Interactive television program guide with remote access

• US 8,006,263 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Hassell, Joel G., Lemmons, Thomas R., Berezowski, David M., McCoy, Robert H., Thomas, William L., Knee, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Son P
• Application Number:
  US11/246,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,146 Days
• Field of Search: 725/2, 725/4, 725/38, 725/58, 725/89, 725/115, 725/133, 725/141, 386/83, 386/238, 386/297, 386/299
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 21/47 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• 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 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 : involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive television program guide with remote access is provided. The interactive television program guide is implemented on interactive television program guide equipment. A remote program guide access device is connected to the interactive television program guide equipment by a remote access link to provide a user with remote access to program guide functions.

Claims

1. A system for selecting television programs over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, comprising:

a local interactive television program guide equipment on which a local interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the local interactive television program guide equipment includes user television equipment located within a user'"'"'s home and the local interactive television program guide generates a display of one or more program listings for display on a display device at the user'"'"'s home; and

a remote program guide access device located outside of the user'"'"'s home on which a remote access interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the remote program guide access device is a mobile device, and wherein the remote access interactive television program guide;

generates a display of a plurality of program listings for display on the remote program guide access device, wherein the display of the plurality of program listings is generated based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the remote program guide access device;

receives a selection of a program listing of the plurality of program listings in the display, wherein the selection identifies a television program corresponding to the selected program listing for recording by the local interactive television program guide; and

transmits a communication identifying the television program corresponding to the selected program listing from the remote access interactive television program guide to the local interactive television program guide over the Internet communications path;

wherein the local interactive television program guide receives the communication and records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing responsive to the communication using the local interactive television program guide equipment.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing on the user television equipment.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing at a television distribution facility.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the local interactive television program guide stores information indicating the user who selected the program listing with the remote access interactive television program guide.

5. A method for selecting television programs over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the method comprising steps of:

generating, using a remote program guide access device located outside a user'"'"'s home on which a remote access interactive television program guide is implemented, a display of a plurality of program listings for display on the remote program guide access device, wherein the remote program guide access device is a mobile device, and wherein the display of the plurality of program listings is generated based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the remote program guide access device;

receiving, with the remote access interactive television program guide, a selection of a program listing the plurality of program listings in the display, wherein the selection identifies a television program corresponding to the selected program listing for recording by a local interactive television program guide implemented on interactive television program guide equipment located within the user'"'"'s home, wherein the local interactive television program guide generates a display of one or more program listings for display on a display device at the user'"'"'s home;

transmitting a communication identifying the television program corresponding to the selected program listing from the remote access interactive television program guide to the local interactive television program guide over the Internet communications path;

receiving the communication at the local interactive television program guide; and

recording the television program corresponding to the selected program listing responsive to the communication, using the local interactive television program guide implemented on the interactive television program guide equipment.

6. The method defined in claim 5 wherein recording the television program corresponding to the selected program listing comprises recording the television program on user television equipment.

7. The method defined in claim 5 wherein recording the television program corresponding to the selected program listing comprises recording the television program at a television distribution facility.

8. A system for selecting television programs over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, comprising:

a remote interactive program guide access device located outside of a user'"'"'s home on which a remote access interactive television program guide is implemented, wherein the remote interactive program guide access device is a mobile device, and wherein the remote access interactive television program guide;

generates a display of a plurality of program listings for display on the remote interactive program guide access device, wherein the display of the plurality of program listings is generated based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the remote interactive program guide access device;

receives a selection of a program listing of the plurality of program listings in the display, wherein the selection identifies a television program corresponding to the selected program listing for recording by a local interactive television program guide implemented on a local interactive television program guide equipment located within the user'"'"'s home, wherein the local interactive television program guide generates a display of one or more program listings for display on a display device at the user'"'"'s home;

transmits a communication identifying the television program corresponding to the selected program listing from the remote access interactive television program guide to the local interactive television program guide over the Internet communications path; and

causes the local interactive television program guide on the local interactive television program guide equipment to record the television program corresponding to the selected program listing responsive to the communication using the local interactive television program guide equipment.

9. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing on user television equipment.

10. The system defined in claim 8 wherein local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing at a television distribution facility.

11. A method for selecting television programs over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the method comprising steps of:

generating, using a remote access interactive television program guide, a display of a plurality of program listings for display on a mobile device, and wherein the display of the plurality of program listings is generated based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the mobile device;

receiving a selection of a program listing of the plurality of program listings, wherein the selection identifies a television program corresponding to the selected program listing for recording by a local interactive television program guide implemented on a local interactive television program guide equipment located within the user'"'"'s home, wherein the local interactive television program guide generates a display of one or more program listings for display on a display device at the user'"'"'s home;

transmitting a communication identifying the television program corresponding to the selected program listing from a remote access interactive television program guide to the local interactive television program guide over the Internet communications path; and

causing the local interactive television program guide on the local interactive television program guide equipment to record the television program corresponding to the selected program listing responsive to the communication using the local interactive television program guide equipment.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein recording the television program corresponding to the selected program listing comprises recording the television program on user television equipment.

13. The method defined in claim 11 wherein recording the television program corresponding to the selected program listing comprises recording the television program at a television distribution facility.

14. A system for selecting television programs over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, comprising:

a local interactive television program guide implemented on a local interactive television program guide equipment, wherein the local interactive television program guide equipment is located within a user'"'"'s home, and wherein the local interactive television program guide;

generates a display of one or more program listings for display on a display device at the user'"'"'s home;

receives a communication from a remote access interactive television program guide implemented on a remote interactive television program guide access device located outside the user'"'"'s home to the local guide over the Internet communications path, wherein the communication identifies a television program corresponding to a program listing selected at the remote access interactive television program guide, wherein the remote interactive television program guide access device is a mobile device, wherein the remote interactive television program guide access device generates a display of a plurality of program listings based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the remote interactive television program guide access device, and wherein the selected program listing is selected from the plurality of program listings; and

records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing responsive to the communication using the local interactive television program guide equipment.

15. The system defined in claim 14 wherein the local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing on user television equipment.

16. The system defined in claim 14 wherein local interactive television program guide records the television program corresponding to the selected program listing at a television distribution facility.

17. A method for selecting television programs over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the method comprising steps of:

generating, with a local interactive television program guide, a display of one or more program listings for display on a display device at a user'"'"'s home;

receiving, at the local interactive television program guide, a communication from a remote access interactive television program guide implemented on a remote interactive television program guide access device located outside the user'"'"'s home, wherein the communication is received over the Internet communications path, and the communication identifies a television program corresponding to a program listing selected at the remote access interactive television program guide, wherein the remote interactive television program guide access device is a mobile device, wherein the remote interactive television program guide access device generates a display of a plurality of program listings based on a user profile stored at a location remote from the remote interactive television program guide access device, and wherein the program listing is selected from the plurality of program listings; and

recording the television program corresponding to the selected program listing responsive to the communication using the local interactive television program guide implemented on a local interactive television program guide equipment.

18. The method defined in claim 17 wherein recording the television program using the local interactive television program guide on the local interactive television program guide equipment comprises recording the television program on user television equipment.

19. The method defined in claim 17 wherein recording the television program using the local interactive television program guide on the local interactive television program guide equipment comprises recording the television program at a television distribution facility.