CLIENT-SERVER ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE

• US 20030020744A1
• Filed: 08/13/1999
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: THOMAS, WILLIAM L., ELLIS, MICHAEL D., LEMMONS, THOMAS R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/73 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/44224 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/4755 : 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 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• 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 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A client-server interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide client is implemented on user television equipment. The interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to define expressions that are processed by the program guide server. The program guide server may provide program guide data, schedules reminders, schedules program recordings, and parentally locks programs based on the expressions. Users'"'"' viewing histories may be tracked. The program guide server may analyze the viewing histories and generates viewing recommendations, targets advertising, and collects program ratings information based on the viewing histories.

Claims

1. A method for use in a client-server interactive television program guide system comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define user preferences using an interactive television program guide client that is implemented on user television equipment, without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

providing the user preferences to a program guide server; and

providing program guide data to the program guide client according to the user preferences.

2. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a viewing recommendation based on the user preferences with the program guide server; and

displaying the user preferences with the interactive television program guide client on the user television equipment.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein providing a user with an opportunity to define user preferences comprises providing a user with an opportunity to designate a preference level for a plurality of preference attributes.

4. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising providing software to the program guide client according to the user preferences.

5. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising providing Internet links to the program guide client according to the user preferences.

6. A method for use in a client-server interactive television program guide system for scheduling reminders according to user defined expressions, comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

storing the expression on a program guide server;

processing the expression with the program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression; and

scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises providing at least one message from the program guide server to the program guide client before each of the programs that satisfy the expression begin.

8. The method defined in claim 6 wherein scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises providing program identifiers for each of the programs that satisfy the expression from the program guide server to the program guide client.

9. A method for use in a client-server interactive television program guide system for scheduling programs for recording according to user defined expressions, comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

storing the expression on a program guide server;

processing the expression with the program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression; and

scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording.

10. The method defined in claim 9 wherein scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording comprises scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording by the user television equipment.

11. The method defined in claim 9 wherein scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording comprises scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording by the program guide server.

12. A method for use in a client-server interactive television program guide system for parentally controlling programs according to user defined expressions, comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

storing the expression on a program guide server;

processing the expression with the program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression; and

locking with the program guide server programs that satisfy the expression.

13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein locking with the program guide server programs that satisfy the expression comprises indicating to the program guide client that the programs that satisfy the expression are locked.

14. A method for use in a client-server interactive television program guide system for tracking a user'"'"'s viewing history, comprising:

tracking a user'"'"'s viewing history;

storing the user'"'"'s viewing history on a program guide server;

finding programs with the program guide server that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history; and

indicating on user television equipment the programs found by the program guide server that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history and that the user has not watched, with an interactive television program guide client implemented on the user television equipment.

15. The method defined in claim 14 wherein storing the user'"'"'s viewing history comprises storing a user defined expression with the program guide server.

16. The method defined in claim 14 wherein storing the user'"'"'s viewing history comprises calculating user demographic values with the program guide server.

17. The method defined in claim 14 further comprising:

providing a user with an opportunity to define a user preference profile with the interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment;

storing the user preference profile on a program guide server; and

finding programs with the program guide server that are consistent with the user preference profile, wherein;

indicating on user television equipment the programs found by the program guide server that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history and that the user has not watched comprises indicating on user television equipment the programs found by the program guide server that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history and the user preference profile and that the user has not watched.

18. The method defined in claim 14 further comprising:

targeting advertising with the program guide server based on the user'"'"'s viewing history; and

displaying the advertising with the interactive television program guide client on the user television equipment.

19. The method defined in claim 14 further comprising collecting program ratings information with the program guide server based on the user'"'"'s viewing history.

20. A client-server interactive television program guide system comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to define user preferences using an interactive television program guide client that is implemented on user television equipment, without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

means for providing the user preferences to a program guide server; and

means for providing program guide data from the program guide server to the program guide client according to the user preferences.

21. The system defined in claim 20 further comprising:

means for generating a viewing recommendation based on the user preferences with the program guide server; and

means for displaying the user preferences with the interactive television program guide client on the user television equipment.

22. The system defined in claim 20 wherein the means for providing a user with an opportunity to define user preferences comprises means for providing a user with an opportunity to designate a preference level for a plurality of preference attributes.

23. The system defined in claim 20 further comprising means for providing software from the program guide server to the program guide client according to the user preferences.

24. The system defined in claim 20 further comprising means for providing Internet links from the program guide server to the program guide client according to the user preferences.

25. A client-server interactive television program guide system for scheduling reminders according to user defined expressions, comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment, without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

means for processing the expression with a program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression; and

means for scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression.

26. The system defined in claim 25 wherein the means for scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises means for providing at least one message from the program guide server to the program guide client before each of the programs that satisfy the expression begin.

27. The system defined in claim 25 wherein the means for scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises means for providing program identifiers for each of the programs that satisfy the expression from the program guide server to the program guide client.

28. A client-server interactive television program guide system for scheduling programs for recording according to user defined expressions, comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment, without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

means for processing the expression with a program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression; and

means for scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording.

29. The system defined in claim 28 wherein the means for scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording comprises means for scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording by the user television equipment.

30. The system defined in claim 28 wherein the means for scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording comprises means for scheduling with the program guide server the programs that satisfy the expression for recording by the program guide server.

31. A client-server interactive television program guide system for parentally controlling programs according to user defined expressions, comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to define an expression with an interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment, without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

means for processing the expression with a program guide server to find programs that satisfy the expression; and

means for locking with the program guide server programs that satisfy the expression.

