System and method for an automatic television channel change
View Patent ↗A system and method for automatically changing channels. A user selection of a channel and a time associated with media content is received. The current time is determined. A display is powered on in response to determining the display is off. A display is automatically changed to the channel in response to the current time matching the selected time. The media content received through the channel is displayed.
1. A method for automatically changing channels, the method comprising:
receiving a first user selection from a first user comprising the identification of a first specific television program and further comprising an approval from the first user of one or more channels selected from an automatically populated list of channels that broadcast the first specific program;
receiving a second user selection from a second user comprising the identification of a second specific television program and further comprising an approval from the second user of one or more channels selected from an automatically populated list of channels that broadcast the second specific program;
determining a relative priority from among the first specified television program and the second specified television program;
automatically tuning the display to the one of the first specified television program and the second specified television program having the highest determined priority; and
displaying the one of the first specified television program and the second specified television program having the highest determined priority.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the highest priority includes determining a priority level that grants viewing deference to the first user over the second user.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
preventing a changing of channels during the displaying of the one of the first specified television program and the second specified television program with the highest priority.
4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving the user selections through a web portal.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps are enabled to be performed by a set-top box, television, and a communications management system.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the user selections are automatically determined by a set-top box utilizing viewing history on the display.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving user input to override the user selections; and
recording the one of the first specified television program and the second specified television program in response to the user selections being overridden.
8. A media device configured to change channels, the media device comprising:
a user interface operable to display a menu to first and second users, the user interface operable to receive a selection of a first specific television program from the first user and the selection of a second specific television program from the second user, and a corresponding priority for each of the first and second specific television programs, the user interface being further configured to automatically populate a list of one or more channels that broadcast the first specific television program and receive an approval from the first user of one or more approved channels selected from the automatically populated list of channels that broadcast the first specific program, the user interface being further configured to automatically populate a list of one or more channels that broadcast the second specific television program and receive an approval from the second user of one or more approved channels selected from the automatically populated list of channels that broadcast the second specific program; and
display logic in communication with the user interface and the clock, the display logic operable to:
determine that the first and second specific programs are being broadcast;
determine a relative priority from among the first specified program and the second specified program;
automatically tune the display to the one of the first specified program and the second specified program having the highest determined priority; and
display the one of the first specified program and the second specified program having the highest determined priority.
9. The media device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a power control configured to turn on the television in order for the display logic to change the channel.
10. The media device according to claim 8 , wherein the media device is any of a television, a set-top box, and a communications management system.
11. The media device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a transceiver operable to send a command to the television to change to the channel to display the one of the first specified program and the second specified program having the highest determined priority.
12. The media device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
changing the channel during commercials to a second channel displaying the one of the first specified program and the second specified program with a next highest priority.
13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
recording the one of the first specified program and the second specified program having the lower determined priority for playback at a later time.
14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
randomly selecting the one of the first specified program and the second specified program in response to the priority being equal for each of the one of the first specified program and the second specified program.