Television viewer interface system

• US 9,113,218 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Look, Howard, Vallone, Robert, Brown, David Avraham, Bedard, Karen, Van Stam, Wijnand, McKendrick, Ain
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDOZA, JUNIOR O
• Application Number:
  US12/975,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20110091182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 725 9- 21, 725 25- 31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A television viewer interface system provides a viewer interface that allows the viewer to access different functions of a system. A highlight bar is responsive to the user'"'"'s commands and is used to indicate the current menu item that can be selected by the user. Information is presented in a successive disclosure format where the user navigates through menus by moving the highlight bar to the right to obtain more information or to the left to see less information and return to the previous location. The background colors of each set of menus remains consistent throughout the user'"'"'s experience such that the user intuitively knows what menu area he is in through the color cues. The invention provides indicators that tell the user that more information is available in a particular direction for a menu item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a viewer interface system that plays media programs, at least first identification data that identifies a first input device and second identification data that identifies a second input device;

receiving a command signal at different times from different devices, the different devices including at least the first input device and the second input device, the command signal corresponding to a single button, the command signal specifying a preference for or against a media program that is being displayed when the command signal is received;

associating, at the viewer interface system, preference data with input devices, the preference data including at least first preference data that is associated with the first identification data and second preference data that is associated with the second identification data;

responding to reception of the command signal at a given time differently depending on which identification data is received with the command signal, a given media program being displayed at the given time, the responding comprising, when the first identification data is received with the command signal, storing a preference for or against the given media program in the first preference data, and when the second identification data is received with the command signal, storing a preference for or against the given media program in the second preference data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to receiving input from a particular input device, activating parental controls associated with the particular input device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewer interface system receives the first identification data and the second identification data via coded chips onboard the first input device and the second input device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input devices are remote controls.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to exit viewing of a particular program at an exit point;

storing, in the preference data, the exit point in association with the particular program and the first identification data;

receiving input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to resume viewing of the particular program;

responsive to determining that the exit point is stored in association with the first identification data, resuming playback of the particular program from the exit point.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to bookmark a particular point within a particular program;

storing, in the preference data, a bookmark indicating the particular point in association with the particular program and the first identification data;

receiving a second command signal that selects the bookmark; and

resuming playback of the particular program from the particular point in response to the second command signal, based on the bookmark.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the command signal indicates a user rating for the media program;

wherein storing the preference comprises storing the user rating in association with the given media program and the corresponding identification data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying different suggested programs in response to inputs from different input devices, the suggested programs displayed for each respective input device of the different input devices having been selected, respectively, based at least on particular preference data that was stored in association with particular identification data of the respective input device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the command signal corresponds to a “

thumbs up”

or “

thumbs down”

input device button.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the media programs played by the viewer interface system are from a plurality of channels.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a playback subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to play media programs;

an input subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to;

receive at least first identification data that identifies a first input device and second identification data that identifies a second input device; and

receive a command signal at different times from different devices, the different devices including at least the first input device and the second input device, the command signal corresponding to a single button, the command signal specifying a preference for or against a displayed media program that is being displayed when the command signal is received;

a preference subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to;

associate, at the viewer interface system, preference data with input devices, the preference data including at least first preference data that is associated with the first identification data and second preference data that is associated with the second identification data; and

respond to reception of the command signal at a given time differently depending on which identification data is received with the command signal, a given media program being displayed at the given time, the responding comprising, when the first identification data is received with the command signal, storing a preference for or against the given media program in the first preference data, and when the second identification data is received with the command signal, storing a preference for or against the given media program in the second preference data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the interface subsystem is further configured to respond to receiving input from a particular input device, by activating parental controls associated with the particular input device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input subsystem is further configured to receive the first identification data and the second identification data via coded chips onboard the first input device and the second input device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input devices are remote controls.

15. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the input subsystem is further configured to receive input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to exit viewing a particular program at an exit point;

wherein the preference subsystem is further configured to store the exit point in association with the particular program and the first identification data;

wherein the input subsystem is further configured to receive input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to resume viewing of the particular program;

wherein the apparatus further comprises an interface subsystem configured to responsive to determining that the exit point is stored in association with the first identification data, resume playback of the particular program from the exit point.

16. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the input subsystem is further configured to receive input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to bookmark a particular point within a particular program;

wherein the preference subsystem is further configured to store a bookmark indicating the particular point in association with the particular program and the first identification data;

wherein the input subsystem is further configured to receive input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to resume viewing of the particular program;

wherein the apparatus further comprises an interface subsystem configured to resume playback of the particular program from the particular point in response to the second command signal, based on the bookmark.

17. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the command signal indicates a user rating for the media program;

wherein the preference subsystem is configured to store the the user rating in association with the given media program and the corresponding identification data.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an interface subsystem configured to display different suggested programs in response to inputs from different input devices, the suggested programs displayed for each respective input device of the different input devices having been selected, respectively, based at least on particular preference data that was stored in association with particular identification data of the respective input device.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the command signal corresponds to a “

thumbs up”

or “

thumbs down”

input device button.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the media programs played by the apparatus are from a plurality of channels.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:

receiving, at a viewer interface system that plays media programs, at least first identification data that identifies a first input device and second identification data that identifies a second input device;

receiving a command signal at different times from different devices, the different devices including at least the first input device and the second input device, the command signal corresponding to a single button, the command signal specifying a preference for or against a media program that is being displayed when the command signal is received;

associating, at the viewer interface system, preference data with input devices, the preference data including at least first preference data that is associated with the first identification data and second preference data that is associated with the second identification data;

responding to reception of the command signal at a given time differently depending on which identification data is received with the command signal, a given media program being displayed at the given time, the responding comprising, when the first identification data is received with the command signal, storing a preference for or against the given media program in the first preference data, and when the second identification data is received with the command signal, storing a preference for or against the given media program in the second preference data.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising responsive to receiving input from a particular input device, activating parental controls associated with the particular input device.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the viewer interface system receives the first identification data and the second identification data via coded chips onboard the first input device and the second input device.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the input devices are remote controls.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

receiving input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to exit viewing of a particular program at an exit point;

storing, in the preference data, the exit point in association with the particular program and the first identification data;

receiving input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to resume viewing of the particular program;

responsive to determining that the exit point is stored in association with the first identification data, resuming playback of the particular program from the exit point.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

receiving input, associated with the first identification data, that instructs the viewer interface system to bookmark a particular point within a particular program;

storing, in the preference data, a bookmark indicating the particular point in association with the particular program and the first identification data;

receiving a second command signal that selects the bookmark; and

resuming playback of the particular program from the particular point in response to the second command signal, based on the bookmark.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

wherein the command signal indicates a user rating for the media program;

wherein storing the preference comprises storing the user rating in association with the given media program and the corresponding identification data.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

displaying different suggested programs in response to inputs from different input devices, the suggested programs displayed for each respective input device of the different input devices having been selected, respectively, based at least on particular preference data that was stored in association with particular identification data of the respective input device.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the command signal corresponds to a “

thumbs up”

or “

thumbs down”

input device button.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the media programs played by the viewer interface system are from a plurality of channels.