Interactive television program guide system having multiple devices within a household

• US 9,706,245 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, William L., Lemmons, Thomas R., Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Jonathan V
• Application Number:
  US12/178,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,274 Days
• Field of Search: 725 46, 725 47, 725 61
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/47 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• 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
• 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 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. The system coordinates the operation of the interactive television program guides so that the program guide settings that were adjusted with the given interactive television program guide are used by the other interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc. The operation of applications such as web browser applications, home shopping applications, home banking applications, game applications, etc. may also be coordinated.

Claims

1. A method for using an interactive program guide system, the method comprising:

adjusting from a remote location not in a household, using control circuitry, an interactive program guide setting on a first of a plurality of interactive program guides, wherein the adjusted interactive program guide setting is an indication whether content has been previously accessed, and wherein;

a plurality of user equipment devices, each user equipment device implementing a respective one of the plurality of interactive program guides, are located in the household, and

the user equipment devices are interconnected by communication paths; and

coordinating operation of the interactive program guides so that the program guide setting that is adjusted is effective on the first of the plurality of interactive program guides and a second of the plurality of interactive program guides.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinating the operation comprises receiving a user selection of the at least one interactive program guide on which the adjusted interactive program guide setting will be effective.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinating the operation comprises:

receiving a password from a user;

verifying the password; and

allowing the user to adjust the interactive program guide setting for other interactive program guides in response to verifying the password.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an assign location screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of user equipment devices is a set-top box on which the plurality of interactive program guides reside.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the viewing of users at interactive program guides in the household.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive program guide setting is adjusted using a first of the plurality of user equipment devices, and wherein the adjusted program guide setting is accessible using a second of the plurality of user equipment devices.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of user equipment devices outputs to a first display device and a second of the plurality of user equipment devices outputs to a second display device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive program guide setting is adjustable using any of the plurality of interactive program guides.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of interactive program guides is accessible by a respective one of the plurality of user equipment devices.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinating occurs independently of user input.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of interactive program guides implemented on respective ones of the plurality of user equipment devices displays program listings.

7. An interactive program guide system comprising:

a first of a plurality of interactive program guides, wherein;

an interactive program guide setting of the first of the plurality of interactive program guides is adjusted from a remote location not in a household, wherein the adjusted interactive program guide setting is an indication whether content has been previously accessed;

a plurality of user equipment devices, each user equipment device implementing a respective one of the plurality of interactive program guides, are located in the household, and

the user equipment devices are interconnected by communication paths; and

the first of the plurality of interactive program guides coordinates operation of the interactive program guides so that the interactive program guide setting that is adjusted is effective on the first of the plurality of interactive program guides and a second of the plurality of interactive program guides.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the interactive program guides is further configured to:

receive a password from a user;

verify the password; and

allow the user to adjust the interactive program guide setting for other interactive program guides in response to verifying the password.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the interactive program guides is further configured to receive a user selection of the at least one interactive program guide on which the adjusted interactive program guide setting will be effective.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the interactive program guides is further configured to display an assign location screen.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of user equipment devices is a set-top box on which the plurality of interactive program guides reside.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the interactive program guides is further configured to allow monitoring of the viewing of users at interactive program guides in the household.

24. The system of claim 7, wherein the interactive program guide setting is adjustable using any of the plurality of interactive program guides.

25. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of interactive program guides is accessible by a respective one of the plurality of user equipment devices.

26. The system of claim 7, wherein the coordinating occurs independently of user input.

31. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of interactive program guides implemented on respective ones of the plurality of user equipment devices displays program listings.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use with an interactive program guide system, comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for:

adjusting from a remote location not in a household, an interactive program guide setting on a first of a plurality of interactive program guides, wherein the adjusted interactive program guide setting is an indication whether content has been previously accessed, and wherein;

a plurality of user equipment devices, each user equipment device implementing a respective one of the plurality of interactive program guides, are located in the household, and

the user equipment devices are interconnected by communication paths; and

coordinating operation of the interactive program guides so that the program guide setting that is adjusted is effective on the first of the plurality of interactive program guides and a second of the plurality of interactive program guides.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for receiving a user selection of the at least one interactive program guide on which the adjusted interactive program guide setting will be effective.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for:

receiving a password from a user;

verifying the password; and

allowing the user to adjust the interactive program guide setting for other interactive program guides in response to verifying the password.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for displaying an assign location screen.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein one of the plurality of user equipment devices is a set-top box on which the plurality of interactive program guides reside.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for monitoring the viewing of users at interactive program guides in the household.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the interactive program guide setting is adjustable using any of the plurality of interactive program guides.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of interactive program guides is accessible by a respective one of the plurality of user equipment devices.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the coordinating occurs independently of user input.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of interactive program guides implemented on respective ones of the plurality of user equipment devices displays program listings.

33. A method for using an interactive program guide system, the method comprising;

transmitting, from a remote location not in a household, to a first interactive program guide of a plurality of interactive program guides, data corresponding to an indication of whether content has been previously accessed, wherein;

a plurality of user equipment devices, each user equipment device implementing a respective one of the plurality of interactive program guides, are located in the household, and

the user equipment devices are interconnected by communication paths; and

coordinating operation of the interactive program guides so that the data that is transmitted is effective on the first of the plurality of interactive program guides and a second of the plurality of interactive program guides.

34. An interactive program guide system comprising:

a first of a plurality of interactive program guides, wherein;

the first interactive program guide receives, from a remote location not in a household, data corresponding to an indication of whether content has been previously accessed;

a plurality of user equipment devices, each user equipment device implementing a respective one of the plurality of interactive program guides, are located in the household, and

the user equipment devices are interconnected by communication paths; and

the first of the plurality of interactive program guides coordinates operation of the interactive program guides so that the data received by the first interactive program guide is effective on the first of the plurality of interactive program guides and a second of the plurality of interactive program guides.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use with an interactive program guide system, comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for:

transmitting, from a remote location not in a household, to a first interactive program guide of a plurality of interactive program guides, data corresponding to an indication of whether content has been previously accessed, wherein;

a plurality of user equipment devices, each user equipment device implementing a respective one of the plurality of interactive program guides, are located in the household, and

the user equipment devices are interconnected by communication paths; and

coordinating operation of the interactive program guides so that the data that is transmitted is effective on the first of the plurality of interactive program guides and a second of the plurality of interactive program guides.