IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,112,776
Granted Patent B2
US 8,112,776 · App. 11/894,604 · Granted Feb 7, 2012

Interactive computer system for providing television schedule information

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,112,776
App. No.
11/894,604
Granted
Feb 7, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing information to a viewer, and for allowing the viewer to link, search, select and interact with information in a remote database, e.g., a database on the internet. The television schedule and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.

Claims (52)

1. A method for searching for program listings using a media guidance application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured for:

receiving, with the media guidance application, a user selection of a program;

in response to receiving the user selection of the program, determining, with the media guidance application, at least one attribute specifically related to the selected program;

identifying, with the media guidance application, a list of programs based on the at least one attribute; and

displaying the identified list of programs.

2. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein receiving the user selection of a program comprises receiving a user selection of a program listing for the program from an on-screen display of program listings.

3. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein receiving the user selection of a program comprises receiving a user selection of a program that is currently being displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, with the media guidance application, a selection of an identified program; and

at least one of recording, viewing and storing the identified program in response to receiving the selection of the identified program.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified program is not available to a program guide listing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified program is available from a digital archive.

7. A method for searching for television programs using a media guidance application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured for:

receiving, with the media guidance application, a user selection of a program;

in response to receiving the user selection of the program, determining, with the media guidance application, at least one attribute specifically related to the selected program;

identifying, with the media guidance application, programs available from one of at least two sources based on the at least one attribute; and

displaying the identified programs.

8. The method defined in claim 7 , wherein receiving the user selection of a program comprises receiving a user selection of a program listing for the program from an on-screen display of program listings.

9. The method defined in claim 7 , wherein receiving the user selection of a program comprises receiving a user selection of a program that is currently being displayed.

10. The method defined in claim 7 , wherein the source comprises at least one of a broadcast source, a recording device, a program library, and a digital archive.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, with the media guidance application, a selection of an identified program; and

at least one of recording, viewing and storing the identified program in response to receiving the selection of the identified program.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the identified program is not available to a program guide listing.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the identified program is available from a digital archive.

14. A system for searching for program listings, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a user selection of a program;

in response to receiving the user selection of the program, determine at least one attribute specifically related to the selected program; and

identify a list of programs based on the at least one attribute; and

a display processor configured to display the identified list of programs.

15. The system defined in claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive the user selection of a program listing for the program from an on-screen display of program listings.

16. The system defined in claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive the user selection of a program that is currently being displayed.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of an identified program; and

perform at least one of scheduling for recording, directing the display processor to display, and storing the identified program in response to receiving the selection of the identified program.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the identified program is not available to a program guide listing.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the identified program is available from a digital archive.

20. A system for searching for television programs, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a user selection of a program;

in response to receiving the user selection of the program, determine at least one attribute specifically related to the selected program; and

identify programs available from one of at least two sources based on the at least one attribute; and

a display processor configured to display the identified programs.

21. The system defined in claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive the user selection of a program listing for the program from an on-screen display of program listings.

22. The system defined in claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive the user selection of a program that is currently being displayed.

23. The system defined in claim 20 , wherein the source comprises at least one of a broadcast source, a recording device, a program library, and a digital archive.

24. The system of claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of an identified program; and

perform at least one of scheduling for recording, directing the display processor to display, and storing the identified program in response to receiving the selection of the identified program.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the identified program is not available to a program guide listing.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the identified program is available from a digital archive.

Assignments (7)
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 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034761/0675 →
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 →
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 →