IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,978,064
Granted Patent B2
US 8,978,064 · App. 13/185,242 · Granted Mar 10, 2015

Interactive television program guide with passive content

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,978,064
App. No.
13/185,242
Granted
Mar 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hybrid passive-interactive program guide is generated by combining the features of an interactive program guide with the passive video portion of a passive program guide. The interactive guide may replace passive listings with interactive listings, replace passive features with interactive features, provide supplemental advertisements, or replace passive tagging information with interactive tagging information. Users may be provided with an opportunity to purchase a program or product being advertised, to view listings for segments aired in the video portion of the passive guide, to schedule reminders for listings or video segments that are displayed by the passive guide, or to schedule video segments and related information for recording.

Claims (12)

1. A method for generating a hybrid passive-interactive media guide, comprising:

storing, on user equipment, a passive media guide including media asset identifiers and passive guide characteristics associated with the media asset identifiers in the passive media guide;

generating for display the stored passive media guide on the user equipment;

generating for display an interactive media guide that is implemented on the user equipment, wherein the interactive media guide overlays at least a portion of the media asset identifiers included in the passive media guide with interactive components that provide interactive features and information related to the media asset identifiers in the stored passive media guide based on stored passive guide characteristics associated with the media asset identifiers in the passive media guide.

2. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein storing the passive media guide comprises storing an entire passive guide display.

3. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein storing the passive media guide comprises storing only a video display area of the entire passive guide display.

4. A hybrid passive-interactive media guide, comprising control circuitry configured to:

store, on user equipment, a passive media guide including media asset identifiers and passive guide characteristics associated with the media asset identifiers in the passive media guide;

generate for display the stored passive media guide on the user equipment;

generate for display an interactive media guide that is implemented on the user equipment, wherein the interactive media guide overlays at least a portion of the media asset identifiers included in the passive media guide with interactive components that provide interactive features and information related to the media asset identifiers in the stored passive media guide based on stored passive guide characteristics associated with the media asset identifiers in the passive media guide.

5. The system defined in claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry configured to store the passive media guide comprises the control circuitry configured to store an entire passive guide display.

6. The system defined in claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry configured to store the passive media guide comprises the control circuitry configured to store only a video display area of the entire passive guide display.

Assignments (11)
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 28, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 034827/0645 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 28, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 034827/0709 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 28, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034826/0828 →
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 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026766 FRAME 0216. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE CONVEYING PARTY DATA TO INCLUDE INVENTOR WILLIAM HEIN. Recorded Sep 21, 2011
From: REYNOLDS, STEVEN J.; BEREZOWSKI, DAVID M.; KNEE, ROBERT A.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; ROSENTHOL, JOSHUA A.; HEIN, WILLIAM
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 026940/0949 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF AN INVENTOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026766 FRAME 0399. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SPELLING OF INVENTOR WILLIAM HEIN'S NAME.. Recorded Sep 20, 2011
From: REYNOLDS, STEVEN J.; BEREZOWSKI, DAVID M.; KNEE, ROBERT A.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; ROSENTHOL, JOSHUA A.; HEIN, WILLIAM
To: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 026933/0430 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2011
From: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 026766/0272 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2011
From: REYNOLDS, STEVEN J.; BEREZOWSKI, DAVID M.; KNEE, ROBERT A.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; ROSENTHOL, JOSHUA A.; HEIM, WILLIAM
To: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 026766/0399 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 17, 2011
From: PREVUE NETWORKS, INC.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 026766/0396 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2011
From: REYNOLDS, STEVEN J.; BEREZOWSKI, DAVID M.; KNEE, ROBERT A.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; ROSENTHOL, JOSHUA A.
To: TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 026766/0216 →