Electronic program guide with related-program search feature

• US 9,197,943 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Herrington, W. Benjamin, Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPARD, JUSTIN E
• Application Number:
  US13/847,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20130298166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45 Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895

Abstract

A system for searching for programs is provided. The system may allow the user to indicate an interest in a given program and to request that the system locate programs related to the given program. The system may locate program listings related to the given program (e.g., based on attributes of the given program), display a list of located listings and allow the user to select listings from the list. For a program selected from the list, the system may tune to the program, may display an information display screen for the program, etc. The system may allow the user to configure and save search parameters, sort related program listings based on the attributes of the given program. For a saved search, the system may allow the user to retrieve the search to locate currently available program listings, receive automatic notifications of programs matching the search, modify the search, etc.

Claims

1. A method for searching for programs using an interactive system, the method comprising:

generating for display a video on user equipment;

in response to receiving a first user input while the video is being displayed;

receiving, from a server remote to the user equipment, a list of a plurality of attributes of the displayed video; and

generating for display the list of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving a second user input, assigning various importance levels to one or more of the attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving a third user input, selecting one or more attributes of the list to include in determining a list of one or more programs;

in response to receiving a fourth user input, selecting one or more attributes of the list to exclude in determining the list of one or more programs;

determining the list of one or more programs, each program having at least one attribute which matches the selected one or more attributes of the displayed video and excluding, from the list of one or more programs, programs that have the one or more excluded attributes of the displayed video, wherein the determining is further based on the assigned importance levels;

saving the selected one or more attributes of the list to include and the selected one or more attributes of the list to exclude as a user-configured search parameter list; and

automatically notifying the user by generating for display the determined list of one or more programs, wherein the determined list is sorted according to the assigned importance levels.

2. A method for saving attributes for use in a search at a later time, the method comprising:

generating for display a video on user equipment;

receiving, from a server remote to the user equipment, a plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving a first user input while the video is being displayed,

generating for display identifiers for each of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving a second user input, selecting a first attribute of the plurality of attributes;

in response to receiving the second user input, saving the selected first attribute in storage circuitry; and

in response to receiving a user request to view saved attributes, retrieving the saved selected first attribute from the storage circuitry for presentation of the saved selected first attribute to the user for performing a search based on the first attribute.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of attributes includes information associated with at least one of title, actor, duration, genre, channel, rating, director, production year, and series title.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

after receiving the second user input, removing from display the identifiers, wherein the user request to view saved attributes is received after the removing;

and

generating for display an identifier of the selected first attribute in response to receiving the user request to view saved attributes.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a media asset based on the selected first attribute retrieved from the storage circuitry.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected first attribute is saved in a save-file in the storage circuitry.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising deleting the save-file from the storage circuitry.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising

performing the search at the later time using the selected first attribute;

automatically generating for display a notification for a media asset located from the search.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to receiving a third user input, assigning an importance level to a second attribute of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a plurality of media assets based on the second attribute of the plurality of attributes; and

automatically generating for display media asset identifiers of the determined plurality of media assets, wherein the media asset identifiers are sorted according to assigned importance level.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to receiving a fourth user input, selecting a third attribute of the plurality of attributes to include in determining a plurality of media assets; and

in response to receiving a fifth user input, selecting a fourth attribute of the plurality of attributes to exclude in determining the plurality of media assets.

12. A method for sorting media assets, the method comprising:

generating for display, with processing circuitry, a video on user equipment;

receiving, from a server remote to the user equipment, a plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving a first user input while the video is being displayed, generating for display identifiers for each the plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving a second user input, assigning a first importance level to include a first attribute of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video in determining a plurality of media assets;

in response to receiving a third user input, assigning a second importance level to exclude a second attribute of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video in determining the plurality of media assets;

determining the plurality of media assets based on the first importance level to include the first attribute and the second importance level to exclude the second attribute; and

automatically generating for display media asset identifiers of the determined plurality of media assets, wherein the plurality of media assets identifiers is sorted according to the assigned importance levels.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating for display an information display screen that contains information related to a media asset of the determined plurality of media assets in response to a user selection of the media asset identifier.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to receiving a fourth user input, selecting a third attribute of the plurality of attributes; and

saving the selected third attribute for use in a search at a later time.

