Program guide system with video-on-demand browsing

• US 9,137,579 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US14/579,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/4622 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a viewer may direct a television to simultaneously display a selected television program and a program guide display. A viewer may use the program guide display to browse available video-on-demand (VOD) while continuing to view a previously selected program in the background. The viewer may browse through video-on-demand programs on the program guide display using a variety of keys on a remote control unit. The viewer may direct the program guide to order a given video-on-demand program, and set a desired broadcast time for that program.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

outputting a video of a scheduled media asset for display in a full screen display;

receiving a first navigational command from a user input device;

generating for display in a partial screen media guidance application display over the video of the scheduled media asset, a first media asset identifier for a first unscheduled media asset and a channel identifier for a source of the first unscheduled media asset in response to receiving the first navigational command;

receiving a second navigational command from the user input device;

generating for display in place of the first media asset identifier, a second media asset identifier for a second unscheduled media asset available from the source, when the second navigational command is received;

receiving a user input from the user input device; and

generating for display, the second unscheduled media asset, when the user input is received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first navigational command is associated with a first directional input and a first direction and the second navigational command is associated with a second directional input and a second direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first unscheduled media asset is a first recorded media asset and the second unscheduled media asset is a second recorded media asset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first recorded media asset and the second recorded media asset are stored at a server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduled media asset is a broadcast media asset.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third navigational command from the user input device prior to receiving the first navigational command;

generating for display in the partial screen media guidance application display over the video of the scheduled media asset, a third media asset identifier for the scheduled media asset, and a second channel identifier for a second source of the scheduled media asset when the third navigational command is received.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second source of the scheduled media asset is a broadcast channel.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a fourth navigational command from the user input device after receiving the third navigational command and prior to receiving the first navigational command;

generating for display in place of the third media asset identifier and the second channel identifier, a third channel identifier for a third source of unscheduled media assets;

receiving a second user input from the user input device;

generating for display, a third unscheduled media asset in response to receiving the second user input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third source is an on-demand channel.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the third unscheduled media asset is a video-on-demand media asset.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduled media asset is a broadcast media asset.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a third navigational command from the user input device prior to receiving the first navigational command;

generate for display in the partial screen media guidance application display over the video of the scheduled media asset, a third media asset identifier for the scheduled media asset, and a second channel identifier for a second source of the scheduled media asset when the third navigational command is received.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second source of the scheduled media asset is a broadcast channel.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a fourth navigational command from the user input device after receiving the third navigational command and prior to receiving the first navigational command;

generate for display in place of the third media asset identifier and the second channel identifier, a third channel identifier source for a third source of unscheduled media assets;

receive a second user input from the user input device;

generate for display, a third unscheduled media asset in response to receiving the second user input.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the third source is an on-demand channel.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the third unscheduled media asset is a video-on-demand media asset.

11. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

output a video of a scheduled media asset for display in a full screen display;

receive a first navigational command from a user input device;

generate for display in a partial screen media guidance application display over the video of the scheduled media asset, a first media asset identifier for a first unscheduled media asset and a channel identifier for a source of the first unscheduled media asset in response to receiving the first navigational command;

receive a second navigational command from the user input device;

generate for display in place of the first media asset identifier, a second media asset identifier for a second unscheduled media asset available from the source, when the second navigational command is received;

receive a user input from the user input device; and

generate for display, the second unscheduled media asset, when the user input is received.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first navigational command is associated with a first directional input and a first direction and the second navigational command is associated with a second directional input and a second direction.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first unscheduled media asset is a first recorded media asset and the second unscheduled media asset is a second recorded media asset.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first recorded media asset and the second recorded media asset are stored at a server.