Recommendation-based electronic program guide with multiple modes of operation
View Patent ↗A novel electronic program guide (EPG) and its associated method allows a viewer/user to navigate through a multitude of programs and locate a program or programs of interest using three contemporaneously available, distinct modes of operation which depend on the degree to which the viewer/user is decided regarding programs to view or reproduce.
1. Via a graphical user interface, a method for allowing a user to navigate through and select programming of interest, the method comprising:
providing multiple programs for viewing or reproduction;
generating an interactive graphical user interface;
displaying via a common display, selected programs and a program guide when desired;
in response to user input, locating programs of interest in a plurality of distinct viewing modes corresponding to respective levels of a user's decisiveness regarding programs to view or reproduce, the viewing modes being accessible via the common display.
2. The method in claim 1 , wherein for a first mode of operation, the method further comprises:
providing a recommended programs area on said display;
providing at least one recommended program in said recommended programs area from which a user can select for viewing or reproduction.
3. The method in claim 2 , further comprising:
compiling a user profile comprising previous programs viewed or reproduced by a user;
wherein the recommended programs are determined in response to said user profile.
4. The method in claim 2 , wherein the recommended programs are determined by a service provider having control over the step of providing multiple programs.
5. The method in claim 2 , wherein said recommended programs are presented in a ranked order or recommendation.
6. The method in claim 1 , wherein for a second mode of operation, the method further comprises:
providing a program criterion area on the display;
via the program criterion area, receiving program criterion information from a user;
providing a recommended programs area on the display;
in response to the program criterion information, providing at least one recommended program in the recommended programs area from which a user can select for viewing or reproduction.
7. The method in claim 6 , wherein the program criterion information includes program genres.
8. The method in claim 6 , wherein the program criterion information includes program ratings.
9. The method in claim 6 , wherein the program criterion information includes program lengths.
10. The method in claim 1 , wherein for a third mode of operation, the method further comprises:
providing a program entry area on the display;
via the program entry area, receiving program identity information from a user;
in response to the program identity information, providing links to identified programs from which a user can select for viewing or reproduction.
11. A graphical user interface for allowing a user to navigate through and select programming of interest, the graphical user interface comprising:
a multiple program source adapted to provide multiple programs for viewing or reproduction;
a graphical user interface display generator adapted to generate a display;
a graphical user interface controller adapted to control the operation of said graphical user interface;
wherein the graphical user interface is adapted to enable the user, via a common display, to locate programs of interest in a plurality of distinct viewing modes corresponding to a level of the user's decisiveness regarding desirable programs to view or reproduce, all viewing modes being accessible via a common display.
12. The graphical user interface in claim 11 , wherein for a first mode of operation, the display comprises a recommended programs area, and at least one recommended program is displayed in the recommended programs area from which a user can select for viewing or reproduction.
13. The graphical user interface in claim 12 , further comprising:
a user profile compiler adapted to compile a user profile comprising previous programs viewed or reproduced by a user;
wherein the recommended programs are determined in response to the user profile.
14. The graphical user interface in claim 12 , wherein the recommended programs are determined by a service provider having control over the multiple program source.
15. The graphical user interface in claim 12 , wherein the recommended programs are presented in a ranked order or recommendation.
16. The graphical user interface in claim 11 , wherein for a second mode of operation, the display comprises a program criterion area, program criterion information is received via the program criterion area from a user, and in response to the program criterion information, at least one recommended program is displayed in the recommended programs area from which a user can select for viewing or reproduction.
17. The graphical user interface in claim 16 , wherein the program criterion information includes program genres.
18. The graphical user interface in claim 16 , wherein the program criterion information includes program ratings.
19. The graphical user interface in claim 16 , wherein the program criterion information includes program lengths.
20. The graphical user interface in claim 11 , wherein for a third mode of operation, the display comprises a program entry area, program identity information is received via the program entry area from a user, and in response to the program identity information, at least one identified program is displayed in the recommended programs area from which a user can select for viewing or reproduction.