Method and system for automatically scanning television channels

1. A system for automatically scanning channels of a television operable for displaying a plurality of channels of a channel lineup one at a time, the system comprising:

a television input device operable for being controlled respectively by viewers to enable the viewers to control the television to change the channels being displayed by the, television;

wherein the television input device is operable to enable each viewer to associate preference settings of the viewer with the television input device, the preference settings for each viewer including channel display time period, channel scanning order, and program category filter preference settings;

wherein the television input device in response to being controlled by a first one of the viewers is operable with the television to automatically change the channels being displayed by the television without any further viewer control of the television input device such that each channel in the channel lineup having content satisfying the first viewer's program category filter preference setting is automatically displayed, in accordance with the first viewer's channel scanning order preference setting, one at a time by the television for the duration of the first viewer's channel display time period.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device is operable with the television to automatically change the channels being displayed by the television until one of the viewers controls the television input device to stop the television from changing the channels.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device is a remote television input device operable for being controlled respectively by the viewers to enable the viewers to remotely control the television.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device includes a remote control.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device includes a wireless keyboard.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device includes an onscreen keyboard.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device is operable with the television to pause the television from automatically changing the channels in response to one of the viewers controlling the television input device to pause the channel changing.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the television input device is operable with the television to resume the television to continue automatically changing the channels in response to one of the viewers controlling the television input device to resume the channel changing.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the preference settings for each viewer further include a program information preference setting, wherein the television input device is operable with the television to display program information associated with each displayed channel in accordance with the viewer's program information preference setting.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the television input device is operable to enable the viewers to select a subset of the channels in the channel lineup to be automatically changed.

11. A method for automatically scanning channels of a television operable for displaying a plurality of channels of a channel lineup one at a time, the method comprising:

associating preference settings of viewers of the television with a television input device, the preference settings for each viewer including channel display time period, channel scanning order, and program category filter preference settings, wherein the television input device is operable for being controlled respectively by viewers to enable the viewers to control the television to change the channels being displayed by the television;

a first one of the viewers controlling the television input device to have the television automatically change the channels being displayed by the television such that each channel in the channel lineup having content satisfying the first viewer's program category filter preference setting is automatically displayed, in accordance with the first viewer's channel scanning order preference setting, one at a time by the television for the duration of the first viewer's channel display time period without further action by the viewer; and

any one of the viewers controlling the television input device to stop the television from automatically changing the channels.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the television input device is a remote television input device operable for being controlled by the viewers to enable the viewers to remotely control the television.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the television input device includes a remote control.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the television input device includes a wireless keyboard.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the television input device includes an onscreen keyboard.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

any one of the viewers controlling the television input device to pause the television from automatically changing the channels.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

any one of the viewers controlling the television input device to resume the television to continue automatically changing the channels.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the preference settings for each viewer further include a program information preference setting, wherein the television displays the program information associated with each displayed channel in accordance with the viewer's program preference setting as the channels are being automatically changed.