Programming selection

• US 20130007782A1
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Adam T. Lake, Bradford H. Needham, Carl S. Marshall
• Original Assignee: Adam T. Lake, Bradford H. Needham, Carl S. Marshall
• Inventors: Marshall, Carl S., Lake, Adam T., Needham, Bradford H.
• Application Number:
  US13/540,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20130007782A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks 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 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

In one configuration, electronic program guides (EPGs) are used to display past, present and future broadcasts, where selection of a past broadcast results in a search for the broadcast. If the broadcast is available, it is provided to the requester. Various embodiments are disclosed for controlling costs associated with broadcast acquisition, identifying a desired quality level for a broadcast, applying policies to regulate receipt of broadcast data, and for renting broadcasts.

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A method comprising:

displaying a guide that permits selection of one or more programming selections, the guide including broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent; and

receiving the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein:

the rental agent is a video rental agent that provides a desired broadcast for a rental fee; and

the data distributor maintains a past broadcast library along with associated costs of access to the library broadcasts.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein:

the guide displays results of a search to locate a desired broadcast.

50. A method comprising:

displaying a guide that permits selection of one or more programming selections, the guide including past and present broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent; and

receiving the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein:

the guide also includes future broadcasts; and

the guide identifies past broadcast recording qualities.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein:

the past broadcasts include free and for-fee past broadcasts.

53. A method comprising:

responsive to selecting one or more programming selections via a guide, providing the one or more programming selections so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices, the guide including broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein:

the rental agent is a video rental agent that provides a desired broadcast for a rental fee; and

the data distributor maintains a past broadcast library along with associated costs of access to the library broadcasts.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein:

the guide displays results of a search to locate a desired broadcast.

56. A method comprising:

responsive to selecting one or more programming selections via a guide, providing the programming selection so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the guide including past and present broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein:

the guide also includes future broadcasts; and

the guide identifies past broadcast recording qualities.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein:

the past broadcasts include free and for-fee past broadcasts.

59. An apparatus comprising:

a machine to display a guide to permit selection of one or more programming selections, the guide including broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the one or more programming selections to be received at a plurality of devices so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein:

the rental agent is a video rental agent to provide a desired broadcast for a rental fee; and

the data distributor is to maintain a past broadcast library along with associated costs of access to the library broadcasts.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein:

the guide is to display results of a search to locate a desired broadcast.

62. An apparatus comprising:

a machine to display a guide to permit selection of one or more programming selections, the guide including past and present broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the one or more programming selections to be received at a plurality of devices so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein:

the guide also includes future broadcasts; and

the guide identifies past broadcast recording qualities.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein:

the past broadcasts include free and for-fee past broadcasts.

65. An apparatus comprising:

a machine to provide, responsive to selecting one or more programming selections via a guide, the one or more programming selections so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices, the guide including broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein:

the rental agent is a video rental agent to provide a desired broadcast for a rental fee; and

the data distributor is to maintain a past broadcast library along with associated costs of access to the library broadcasts.

67. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein:

the guide is to display results of a search to locate a desired broadcast.

68. An apparatus comprising:

a machine to provide, responsive to selecting one or more programming selections via a guide, the programming selection so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the guide including past and present broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein:

the guide includes future broadcasts; and

the guide identifies past broadcast recording qualities.

70. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein:

the past broadcasts include free and for-fee past broadcasts.

71. Machine-accessible memory that includes data that when accessed by a machine results in the machine performing operations comprising:

displaying a guide that permits selection of one or more programming selections, the guide including broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent; and

receiving the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

72. The memory of claim 71, wherein:

the rental agent is a video rental agent that provides a desired broadcast for a rental fee; and

the data distributor maintains a past broadcast library along with associated costs of access to the library broadcasts.

73. The memory of claim 71, wherein:

the guide displays results of a search to locate a desired broadcast.

74. Machine-accessible memory that includes data that when accessed by a machine results in the machine performing operations comprising:

displaying a guide that permits selection of one or more programming selections, the guide including past and present broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent; and

receiving the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

75. The memory of claim 74, wherein:

the guide also includes future broadcasts; and

the guide identifies past broadcast recording qualities.

76. The memory of claim 74, wherein:

the past broadcasts include free and for-fee past broadcasts.

77. Machine-accessible memory that includes data that when accessed by a machine results in the machine performing operations comprising:

responsive to selecting one or more programming selections via a guide, providing the one or more programming selections so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at a plurality of devices, the guide including broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

78. The memory of claim 77, wherein:

the rental agent is a video rental agent that provides a desired broadcast for a rental fee; and

the data distributor maintains a past broadcast library along with associated costs of access to the library broadcasts.

79. The memory of claim 77, wherein:

the guide displays results of a search to locate a desired broadcast.

80. Machine-accessible memory that includes data that when accessed by a machine results in the machine performing operations comprising:

responsive to selecting one or more programming selections via a guide, providing the programming selection so as to permit viewing of the one or more programming selections at the plurality of devices, the guide including past and present broadcasts available from a data distributor and a rental agent, the plurality of devices including a handheld device.

81. The memory of claim 80, wherein:

the guide also includes future broadcasts; and

the guide identifies past broadcast recording qualities.

82. The memory of claim 80, wherein:

the past broadcasts include free and for-fee past broadcasts.