Systems and methods for providing custom media content flipping
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for providing enhanced channel flipping are disclosed. A user may selectively mark and unmark channels as temporary favorite channels. These channels may be dynamically added or removed from the channel changing or channel flipping sequence. Unauthorized channels and channels locked by parental controls may also be automatically removed from the channel flipping sequence. A plurality of custom channel flipping sequences may be maintained on the user equipment device. Users may access any of these custom channel flipping sequences in order to flip only through the channels associated with the custom sequence. Channels in the flipping sequence may also be pre-tuned in order to reduce delays associated with tuning.
1. A method for enhanced channel flipping on a user equipment device, the method comprising:
receiving a user request to tune from a first channel to a second channel in a channel flipping sequence, wherein the channel flipping sequence comprises an ordered list of a plurality of channels of media content;
receiving a user indication to mark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel;
in response to receiving the user indication to mark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel, adding, using control circuitry, the second channel to a temporary favorite channels list, wherein the temporary favorite channels list includes favorite channels and temporary favorite channels;
creating, using the control circuitry, a favorite channel flipping sequence, wherein the favorite channel flipping sequence comprises the channels identified in the temporary favorite channels list;
determining, based on the favorite channels list, whether a given channel is one of the favorite channels or one of the temporary favorite channels;
in response to determining that the given channel is one of the favorite channels, generating for display a first indicator that represents favorite channels;
in response to determining that the given channel is one of the temporary favorite channels, generating for display a second indicator, different from the first indicator, that represents temporary favorite channels;
in response to a plurality of identical commands from the user, sequentially tuning to each channel in the favorite channel flipping sequence without tuning to channels not in the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
automatically removing the second channel from the temporary favorite channels list.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing a list of preexisting favorite channels stored on the user equipment device, wherein the favorite channel flipping sequence additionally comprises the preexisting favorite channels.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
receiving user indication to delete a first preexisting favorite channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
in response to receiving user indication to delete a first preexisting favorite channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence, deleting the first preexisting favorite channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a user request to tune to a favorite channel; and
in response to receiving the user request to tune to a favorite channel, automatically tuning to a channel in the favorite channel flipping sequence.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, in response to receiving the user request to tune to a favorite channel, automatically pre-tuning a third channel on a secondary tuner, wherein the third channel is another channel in the favorite channel flipping sequence.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
accessing media guidance application data relating to the second channel; and
determining, from the accessed media guidance application data, an end time of a program currently being displayed on the second channel; and
wherein the automatically removing the second channel further comprises automatically removing the second channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence after the end time of the program.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving user indication to unmark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel;
in response to receiving the user indication to unmark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel, removing the second channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
displaying an unmarked icon.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
generating for display a list of channels;
generating for display a favorite column, where an indication in the favorite column next to the second channel indicates the second channel is in the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
generating for display a marked column, where an indication in the marked column next to the second channel indicates the second channel has been marked as a temporary favorite channel.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identical commands comprise one of channel up and channel down commands.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user indication further comprises receiving a time period associated with the second channel, and wherein automatically removing the second channel further comprises automatically removing the second channel in response to determining the time period has expired.
11. A system for enhanced channel flipping on a user equipment device, the system comprising:
memory to store a channel flipping sequence, wherein the channel flipping sequence comprises an ordered list of a plurality of channels of media content; and
control circuitry configured to:
receive a user request to tune from a first channel to a second channel in a channel flipping sequence, wherein the channel flipping sequence comprises an ordered list of a plurality of channels of media content;
receive a user indication to mark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel;
in response to receiving the user indication to mark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel, add the second channel to a temporary favorite channels list, wherein the temporary favorite channels list includes favorite channels and temporary favorite channels;
create a favorite channel flipping sequence, wherein the favorite channel flipping sequence comprises the channels identified in the temporary favorite channels list;
determine, based on the favorite channels list, whether a given channel is one of the favorite channels or one of the temporary favorite channels;
in response to determining that the given channel is one of the favorite channels, generate for display a first indicator that represents favorite channels;
in response to determining that the given channel is one of the temporary favorite channels, generate for display a second indicator, different from the first indicator, that represents temporary favorite channels;
in response to a plurality of identical commands from the user, sequentially tune to each channel in the favorite channel flipping sequence without tuning to channels not in the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
automatically remove the second channel from the temporary favorite channels list.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to access a list of preexisting favorite channels stored on the user equipment device, wherein the favorite channel flipping sequence additionally comprises the preexisting favorite channels.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a user request to tune to a favorite channel; and
in response to receiving the user request to tune to a favorite channel, automatically tune to a channel in the favorite channel flipping sequence.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, in response to receiving the user request to tune to a favorite channel, automatically pre-tune a third channel on a secondary tuner, wherein the third channel is another channel in the favorite channel flipping sequence.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive user indication to delete a first preexisting favorite channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
in response to receiving user indication to delete a first preexisting favorite channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence, delete the first preexisting favorite channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence.
16. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
access media guidance application data relating to the second channel; and
determine, from the accessed media guidance application data, an end time of a program currently being displayed on the second channel; and
wherein the control circuitry configured to automatically remove the second channel is further configured to automatically remove the second channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence after the end time of the program.
17. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive user indication to unmark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel;
in response to receiving the user indication to unmark the second channel as a temporary favorite channel, remove the second channel from the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
display an unmarked icon.
18. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
generate for display a list of channels;
generate for display a favorite column, where an indication in the favorite column next to the second channel indicates the second channel is in the favorite channel flipping sequence; and
generate for display a marked column, where an indication in the marked column next to the second channel indicates the second channel has been marked as a temporary favorite channel.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of identical commands comprise one of channel up and channel down commands.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein control circuitry configured to receive the user indication is further configured to receive a time period associated with the second channel, and wherein the control circuitry configured to automatically remove the second channel is further configured to automatically remove the second channel in response to determining the time period has expired.