Method and apparatus for automated display of video programming guide information

• US 8,578,420 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Orr, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, AN V
• Application Number:
  US10/839,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,471 Days
• Field of Search: 725/50, 725 37- 39, 725/46
• US Class Current: 725/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method apparatus for automated display video programming guide information includes filtering programming information using filtering rules to determine viewing events of interest to a user. The method and apparatus further includes displaying on a first screen portion, the viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the viewing events. The method and apparatus further includes displaying a selector in the first screen portion such that the selector is operative to select one of the viewing events and displaying on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the viewing events. The method and apparatus further includes resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and second viewing event to generate a list of program guide information.

Claims

1. A method for automated display of video programming guide information, the method comprising:

filtering program information using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

identifying a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event;

displaying, on a first screen portion, the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality of viewing events, wherein displaying the plurality of viewing events in the chronological order comprises resolving the scheduling conflict identified between the first viewing event and the second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events and displaying in the first screen portion only those viewing events that are non-scheduling conflicted events based on the scheduling conflict resolution, arranged in a chronological order based on display time for each of the non-scheduling conflicted events, wherein the non-scheduling conflicted events displayed in the first screen portion are whole viewing events;

displaying a selector in the first screen portion, such that the selector is operative to select at least one of the plurality of viewing events; and

displaying, on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of viewing events.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein resolving the scheduling conflict includes:

querying a user regarding the conflict;

receiving a user preference indication; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second event in response to the user preference indication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein resolving the scheduling conflict includes:

applying at least one priority rule to the first viewing event and the second viewing event; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the priority rules.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying of viewing events includes:

displaying historical viewing events, current viewing events and upcoming viewing events.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an active link in a third screen portion to a recorded viewing event menu, wherein the recorded viewing event menu provides a display of recorded viewing events.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the recorded viewing event menu further includes viewing events to be recorded, including a recording time for each of the viewing events to be recorded.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, on the first screen portion, a plurality of non-viewing events in chronological order in conjunction with viewing events.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the non-viewing events are retrieved from a calendar database, the method further comprising:

displaying, on the second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of non-viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of non-viewing events.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the filtering rules further provide to determine a plurality of recommended viewing events based on the plurality of viewing events.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically determining the plurality of filtering rules in response to previously viewed or recorded events.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising generating a resolution signal that comprises priority levels for viewing events such that higher priority events are viewed and lower priority events are recorded.

12. The method of claim 1, further including displaying, on the first screen portion, recorded viewing events with the viewing events such that the recorded viewing events are displayed in time intervals lacking viewing events.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the scheduling conflict comprises determining a display time of each of the plurality of viewing events and cross referencing the display times of the plurality of viewing events to identify the scheduling conflict.

14. An apparatus for automated display of video programming guide information, the apparatus comprising:

a memory device operative to store executable instructions; and

a processing device operably coupled to the memory operative to receive the executable instructions, such that the processor, in response to the executable instructions;

filters program information using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

identifies a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event;

displays, on a first screen portion, the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality viewing events, wherein displaying the plurality of viewing events in the chronological order comprises resolving the scheduling conflict identified between the first viewing event and the second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events and displaying in the first screen portion only those viewing events that are non-scheduling conflicted events based on the scheduling conflict resolution, arranged in a chronological order based on display time for each of the non-scheduling conflicted events, wherein the non-scheduling conflicted events displayed in the first screen portion are whole viewing events;

displays a selector in the first screen portion, such that the selector is operative to select the plurality of viewing events; and

displays, on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of viewing events.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor, in resolving the scheduling conflict includes, in response to the executable instructions:

queries a user regarding the conflict;

receives a user preference indication; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the user preference indication.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein resolving the scheduling conflict includes:

applying at least one priority rule to the first viewing event and the second viewing event; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the priority rules.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor, in displaying of the viewing events includes, in response to the executable instructions:

displays historical viewing events, current viewing events and upcoming viewing events.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor, further in response to the executable instructions:

