Method and apparatus for automated display of video programming guide information

• US 20050251826A1
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Orr, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method apparatus for automated display video programming guide information includes filtering programming information using filtering rules to determine viewing events of interest to a user. The method and apparatus further includes displaying on a first screen portion, the viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the viewing events. The method and apparatus further includes displaying a selector in the first screen portion such that the selector is operative to select one of the viewing events and displaying on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the viewing events. The method and apparatus further includes resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and second viewing event to generate a list of program guide information.

Claims

1. A method for automated display of video programming guide information, the method comprising:

filtering program information using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

displaying on a first screen portion, the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality viewing events;

displaying a selector in the first screen portion, such that the selector is operative to select at least one of the plurality of viewing events;

displaying on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of viewing events; and

resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of resolving the scheduling conflict includes:

querying a user regarding the conflict;

receiving a user preference indication; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second event in response to the user preference indication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of resolving the scheduling conflict includes:

applying at least one priority rule to the first viewing event and the second viewing event; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the priority rules.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying of viewing events includes:

displaying historical viewing events, current viewing events and upcoming viewing events.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an active link to a recorded viewing event menu, wherein the recorded viewing event menu provides a display of recorded viewing events.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the recorded viewing event menu further includes viewing events to be recorded, including a recording time for each of the viewing events to be recorded.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying on the first screen portion a plurality of non-viewing events in chronological order in conjunction with viewing events; and

displaying on the first screen portion a plurality of non-scheduled viewing events.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the non-viewing events are retrieved from a calendar database, the method further comprising:

displaying on the second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of non-viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of non-viewing events.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the filtering rules further provide to determine a plurality of recommended viewing events based on the plurality of viewing events.

10. An apparatus for automated display of video programming guide information, the apparatus comprising:

a memory device operative to store executable instructions; and

a processing device operable coupled to the memory operative to receive the executable instructions such that the processor, in response to the executable instructions;

filters program information using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

displays on a first screen portion, the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality viewing events;

displays a selector in the first screen portion, such that the selector is operative to select the plurality of viewing events;

displays on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of viewing events; and

resolves a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor, in resolving the scheduling conflict includes, in response executable instructions:

queries a user regarding the conflict;

receives a user preference indication; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the user preference indication.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of resolving the scheduling conflict includes:

applying at least one priority rule to the first viewing event and the second viewing event; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the priority rules.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor, in displaying of the viewing events includes, in response to the executable instructions:

displays historical viewing events, current viewing events and upcoming viewing events.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor, further in response to executable instructions:

displays an active link to a recorded viewing event menu, wherein the recorded viewing event menu provides a display of recorded viewing events, wherein the recorded viewing event menu further includes viewing events to be recorded, including a recording time for each of the viewing events to be recorded.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor, further in response to executable instructions:

displays on the first screen portion a plurality of non-viewing events in chronological order in conjunction with viewing events; and

displays on the first screen portion a plurality of non-scheduled viewing events.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a calendar database operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the non-viewing events are retrieved from the calendar database, the processor further in response to executable instructions;

displays on the second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of non-viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of non-viewing events.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein processor further in response to executable instructions:

determines a plurality of recommended viewing events based on the plurality of viewing events.

18. A method for automated display of video programming guide information, the method comprising:

receiving electronic program guide information including show lineup data;

filtering the show lineup data using a plurality of filtering rules to determine a plurality of viewing events;

displaying on a first screen portion, the plurality of viewing events in a chronological order based on a display time for each of the plurality viewing events, in conjunction with historical viewing events;

displaying on the first screen portion a plurality of non-viewing events in chronological order based on an event time in combination with the plurality of viewing events;

displaying a selector in the first screen portion, such that the selector is operative to select the plurality of viewing events;

displaying on a second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of viewing events; and

displaying on the second screen portion, event information relating to a selected one of the plurality of non-viewing events when the selector is proximate to one of the plurality of non-viewing events.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event including;

querying a user regarding the conflict;

receiving a user preference indication; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the user preference indication.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

resolving a scheduling conflict between a first viewing event and a second viewing event when a display time of the first viewing event overlaps with a display time of the second viewing event including;

applying at least one priority rule to the first viewing event and the second viewing event; and

prioritizing the first viewing event and the second viewing event in response to the priority rules.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

displaying an active link to a recorded viewing event menu, wherein the recorded viewing event menu provides a display of recorded viewing events, wherein the recorded viewing event menu further includes viewing events to be recorded, including a recording time for each of the viewing events to be recorded.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

displaying on the first screen portion a plurality of non-scheduled viewing events.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the non-scheduled viewing events are displayed with the viewing events and non-viewing events such that the non-scheduled viewing events are displayed at time intervals absent viewing events and non-viewing events.