Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications

• US 8,959,547 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Olague, Craig Alan, Archer, Kuan Hidalgo, Strader, Christopher, Chilvers, Henry C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MONTOYA, OSCHTA I
• Application Number:
  US13/316,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/4622 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 21/47214 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods and systems for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application are provided. In particular, a method includes the steps of receiving user equipment identification information and receiving a user request from a user device indicating instructions for the user equipment. The user request is cross-referenced with an action request in a user equipment format selected from a plurality of formats to be compatible with the user equipment. The action request is transmitted for receipt by the user equipment for enabling execution of the indicated instructions.

Claims

1. A method for remotely accessing user equipment, the method comprising:

storing, in a database, a mapping between a user and a plurality of action requests each corresponding to a different user equipment characteristic;

receiving, at a remote server implementing an interactive media guidance application, a user input from a user device, wherein the user input indicates instructions for the user equipment, and wherein the user equipment is associated with a characteristic, and wherein the remote server is associated with a service provider and is located remotely from the user equipment;

identifying, in the database, a user request corresponding to the instructions indicated by the user input;

identifying, in the database, a plurality of action requests mapped to the identified user request;

generating one of the plurality of action requests corresponding to a user equipment format compatible with the characteristic associated with the user equipment; and

transmitting the one of the plurality of action requests in the user equipment format for receipt by the user equipment for enabling execution of the indicated instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input further comprises identification of the user equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive media guidance application is used to identify the user request, identify the plurality of action requests, and generate one of the plurality of action requests.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the user equipment format from a plurality of formats based at least in part on the characteristic of the user equipment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the user equipment comprises a user account provided by a provider of an interactive media guidance application implemented on the user equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the user equipment includes a vendor of the user equipment and a model of the user equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating one of the plurality of action requests comprises maintaining a lookup table that cross-references the user request with a plurality of formats including the user equipment format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one of the plurality of action requests comprises transmitting the one of the plurality of action requests to a media service provider and the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user request is in a format compatible with a first application program interface and the user equipment format is compatible with a second application program interface different from the first application program interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification to the user device that acknowledges the receipt by the user equipment of the action request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic associated with the user equipment is the first characteristic and the user device is associated with a second characteristic, and wherein identifying a plurality of action requests further comprises identifying a plurality of action requests mapped to the identified request based on the second characteristic.

12. A system for remotely accessing user equipment, the system comprising a remote server implementing an interactive media guidance application, wherein the remote server is configured to:

store, in a database, a mapping between a user request and a plurality of action requests each corresponding to a different user equipment characteristic;

receive a user input from a user de-vice, wherein the user input indicates instructions for the user equipment, and wherein the user equipment is associated with a characteristic, and wherein the remote server is associated with a service provider and is located remotely from the user equipment;

identify, in the database, a user request corresponding to the instructions indicated by the user input;

identify, in the database, a plurality of action requests mapped to the identified user request;

generate one of the plurality of action requests corresponding to a user equipment format compatible with the characteristic associated with the user equipment; and

transmit the one of the plurality of action requests in the user equipment format for receipt by the user equipment for enabling execution of the indicated instructions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user input further comprises identification of the user equipment.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the interactive media guidance application is used to identify the user request, identify the plurality of action requests, a generate one of the plurality of action requests.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the remote server is further configured to select the user equipment format from a plurality of formats based at least in part on the characteristic of the user equipment.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic of the user equipment comprises a user account provided by a provider of an interactive media guidance application implemented on the user equipment.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic of the user equipment includes a vendor of the user equipment and a model of the user equipment.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the generation of one of the plurality of action requests comprises maintaining a lookup table that cross-references the user request with a plurality of formats including the user equipment format.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmission of the one of the plurality of action requests comprises transmitting the one of the plurality of action requests to a media service provider and the user equipment.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the user request is in a format compatible with a first application program interface and the user equipment format is compatible with a second application program interface different from the first application program interface.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the remote server is configured to transmit a notification to the user device that acknowledges the receipt by the user equipment of the action request.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic associated with the user equipment is the first characteristic and the user device is associated with a second characteristic, and wherein the remote server is configured to identify a plurality of action requests mapped to the identified request based on the second characteristic.