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Electronic program guide for obtaining past, current, and future programs

  • US 8,607,269 B2
  • Filed: 03/12/2002
  • Issued: 12/10/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a first computer system to perform the steps of:

  • displaying an electronic programming guide graphical (EPG) user interface to enable selection of a program for viewing on said first computer system that receives television broadcasts;

    if the program has not yet been broadcast, designating a second computer system that receives television broadcasts to automatically record the program and transfer the program to the first computer system; and

    if the program has already been broadcast, locating the program on the second computer system and automatically transfer the program to the first computer system;

    accepting user input pertaining to the displayed portion of the EPG, the user input indicating that the user desires to obtain a copy of a selected program from among the listings in the displayed portion of the EPG;

    if the selected program is a program to be broadcast, setting a recording device to record the selected program; and

    if the selected program is a previously broadcast program, automatically ordering the selected program from a program source, to request delivery of the selected program to the user;

    wherein the displayed portion of the EPG provides a single screen from which the user can (a) request recording of programs to be broadcast and (b) request delivery of previously broadcast programs;

    wherein the operation of displaying comprises using a first color to display the listing for the previously broadcast program that is available for download; and

    using a second color to display the listing for the previously broadcast program that is not available for download.

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