U.S. patent application number 10/306175 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-27 for interactive television systems with conflict management capabilities.
This patent application is currently assigned to UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.. Invention is credited to Ellis, Michael D..
Application Number | 20040103434 10/306175 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32325615 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040103434 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ellis, Michael D. |
May 27, 2004 |
Interactive television systems with conflict management
capabilities
Abstract
An interactive television system is provided in which a user can
use an interactive television application to establish time-based
settings. The user may set television program reminders,
advance-order pay-per-view programs, schedule programs for
recording, and establish parental controls to prevent television
viewing during certain times on certain channels. The interactive
television application may be used to support video recorder
functions such as personal video recorder functions implemented
locally on the user's set-top box or other equipment and
network-based video recorder functions implemented using servers at
cable television headends and other network locations. The
interactive television application may also be used to deliver
video-on-demand content. When the user requests that video be
delivered, conflicts may arise between the requested video delivery
and the previously-established time-based settings. The interactive
television application may provide the user with on-screen options
that allow the user to select how to resolve these conflicts.
Inventors: |
Ellis, Michael D.; (Boulder,
CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & NEAVE
1251 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
50TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10020-1105
US
|
Assignee: |
UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES,
INC.
|
Family ID: |
32325615 |
Appl. No.: |
10/306175 |
Filed: |
November 25, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/58 ;
348/E5.102; 348/E5.104; 348/E5.105; 386/261; 386/292; 386/295;
386/296; 386/297; 386/E5.043 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4312 20130101;
H04N 21/4314 20130101; H04N 21/4622 20130101; H04N 5/782 20130101;
H04N 5/76 20130101; H04N 21/47214 20130101; H04N 21/4755 20130101;
H04N 5/44543 20130101; H04N 5/93 20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101;
H04N 21/4316 20130101; H04N 21/47202 20130101; H04N 21/482
20130101; H04N 21/4532 20130101; H04N 21/472 20130101; H04N 21/4334
20130101; H04N 21/42204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/058 ;
386/065; 386/083 |
International
Class: |
H04N 007/173; G06F
013/00; H04N 005/91; H04N 005/445; G06F 003/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for using an interactive television application that is
implemented using user equipment, comprising: providing a user with
an opportunity to use the interactive television application to
create a time-based setting in the interactive television
application; providing the user with an opportunity to request
delivery of on-demand content; using the interactive television
application to determine whether there is a conflict between the
requested on-demand content and the time-based setting; and
providing the user with an opportunity to instruct the interactive
television application how to resolve the conflict between the
requested on-demand content and the time-based setting.
2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the time-based setting is
selected from the group consisting of: a program reminder setting,
an ordered pay-per-view program, a scheduled recording setting, and
a parental control setting.
3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the requested on-demand
content is selected from the group consisting of video-on-demand
content and video recorder content.
4. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising using the
interactive television application to provide the user with an
option to cancel the time-based setting and to receive the
requested on-demand content to resolve the conflict.
5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising using the
interactive television application to provide the user with an
option to cancel the requested on-demand content to resolve the
conflict.
6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the user instructs the
interactive television application how to resolve the conflict in
advance of the conflict.
7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the user instructs the
interactive television application how to resolve the conflict as
the conflict occurs.
8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the time-based setting is
a television programming parental control setting, the method
further comprising using the interactive television application to
provide the user with an option to override the parental control
setting to resolve the conflict.
9. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the user equipment
comprises user television equipment, the method further comprising
displaying a screen for the user on the user television equipment
that notifies the user of the conflict and that contains multiple
options for the user to select to resolve the conflict.
10. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising using the
interactive television application to provide the user with an
option to defer delivery of the requested on-demand content to
resolve the conflict.
11. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the requested on-demand
content is video-on-demand content from network equipment, the
method further comprising using the interactive television
application to provide the user with an on-screen option on the
user equipment to cancel delivery of the video-on-demand content
from the network equipment to resolve the conflict.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user
with an opportunity to reschedule the time-based setting.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the user
with an opportunity to begin delivery of on-demand content and to
pause the delivery of the on-demand content for the duration of the
time-based setting.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the time-based setting is a
reminder for a program, the method further comprising providing an
option for the user to record the program selected for the
reminder.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the time-based setting is for a
local recording, the method further comprising providing an option
to change the local recording to a network-based recording.
