel does not exist for the time of day.

18. The memory of claim 17, further comprising instructions for notifying that a favorite program is about to start.