Interactive television program guide with remote access

• US 8,578,413 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Thomas, William L., Hassell, Joel G., Lemmons, Thomas R., Berezowski, David M., Knee, Robert A., McCoy, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US13/275,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/83, 725/58, 725/78, 725 90- 91, 725131-133, 725139-141, 725151-153, 725/115
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/47 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• 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 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 : involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television program guide with remote access is provided. The interactive television program guide is implemented on interactive television program guide equipment. A remote program guide access device is connected to the interactive television program guide equipment by a remote access link to provide a user with remote access to program guide functions. An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc.

Claims

1. A system for selecting a television program over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the system comprising:

a local interactive television program guide equipment on which a local interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the local interactive television program guide generates a display of one or more television program listings for display on a display device at a user'"'"'s home, wherein the local interactive television program guide equipment is located within the user'"'"'s home and includes user television equipment, wherein a mobile device communicates with the local interactive television program guide equipment, wherein the mobile device, on which a remote access interactive television program guide is implemented, is located outside of the user'"'"'s home, and wherein the mobile device;

generates a display of the remote access interactive television program guide, the remote access interactive television program guide comprising a plurality of television program listings for display on the mobile device, wherein the display of the remote access interactive television program guide is generated based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the mobile device;

receives a user selection of the television program for recording by the local interactive television program guide, wherein the user selects the television program by selecting a television program listing from the plurality of television program listings displayed, by the remote access interactive television program guide, on the mobile device; and

transmits, to the local interactive television program guide over the Internet communications path, a communication identifying the television program for recording corresponding to the television program listing selected by the user with the remote access interactive television program guide,

wherein the local interactive television program guide receives the communication and, responsive to the communication, records the television program corresponding to the selected television program listing using the local interactive television program guide equipment.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected television program listing at a television distribution facility.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains the user profile over the Internet communications path.

4. The system defined in claim 3 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains the user profile from the local interactive television program guide.

5. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains the user profile in response to a user input.

6. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the user television equipment includes a video recorder.

7. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the television program is a previously scheduled television program.

8. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the local interactive television program guide records by scheduling the television program for recording.

9. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains program guide data based on the user profile.

10. A method for selecting a television program over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the method comprising:

generating, using a local interactive television program guide, a display of one or more television program listings for display on a display device located at a user'"'"'s home, wherein the local interactive television program guide is implemented on a local interactive television program guide equipment, wherein the local interactive television program guide equipment is located within the user'"'"'s home and includes user television equipment, wherein a mobile device communicates with the local interactive television program guide equipment, wherein the mobile device, on which a remote access interactive television program guide is implemented, is located outside of the user'"'"'s home, and wherein the mobile device;

generates a display of the remote access interactive television program guide, the remote access interactive television program guide comprising a plurality of television program listings for display on the mobile device, wherein the display of the remote access interactive television program guide is generated based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the mobile device;

receives a user selection of the television program for recording by the local interactive television program guide, wherein the user selects the television program by selecting a television program listing from the plurality of television program listings displayed, by the remote access interactive television program guide, on the mobile device; and

transmits a communication, identifying the television program for recording corresponding to the television program listing selected by the user with the remote access interactive television program guide, to the local interactive television program guide over the Internet communications path, wherein the local interactive television program guide receives the communication and, responsive to the communication, records the television program corresponding to the selected television program listing using the local interactive television program guide equipment.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected television program listing at a television distribution facility.

12. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains the user profile over the Internet communications path.

13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains the user profile from the local interactive television program guide.

14. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains the user profile in response to a user input.

15. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the user television equipment includes a video recorder.

16. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the television program is a previously scheduled television program.

17. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the local interactive television program guide records by scheduling the television program for recording.

18. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the remote access interactive television program guide obtains program guide data based on the user profile.