MAKING AVAILABLE PREVIOUSLY BROADCAST PROGRAMMING
An electronic program guide indicates the time of presentation and the channel or source of various programs. By use of a remote control device, a user is able to navigate the electronic program guide to highlight and then select a particular program which is being broadcast at the present time. The electronic program guide is displayed by a receiver which is networked with other receivers. The electronic program guide is also enabled to present details of various programs which were broadcast at a time earlier than the present time. Some of those earlier programs have been stored and that is also indicated. A user, by use of the remote control device can navigate backwards in time in the electronic program guide to an earlier stored program. This earlier program can then be highlighted and selected. It is then either downloaded to the user's receiver or streamed in real time to the user's receiver.
1 . An electronic program guide for enabling access to broadcast programming, the electronic program guide presenting the time of presentation and the channel or source of various programs, and, upon selection by way of a user interface of a particular program at the present time at which the program is being broadcast, causing the particular selected program to be accessed and presented, wherein the electronic program guide is also enabled to present details of various programs which were broadcast at a time earlier than the present time, at least some of which have been stored, and wherein, upon selection by way of a user interface of an earlier, stored program, the electronic program guide causes the selected earlier stored program to be accessed and presented.
2 . An electronic program guide as claimed in claim 1 , arranged to be displayed on a screen associated with a local receiver of broadcast programming.
3 . A method of making available programming which was previously broadcast, the method comprising:
identifying earlier programs, which have already been broadcast, and which have been stored by at least one receiving device party to a network,
causing details of the identified earlier stored programs to be incorporated into electronic program guides of receiving devices party to the network such that the earlier stored programs are available for presentation, and
in response to the selection, by way of a user interface of one receiving device of the network, of an earlier, stored program, causing that selected earlier stored program to be accessed for presentation by said one receiving device.
4 . A method of making available programming which was previously broadcast, as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising causing the selected, earlier, stored program to be downloaded to said one receiving device for local storage and subsequent presentation.
5 . A method of making available programming which was previously broadcast as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising enabling streaming delivery of the selected, earlier, stored program to said one receiving device for contemporaneous presentation by said one receiving device.
6 . A method of making available programming which was previously broadcast as claimed in any of claims 3 , the method further comprising forming at a server of the network a list of earlier stored programs, and causing the formed list to be incorporated into the electronic program guides to be presented by each receiving device of the network.
7 . A method of making available programming which was previously broadcast as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising causing the server of the network to periodically interrogate the receiving devices of the network to identify which earlier programs have been stored in preparation for the formation of the list.
8 . A method of making available programming which was previously broadcast as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising enabling the server to obtain details of subscription terms and conditions appertaining to each receiving device, and enabling the server to make a selected, stored, program available to said one receiving device only where the subscription terms appertaining to said one receiving device allow such availability.
9 . A system for making available programming which was previously broadcast, the system comprising:
a plurality of receiving devices coupled to form a network,
each receiving device being arranged to receive and present broadcast programming, and each comprising a processor configured to present an electronic program guide to identify the time of presentation and the channel or source of various programs, at least one user interface, and storage configured to store one or more programs received by said receiving device, and
at least one server coupled to the network such that it is arranged to communicate with the plurality of the receiving devices in the network,
the server being configured to identify earlier programs, which have already been broadcast, and which have also been stored by at least one receiving device of the network, and to cause details of the identified earlier stored programs to be incorporated into the electronic program guides of the receiving devices.
10 . A system for making available programming which was previously broadcast as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the receiving devices coupled by the network communicate with the server using internet protocol (IP).
11 . A system for making available programming which was previously broadcast as claimed in claim 9 wherein the server is coupled to a broadcast provider and is enabled to receive subscription terms and conditions appertaining to each receiving device.
12 . A receiver of broadcast programming comprising means arranged to receive and present broadcast programming, processor means arranged to present an electronic program guide to identify the time of presentation and the channel or source of various programs, at least one user interface, and means for storing one or more programs received by said receiving and presenting means, wherein the receiver is arranged to communicate with a network and to receive information about earlier programs which have been stored by the network, and wherein the processor means is arranged to present an electronic program guide incorporating details of various programs which were broadcast at a time earlier than the present time and to identify any such earlier programs that had been stored by the network and are available.
13 . A receiver of broadcast programming as claimed in claim 12 , arranged to communicate to the network details of broadcast programs stored by said storing means.
14 . A receiver of broadcast programming as claimed in claim 12 , arranged upon request to make stored programs available to other receiving devices of the network, the processor means being arranged to reencrypt any stored programs which were decrypted on receipt before making the programs available.
15 . A server for a network of receiving devices for broadcast programming, the server being arranged to be in communication with each receiving device in the network, the server being arranged to receive information from the receiving devices identifying any earlier broadcast programs that had been received and stored, the server being arranged to list the earlier stored programs available, and to communicate the list to the receiving devices such that each receiving device is enabled to present an electronic program guide not only identifying present and future programs for selection, but earlier, stored programs.