System and method for adaptively controlling the recording of program material using a program guide

• US 20050055716A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Alvarado, Cesar, Louie, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/43615 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 21/47 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 21/482 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 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system and method for displaying an electronic program guide (“EPG”), the EPG allowing for the controlling of recording functionality of an appliance and/or playing of media. The displayable EPG includes a listing of playable media from which the user may select a program of interest for recording or playing. The EPG may also include a display of prior recorded media for playing. Options may be presented to allow for a selection of a rendering device on which selected media is to be played.

Claims

1. In a portable device, a method for enabling a user to effect recording of a program, the method comprising:

displaying to a user a program guide including a listing for the program;

receiving input from the user requesting that the program be recorded;

accessing user schedule data;

using the user schedule data to select an appliance to record the program; and

causing the selected appliance to record the program.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising changing the selected appliance to another appliance in response to a change in the user schedule data and causing the another appliance to record the program in lieu of the selected appliance.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein user schedule data is maintained within a calendar application.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the calendar application is resident on the portable device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein user schedule data comprises data indicative of a geographic location.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, comprising accepting input via a graphical user interface to designate an appliance to be used to effect recording at the geographic location.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein user schedule data comprises a room designation.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising storing in the portable device data indicative of the recording request.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising providing the data indicative of the recording request directly to the selected appliance when it is determined that the portable device is able to establish communication with the selected appliance.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising downloading the data indicative of the recording request to a personal computer capable of communicating with the selected appliance.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable device is a PDA.

12. In a portable device, a method for enabling a user to effect playback of a program, the method comprising:

using data maintained within the portable device to automatically select an appliance to playback the program; and

causing the selected appliance to playback the program.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, comprising displaying to a user a program guide including a listing for the program;

receiving input from the user requesting that the program be recorded; and

causing the program to be recorded.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises user schedule data.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising changing the selected appliance to another appliance in response to a change in the user schedule data and causing the another appliance to playback the program in lieu of the selected appliance.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises a determined location of the portable device.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, comprising causing the program to be recorded by another appliance and causing the recorded program to be transferred from the another appliance to the selected appliance prior to playback being effectuated by the selected appliance.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises a designation of an appliance specified in connection with the request to record the program.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises a current time.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the data maintained within the portable device further comprises a current day of the week.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the data maintained within the portable device further comprises a current date.

22. The method as recited in claim 12, comprising causing the selected appliance to playback the program in response to the portable device establishing communication with the selected appliance.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the portable device establishes a direct communication with the selected appliance.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the portable device establishes communication with the selected appliance via an intermediate computer.

25. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the portable device is a PDA.

26. The method as recited in claim 12, comprising displaying an electronic program guide including a listing of broadcast programs and recorded programs and accepting input via the electronic program guide to select one of the listed programs to playback.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the recorded programs are stored on multiple different devices within a network.

28. For use in a portable device, a readable media having instructions for enabling a user to effect recording of a program, the instructions performing steps comprising:

displaying to a user a program guide including a listing for the program;

receiving input from the user requesting that the program be recorded;

accessing user schedule data;

using the user schedule data to select an appliance to record the program; and

causing the selected appliance to record the program.

29. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein the instructions perform steps of changing the selected appliance to another appliance in response to a change in the user schedule data and causing the another appliance to record the program in lieu of the selected appliance.

30. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein user schedule data is maintained within a calendar application.

31. The readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein the calendar application is resident on the portable device.

32. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein user schedule data comprises data indicative of a geographic location.

33. The readable media as recited in claim 32, wherein the instructions perform a step of accepting input via a graphical user interface to designate an appliance to be used to effect recording at the geographic location.

34. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein user schedule data comprises a room designation.

35. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein the instructions perform a step of storing in the portable device data indicative of the recording request.

36. The readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the instructions perform a step of providing the data indicative of the recording request directly to the selected appliance when it is determined that the portable device is able to establish communication with the selected appliance.

37. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein the instructions perform a step of downloading the data indicative of the recording request to a personal computer capable of communicating with the selected appliance.

38. The readable media as recited in claim 28, wherein the portable device is a PDA.

39. For use in a portable device, a readable media having instructions for enabling a user to effect playback of a program, the instructions performing steps comprising:

using data maintained within the portable device to automatically select an appliance to playback the program; and

causing the selected appliance to playback the program.

40. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the instructions perform steps of displaying to a user a program guide including a listing for the program;

receiving input from the user requesting that the program be recorded; and

causing the program to be recorded.

41. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises user schedule data.

42. The readable media as recited in claim 41, wherein the instructions perform steps of changing the selected appliance to another appliance in response to a change in the user schedule data and causing the another appliance to playback the program in lieu of the selected appliance.

43. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises a determined location of the portable device.

44. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the instructions perform steps of causing the program to be recorded by another appliance and causing the recorded program to be transferred from the another appliance to the selected appliance prior to playback being effectuated by the selected appliance.

45. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises a designation of an appliance specified in connection with the request to record the program.

46. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the data maintained within the portable device comprises a current time.

47. The readable media as recited in claim 46, wherein the data maintained within the portable device further comprises a current day of the week.

48. The readable media as recited in claim 46, wherein the data maintained within the portable device further comprises a current date.

49. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the instructions perform a step of causing the selected appliance to playback the program in response to the portable device establishing communication with the selected appliance.

50. The readable media as recited in claim 49, wherein the portable device establishes a direct communication with the selected appliance.

51. The readable media as recited in claim 49, wherein the portable device establishes communication with the selected appliance via an intermediate computer.

52. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the portable device is a PDA.

53. The readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the instructions perform a step of displaying an electronic program guide including a listing of broadcast programs and recorded programs and accepting input via the electronic program guide to select one of the listed programs to playback.

54. The readable media as recited in claim 53, wherein the recorded programs are stored on multiple different devices within a network.