IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,225,455
Granted Patent B2
US 7,225,455 · App. 10/346,226 · Granted May 29, 2007

Electronic television program guide schedule system and method

Assignee: United Video Properties, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,225,455
App. No.
10/346,226
Granted
May 29, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for using an electronic program guide application to access a non-program guide application. The electronic program guide application provides a program guide display from which a user can access the non-program guide application. The electronic program guide application receives a user selection to access the non-program guide application from the program guide display. In response to the user selection, the electronic program guide application accesses the non-program guide application.

Claims (58)

1. A method for using an electronic program guide application to access a non-program guide application, the method comprising:

providing with the electronic program guide application a program guide display from which a user can access the non-program guide application;

receiving with the electronic program guide application a user selection to access the non-program guide application from the program guide display; and

accessing the non-program guide application with the electronic program guide application in response to the user selection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a program guide display comprises providing a program guide display in which a selectable option to access the non-program guide application is displayed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a user selection to access the non-program guide application comprises receiving a user selection of the selectable option.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a program guide display comprises providing a program guide display in which a plurality of selectable options to access a corresponding plurality of non-program guide applications are displayed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving a user selection to access the non-program guide application comprises:

positioning a cursor on a selectable option of the plurality of selectable options that corresponds to the non-program guide application; and

receiving a user selection of the selectable option.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing the non-program guide application comprises accessing the non-program guide application over a communications link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service related to television programming.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service unrelated to television programming.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising passing control from the electronic program guide application to application software of the non-program guide application.

10. A system for using an electronic program guide application to access a non-program guide application, the system comprising:

means for providing with the electronic program guide application a program guide display from which a user can access the non-program guide application;

means for receiving with the electronic program guide application a user selection to access the non-program guide application from the program guide display; and

means for accessing the non-program guide application with the electronic program guide application in response to the user selection.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for providing a program guide display comprises means for providing a program guide display in which a selectable option to access the non-program guide application is displayed.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for receiving a user selection to access the non-program guide application comprises means for receiving a user selection of the selectable option.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for providing a program guide display comprises means for providing a program guide display in which a plurality of selectable options to access a corresponding plurality of non-program guide applications are displayed.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for receiving a user selection to access the non-program guide application comprises:

means for positioning a cursor on a selectable option of the plurality of selectable options that corresponds to the non-program guide application; and

means for receiving a user selection of the selectable option.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for accessing the non-program guide application comprises means for accessing the non-program guide application over a communications link.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service related to television programming.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service unrelated to television programming.

18. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for passing control from the electronic program guide application to application software of the non-program guide application.

19. A system for using an electronic program guide application to access a non-program guide application, the system comprising:

a display device; and

control circuitry configured to:

direct the display device to display with the electronic program guide application a program guide display from which a user can access the non-program guide application;

receive a user selection to access the non-program guide application from the program guide display; and

access the non-program guide application with the electronic program guide application in response to the user selection.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct the display device to display with the electronic program guide application a program guide display comprising a selectable option to access the non-program guide application.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive a user selection of the selectable option.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct the display device to display with the electronic program guide application a program guide display comprising a plurality of selectable options to access a corresponding plurality of non-program guide applications.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

direct the display device to position a cursor on a selectable option of the plurality of selectable options that corresponds to the non-program guide application; and

receive a user selection of the selectable option.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to access the non-program guide application over a communications link.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service related to television programming.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service unrelated to television programming.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to pass control from the electronic program guide application to application software of the non-program guide application.

28. A data storage medium encoded with machine executable code for performing the method comprising:

providing with an electronic program guide application a program guide display from which a user can access a non-program guide application;

receiving with the electronic program guide application a user selection to access the non-program guide application from the program guide display; and

accessing the non-program guide application with the electronic program guide application in response to the user selection.

29. The data storage medium of claim 28 wherein providing a program guide display comprises providing a program guide display in which a selectable option to access the non-program guide application is displayed.

30. The data storage medium of claim 29 wherein receiving a user selection to access the non-program guide application comprises receiving a user selection of the selectable option.

31. The data storage medium of claim 28 wherein providing a program guide display comprises providing a program guide display in which a plurality of selectable options to access a corresponding plurality of non-program guide applications are displayed.

32. The data storage medium of claim 31 wherein receiving a user selection to access the non-program guide application comprises:

positioning a cursor on a selectable option of the plurality of selectable options that corresponds to the non-program guide application; and

receiving a user selection of the selectable option.

33. The data storage medium of claim 28 wherein accessing the non-program guide application comprises accessing the non-program guide application over a communications link.

34. The data storage medium of claim 28 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service related to television programming.

35. The data storage medium of claim 28 wherein the non-program guide application provides an interactive service unrelated to television programming.

36. The data storage medium of claim 28 further comprising passing control from the electronic program guide application to application software of the non-program guide application.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2009
From: BENNINGTON, GERLAD E.; BACKER, GEORGE; GREEN, SHAWN; COOPER, BILL; SPELL, DAVE; ROGERS, ROSETTA; DAVIS, BRUCE
To: NEWS AMERICA PUBLISHING INC.; TELE-COMMUNICATIONS OF COLORADO, INC.
Reel/Frame 023282/0373 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: NEWS AMERICA PUBLISHING, INC.
To: NEWS AMERICA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0341 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: ALTEN, JERRY; DAVIS, BRUCE; MORRIS, MICHAEL; YOUMAN, ROGER
To: NEWS AMERICA PUBLISHING, INC.; TELECOMMUNICATIONS OF COLORADO, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0337 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: NEWS AMERICA PUBLICATIONS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE MAGAZINE GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0463 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: TELE-COMMUNICATIONS OF COLORADO, INC.
To: TCI-TVGOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0359 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0354 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: TV GUIDE MAGAZINE GROUP, INC.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0349 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2009
From: TCI-TVGOS, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 023234/0344 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 0999765900 · Nov 29, 2001
Continuation 0811936700 · Sep 9, 1993
Related Publication 20030110493A1 · Jun 12, 2003