Internet television program guide system
View Patent ↗An Internet television program guide system is provided that allows a user at a multimedia system to access information related to television programs over an Internet communications link. The user can view television program guide listings and related video stills and video clips. The user can perform database searches on the program guide listings (e.g., to search for a particular type of television program). The user can set a reminder message for a television program that is transmitted prior to the transmission time of the program. If desired, the user can select an option that directs the multimedia system to tune directly to a television channel for a selected program or to a related television program guide or movie guide service on a television channel. The user can order pay-per-view events using the system.
1. A method for transmitting at least one reminder message for at least one media asset to a user of a multimedia system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first user device that is capable of generating a display including the at least one media asset, user input to set the at least one reminder message for the at least one media asset, wherein the at least one reminder message is primarily associated with the user, wherein the at least one reminder message does not comprise an email communication, and wherein the at least one reminder message is designated to be delivered to a second user device different from the first user device on which the at least one reminder message was set;
prior to a transmission time of the at least one media asset, automatically generating the at least one reminder message for the at least one media asset; and
automatically transmitting the at least one reminder message to the second user device over a communications link to remind the user when the at least one media asset is to be transmitted such that the second user device receives the at least one reminder message without transmitting a request to receive the at least one reminder message, wherein the second user device different from the first user device is capable of generating the display including the at least one media asset.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically generating the at least one reminder message comprises automatically generating the at least one reminder message using a server.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the server is a web server.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications link is at least one of an Internet communications link that utilizes Internet Protocol data transmissions, a wireless communications link, and a telephone communications link.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user input to set the at least one reminder message comprises receiving the user input to set the at least one reminder message using the multimedia system.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
generating a display including a plurality of media asset identifiers; and
receiving a selection of at least one media asset identifier, wherein the receipt of the selection causes the at least one reminder message to be set for the selected at least one media asset identifier.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one media asset is video content.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a customization web page for display, wherein the customization web page contains a plurality of selectable options for customizing how the at least one reminder message is to be received by the user.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a selectable option of the plurality of selectable options is a pop-up reminder option.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a pop-up reminder is generated for display to the user at a time prior to the transmission time of the at least one media asset if the pop-up reminder option is selected.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications link is an Internet communications link that utilizes Internet Protocol data transmissions.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission time is a broadcast time of the media asset.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display a display screen at the first user device, wherein the display screen includes a first selectable option for ordering the at least one media asset, and wherein the display screen includes a second selectable option for setting a reminder for the at least one media asset.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the display screen is a web page.
15. A system for transmitting at least one reminder message for at least one media asset to a user of a multimedia system, the system comprising a server configured to:
receive, from a first user device that is capable of generating a display including the at least one media asset, user input to set the at least one reminder message for the at least one media asset, wherein the at least one reminder message is primarily associated with the user, wherein the at least one reminder message does not comprise an email communication, and wherein the at least one reminder message is designated to be delivered to a second user device different from the first user device on which the at least one reminder message was set;
prior to a transmission time of the at least one media asset, automatically generate at least one reminder message for the at least one media asset; and
automatically transmit the at least one reminder message to the second user device over a communications link to remind the user when the at least one media asset is to be transmitted such that the second user device receives the at least one reminder message without transmitting a request to receive the at least one reminder message, wherein the second user device different from the first user device is capable of generating the display including the at least one media asset.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the multimedia system includes a processing unit.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein the server is a web server.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the communications link is at least one of an Internet communications link that utilizes Internet Protocol data transmissions, a wireless communications link, and a telephone communications link.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the server is further configured to:
generate a display including a plurality of media asset identifiers; and
receive selection of at least one media asset identifier, wherein the receipt of the selection causes the at least one reminder message to be set for the selected at least one media asset identifier.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one media asset is video content.
21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a customization web page for display, wherein the customization web page contains a plurality of selectable options for customizing how the at least one reminder message is to be received by the user.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein a selectable option of the plurality of selectable options is a pop-up reminder option.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein a pop-up reminder is generated for display to the user at a time prior to the transmission time of the at least one media asset if the pop-up reminder option is selected.
24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the communications link is an Internet communications link that utilizes Internet Protocol data transmissions.
25. The system of claim 15 , wherein the transmission time is a broadcast time of the media asset.
26. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate for display a display screen at the first user device, wherein the display screen includes a first selectable option for ordering the at least one media asset, and wherein the display screen includes a second selectable option for setting a reminder for the at least one media asset.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the display screen is a web page.
28. A system for transmitting a reminder message for video content of a program to a viewer, the system comprising a server configured to:
receive user input at a first user device to set a reminder message for the video content of the program over a data network from an address, wherein the first user device is capable of generating a display including the video content of the program, wherein the reminder message is designated to be delivered to a second user device different from the first user device on which the at least one reminder message was set, and wherein the reminder message does not comprise an email communication;
prior to a transmission time of the video content of the program, automatically generate the reminder message for the video content of the program; and
automatically transmit the reminder message to the second user device to remind the viewer that the video content of the program is to be transmitted such that the second user device receives the reminder message without transmitting a request to receive the reminder message, wherein the second user device different from the first user device is capable of generating the display including the video content of the program.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein the reminder message is transmitted to the second user device over a network other than the data network.
30. The system of claim 28 wherein the server is configured to generate a display for the viewer with a page including a plurality of media asset identifiers from which the viewer can set up the reminder message.
31. The system of claim 28 , wherein the transmission time is a broadcast time of the video content of the program.
32. The system of claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate, at the server, for display a display screen at the first user device, wherein the display screen includes a first selectable option for ordering the video content of the program, and wherein the display screen includes a second selectable option for setting a reminder for the video content of the program.
33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the display screen is a web page.