Configurable Access Lists for On-Demand Multimedia Program Identifiers

• US 20090307719A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Keith, Chad C., Dunmire, David L., Clark, Jeff P.
• Application Number:
  US12/134,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307719A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Program identifiers from an electronic programming guide are added to a wish list. The wish list may be created automatically from user preferences or from manual user selections. In some embodiments, the wish list is available from different platforms including set-top boxes, personal computers, and mobile telephones. Users are not required to scroll through an entire list of available on-demand movie titles, for example, to choose those that may later be selected for viewing. Instead, a user may scroll through an entire list once and move any items of interest to a wish list for later consideration.

Claims

1. A method of providing digital television content, the method comprising:

presenting a plurality of selectable program identifiers that represent a corresponding plurality of multimedia programs; and

receiving a user input to select a first portion of the plurality of program identifiers for addition to a configurable access list, wherein the configurable access list includes a plurality of previously tagged program identifiers for on-demand multimedia programs, wherein program identifiers on the configurable access list are selectable by further user input for play.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia programs are pay-per-view movies.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of program identifiers that represent a corresponding plurality of multimedia programs are presented on a smart phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of program identifiers that represent a corresponding plurality of multimedia programs includes presenting a portion of the plurality of program identifiers within one or more advertisements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the advertisements are included with email advertisements, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to user input to tag a program identifier included within an email advertisement, updating the configurable access list with the tagged program identifier.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the advertisements are included with web banner advertisements, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to user input to tag a program identifier included within a web banner advertisement, updating the configurable access list with the tagged program identifier.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the advertisements are included within currently-playing multimedia programs from a plurality of television series, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to user input to tag a currently playing multimedia program from a television series, updating a user'"'"'s configurable access list with the tagged program identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of multimedia programs include on-demand movies.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a further portion the plurality of multimedia programs include on-demand games.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of multimedia programs include on-demand digital television programs.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a portion of program identifiers on the configurable access list correspond to multimedia programs that are scheduled to be unavailable for consumption after corresponding time periods, the method further comprising:

presenting an indication of the time periods.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting an indication of the time periods includes presenting a text-based indicator.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting an indication of the time periods includes presenting a non-text based graphical indicator.

14. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing a set-top box access to a multimedia program corresponding to a program identifier on the configurable access list in response to further user input to select the multimedia program for play.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of program identifiers correspond to currently unavailable multimedia programs, wherein receiving user input to tag a first portion of the program identifiers includes receiving user input to tag a program identifier for a currently unavailable multimedia program, wherein the method further comprises:

providing user notification upon the currently unavailable multimedia program becoming available.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing user notification upon the currently unavailable multimedia program becoming available includes automatically sending an email to a user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing user notification upon the currently unavailable multimedia program becoming available includes automatically sending a short message service text message to a user.

18. A digital television service comprising:

presenting a user with a selectable program identifier that corresponds to an on-demand multimedia program;

providing the user a means of adding the program identifier to the user'"'"'s wish list, wherein the user'"'"'s wish list includes previously added program identifiers corresponding to further on-demand multimedia programs;

presenting the user with the wish list in response to a user request to view the wish list; and

if the on-demand multimedia program is not yet available for play, presenting the user with a reminder regarding when the on-demand multimedia program is available for play; and

if the on-demand multimedia program is available for play for a limited time, presenting the user with an indicator of the limited time.

19. The digital television service of claim 18, wherein the selectable program identifier that corresponds to an on-demand multimedia program is presented in an email advertisement.

20. The digital television service of claim 18, wherein the selectable program identifier that corresponds to an on-demand multimedia program is presented in a web banner.

21. The digital television service of claim 18, wherein the digital television service further comprises:

providing the user mobile access to the wish list from a smart phone.

22. An application server enabled by a wish list application stored on computer readable media, the application server enabled for:

presenting a plurality of program identifiers that are selectable for addition to a wish list, wherein the plurality of program identifiers correspond to a plurality of on-demand multimedia programs;

receiving user input to add a portion of the plurality of program identifiers to the wish list;

determining whether individual multimedia programs of the plurality of on-demand multimedia programs are available for a limited time and, if so, presenting the user with an indication of the limited time; and

determining whether individual multimedia programs of the plurality of on-demand multimedia programs not yet available and, if so, presenting the user with an indication of availability at a predetermined period prior to availability.