Method and system for preordering content in a user device associated with a content processing system

• US 9,729,932 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vagnati, Michelle L.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US14/470,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20140373066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• 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 21/47214 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for preordering content includes a content processing system and a user device in communication with the content processing system. The content processing system receives program guide data for linear channels and receives future available content data at the user device. The future available content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time. The user device stores the program guide data in the user device storing the future available content data in a memory of the user device, forms a future content selection, and stores the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached. When within the availability window, the user device communicates a material identification to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the material identification to the user device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating content to a user device from a content processing system comprising:

receiving program guide data for linear channels at the user device, said linear channels broadcasting content at predetermined times;

receiving future available non-linear content data at the user device corresponding to future available non-linear content, said program guide data different than the future available non-linear content data, said future available non-linear content corresponding to content that is currently unavailable for being communicated and that is communicated to the user device only after a predetermined future time upon request, said future available non-linear content is not broadcasted at a predetermined time;

storing the program guide data in the user device;

storing the future available non-linear content data in a memory of the user device;

displaying program guide data on a first screen and the future available non-linear content data on a second screen separate from the first screen;

thereafter, forming a future non-linear content selection;

thereafter, storing the future non-linear content selection in a queue of the user device until the predetermined future time and displaying a content queue display for the future available non-linear content in the queue;

after the predetermined future time, communicating a material identification of the future non-linear content selection to the content processing system located separate from the user device;

communicating the future available non-linear content corresponding to the material identification to the user device through a network in response to the material identification;

storing the future available non-linear content in the user device; and

displaying the future available non-linear content as available in a screen display after or during storing.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a content available time.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data from a satellite.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the future available non-linear content data comprises receiving homepage data from a satellite.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data from a broadband communication network.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the future available non-linear content data comprises receiving the future available non-linear content data from a broadband communication network.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a satellite television receiving unit.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a mobile satellite television receiving unit.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a mobile user device.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a fixed user device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving program guide data for linear channels at a user device;

receiving future available non-linear content data at the user device, wherein the future available non-linear content data corresponds to future available non-linear content and comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time, said future available non-linear content is not broadcasted at a predetermined time;

storing the program guide data in the user device;

storing the future available non-linear content data in a memory of the user device;

displaying program guide data on a first screen and the future available non-linear content data on a second screen separate from the first screen;

thereafter, forming a future content selection;

storing the future content selection in a queue until the availability window is reached and displaying a content queue display for the future available non-linear content in the queue;

within the availability window, communicating a material identification to a content processing system;

communicating the future available non-linear content corresponding to the material identification to the user device in response to the material identification;

storing the future available non-linear content in the user device; and

displaying the future available non-linear content as available in a screen display after or during storing.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data from a satellite.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the future available non-linear content data comprises receiving homepage data from a satellite.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data from a broadband communication network.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the future available content data comprises receiving the future available content data from a broadband communication network.

16. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a satellite television receiving unit.

17. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a mobile satellite television receiving unit.

18. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a mobile user device.

19. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein receiving the program guide data comprises receiving the program guide data at a fixed user device.

20. A content processing system for communicating content to a user device comprising:

a content processing system;

a user device located separate from and in communication with the content processing system receiving program guide data for linear channels, said linear channels broadcasting content at predetermined times, receiving future available non-linear content data at the user device corresponding to future available non-linear content, said future available non-linear content corresponding to content that is currently unavailable for being communicated, that is not broadcasted at a predetermined time and that is communicated to the user device only after a predetermined future time upon request, said program guide data different than the future available non-linear content data, wherein the future available non-linear content data comprises an availability window having an availability start time and an availability end time, said user device storing the program guide data in the user device storing the future available non-linear content data in a memory of the user device, displaying program guide data on a first screen and the future available non-linear content data on a second screen separate from the first screen, forming a future available non-linear content selection, storing the future available non-linear content selection in a queue until after the available start time of the availability window is reached, displaying a content queue display for the future available non-linear content in the queue, communicating, within the availability window, a material identification of the future available non-linear content selection to the content processing system;

said content processing system communicating the future available non-linear content corresponding to the material identification to the user device in response to the material identification;

said user device storing the future available non-linear content in the user device; and

displaying the future available non-linear content as available in a screen display after or during storing.

21. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a satellite in communication with the user device and the content processing system wherein the satellite communicates the program guide data from the content processing system to the user device.

22. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a satellite in communication with the user device and the content processing system wherein the satellite communicates homepage data from the content processing system to the user device.

23. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a broadband communication network in communication with the user device and the content processing system wherein the broadband communication network communicates the program guide data from the content processing system to the user device.

24. A system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a broadband communication network in communication with the user device and the content processing system wherein the broadband communication network communicates the future available non-linear content data from the content processing system to the user device.

25. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television receiving unit.

26. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the user device comprises a mobile satellite television receiving unit.

27. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

28. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the user device comprises a fixed user device.