32. The system defined in claim 31 wherein the means for locking with the program guide server programs that satisfy the expression comprises means for indicating to the program guide client that the programs that satisfy the expression are locked.

33. A client-server interactive television program guide system for tracking a user'"'"'s viewing history, comprising:

means for tracking a user'"'"'s viewing history with a program guide server;

means for indicating on user television equipment programs that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history and that the user has not watched, with an interactive television program guide client implemented on the user television equipment.

34. The system defined in claim 33 wherein the means for tracking the user'"'"'s viewing history comprises means for storing a user defined expression with the program guide server.

35. The system defined in claim 33 wherein the means for tracking the user'"'"'s viewing history comprises means for calculating user demographic values with the program guide server.

36. The system defined in claim 33 further comprising:

means for providing a user with an opportunity to define a user preference profile with the interactive television program guide client implemented on user television equipment; and

means for finding programs with the program guide server that are consistent with the user preference profile, wherein;

the means for indicating on user television equipment the programs found by the program guide server that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history and that the user has not watched comprises means for indicating on user television equipment the programs found by the program guide server that are consistent with the user'"'"'s viewing history and the user preference profile and that the user has not watched.

37. The system defined in claim 36 further comprising:

means for targeting advertising with the program guide server based on the user'"'"'s viewing history; and

means for displaying the advertising with the interactive television program guide client on the user television equipment.

38. The system defined in claim 36 further comprising means for collecting program ratings information with the program guide server based on the user'"'"'s viewing history.

39. A client-server interactive television program guide system comprising:

a program guide server;

user television equipment on which an interactive television program guide client is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide client is programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to define user preferences without requiring the user to navigate the Internet; and

a communications path over which the user preferences are provided by the interactive television program guide client to the program guide server.

40. The system defined in claim 39 wherein:

the program guide server is programmed to generate a viewing recommendation based on the user preferences; and

the interactive television program guide client is further programmed to display the viewing recommendation on the user television equipment.

41. The system defined in claim 39 wherein the interactive television program guide client is further programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to designate a preference level for a plurality of preference attributes.

42. The system defined in claim 39 wherein the program guide server is programmed to provide software to the interactive television program guide client according to the user preferences.

43. The system defined in claim 39 wherein the program guide server is programmed to provide Internet links to the interactive television program guide client according to the user preferences.

44. A client-server interactive television program guide system for scheduling reminders according to user defined expressions, comprising:

user television equipment on which an interactive television program guide client is implemented, wherein the program guide client is programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to define an expression without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

a communications path over which the expression is provided by the interactive television program guide client to a program guide server, wherein the program guide server is programmed to find programs that satisfy the expression and schedule reminders for programs that satisfy the expression.

45. The system defined in claim 44 wherein scheduling with the program guide server reminders for programs that satisfy the expression comprises providing at least one message from the program guide server to the program guide client before each of the programs that satisfy the expression begin.

46. The system defined in claim 44 wherein the program guide server is further programmed to provide program identifiers for each of the programs that satisfy the expression to the interactive television program guide client over the communications path.

47. A client-server interactive television program guide system for scheduling programs for recording according to user defined expressions, comprising:

user television equipment on which an interactive television program guide client is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide client is programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to define an expression without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

a communications path over which the expression is provided by the interactive television program guide client to a program guide server, wherein the program guide server is programmed to find programs that satisfy the expression and schedule the programs that satisfy the expression for recording.

48. The system defined in claim 47 wherein:

the user television equipment comprises a storage device; and

the program guide server is further programmed to schedule the programs that satisfy the expression for recording by the storage device.

49. The system defined in claim 47 wherein the program guide server comprises a storage device on which the programs that satisfy the expression are stored.

50. A client-server interactive television program guide system for parentally controlling programs according to user defined expressions, comprising:

user television equipment on which an interactive television program guide client is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide client is programmed to provide a user with an opportunity to define an expression without requiring the user to navigate the Internet;

a communications path over which the interactive television program guide client provides the expression to a program guide server, wherein the program guide server is programmed to find programs that satisfy the expression and lock programs that satisfy the expression.

51. The system defined in claim 50 wherein the program guide server is programmed to indicate to the interactive television program guide client the locked programs over the communications path;

and

the interactive television program guide client is further programmed to indicate to the user the locked programs with the user television equipment.

52. A client-server interactive television program guide system for tracking a user'"'"'s viewing history, comprising:

user television equipment on which an interactive television program guide client is implemented, wherein the interactive television program guide client is programmed to provide viewing history information to a program guide server over a communications path, wherein;

the program guide server is programmed to find programs based on the viewing history information and to indicate the programs to the interactive television program guide client over the communications path; and

the interactive television program guide client is further programmed to indicate on the user television equipment a subset of the programs wherein the subset of the programs are programs that the user has not watched.

53. The system defined in claim 52 wherein the program guide server is further programmed to calculate user demographic values based on the viewing history information.

54. The system defined in claim 52 wherein:

the interactive television program guide client is further programmed to provide user preference information to the program guide server over the communications path; and

the program guide server is further programmed to obtain programs based on the user preference information and to indicate the programs to the interactive television program guide client.

55. The system defined in claim 54 wherein:

the program guide server is programmed to target advertisements based on the user preference information and to provide the advertisements to the interactive television program guide client over the communications path; and

the interactive television program guide client is further programmed to display the advertisements on the user television equipment.

56. The system defined in claim 54 wherein the program guide server is further programmed to collect program ratings information based on the viewing history information.