Interactive television program guide with remote access

• US 8,755,666 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• 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., Thomas, William L., Hassell, Joel G., Lemmons, Thomas R., Berezowski, David M., Knee, Robert A., McCoy, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, EILEEN M
• Application Number:
  US13/952,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/219
• 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. An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc.

Claims

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

a mobile device for;

receiving first data including information corresponding to a first plurality of sequences of video frames, wherein the first data are processed by control circuitry of the mobile device to identify content of the first plurality of sequences of video frames to generate a first graphical user interface;

processing the first data to generate, based on the processed first data, the first graphical user interface of a first plurality of identifiers of content, each of the first plurality of identifiers of content corresponding to respective ones of a second plurality of sequences of video frames of the first plurality of sequences of video frames, the first plurality of identifiers of content for display on the mobile device using a remote access interactive program guide implemented on the mobile device, the mobile device being capable of displaying the first plurality of identifiers of content concurrently with a local interactive program guide equipment displaying a second plurality of identifiers of content, wherein;

the local interactive program guide equipment receives, from a source, second data including information corresponding to a third plurality of sequences of video frames, wherein the second data are processed by control circuitry of the local interactive program guide equipment to identify content of the third plurality of sequences of video frames to generate a second graphical user interface, and

the second data are processed to generate, based on the processed second data, the second graphical user interface of the second plurality of identifiers of content, each of the second plurality of identifiers of content corresponding to respective ones of a fourth plurality of sequences of video frames of the third plurality of sequences of video frames, each of the sequences of video frames in the third plurality of sequences of video frames scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users at a first scheduled time, the third plurality of sequences of video frames being transmitted over a plurality of content sources to the plurality of users while the second plurality of identifiers of content is being presented using the second graphical user interface, the second plurality of identifiers of content for display on a display device using a local interactive program guide, wherein the local interactive program guide is implemented on the local interactive program guide equipment;

detecting an input, at the remote access interactive program guide, indicating a user selection of an identifier of content of the first plurality of identifiers of content, wherein the identifier of content is selected by the user while the local interactive program guide equipment receives one of the third plurality of sequences of video frames over a first of the plurality of content sources from the source;

identifying for recording based on the detecting, a first sequence of video frames of the second plurality of sequences of video frames corresponding to the identifier of content selected by the user based on the input;

generating an electrical signal corresponding to the first sequence of video frames; and

transmitting the electrical signal to the local interactive program guide over the Internet communications path, wherein the first sequence of video frames corresponding to the selected identifier of content is stored, responsive to processing the electrical signal at the local interactive program guide, using the local interactive program guide equipment, when the first sequence of video frames is received over a second of the content sources at a second scheduled time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the local interactive television program guide records the first sequence of video frames at a television distribution facility.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the respective ones of the third plurality of sequences of video frames corresponding to the second plurality of identifiers of content is formatted based on a characteristic of the display device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote access interactive program guide obtains a user profile from the local interactive program guide.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data are a subset of the second data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the local interactive guide equipment includes a video recorder.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sequence of video frames is a previously scheduled first sequence of video frames.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the recording comprises scheduling the first sequence of video frames for recording using the local interactive program guide.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote access interactive program guide obtains the first data based on a user profile.

10. A method for selecting videos over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, first data including information corresponding to a first plurality of sequences of video frames, wherein the first data are processed by control circuitry of the mobile device to identify content of the first plurality of sequences of video frames to generate a first graphical user interface;

processing the first data to generate, based on the processed first data, the first graphical user interface of a first plurality of identifiers of content, each of the first plurality of identifiers of content corresponding to respective ones of a second plurality of sequences of video frames of the first plurality of sequences of video frames, the first plurality of identifiers of content for display on the mobile device using a remote access interactive program guide implemented on the mobile device, the mobile device being capable of displaying the first plurality of identifiers of content concurrently with a local interactive program guide equipment displaying a second plurality of identifiers of content, wherein;

the local interactive program guide equipment receives, from a source, second data including information corresponding to a third plurality of sequences of video frames, wherein the second data are processed by control circuitry of the local interactive program guide equipment to identify content of the third plurality of sequences of video frames to generate a second graphical user interface, and

