METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A REMINDER NOTIFICATION FOR A SET-TOP BOX

• US 20100058394A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lafreniere, Gary W., Emerson, David, Goergen, Michael, Rondeau, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,789,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• 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 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for providing a reminder notification for a set-top box is disclosed. An embodiment is disclosed that determines a reminder notification rule for a recipient with at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box, queries a database for one or more selections of scheduled media content in accordance with the reminder notification rule, and sends a reminder notification to the recipient based on a query result. Another embodiment is disclosed that receives a request for a usage information of a set-top box in accordance with a reminder notification preference that has a reminder notification rule with at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box, and sends the usage information for the set-top box based upon the reminder notification preference.

Claims

1. A method for providing a reminder notification, comprising:

determining a reminder notification rule for a recipient, the reminder notification rule comprises at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box;

querying a database for one or more selections of scheduled media content in accordance with the reminder notification rule; and

sending a reminder notification to the recipient based on a query result.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting a usage information for a set-top box, the usage information comprising a history of media content received by a set-top box; and

creating a query for the database in accordance with the usage information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises program guide information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user device to record at least one scheduled media content selection in the query result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reminder notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one descriptor of media content is a category of media content.

7. A method for providing a reminder notification, comprising:

receiving a request for a usage information of a set-top box in accordance with a reminder notification preference, the reminder notification preference comprises a reminder notification rule that comprises at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box; and

sending the usage information for the set-top box based upon the reminder notification preference.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

detecting a change of media content at the set-top box; and

updating the usage information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the usage information comprises a list of media content selected to be received by the set-top box.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one descriptor is a category of media content.

11. A method for providing an interface for reminder notifications, comprising:

receiving a request to create a reminder notification preference for a recipient;

receiving input to establish a reminder notification rule for querying a database for one or more selections of scheduled media content, wherein the reminder notification rule comprises at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box; and

requesting a reminder notification from a notification module, the notification module operable to send a reminder notification to the recipient based on the reminder notification preference.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reminder notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one descriptor is a category of media content.

14. A system for providing a reminder notification, comprising:

a computer readable medium operable to store a reminder notification preference associated with a recipient, the reminder notification preference comprises a reminder notification rule for a recipient, the reminder notification rule comprises at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box; and

a reminder notification module in communication with the computer readable medium and operable to query a database for one or more selections of scheduled media content in accordance with the reminder notification rule and send a reminder notification to a recipient based on a query result.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one descriptor is a category of media content.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the reminder notification comprises a message sent to a mobile device.

17. The system for providing a content reminder, comprising:

a processor operable to execute a set of instructions; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium operable to store a set of instructions, the set of instructions are configured to;

determine a reminder notification rule for a recipient, the reminder notification rule indicates at least one descriptor of media content received by a set-top box;

query a database for one or more selections of scheduled media content in accordance with the reminder notification rule; and

send a reminder notification to a recipient based on a query result.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions further comprises:

requesting usage information for a set-top box, the usage information comprising a history of media content received by a set-top box; and

creating a query for the database in view of the history of media content.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the database comprises one or more selections of scheduled media content for a broadcasting programming guide.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions further comprises:

receiving a request from a user device to record at least one selection of scheduled media content in the query result.