Interactive television program guide system with pay program package promotion
A system is provided that allows a user to select a pay program for purchase from a program guide. The program guide determines whether the selected program is part of a package of pay programs. If the selected program is part of a package, information regarding the package is provided to the user so that the user may decide whether to purchase the package. If the selected program is part of several packages, information for all packages is provided. The system automatically sets reminders for packages containing repetitive programming. The system monitors whether the user has watched any of the programs in such packages. When the user watches a program from the package, the remaining reminders are cancelled. If a user does not watch any programs in a package of any type, purchase of the package is cancelled and the user is provided with the opportunity to reschedule.
1. A method for selecting a package of videos, the method comprising:
receiving a selection of a first package of videos from a user through a display screen;
determining whether a second package of videos that is similar to the first package is available; and
in response to determining that the second package that is similar to the first package is available, generating for display on the display screen an identifier of the second package.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display a selectable option to purchase the second package.
3. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising providing a customizable package of videos that includes the selected video.
4. The method defined in claim 3 , wherein the customizable package of videos includes at least one optional video that is selectively includable in the customizable package.
5. The method defined in claim 3 , wherein the customizable package of videos includes an optional video and a mandatory video.
6. The method defined in claim 3 , wherein the customizable package is associated with a block of time.
7. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the first package or the second package comprises videos that share a common theme.
8. The method defined in claim 7 , wherein the common theme relates to a specific set of sporting events.
9. The method defined in claim 8 , wherein the specific set of sporting events includes a plurality of sports videos of a specific league.
10. The method defined in claim 8 , wherein the specific set of sporting events includes a plurality of sports videos of a specific team.
11. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the selected video is part of a single package, and whether the selected video is part of multiple packages.
12. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating for display on the display screen purchasing information for the selected video.
13. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating for display on the display screen information on each package of which the selected video is a part when the selected video is included in at least one package.
14. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating for display on the display screen a telephone number for ordering the first package or the second package.
15. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating for display on the display screen a selectable option to impulse purchase the first package or the second package.
16. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the first package or the second package contains repetitive programming.
17. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising setting a reminder for at least one video in the first package or the second package.
18. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising automatically setting reminders for each video in the first package or the second package.
19. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising monitoring whether the user has watched any of the videos in the first package or the second package.
20. The method defined in claim 19 , further comprising cancelling the selection of the first package when it is determined that the user has not watched any of the videos in the first package.
21. The method defined in claim 20 , further comprising generating for display on the display screen a selectable option to reschedule a cancelled package.
22. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the first package or the second package is a season ticket package.
23. The method defined in claim 22 , wherein the season ticket package comprises a plurality of different videos for the duration of a season.
24. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the first package or the second package is a special event package.
25. The method defined in claim 24 , wherein the special event package comprises a plurality of different special event videos.
26. A system for selecting a package of videos, the system comprising:
communications circuitry; and
control circuitry configured to:
receive, from the communications circuitry, a selection of a first package of videos from a user through a display screen;
determine whether a second package of videos that is similar to the first package is available; and
in response to determining that the second package that is similar to the first package is available, generate for display on the display screen an identifier of the second package.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a selectable option to purchase the second package.
28. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide a customizable package of videos that includes the selected video.
29. The system defined in claim 28 , wherein the customizable package of videos includes at least one optional video that is selectively includable in the customizable package.
30. The system defined in claim 28 , wherein the customizable package of videos includes an optional video and a mandatory video.
31. The system defined in claim 28 , wherein the customizable package is associated with a block of time.
32. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the first package or the second package comprises videos that share a common theme.
33. The system defined in claim 32 , wherein the common theme relates to a specific set of sporting events.
34. The system defined in claim 33 , wherein the specific set of sporting events includes a plurality of sports videos of a specific league.
35. The system defined in claim 33 , wherein the specific set of sporting events includes a plurality of sports videos of a specific team.
36. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the selected video is part of a single package, and whether the selected video is part of multiple packages.
37. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display on the display screen purchasing information for the selected video.
38. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display on the display screen information on each package of which the selected video is a part when the selected video is included in at least one package.
39. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display on the display screen a telephone number for ordering the first package or the second package.
40. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display on the display screen a selectable option to impulse purchase the first package or the second package.
41. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the first package or the second package contains repetitive programming.
42. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to set a reminder for at least one video in the first package or the second package.
43. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to automatically set reminders for each video in the first package or the second package.
44. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to monitor whether the user has watched any of the videos in the first package or the second package.
45. The system defined in claim 44 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cancel the selection of the first package when it is determined that the user has not watched any of the videos in the first package.
46. The system defined in claim 45 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display on the display screen a selectable option to reschedule a cancelled package.
47. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the first package or the second package is a season ticket package.
48. The system defined in claim 47 , wherein the season ticket package comprises a plurality of different videos for the duration of a season.
49. The system defined in claim 26 , wherein the first package or the second package is a special event package.
50. The system defined in claim 49 , wherein the special event package comprises a plurality of different special event videos.