16. User equipment for use in an interactive television system in
which television programming is delivered to a plurality of users
over communications paths, the user equipment for each user
comprising: control circuitry; a user input interface for providing
the user with an opportunity to provide user inputs to the control
circuitry; and a display for displaying video and screens generated
by an interactive television application to the user, wherein the
control circuitry, user input interface, and display are configured
to: provide the user with an opportunity to use the interactive
television application to create a time-based setting in the
interactive television application; provide the user with an
opportunity to request delivery of on-demand content; use the
interactive television application to determine whether there is a
conflict between the requested video and the time-based setting;
and provide the user with an opportunity to instruct the
interactive television application how to resolve the conflict
between the requested video and the time-based setting.
17. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is selected from the group consisting of: a program
reminder setting, a scheduled recording setting, and a parental
control setting
18. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the requested
on-demand content is selected from the group consisting of
video-on-demand content and video recorder content.
19. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is a television program reminder and wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to use the interactive television application to provide the user
with an option to cancel the program reminder and to receive the
requested on-demand content to resolve the conflict.
20. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is a television program reminder and wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to use the interactive television application to provide the user
with an on-screen option to cancel the requested on-demand content
to resolve the conflict.
21. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is for a scheduled recording of a television program and
wherein the control circuitry, user input interface, and display
are further configured to use the interactive television
application to provide the user with an option to cancel the
recording of the program and to watch the requested on-demand
content to resolve the conflict.
22. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is a scheduled recording of a television program and
wherein the control circuitry, user input interface, and display
are further configured to use the interactive television
application to provide the user with an option to cancel the
requested on-demand content to resolve the conflict.
23. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is a television programming parental control setting and
wherein the control circuitry, user input interface, and display
are further configured to use the interactive television
application to provide the user with an option to override the
parental control setting to resolve the conflict.
24. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is a television programming parental control setting and
wherein the control circuitry, user input interface, and display
are further configured to use the interactive television
application to provide the user with an option to cancel the
requested on-demand content to resolve the conflict.
25. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to use the interactive television application to display a screen
for the user on the display that notifies the user of the conflict
and that contains multiple options from which the user can select
to resolve the conflict.
26. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to use the interactive television application to display an
on-screen option for the user on the display that the user may
select to defer delivery of the requested on-demand content to
resolve the conflict.
27. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the requested
on-demand content is video-on-demand content from network equipment
and wherein the control circuitry, user input interface, and
display are further configured to use the interactive television
application to provide the user with an on-screen option on the
display to cancel delivery of the video-on-demand content to
resolve the conflict.
28. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the requested
on-demand content is network-based video recorder content from
network-based video recorder equipment and wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to use the interactive television application to provide the user
with an on-screen option on the display to cancel delivery of the
network-based video recorder content to resolve the conflict.
29. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry includes a hard drive for recording a television program
for which a given reminder was set when the requested on-demand
content conflicts with that reminder.
30. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to provide the user with an opportunity to resolve the conflict in
advance of the conflict.
31. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to provide the user with an opportunity to resolve the conflict as
the conflict occurs.
32. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to provide the user with an opportunity to reschedule the
time-based setting.
33. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the control
circuitry, user input interface, and display are further configured
to provide the user with an opportunity to begin delivery of
on-demand content and to pause the delivery of the on-demand
content for the duration of the time-based setting.
34. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is a reminder for a program, the method further comprising
providing an option for the user to record the program selected for
the reminder.
35. The user equipment defined in claim 16 wherein the time-based
setting is for a local recording, the method further comprising
providing an option to change the local recording to a
network-based recording.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to television systems, and more
particularly, to interactive television systems such as interactive
television program guide systems with video-on-demand and video
recorder capabilities.
[0002] Interactive television systems may be used to provide
interactive television program guides in which screens of
interactive television program listings are presented to users.
Pay-per-view and video-on-demand services, web browsing services,
games, home shopping, and other interactive features may be
provided using interactive television systems.
[0003] In typical interactive television systems, users have
set-top boxes or other equipment in their home with which the users
interact using remote controls or other user interfaces. In a
computer environment, users can access interactive television
program guide web sites.
[0004] Interactive television program guides may be implemented on
personal video recorder platforms. A typical personal video
recorder has a hard disk drive for storing digital video recordings
that may be played back on a user's television. Video recorder
functionality may also be provided using equipment at a cable
system headend. With this type of network-based video recorder, a
user may direct equipment at the headend to perform video recording
and playback functions.
