Interactive electronic television program guide with database configurability
View Patent ↗An interactive television program guide system is provided in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment containing a memory. The system allocates the memory among different categories of program guide data used by the program guide. When new channels are added to the channel line-up, the program guide adjusts its memory allocation accordingly. When it is desired to install a new non-program-guide application on the user television equipment in addition to the program guide, memory can be reallocated to accommodate the new application.
1. A method for allocating memory in user equipment, wherein the memory is configured to store at least program guide data and non-program guide data, the method comprising:
allocating a first portion of the memory for storing the non-program guide data;
determining an amount of the memory available for storing the program guide data based on the allocation of the first portion of the memory,
allocating a second portion of the memory for storing the program guide data, wherein the size of the second portion of the memory is selected from a plurality of predetermined sizes based on the determined amount of the available memory and wherein the predetermined sizes are associated with a plurality of program guide memory usage levels that specify an amount of program data to be stored in the memory for a plurality of programming categories;
determining a first amount of program guide data currently stored in the memory;
determining a second amount of the currently stored program guide data in which the first amount exceeds the size of the second portion of the memory; and
removing at least the second amount of the currently stored program guide data from the memory.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second amount of the currently stored program guide data to be removed is based on the age of the currently stored program guide data.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second amount of the currently stored program guide data to be removed is based on the type of the currently stored program guide data.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the type of the currently stored program guide data comprises at least one of: a pay-per-view special event, a pay-per-view sporting event, a pay-per-view movie, a non-pay-per-view special event, a non-pay-per-view sporting event, a non-pay-per-view movie, a premium program, and a broadcast program.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a second amount of new program guide data, wherein the sum of the first amount and the second amount of new program guide data does not exceed the size of the second portion of the memory; and
storing the new program guide data in the second portion of the memory.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein allocating the first portion of the memory comprises:
receiving information on at least one of (i) an amount of the memory needed to store at least one new application program and (ii) a change in television channel line-up; and
allocating the first portion of the memory based on the information.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving the information from a remote source.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of predetermined sizes is based on a database configuration record.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein allocating the second portion of the memory comprises receiving the database configuration record from a remote source.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the size of the first portion of the memory is a predetermined size.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected size of the second portion of the memory is a default size.
12. An interactive television program guide system for allocating memory in user equipment, the system comprising:
a memory configured to store at least program guide data and non-program guide data; and
control circuitry configured to:
allocate a first portion of the memory for storing the non-program guide data;
determine an amount of the memory available for storing the program guide data based on the allocation of the first portion of the memory;
allocate a second portion of the memory for storing the program guide data, wherein the size of the second portion of the memory is selected from a plurality of predetermined sizes based on the determined amount of the available memory and wherein the predetermined sizes are associated with a plurality of program guide memory usage levels that specify an amount of program data to be stored in the memory for a plurality of programming categories;
determine the first amount of program guide data currently stored in the memory;
determine a second amount of the currently stored program guide data in which the first amount exceeds the size of the second portion of the memory; and
remove at least the second amount of the currently stored program guide data.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the second amount of the currently stored program guide data to be removed is based on the age of the currently stored program guide data.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein the second amount of the currently stored program guide data to be removed is based on the type of the currently stored program guide data.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the type of the currently stored program guide data comprises at least one of: a pay-per-view special event, a pay-per-view sporting event, a pay-per-view movie, a non-pay-per-view special event, a non-pay-per-view sporting event, a non-pay-per-view movie, a premium program, and a broadcast program.
16. The system of claim 12 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a second amount of new program guide data, wherein the sum of the first amount and the second amount of new program guide data does not exceed the size of the second portion of the memory; and
store the new program guide data in the second portion of the memory.
17. The system of claim 12 wherein the control circuitry, configured to allocate the first portion of the memory is further configured to:
receive information on at least one of (i) an amount of the memory needed to store at least one new application program and (ii) a change in television channel line-up; and
allocate the first portion of the memory based on the information.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the information from a remote source.
19. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of predetermined sizes is based on a database configuration record.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the control circuitry, configured to allocate the second portion of the memory is further configured to receive the database configuration record from a remote source.
21. The system of claim 12 wherein the size of the first portion of the memory allocated is a predetermined size.
22. The system of claim 12 wherein the selected size of the second portion of the memory is a default size.