IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,087,048
Granted Patent B2
US 8,087,048 · App. 11/894,617 · Granted Dec 27, 2011

Television program guide with a digital storage device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,087,048
App. No.
11/894,617
Granted
Dec 27, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to select a program for recording onto the digital storage device. The program guide may then provide the user a list of programs that includes at least one listing for a recorded program. The user may select a recorded program listing and the program guide will transfer the corresponding program from the digital storage device to a secondary storage device.

Claims (73)

1. A method of playing back programs using user equipment, comprising:

receiving programs with the user equipment from a server;

storing the programs on a digital storage device, wherein the digital storage device is included in the user equipment; and

creating a playback sequence with the user equipment, wherein the playback sequence includes two or more of the programs stored on the digital storage device and wherein the playback sequence specifies an order that the programs will be played back by the user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more of the programs have a common theme.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a list of programs based on the playback sequence; and

displaying the list of programs, wherein the list of programs:

includes listings associated with the two or more programs, and

indicates to a user the playback sequence.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order specified by the playback sequence is unrelated to when the programs were stored on the digital storage device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user input indicating the user's desire to add another program to the playback sequence; and

adding the program to a user specified point in the playback sequence.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the user specified point is the end of the playback sequence.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising playing back the programs in the playback sequence in the order specified.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the playback sequence.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising transferring the playback sequence to a secondary storage device using the program guide.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising editing the playback sequence.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein editing the playback sequence comprises re-ordering the playback sequence.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user definition of a segment of a program of the stored programs; and

updating the digital storage device in response to the user definition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the playback sequence includes the user defined segment.

14. A system for playing back programs comprising:

a display screen;

a digital storage device for storing programs; and

an interactive program guide implemented at least partially on circuitry configured to:

create a playback sequence, wherein the playback sequence includes two or more of the programs stored on the digital storage device and wherein the playback sequence specifies an order that the programs will be played back.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the two or more of the programs have a common theme.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to:

generate a list of programs based on the playback sequence; and

display the list of programs, wherein the list of programs:

includes listings associated with the two or more programs, and

indicates to a user the playback sequence.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the order specified by the playback sequence is unrelated to when the programs were stored on the digital storage device.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to:

receive a user input indicating the user's desire to add another program to the playback sequence; and

add the program to a user specified point in the playback sequence.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the user specified point is the end of the playback sequence.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to play back the programs in the playback sequence in the order specified.

21. The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to store the playback sequence on the digital storage device.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to transfer the playback sequence to a secondary storage device from the digital storage device.

23. The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to edit the playback sequence.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to re-order the playback sequence.

25. The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to:

receive a user definition of a segment of a program of the stored programs; and

update the digital storage device in response to the user definition.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the playback sequence includes the user defined segment.

27. A method of playing back a program using user equipment comprising:

storing one or more programs on a digital storage device, wherein the digital storage device is included in the user equipment;

generating one or more non-sequential program segments from the one or more programs;

combining, in a specified order, at least two of the one or more non-sequential program segments into a super program;

providing program data associated with the super-program; and

in response to receiving a command to playback the super-program, playing back the at least two of the one or more non-sequential program segments in the specified order.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the one or more non-sequential program segments exclude advertisements.

29. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

in response to receiving a command to store the super-program, storing the super-program.

30. A system for playing back a program using user equipment comprising:

a digital storage device for storing one or more programs, wherein the digital storage device is included in the user equipment; and

an interactive program guide implemented at least partially on circuitry configured to:

generate one or more non-sequential program segments from the one or more programs;

combine, in a specified order, at least two of the one or more non-sequential program segments into a super program;

provide program data associated with the super-program; and

in response to receiving a command to playback the super-program, play back the at least two of the one or more non-sequential program segments in the specified order.

31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the interactive program guide is further configured to:

receive a user definition of a segment of a program of the stored one or more programs; and

update the digital storage device in response to the user definition.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the specified order includes the user defined segment.

33. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

receiving a user definition of a segment of a program of the stored one or more programs; and

updating the digital storage device in response to the user definition.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the specified order includes the user defined segment.

Assignments (17)
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 →
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 →
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 22, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034803/0791 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: HASSELL, JOEL G.; KNUDSON, EDWARD B.; HEDGES, L. JOE; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; BEREZOWSKI, DAVID M.
To: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034790/0440 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034799/0031 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034790/0492 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 034790/0544 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 034790/0522 →
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 →