[0005] The delivery of video-on-demand or video recorder content
may give rise to conflicts. For example, the delivery of a
video-on-demand movie may overlap with a program for which the user
has set a reminder with an interactive television program guide.
Conflicts may also arise between video delivery and scheduled
recordings or time-based parental control settings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with the present invention, interactive
television systems are provided that help manage potential
conflicts that arise when the requested delivery of video-on-demand
or video recorder content might overlap with an existing time-based
setting such as a scheduled reminder, a scheduled recording, a
pre-ordered pay-per-view program or a time-based parental control
setting. Interactive television functionality may be supported
through the use of interactive television applications that are
implemented on user equipment such as cable set-top boxes, personal
video recorders, personal computers, satellite integrated receiver
decoders (IRD) boxes, interactive televisions, or other suitable
devices. The interactive television applications may be used to
provide video recorder functions, video-on-demand functions, and
program guide services. The user may set reminders for programs,
may purchase pay-per-view programs, may establish times at which
certain programs will be automatically recorded, and may use
parental control functions to selectively block the viewing of
content during certain time periods. The interactive television
applications may display program listings and provide other
services such as home shopping, banking, web browsing, games,
etc.
[0007] Video-on-demand content and video recorder content may be
stored at network locations outside of users' homes or other
viewing locations. For example, a video server at a cable system
headend or other suitable location in the distribution network of
an interactive television system may be used to support
video-on-demand and video recorder functions.
[0008] Network-based video recording may involve storing a virtual
recording in the personal area assigned to a particular user. The
user may use the interactive television application to access the
personal area. For example, the user may use the interactive
television application to direct the system to play back a desired
program on the user's equipment. The user may also use the
interactive television application to order or request
video-on-demand content.
[0009] When the delivery of video associated with a video-on-demand
order or the playback of a recording from a network-based video
recorder or a personal video recorder in the user's home gives rise
to a conflict with a previously-established time-based setting, the
user may be provided with various options for resolving the
conflict. For example, the user may be provided with an opportunity
to reschedule delivery of video-on-demand content if the
originally-selected order time would cause the video-on-demand
content to overlap with the airing of a program from which the user
had previously established a reminder.
[0010] Further features of the invention, its nature and various
advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and
the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an illustrative interactive
television system in accordance with the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram of illustrative user television
equipment in accordance with the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagram of additional illustrative user
television equipment in accordance with the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a diagram of an illustrative remote control in
accordance with the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagram of illustrative user computer equipment
in accordance with the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a generalized diagram of illustrative user
equipment in accordance with the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 shows an illustrative menu screen in accordance with
the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 8 shows an illustrative program guide screen in
accordance with the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 9 is an illustrative display screen showing how a flip
banner that contains program listings information for the current
channel may be displayed as an overlay over video of the current
channel in accordance with the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 10 is an illustrative display screen showing how a
browse banner that contains program listings information for a
channel that may differ from the current channel may be displayed
as an overlay over video of the current channel in accordance with
the present invention.
[0021] FIGS. 11 and 12 show shows an illustrative program guide
screen in accordance with the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 12 is an illustrative display screen showing how an
interactive television application may provide a user with an
opportunity to set a program reminder in accordance with the
present invention.
[0023] FIG. 13 is an illustrative display screen showing how a
reminder may be provided for a user in accordance with the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 14 is a display screen showing an illustrative
video-on-demand menu that may be used to select a category of
video-on-demand content in accordance with the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 15 is a display screen showing an illustrative
video-on-demand menu screen that may be used to locate a desired
type of movie in accordance with the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 16 shows an illustrative title menu that may be used to
select a video-on-demand title of interest in accordance with the
present invention.
[0027] FIGS. 17a and 17b are illustrative video-on-demand
information screens that may be used to access video-on-demand
content in accordance with the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 18 is an illustrative display screen showing how
video-on-demand playback controls may be displayed while
video-on-demand content is being displayed for the user in
accordance with the present invention.
[0029] FIGS. 19a and 19b are illustrative display screens showing
how a user's scheduled recordings may be presented and selected in
an interactive list in accordance with the present invention.
[0030] FIGS. 20a and 20b are illustrative display screens showing
how a user's recordings may be presented and selected from an
interactive list in accordance with the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 21 is an illustrative display screen showing how video
for a recording selected from the list of FIG. 18 may be displayed
for the user in accordance with the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 22 is an illustrative display screen showing how the
user may be provided with options that allow the user to schedule a
recording of a desired program in accordance with the present
invention.
