Series reminders and series recording from an interactive television program guide
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive television program guide system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. In addition, other options may be provided that allow the user to determine, for example, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all channels on which the program airs or only on a selected channels, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for all episodes including reruns or only new episodes, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for network or syndicated episodes, and whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all days or only on selected days of the week. Before the scheduled broadcast time of each episode of each selected program series, the system sends a reminder message to the user that reminds the user of the program episode or sends a record command to a videocassette recorder to initiate recording of the episode. The system allows a user to view a list of all currently requested program reminders and scheduled program recordings. The user may update, change, or cancel any entry in either list or the system may automatically update the lists to match new broadcast schedule information. If the user sets a reminder or schedules a recording that conflicts with an existing reminder or recording, the system may inform the user of the conflict and allow the user to resolve the conflict or the system may resolve the conflict.
645 Citations
249 Claims
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1-126. -126. (canceled)
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127. A method for displaying television programs on user television equipment of a plurality of users, comprising the steps of:
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storing program listings for television programs associated with a plurality of television channels;
allowing a user to schedule a recording of a television program;
identifying a series of television programs associated with the television program scheduled for recording from the stored program listings; and
allowing the user to schedule a recording of a subset of the series of television programs, wherein the subset includes a plurality of television programs selected from the series of television programs based on a combination of criteria supplied by the user. - View Dependent Claims (129, 131, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 146, 148, 154, 155, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164)
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210. A system in which television programs are displayed on user television equipment of a plurality of users comprising:
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a television distribution facility configured to provide the television programs;
user television equipment that receives the television programs from the television distribution facility, wherein the user television equipment and television distribution facility are configured to;
store program listings for television programs associated with a plurality of television channels;
allow a user to schedule a recording of a television program;
identify a series of television programs associated with the television program scheduled for recording from the stored program listings; and
allow the user to schedule a recording of a subset of the series of television programs, wherein the subset includes a plurality of television programs selected from the series of television programs based on a combination of criteria supplied by the user. - View Dependent Claims (212, 215, 219, 220, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 230, 232, 238, 239, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248)
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Specification