IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,735,107
Granted Patent B2
US 7,735,107 · App. 11/712,785 · Granted Jun 8, 2010

Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,735,107
App. No.
11/712,785
Granted
Jun 8, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded.

Claims (33)

1. A method for using an interactive program guide system, comprising:

receiving a broadcast program;

tuning to the broadcast program in response to a first user input;

recording the broadcast program using a local storage device in response to the first user input;

allowing the user to watch the broadcast program;

recording the broadcast program using a remote media server;

receiving a second user input after the broadcast program is tuned to indicating a desire to watch the broadcast program from a point prior to when the broadcast version was tuned to; and

in response to receiving the second user input, allowing the user to watch a portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user is allowed to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server from a point prior to when the broadcast program was tuned to.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the point prior is the start time of the broadcast program.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein allowing the user to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server comprises providing the stored program to the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast program is stored at the remote media server in response to the user indicating a desire to store the broadcast program at the server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast program is stored at the remote media server in response to another user indicating a desire to store the broadcast program at the server.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing at the remote media server all broadcast programs that are tuned to by a user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein allowing the user to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server is conditioned on receiving an indication that the user subscribes to a service that permits the user to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server.

9. A system, comprising:

a remote media server;

a local storage device;

user television equipment for implementing an interactive television program guide, wherein the interactive television program guide is configured to:

receive a broadcast program;

tune to the broadcast program in response to a first user input;

record the broadcast program using the local storage device in response to the first user input;

allow the user to watch the broadcast program;

record the broadcast program using the remote media server;

receive a second user input after the broadcast program is tuned to indicating a desire to watch the broadcast program from a point prior to when the broadcast version was tuned to; and

in response to receiving the second user input, allow the user to watch a portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user is allowed to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server from a point prior to when the broadcast program was tuned to.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the point prior is the start time of the broadcast program.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein allowing the user to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server comprises providing the stored program to the user.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the broadcast program is stored at the remote media server in response to the user indicating a desire to store the broadcast program at the server.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the broadcast program is stored at the remote media server in response to another user indicating a desire to store the broadcast program at the server.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising the remote media server storing all broadcast programs that are tuned to by a user.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein allowing the user to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server is conditioned on receiving an indication that the user subscribes to a service that permits the user to watch the portion of the broadcast program stored at the remote media server.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
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 Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 034762/0973 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 034763/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034763/0028 →
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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2012
From: ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; THOMAS, WILLIAM L.; LEMMONS, THOMAS R.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 028531/0145 →
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: TV GUIDE, INC.; 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 ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
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 →