Remote control device with programming guide information

• US 9,712,863 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LE Technology, Inc. (LeEco Group)
• Original Assignee: LE Technology, Inc. (LeEco Group)
• Inventors: Madhavarao, Sanjay Kumar, Foster, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US15/232,671
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 725 39, 725 54, 725141, 725153, 348734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• 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

Abstract

A remote control device comprising: a display, at least one processor, and a storage device. The storage device stores instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to: receive, from a television, a first subset of programming guide information, output, for display, a first user interface including at least some of the first subset of the programming guide information, receive, after outputting the first user interface, an indication of input, determine, based on the indication of input, a second subset of the programming guide information, receive, from the television, the second subset of the programming guide information, and output, for display, a second user interface including at least some of the second subset of the programming guide information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a remote control device from a television, a first subset of programming guide information;

outputting, by the remote control device for display, a first user interface including at least some of the first subset of the programming guide information;

determining, based on the first subset of programming guide information, a second subset of the programming guide information, wherein each program in the second subset of the programming guide information is related by subject to one or more programs within the first subset of programming guide information;

receiving, based on determining the second subset, by the remote control device from the television, the second subset of the programming guide information;

receiving, by the remote control device after outputting the first user interface, an indication of input; and

responsive to the indication of input, outputting, by the remote control device for display, a second user interface including at least some of the second subset of the programming guide information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, by the remote control device, related information that is related to a program included in the first subset of programming guide information by at least one of;

channel or time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the second user interface comprises:

updating the first user interface to generate the second user interface without requiring further programming guide information from the television.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second subset of the programming guide information includes determining, by the television, the second subset of the programming guide information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second subset of the programming guide information includes determining, by the remote control device, the second subset of the programming guide information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting, by the remote control device, a request for a third subset of the programming guide information;

receiving, by the remote control device from the television, a response to the request for the third subset of the programming guide information, the response including data comprising the third subset of the programming guide information;

outputting, by the remote control device, a subsequent request for at least some of the programming guide information, the subsequent request comprising data describing the request for the third subset of the programming guide information; and

receiving, by the remote control device from the television in response to the subsequent request, an indication that the data comprising the third subset of the programming guide information satisfies the subsequent request.

7. A remote control device comprising:

a display;

at least one processor; and

a storage device that stores instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to;

receive, from a television, a first subset of programming guide information;

output, for display, a first user interface including at least some of the first subset of the programming guide information;

determine, based on the first subset of programming guide information, a second subset of the programming guide information, wherein each program in the second subset of the programming guide information is related by subject to one or more programs within the first subset of programming guide information;

receive, from the television, based on determining the second subset, the second subset of the programming guide information;

receive, after outputting the first user interface, an indication of input; and

responsive to the indication of input, output, for display, a second user interface including at least some of the second subset of the programming guide information.

8. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

output a request for a third subset of the programming guide information;

receive, from the television, a response to the request for the third subset of the programming guide information, the response including data comprising the third subset of the programming guide information;

output a subsequent request for at least some of the programming guide information, the subsequent request comprising data describing the request for the third subset of the programming guide information; and

receive, from the television in response to the subsequent request, an indication that the data comprising the third subset of the programming guide information satisfies the subsequent request.

9. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

store related information, wherein the related information is related to a program included in the first subset of programming guide information by at least one of;

channel or time.

10. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein outputting the second user interface comprises:

updating the first user interface to generate the second user interface without requiring further programming guide information from the television.

11. The remote control device of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

store the second subset of programming guide information; and

after outputting the second user interface, removing from storage at least some of the stored second subset of programming guide information.

12. A system comprising:

a television comprising a storage device on which programming guide information is stored; and

a remote control device capable of communicating with the television, wherein the remote control device includes at least one processor programmed to;

receive, from the television, a first subset of the programming guide information;

output, for display, a first user interface including at least some of the first subset of the programming guide information;

determine, based on the first subset of programming guide information, a second subset of the programming guide information, wherein each program in the second subset of the programming guide information is related by subject to one or more programs within the first subset of programming guide information,

receive, from the television, based on determining the second subset, the second subset of the programming guide information,

receive, after outputting the first user interface, an indication of input, and

responsive to the indication of input, output, for display, a second user interface including at least some of the second subset of the programming guide information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

store related information, wherein the related information is related to a program included in the first subset of programming guide information by at least one of;

channel or time.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein outputting the third user interface comprises:

updating the first user interface to generate the second user interface without requiring further programming guide information from the television.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

store the second subset of programming guide information; and

after outputting the second user interface, removing from storage at least some of the stored second subset of programming guide information.

16. A television comprising:

a display;

at least one processor; and

one or more storage devices on which programming guide information and instructions are stored, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to;

send, to a remote control device, a first subset of the programming guide information;

determine, based on the first subset of programming guide information, a second subset of the programming guide information, wherein each program in the second subset of the programming guide information is related by subject to one or more programs within the first subset of programming guide information; and

send, to the remote control device and based on determining the second subset, for display, the second subset of the programming guide information.

17. The television of claim 16, wherein sending the second subset of the programming guide information includes:

sending, to the remote control device, for storage, further information that is related to a program included in the first subset of the programming guide information, and wherein the further information is related to the program by at least one of;

channel, or time.