15. A system for searching for programs using an interactive system, the system comprising:

user input interface circuitry configured to;

receive a first user input while a video is being displayed;

receive a second user input;

receive a third user input; and

receive a fourth user input;

processing circuitry configured to;

generate for display the video on user equipment;

in response to receiving the first user input;

receive, from a server remote to the user equipment, a list of a plurality of attributes of the displayed video; and

generate for display the plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving the second user input, assign various importance levels to one or more of the attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving the third user input, select one or more attributes of the list to include in determining a list of one or more programs;

in response to receiving the fourth user input, select one or more attributes of the list to exclude in determining the list of one or more programs;

determine the list of one or more programs, each program having at least one attribute which matches the selected one or more attributes of the displayed video and excluding, from the list of one or more programs, programs that have the one or more excluded attributes of the displayed video, wherein the determining is further based on the assigned importance levels; and

automatically notify the user by generating for display the determined list of one or more programs, wherein the determined list is sorted according to the assigned importance levels; and

storage circuitry configured to;

save the selected one or more attributes of the list to include and the selected one or more attributes of the list to exclude as a user-configured search parameter list.

16. A system for saving attributes for use in a search at a later time, the system comprising:

user input interface circuitry configured to;

receive a first user input while a video is being displayed;

receive a second user input; and

receive a user request to view saved attributes;

processing circuitry configured to;

generate for display the video on user equipment;

in response to receiving the first user input;

receive, from a server remote to the user equipment, a plurality of attributes of the displayed video; and

generate for display identifiers for each of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video; and

in response to receiving the second user input, select, for saving in storage circuitry, a first attribute of the plurality of attributes with the processing circuitry,

wherein the storage circuitry is configured to;

save the selected first attribute;

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to in response to receiving the user request to view saved attributes, retrieve the saved selected first attribute from the storage circuitry for presentation of the saved selected first attribute to the user for performing a search based on the first attribute.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of attributes includes information associated with at least one of title, actor, duration, genre, channel, rating, director, production year, and series title.

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

after receiving the second user input, remove from display the identifiers, wherein the user request to view saved attributes is received after the removing;

and

generate for display an identifier of the selected first attribute in response to receiving the user request to view saved attributes.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a media asset based on the selected first attribute retrieved from the storage circuitry.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected first attribute is saved in a save-file in the storage circuitry.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to delete the save-file in the storage circuitry.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to automatically generate for display a notification for a media asset located using the selected first attribute.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the user input interface circuitry is further configured to:

receive a third user input; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

in response to receiving the third user input, assign an importance level to a second attribute of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine a plurality of media assets based on the second attribute of the plurality of attributes; and

automatically generate for display media asset identifiers of the determined plurality of media assets, wherein the plurality of media assets is sorted according to assigned importance levels.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the user input interface circuitry is further configured to:

receive a fourth user input; and

receive a fifth user input; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

in response to receiving the fourth user input, select one of the plurality of attributes to include in determining a plurality of media assets; and

in response to receiving the fifth user input, select one of the plurality of attributes to exclude in determining the plurality of media assets.

26. A system for sorting media assets, the system comprising:

user input interface circuitry configured to;

receive a first user input while a video is being displayed; and

receive a second user input and a third user input; and

processing circuitry configured to;

generate for display a video on user equipment;

in response to receiving the first user input;

receive, from a server remote to the user equipment, a plurality of attributes of the currently displayed video; and

generate for display identifiers of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video;

in response to receiving the second user input, assign a first importance level to include a first attribute of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video in determining a plurality of media assets;

in response to receiving the third user input, assign a second importance level to exclude a second attribute of the plurality of attributes of the displayed video in determining the plurality of media assets;

determine a plurality of media assets based on the first importance level to include the first attribute and the second importance level to exclude the second attribute; and

automatically generate for display media asset identifiers of the determined plurality of media assets, wherein the plurality of media assets identifiers is sorted according to the assigned importance levels.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to select any of the determined plurality of media assets.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate for display an information display screen that contains information related to a media asset of the determined plurality of media assets in response to a user selection of the media asset.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the user input interface circuitry is further configured to:

receive a fourth use input; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

in response to receiving the fourth user input, select a third attribute of the plurality of attributes; and

save the selected third attribute for use in a search at a later time.