Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100146552 | INTERACTIVE PROGRAM GUIDE WITH CONTINUOUS DATA STREAM AND CLIENT-SERVER DATA SUPPLEMENTATION - An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment obtains program guide data from two data delivery mechanisms. Current program guide data is obtained from a continuous data stream. Other program guide data (which may include the current program guide data) is obtained by the program guide from a program guide server. | 06-10-2010 |
20100180304 | ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE WITH SUPPORT FOR RICH PROGRAM CONTENT - An electronic program guide that assists a user to navigate through a variety of digital and analog feeds made available by digital television technology is provided. Features such as allowing the user to purchase items, allowing the user to choose the content of the display screen, enabling more efficient use of black areas, among others are provided. Default settings based on prior user settings is provided to allow for an automatically customized environment. This automatic customization may entail, for example, the automatic resizing of windows based on the user's prior preferences. Also provided is a feature that allows for the automatic activation of a local or remote application through the user's set-top box based on the content currently being viewed. | 07-15-2010 |
20100205634 | Interactive program guide system and method - An interactive television program guide system and method is provided. Time separators are displayed within lists of program listings to allow users to more easily view the program listings. On-screen arrows have their display characteristics changed according to user actions. Similar program listings are displayed only once when using search program listings. Users are provided with an opportunity to view channel information before setting channels as favorites. Information from local information services is provided in program guide display screens that are configurable by a main facility. Users are provided with an opportunity to centrally lock and unlock programs, and to bypass locks when desired. | 08-12-2010 |
20110047487 | TELEVISION CHAT SYSTEM - A television chat system is provided that allows television viewers to engage in real-time communications in chat groups with other television viewers while watching television. Users of the television chat system may engage in real-time communications with other users who are currently watching the same television program or channel. | 02-24-2011 |
20110078174 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCHEDULING RECORDINGS USING CROSS-PLATFORM DATA SOURCES - Systems and methods are provided for scheduling media asset actions (e.g., media asset reminders, media asset recordings, etc.) on media assets, based on a user's list of favored artists (e.g., actor/actress, band, celebrity, etc.). A system that obtains a list of artists that are favored by a user is provided. Information is obtained from a website, where the obtained information indicates that one of the artists in the list is scheduled to perform during a particular time. Based on the obtained information, a media asset action is scheduled for the identified media asset. | 03-31-2011 |
20110078736 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AN OPEN AND COLLABORATIVE MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATION - Systems and methods for an open and collaborative media guidance application are provided. Users may join a distribution list to receive and/or provide modifications to media asset description information. A user may provide a modification to the media asset description information provided that he/she has sufficient authorization. The modification may be transmitted to a central server. The central server may filter the modification for improper information. The central server may update the media asset description information based on the received modification. The central server may transmit the modification or the updated media asset description information to media equipment devices associated with a distribution list. The media equipment devices may receive the modifications and process the modification based on local settings to update the locally stored media asset description information. | 03-31-2011 |
20110126246 | Systems and Methods for Communicating and Enforcing Viewing and Recording Limits for Media-On-Demand - Systems and methods for communicating and enforcing viewing and recording limits for media-on-demand are provided. The system may provide a guidance application that allows users to select on-demand media offerings. The delivery of the on-demand media offerings may be managed based on the length of program, the bandwidth required, the available bandwidth, the time of delivery, pricing and other factors. The system may manage the delivery of on-demand offerings by assigning a number of different types of viewing rights to a user when an on-demand offering is selected. The system may warn a user of insufficient rights and enforce selected viewing rights. | 05-26-2011 |
20110179129 | TELEVISION MESSAGE SYSTEM - A television message system is provided that allows users at user television equipment devices that are connected to a television distribution facility to transmit messages to each other relating to a television program or other suitable subject. The television message system permits users to participate in evaluations, contests, promotions, and surveys related to a television program while watching that television program. The television message system also permits users to compose and send a message to a television program entity. The television message system also allows a user to purchase a gift related to television programming for a recipient. The gift may be an electronic gift certificate for pay-per-view programming. The television message system may be based on an interactive television program guide or a set-top box application implemented on a set-top box. | 07-21-2011 |