the second data are processed to generate, based on the processed second data, the second graphical user interface of the second plurality of identifiers of content, each of the second plurality of identifiers of content corresponding to respective ones of a fourth plurality of sequences of video frames of the third plurality of sequences of video frames, each of the sequences of video frames in the third plurality of sequences of video frames scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users at a first scheduled time, the third plurality of sequences of video frames being transmitted over a plurality of content sources to the plurality of users while the second plurality of identifiers of content is being presented using the second graphical user interface, the second plurality of identifiers of content for display on a display device using a local interactive program guide, wherein the local interactive program guide is implemented on the local interactive program guide equipment, and wherein each of the respective ones of the third plurality of sequences of video frames corresponding to the second plurality of identifiers of content is formatted based on a characteristic of the display device;

detecting an input, at the remote access interactive program guide, indicating a user selection of an identifier of content of the first plurality of identifiers of content, wherein the identifier of content is selected by the user while the local interactive program guide equipment receives one of the third plurality of sequences of video frames over a first of the plurality of content sources from the source;

identifying for recording based on the detecting, a first sequence of video frames of the second plurality of sequences of video frames corresponding to the identifier of content selected by the user based on the input;

generating an electrical signal corresponding to the first sequence of video frames; and

transmitting the electrical signal to the local interactive program guide over the Internet communications path, wherein the first sequence of video frames corresponding to the selected identifier of content is stored, responsive to processing the electrical signal at the local interactive program guide, using the local interactive program guide equipment, when the first sequence of video frames is received over a second of the content sources at a second scheduled time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the local interactive television program guide records the first sequence of video frames at a television distribution facility.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote access interactive program guide obtains a user profile from the local interactive program guide.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first data are a subset of the second data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the local interactive guide equipment includes a video recorder.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first sequence of video frames is a previously scheduled first sequence of video frames.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the recording comprises scheduling the first sequence of video frames for recording using the local interactive program guide.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote access interactive program guide obtains the first data based on a user profile.

18. A method for selecting videos over a remote access link comprising an Internet communications path for recording, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, first data including information corresponding to a first plurality of sequences of video frames, wherein the first data are processed by control circuitry of the mobile device to identify content of the first plurality of sequences of video frames to generate a first graphical user interface;

processing the first data to generate, based on the processed first data, the first graphical user interface of a first plurality of identifiers of content, each of the first plurality of identifiers of content corresponding to respective ones of a second plurality of sequences of video frames of the first plurality of sequences of video frames, the first plurality of identifiers of content for display on the mobile device using a remote access interactive program guide implemented on the mobile device, the mobile device being capable of displaying the first plurality of identifiers of content concurrently with a local interactive program guide equipment displaying a second plurality of identifiers of content, wherein;

the local interactive program guide equipment receives, from a source, second data including information corresponding to a third plurality of sequences of video frames, wherein the second data are processed by control circuitry of the local interactive program guide equipment to identify content of the third plurality of sequences of video frames to generate a second graphical user interface, and

the second data are processed to generate, based on the processed second data, the second graphical user interface of the second plurality of identifiers of content, each of the second plurality of identifiers of content corresponding to respective ones of a fourth plurality of sequences of video frames of the third plurality of sequences of video frames, each of the sequences of video frames in the third plurality of sequences of video frames scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users at a first scheduled time, the third plurality of sequences of video frames being transmitted over a plurality of content sources to the plurality of users while the second plurality of identifiers of content is being presented using the second graphical user interface, the second plurality of identifiers of content for display on a display device using a local interactive program guide, wherein the local interactive program guide is implemented on the local interactive program guide equipment;

detecting an input, at the remote access interactive program guide, indicating a user selection of an identifier of content of the first plurality of identifiers of content, wherein the identifier of content is selected by the user while the local interactive program guide equipment receives one of the third plurality of sequences of video frames over a first of the plurality of content sources from the source;

identifying for recording based on the detecting, a first sequence of video frames of the second plurality of sequences of video frames corresponding to the identifier of content selected by the user based on the input;

generating an electrical signal corresponding to the first sequence of video frames; and

transmitting the electrical signal to the local interactive program guide over the Internet communications path, wherein the first sequence of video frames corresponding to the selected identifier of content is stored, responsive to processing the electrical signal at the local interactive program guide, using the local interactive program guide equipment, when the first sequence of video frames is received over a second of the content sources at a second scheduled time.