Interactive media guidance system having multiple devices

• US 9,681,105 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US11/324,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,184 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9, 725 46, 725 80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4334 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 21/43615 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 21/440272 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• 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 21/4755 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• 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 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7925 for more than one standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

When selecting a television program for recording, a user may configure the delivery of the selected television program and associated data and interactive applications to different user equipment devices in a home network, which may have different capabilities. Because the user equipment devices in the home network may have different capabilities, the user may wish to deliver different types and amount of content, different amounts of data, and different versions of interactive applications to the user equipment devices in the home network.

Claims

1. A method for delivering video programming to user equipment devices in a home network, the method comprising:

generating for display a menu associated with delivering the video programming, wherein the menu includes a first option for an interactive application available for automatic delivery with the video programming and a second option for a user-selected version of the video programming to be delivered;

receiving a first request selecting the interactive application for delivery with the video programming;

after receiving the first request, receiving a second request from a first user equipment device in the home network to play the video programming;

in response to receiving the second request to play the video programming;

selecting an interactive application from a plurality of interactive applications to deliver with the video programming based on the first request; and

selecting a first version of the interactive application from a plurality of stored versions of the interactive application that is supported by the first user equipment device; and

delivering the user-selected version of the video programming and the first version of the interactive application to the first user equipment device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a third request from a second user equipment device in the home network to play the video programming;

identifying a second version of the interactive application that is appropriate for the second user equipment device; and

delivering the video programming and the second version of the interactive application to the second user equipment device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second user equipment devices have different hardware or software platforms and wherein the first and second versions of interactive application are different.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first version from the plurality of versions comprises using an interactive program guide to select from the plurality of versions.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein selecting the first version from the plurality of versions further comprises providing a user with the ability to select the plurality of versions using the interactive program guide.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein selecting the first version from the plurality of versions comprises automatically selecting from the plurality of versions using the interactive program guide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first version of the interactive application is created by modifying another version of the interactive application.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first version of the interactive application is implemented in a platform-independent language, and wherein the first version of the interactive application is configured to adapt to be generated for display by the first user equipment device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the interactive application is a navigation application, a commerce application, a voting application, a trivia application, a wagering application, a user behavior monitoring application, a preference setting application, or an interactive advertising application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second request includes information used to identify a programming language of different programming languages that is supported by a hardware or software platform of the first user equipment device.

11. A system for delivering video programming to user equipment devices in a home network comprising:

a processor in communication with the home network configured to;

generate for display a menu associated with delivering the video programming, wherein the menu includes a first option for an interactive application available for automatic delivery with the video programming and a second option for a user-selected version of the video programming to be delivered;

receive a first request selecting one of plurality of interactive applications for delivery with the video programming;

after receiving the first request, receive a second request from a first user equipment device in the home network to play the video programming;

in response to receiving the second request to play the video programming;

select an interactive application from a plurality of interactive applications based on the first request; and

select a first version of the interactive application from a plurality of stored versions of the interactive application that supported by for the first user equipment device; and

deliver the user-selected version of the video programming and the first version of the interactive application to the first user equipment device.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a second user equipment device in the home network and wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a third request from the second user equipment device in the home network to play the video programming;

identify a second version of the interactive application that is appropriate for the second user equipment device; and

deliver the video programming and the second version of the interactive application to the second user equipment device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first and second user equipment devices have different hardware or software platforms and wherein the first and second versions of interactive application are different.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein selecting the first version from the plurality of versions comprises using an interactive program guide to select from the plurality of versions.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein selecting the first version from the plurality of versions further comprises providing a user with the ability to select the plurality of versions using the interactive program guide.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein selecting the first version from the plurality of versions further comprises automatically selecting from the plurality of versions using the interactive program guide.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to create the first version of the interactive application by modifying another version of the interactive application.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the first version of the interactive application is implemented in a platform-independent language, and wherein the first version of the interactive application is adapted to be generated for display by the first user equipment device.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the interactive application is a navigation application, a commerce application, a voting application, a trivia application, a wagering application, a user behavior monitoring application, a preference setting application, or an interactive advertising application.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the second request includes information used to identify a programming language of different programming languages that is supported by a hardware or software platform of the first user equipment device.

21. A method for delivering recorded television programs to user equipment devices in a home network, the method comprising:

generating for display a menu listing a first option for an interactive application available for automatic delivery with a recorded television program and a second option for a user-selected version of the recorded television program to be delivered;

receiving a first request selecting the interactive application;

after receiving the first request, receiving a second request from a first user equipment device in the home network to play the recorded television program;

in response to receiving the second request to play the recorded television program;

selecting an interactive application from a plurality of interactive applications to deliver with the recorded television program based on the first request; and

selecting a first version of the interactive application from a plurality of stored versions of the interactive application that is supported by the first user equipment device; and

delivering the user-selected version of the recorded television program and the first version of the interactive application to the first user equipment device.