20110258661 | INTERACTIVE PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM AND METHOD - An interactive television program guide system and method is provided. Time separators are displayed within lists of program listings to allow users to more easily view the program listings. On-screen arrows have their display characteristics changed according to user actions. Similar program listings are displayed only once when using search program listings. Users are provided with an opportunity to view channel information before setting channels as favorites. Information from local information services is provided in program guide display screens that are configurable by a main facility. Users are provided with an opportunity to centrally lock and unlock programs, and to bypass locks when desired. | 10-20-2011 |
20110302608 | INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH PAY PROGRAM PACKAGE PROMOTION - A system is provided that allows a user to select a pay program for purchase from a program guide. The program guide determines whether the selected program is part of a package of pay programs. If the selected program is part of a package, information regarding the package is provided to the user so that the user may decide whether to purchase the package. If the selected program is part of several packages, information for all packages is provided. The system automatically sets reminders for packages containing repetitive programming. The system monitors whether the user has watched any of the programs in such packages. When the user watches a program from the package, the remaining reminders are cancelled. If a user does not watch any programs in a package of any type, purchase of the package is cancelled and the user is provided with the opportunity to reschedule. | 12-08-2011 |
20120033943 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UPDATING INFORMATION IN REAL TIME FOR USE IN A MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATION - Systems and methods are provided for updating a media guidance application with real-time media information for enhancing recording features. In particular, real-time schedule changes, actual and estimated, are provided for updating instructions for a media guidance application operation. | 02-09-2012 |
20120036536 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UPDATING INFORMATION IN REAL TIME FOR USE IN A MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATION - Systems and methods are provided for updating a media guidance application with real-time media information for enhancing recording features. In particular, real-time schedule changes, actual and estimated, are provided for updating instructions for a media guidance application operation. | 02-09-2012 |
20120036537 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UPDATING INFORMATION IN REAL TIME FOR USE IN A MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATION - Systems and methods are provided for updating a media guidance application with real-time media information for enhancing recording features. In particular, real-time schedule changes, actual and estimated, are provided for updating instructions for a media guidance application operation. | 02-09-2012 |
20120163776 | INTERACTIVE PROGRAM GUIDE WITH CONTINUOUS DATA STREAM AND CLIENT-SERVER DATA SUPPLEMENTATION - An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment obtains program guide data from two data delivery mechanisms. Current program guide data is obtained from a continuous data stream. Other program guide data (which may include the current program guide data) is obtained by the program guide from a program guide server. | 06-28-2012 |
20130169546 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSFERRING SETTINGS ACROSS DEVICES BASED ON USER GESTURES - Systems and methods for transferring settings between user devices using gestures are provided. A selection of media guidance application setting is made. A user input indicative of a direction in which the user wishes to transmit the selected media guidance application setting is received. A determination is made that a device is present in the direction indicated by the user and the device is identified. In response to identifying the device indicated by the user, the selected media guidance application setting is transferred to the identified device. The transferred setting is applied to the device to which the setting was transferred. | 07-04-2013 |
20130173742 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LATENCY-BASED SYNCHRONIZED PLAYBACK AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS - Embodiments provide methods and systems for synchronizing simultaneous media asset viewing for users at different geographical viewing locations. In some embodiments, a first user device receives a request to synchronize viewing of a media asset with a second user device. If the first user device accepts the request for synchronized viewing, the first and second user devices receive the media asset from a common source. Control circuitry at the common source may determine the latencies to the first and second user devices. The transmission of the media asset to the first and second user devices is adjusted according to the latencies. | 07-04-2013 |
20130290992 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A PROGRAM AS A GIFT USING AN INTERACTIVE APPLICATION - A television message system is provided that allows users at user television equipment devices that are connected to a television distribution facility to transmit messages to each other relating to a television program or other suitable subject. The television message system permits users to participate in evaluations, contests, promotions, and surveys related to a television program while watching that television program. The television message system also permits users to compose and send a message to a television program entity. Users can send messages through the television message system to users at personal computers who are connected to the user's television distribution facility through a communications network. The television message system also allows a user to purchase a gift related to television programming for a recipient. The gift may be an electronic gift certificate for pay-per-view programming. | 10-31-2013 |