Electronic program guide with blackout features

• US 8,839,294 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALCE, JASON P
• Application Number:
  US12/887,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20110067067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 725 25- 31, 725/40, 725/52, 725/58, 725 88- 89, 725/134, 725/142
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71

Abstract

An interactive television program guide for supporting programming blackouts is provided. In some embodiments, the interactive television program guide may unschedule the reminding and recording of blacked-out programs that have been scheduled by a user for reminding or recording. In some embodiments, the interactive television program guide may prevent a user from scheduling blacked-out programs for reminding and recording. In some embodiments, the interactive television program guide may prevent a user from ordering blacked-out pay-per-view programs. In some embodiments, the interactive television program guide may provide blackout information in information displays. In some embodiments, the interactive television program guide may provide replacement media for blacked-out programs.

Claims

1. A system for supporting programming blackouts in an interactive program guide, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

receive an indication from a user of a blacked-out program with the interactive program guide; and

in response to receiving the user indication, identify at least one replacement media selection for the blacked-out program.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the indication from the user of the blacked-out program from a program listings display.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the indication from the user of the blacked-out program from a FLIP display.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the indication from the user of the blacked-out program from a record list display.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the indication from the user of the blacked-out program from a reminder list display.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify at least one replacement media selection with a similar program attribute as the blacked-out program.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the similar program attribute is selected from the group consisting of a program title, a program genre, an actor, and a director.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to maintain a user viewing history for at least one user and identify at least one replacement media selection with a similar program attribute as the user viewing history.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify a different showing of the blacked-out program.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the different showing is available on a different channel or at a different time than the blacked-out program.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is configured to display a list of the identified at least one replacement media selection.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a user selection from the list; and

tune to the selected replacement media selection in response to the user selection.