Electronic programming guide

• US 9,202,524 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Martch, Henry Gregg, Minnick, Dan, Kirby, Morgan, Templeman, Mark, VanDuyn, Luke
• Primary Examiner(s): IDOWU, OLUGBENGA O
• Application Number:
  US13/829,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/40, 725/44
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/026 on discs G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• 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 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 21/83 Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 : Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 : Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 : Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/797 : for recording the signal in a plurality of channels, the bandwidth of each channel being less than the bandwidth of the signal H04N9/804, H04N9/81, H04N9/82 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 : Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

An indication of user interest of a program of a particular television channel may be identified based on user interaction with a programming guide that displays first content. A selectable icon positioned in association with a descriptor that identifies the particular television channel may be generated in response to identifying the indication of user interest and for display within the programming guide. An interactive pane that identifies at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file containing a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel over a predefined period of time may be generated in response to user selection of the selectable icon for display within the programming guide.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying an indication of user interest of a program of a particular television channel based on user interaction with a programming guide that displays first content;

generating, in response to identifying the indication of user interest and for display within the programming guide, a selectable icon that is positioned in association with a descriptor that identifies the particular television channel and that is positioned adjacent at least one other descriptor that identifies another different particular television channel; and

generating, in response to user selection of the selectable icon and for display within the programming guide, an interactive pane that identifies at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file that is static until deleted and contains a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel over a predefined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the interactive pane for display within the programming guide separate from the first content and adjacent the descriptor that identifies the particular television channel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the interactive pane for display within the programming guide integrated within the first content and adjacent the descriptor that identifies the particular television channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the interactive pane identifying at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file containing a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on a television channel other than the particular television channel over a predefined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of user interest corresponds to access of a particular cell of the first content within the programming guide associated with the television program.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a portion of the first content removed from the programming guide upon generating the interactive pane for display within the programming guide.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting in response to user-selection the at least one particular program for presentation by a display device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling a program recording timer to record the plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing, in response to activation of the program recording timer, the omnibus channel file containing the plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the omnibus channel file for deletion after passage of a predetermined period of time following completion of storing of the omnibus channel file.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing, prior to deletion of the omnibus channel file, a copy of a portion of the omnibus channel file that corresponds to the particular program.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising deleting the omnibus channel file following completion of storing of the copy of the portion of the omnibus channel file that corresponds to the particular program.

13. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

identify an indication of user interest of a program of a particular television channel based on user interaction with a programming guide that displays first content;

generate a selectable icon positioned in association with a descriptor that identifies the particular television channel, in response to identifying the indication of user interest and for display within the programming guide, and simultaneously positioned adjacent at least one other descriptor that identifies another different particular television channel; and

generate an interactive pane that identifies at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file that is unchanging until deleted and contains a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel over a predefined period of time in response to user selection of the selectable icon and for display within the programming guide.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the interactive pane for display within the programming guide separate from the first content and adjacent the descriptor that identifies the particular television channel.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the interactive pane for display within the programming guide integrated within the first content and adjacent the descriptor that identifies the particular television channel.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the interactive pane identifies at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file containing a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on a television channel other than the particular television channel over a predefined period of time.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the indication of user interest corresponds to access of a particular cell of the first content within the programming guide associated with the television program.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein a portion of the first content is removed from the programming guide upon generating the interactive pane for display within the programming guide.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to output in response to user-selection the at least one particular program for presentation by a display device.

20. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying an indication of user interest of a program of a particular television channel based on user interaction with a programming guide that displays first content;

generating, in response to identifying the indication of user interest and for display within the programming guide, a selectable icon that is positioned in association with a descriptor that identifies the particular television channel and also positioned adjacent at least one other descriptor that identifies another different particular television channel;

generating, in response to user selection of the selectable icon and for display within the programming guide, an interactive pane that identifies at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel over a predefined period of time;

scheduling a program recording timer to record the plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel;

storing, in response to activation of the program recording timer, the omnibus channel file containing the plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel; and

selecting the omnibus channel file for deletion after passage of a predetermined period of time following completion of storing of the omnibus channel file.