displays an active link to a recorded viewing event menu, wherein the recorded viewing event menu provides a display of recorded viewing events, wherein the recorded viewing event menu further includes viewing events to be recorded, including a recording time for each of the viewing events to be recorded.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor, further in response to the executable instructions:

displays, on the first screen portion, a plurality of non-viewing events in chronological order in conjunction with viewing events.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

a calendar database operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the non-viewing events are retrieved from the calendar database, the processor further in response to executable instructions;

displays, on the second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of non-viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of non-viewing events.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein processor further in response to the executable instructions:

determines a plurality of recommended viewing events based on the plurality of viewing events.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor further, in response to the executable instructions, automatically determines the plurality of filtering rules in response to previously viewed or recorded events.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor further, in response to the executable instructions, displays, on the first screen portion, recorded viewing events with the viewing events such that the recorded viewing events are displayed in time intervals lacking viewing events.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor identifies the scheduling conflict by determining a display time of each of the plurality of viewing events and cross referencing the display time of each of the plurality of viewing events to identify the scheduling conflict.

25. A method for automated display of video programming guide information, the method comprising:

receiving electronic program guide information including show lineup data;

filtering the show lineup data using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

identifying a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event;

displaying, on a first screen portion, the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality viewing events, in conjunction with historical viewing events, wherein displaying the plurality of viewing events in the chronological order comprises resolving the scheduling conflict identified between the first viewing event and the second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events and displaying in the first screen portion only those viewing events that are non-scheduling conflicted events based on the scheduling conflict resolution, arranged in a chronological order based on display time for each of the non-scheduling conflicted events, wherein the non-scheduling conflicted events displayed in the first screen portion are whole viewing events;

displaying, on the first screen portion, a plurality of non-viewing events in chronological order based on an event time in combination with the plurality of viewing events;

displaying a selector in the first screen portion, such that the selector is operative to select at least one of the plurality of viewing events;

displaying, on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of viewing events; and

displaying, on the second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of non-viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of non-viewing events.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein:

resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event includes;

querying a user regarding the conflict;

receiving a user preference indication; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the user preference indication.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein non-scheduled viewing events are displayed with the viewing events and non-viewing events such that the non-scheduled viewing events are displayed at time intervals absent viewing events and non-viewing events.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event includes:

applying at least one priority rule to the first viewing event and the second viewing event; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the priority rules.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

displaying an active link to a recorded viewing event menu, wherein the recorded viewing event menu provides a display of recorded viewing events, wherein the recorded viewing event menu further includes viewing events to be recorded, including a recording time for each of the viewing events to be recorded.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising automatically determining the plurality of filtering rules in response to previously viewed or recorded events.

31. A method for automated display of video programming guide information, the method comprising:

filtering program information, by at least one programmed processor, using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

identifying, by the at least one programmed processor, a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event; and

displaying the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality of viewing events, wherein displaying the plurality of viewing events in the chronological order comprises resolving the scheduling conflict identified between the first viewing event and the second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events and displaying those viewing events that are non-scheduling conflicted events based on the scheduling conflict resolution, arranged in a chronological order based on display time for each of the non-scheduling conflicted events, wherein the non-scheduling conflicted events are whole viewing events.

32. The method of claim 31, further including displaying recorded viewing events with the viewing events such that the recorded viewing events are displayed in time intervals lacking viewing events.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein identifying the scheduling conflict comprises determining a display time of each of the plurality of viewing events and cross referencing the display times of the plurality of viewing events to identify the scheduling conflict.

34. A method for automated display of video programming guide information, the method comprising:

filtering program information, by at least one programmed processor, using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events; and

determining a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event of the plurality of viewing events when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event and generating notification information based on the scheduling conflict and displaying those viewing events that are non-scheduling conflicted events based on a resolution of the scheduling conflict, arranged in a chronological order based on display time for each of the non-scheduling conflicted events, wherein the non-scheduling conflicted events are whole viewing events.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising receiving user input to resolve the scheduling conflict and resolving the scheduling conflict.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein determining the scheduling conflict comprises determining a display time of each of the plurality of viewing events and cross referencing the display times of the plurality of viewing events to determine the scheduling conflict.