Method and apparatus for channel surfing through multiple sources based on user-definable preferences
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of choosing a preferences list comprising:
- receiving a user identification for a current user at an entertainment system;
identifying multiple stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user by searching a set of preferences lists stored in a database of the entertainment system, at least some of the preferences lists of the set of stored preferences lists corresponding to specific users, each of the preferences lists containing multiple entertainment programming channel identifiers;
providing a list display of the identified stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user on a display coupled to the entertainment system;
selecting one of the identified stored preferences lists by receiving a user choice at the entertainment system of one of the multiple identified preferences lists of the list display; and
accessing the chosen preferences list.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for channel surfing through multiple sources based on user-definable preferences includes accessing a user-definable preferences list that identifies a plurality of channels from a plurality of different sources. One of the plurality of identified channels is selected for provision to a user.
39 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of choosing a preferences list comprising:
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receiving a user identification for a current user at an entertainment system; identifying multiple stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user by searching a set of preferences lists stored in a database of the entertainment system, at least some of the preferences lists of the set of stored preferences lists corresponding to specific users, each of the preferences lists containing multiple entertainment programming channel identifiers; providing a list display of the identified stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user on a display coupled to the entertainment system; selecting one of the identified stored preferences lists by receiving a user choice at the entertainment system of one of the multiple identified preferences lists of the list display; and accessing the chosen preferences list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A machine-readable memory having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
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receiving a user identification for a current user; identifying multiple stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user by searching a set of stored preferences lists, at least some of the preferences lists of the set of stored preferences lists corresponding to specific users, each of the preferences lists containing multiple entertainment programming channel identifiers; providing a list display of the identified stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user; selecting one of the identified stored preferences lists by receiving a user choice of one of the multiple identified preferences lists of the list display; and accessing the chosen preferences list. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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a user interface to receive a user identification from the current user of the entertainment system; a preferences database to store a set of preferences lists, at least some of the preferences lists corresponding to specific users, and each of the preferences lists containing multiple entertainment programming channel identifiers; and a channel selector to identify multiple stored preferences lists corresponding to the current user by searching the set of stored preferences lists, to select one of the identified multiple preferences lists by giving the user a choice of one of the multiple identified preferences lists using a list display of the identified stored preferences lists, and to access the chosen preferences list upon receiving a user choice from the list display. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An entertainment system controller comprising:
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a remote control, operable by a user; a user interface to receive a user identification from the remote control; a preferences database to store a set of stored preferences lists, at least some of the stored preferences lists corresponding to specific users, and each of the stored preferences lists containing multiple entertainment programming channel identifiers; and a channel selector to identify multiple stored preferences lists by searching the set of stored preferences lists for the current user of the entertainment system, to select one of the identified multiple stored preferences lists by giving the user a choice of one of the multiple identified preferences lists using a list display of the identified stored preferences lists, and to access the chosen preferences list upon receiving a user choice from the list display; and a component controller to send a signal to a device of the entertainment system to tune the device to a channel from the accessed preferences list. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification