Interactive television systems with conflict management capabilities

• US 9,066,066 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TV Guide Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US14/014,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20130343730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 386/291, 386/292
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4755 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/93 Regeneration of the television signal or of selected parts thereof

Abstract

An interactive television system is provided in which a user can use an interactive television application to establish time-based settings. The user may set television program reminders, advance-order pay-per-view programs, schedule programs for recording, and establish parental controls to prevent television viewing during certain times on certain channels. The interactive television application may be used to support video recorder functions such as personal video recorder functions implemented locally on the user'"'"'s set-top box or other equipment and network-based video recorder functions implemented using servers at cable television headends and other network locations. The interactive television application may also be used to deliver video-on-demand content. When the user requests that video be delivered, conflicts may arise between the requested video delivery and the previously-established time-based settings. The interactive television application may provide the user with on-screen options that allow the user to select how to resolve these conflicts.

Claims

1. A method for using an interactive application that is implemented using user equipment, comprising:

receiving a user input creating a time-based setting associated with a program in the interactive application, wherein a first time is associated with the time-based setting;

receiving a user request to access media content;

determining an expected running time of the requested media content, wherein the expected running time of the requested media content results from a user action prolonging playback of the media content;

determining, based on the expected running time, whether there is a conflict between the requested media content and the time-based setting at the first time, wherein the conflict arises when the expected running time of the requested media content overlaps with the time-based setting; and

in response to determining that the conflict exists, selecting a second time to associate with the time-based setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the time-based setting is a parental control setting, the first time is a first duration of the parental control setting, and selecting the second time comprises selecting a second duration of the parental control setting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time is a starting time of the program associated with the time-based setting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-based setting includes a reminder for the program or a scheduled recording of the program.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an overlapping portion of the time-based setting with the media content, wherein the overlapping portion is based on the first time associated with the time based setting preceding the expected running time of the media content; and

in response to determining the overlapping portion, automatically buffering the overlapping portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user action prolonging the playback comprises pausing or rewinding the requested media content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating for display a notification that notifies the user of the conflict.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification comprises a plurality of options to resolve the conflict.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the time-based setting is a parental control setting and at least one of the plurality of options to resolve the conflict is to override the parental control setting.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the time based setting is a reminder setting and at least one of the plurality of options to resolve the conflict is to record the program associated with the reminder setting.

11. A system for using an interactive application that is implemented using user equipment, the system comprising:

a control circuitry configured to;

receive a user input creating a time-based setting associated with a program in the interactive application, wherein a first time is associated with the time-based setting;

receive a user request to access media content;

determine an expected running time of the requested media content, wherein the expected running time of the requested media content results from a user action prolonging playback of the media content;

determine, based on the expected running time, whether there is a conflict between the requested media content and the time-based setting at the first time, wherein the conflict arises when the expected running time of the requested media content overlaps with the time-based setting; and

select, in response to determining that the conflict exists, a second time to associate with the time-based setting.

12. The system of claim 11, when the time-based setting is a parental control setting, the first time is a first duration of the parental control setting, and selecting the second time comprises selecting a second duration of the parental control setting.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first time is a starting time of the program associated with the time-based setting.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the time-based setting includes a reminder for the program or a scheduled recording of the program.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine an overlapping portion of the time-based setting with the media content, wherein the overlapping portion is based on the first time associated with the time based setting preceding the expected running time of the media content; and

automatically buffer the overlapping portion in response to determining the overlapping portion.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the user action prolonging the playback comprises pausing or rewinding the requested media content.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a notification that notifies the user of the conflict.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the notification comprises a plurality of options to resolve the conflict.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the time-based setting is a parental control setting and at least one of the plurality of options to resolve the conflict is to override the parental control setting.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the time based setting is a reminder setting and at least one of the plurality of options to resolve the conflict is to record the program associated with the reminder setting.