IP Library Granted Patent US 12,192,588
Granted Patent B2
US 12,192,588 · App. 18/484,096 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Displaying an electronic programming guide for live television

Inventors: Joshua Cook (Tarzana, CA); Christopher Russell Kehler (Seattle, WA); Lacey Anne Donohue (Los Angeles, CA); Charles Francis Moran (Los Angeles, CA)
Assignee: HULU, LLC
H04N21/4826H04N21/2187H04N21/25891H04N21/44222H04N21/482H04N21/4821H04N21/4823H04N21/84
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,192,588
App. No.
18/484,096
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a method receives a list of ranked entities for playback. The list of ranked entities being ranked in a first order based on information for a user account. At least a portion of the list of ranked entities is used to determine corresponding channels that are playing the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities. The method rearranges the channels of an electronic programming guide from a sequence to a second order based on the first order for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities. The channels are displayed in the electronic programming guide based on the second order.

Claims (63)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a list of ranked entities for playback, the list of ranked entities being ranked in a first order based on information for a user account;

using at least a portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels that are playing the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities;

rearranging the channels of an electronic programming guide from a sequence to a second order based on the first order for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities; and

displaying the channels in the electronic programming guide based on the second order.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating the list of ranked entities based on a prediction model that ranks entities based on the information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of ranked entities is generated by:

determining entities that are live at a current time; and

ranking the entities that are live into the list of ranked entities.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein entities in the list of ranked entities are determined from a linear schedule of programming on live television.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying a first interface that includes entities in the list of ranked entities that are live from a linear schedule of programming on live television, wherein the first interface includes other entities that are available on demand.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving an input to display the electronic programming guide, and

switching from a display of the first interface to a display of a second interface for the electronic programming guide, wherein the second interface includes the channels in the electronic programming guide based on the second order.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels and rearranging the channels comprises:

determining a channel that is associated with an entity in the list of ranked entities; and

moving the channel to a corresponding slot of priority in the electronic programming guide based on a priority of the entity in the list of ranked entities.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein using the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels and rearranging the channels comprises:

determining additional entities for the channel that is associated with the entity in the list of ranked entities; and

adding the additional entities to the corresponding slot of priority in the electronic programming guide.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels and rearranging the channels comprises:

determining a channel that is associated with each entity in the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities; and

inserting each channel in a corresponding slot of priority in the electronic programming guide based on a priority of the entity in the first order of the list of ranked entities.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein rearranging the channels comprises:

associating respective channels for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities with slots in the electronic programming guide designated with a higher priority than slots for channels that are not associated with the respective channels for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein rearranging the channels comprises:

sorting respective channels for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities in a time range in the electronic programming guide that is designated for entities that are live at a current time.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein using the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels and rearranging the channels comprises:

determining an additional entity for a channel in the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities in a future time range, and

inserting the additional entity for the channel in the electronic programming guide in the future time range.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing an entity from the list of entities to generate the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the entity that is removed is an entity that is not currently live.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a refresh of the electronic programming guide should be performed;

when it is determined that the refresh should be performed, if a second list of ranked entities is available:

using at least a portion of the second list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels that are playing the at least the portion of the second list of ranked entities;

rearranging the channels of the electronic programming guide from the second order to a third order based on the at least the portion of the second list of ranked entities; and

displaying the electronic programming guide with the channels in the electronic programming guide based on the third order to update the electronic programming guide for the refresh.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an input to change from a first category to a second category, wherein the first category is associated with a first layout and the second category is associated with a second layout; and

changing from displaying the electronic programming guide in the first layout to displaying the electronic programming guide in the second layout, wherein the channels in the electronic programming guide in the second layout are based on the second order.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the first layout displays the channels in slots; and

the second layout displays entities associated with the channels in a time range.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the electronic programming guide with the channels in the electronic programming guide based on the second order comprising:

displaying channels for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities in a first portion of the second order; and

displaying other channels in a sequential numbering of the other channels in a second portion of the second order.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, that when executed, control a computer system to be operable for:

receiving a list of ranked entities for playback, the list of ranked entities being ranked in a first order based on information for a user account;

using at least a portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels that are playing the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities;

rearranging the channels of an electronic programming guide from a sequence to a second order based on the first order for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities; and

displaying the channels in the electronic programming guide based on the second order.

20. An apparatus comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for controlling the one or more computer processors to be operable for:

receiving a list of ranked entities for playback, the list of ranked entities being ranked in a first order based on information for a user account;

using at least a portion of the list of ranked entities to determine corresponding channels that are playing the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities;

rearranging the channels of an electronic programming guide from a sequence to a second order based on the first order for the at least the portion of the list of ranked entities; and

displaying the channels in the electronic programming guide based on the second order.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2023
From: COOK, JOSHUA; KEHLER, CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL; DONOHUE, LACEY ANNE; MORAN, CHARLES FRANCIS
To: HULU, LLC
Reel/Frame 065173/0087 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17653250 · Mar 2, 2022
Continuation 17067511 · Oct 9, 2020
Related Publication 20240040203A1 · Feb 1, 2024
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