[0033] FIG. 23a is an illustrative display screen showing how a
user may set parental controls for a given program in accordance
with the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 23b is an illustrative display screen showing how a
user may block content by creating a time-based parental control
setting in accordance with the present invention.
[0035] FIGS. 24-27 are illustrative conflict resolution display
screens that may be displayed for the user when it is determined
that a requested video delivery conflicts with a program reminder
in accordance with the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 28 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in
using an interactive television system to allow a user to create
time-based settings and request video content delivery and to
resolve conflicts between the settings and content delivery
requests in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] An illustrative interactive television system 10 in
accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. Content
such as television programming and digital music may be provided
from programming sources 12 to television distribution facilities
such as television distribution facility 14 using communications
path 16. Programming sources 12 may be any suitable sources of
television and music programming, such as television and music
production studios, etc.
[0038] Television distribution facility 14 may be a cable system
headend, a satellite television distribution facility, a television
broadcast facility, or any other suitable facility for distributing
television and music programming to users. There are typically
numerous television distribution facilities 14 in system 10, but
only one is shown in FIG. 1 to avoid overcomplicating the
drawings.
[0039] Communications path 16 may be a satellite path, a
fiber-optic path, a cable path, or any other suitable wired or
wireless communications paths or a combination of such paths.
[0040] Television distribution facility 14 may be connected to
various user equipment devices 18. Such user equipment 18 may, for
example, be located in the homes of users. User equipment 18 may
include user television equipment 20 or user computer equipment
22.
[0041] The user equipment may receive television and music
programming and other information from television distribution
facility 14 over communications paths such as communications paths
26, 27, and 28. The user equipment may also transmit signals to
television distribution facility 14 over paths 26, 27, and 28.
Paths 26, 27, and 28 may be-cables or other wired connections,
free-space connections (e.g., for broadcast or other wireless
signals), satellite links, etc.
[0042] Data source 30 may include a program listings database that
is used to provide the user with television program schedule
information such as scheduled broadcast times, titles, channels,
ratings information (e.g., parental ratings and critic's ratings),
detailed title descriptions, genre or category information (e.g.,
sports, news, movies, etc.), information on actors and actresses,
running times, etc. Data source 30 may also be used to provide
advertisements (e.g., program guide advertisements and
advertisements for other interactive television applications),
real-time data such as sports scores, stock quotes, news, weather,
etc. Although data source 30 is drawn as an individual box in FIG.
1, data source 30 and the other system components of FIG. 1 may be
provided using equipment at one or more locations. Systems
components are drawn as single boxes in FIG. 1 to avoid
over-complicating the drawings.
[0043] Data source 30 may provide program schedule information and
other data to television distribution facility 14 over
communications path 32 for distribution to the associated user
equipment over paths 26, 27, and 28. Communications path 32 may be
any suitable communications path such as a satellite communications
path or other wireless path, a fiber-optic or other wired
communications path, a path that supports Internet communications,
a combination of such paths, etc. Data source 30 may provide
program schedule information and other data to the user at user
equipment 18 over path 38, communications network 34, and path 42.
Path 42 may be a wired path such as a telephone line, a cable path,
a fiber-optic path, a satellite path, a wireless path, a
combination of such paths, or any other suitable path.
[0044] User equipment devices such as user television equipment and
personal computers may use the program schedule information to
display program listings and information on digital music for the
user. An interactive television program guide application or other
suitable application may be used to display such information on the
user's display.
[0045] An on-line program guide and other interactive television
services may be provided using a server connected to communications
network 34 such as server 36. Server 36 may receive program
schedule information and other data from data source 30 via
communications path 38, communications network 34, and
communications path 40. Paths 38 and 40 may be satellite paths,
fiber-optic paths, wired paths, etc. Communications network 34 may
be any suitable communications network, such as the Internet, the
public switched telephone network, a packet-based network, etc.
[0046] User equipment 18 may access on-line program guide
information and other information from server 36 via communications
path 42. User equipment 18 may also access the on-line program
guide and other services on server 36 via communications path 26,
television distribution facility 14, and communications path 44.
For example, a cable modem or other suitable equipment may be-used
by user equipment 18 to communicate with television distribution
facility 14. Television distribution facility 14 may communicate
with communications network 34 over any suitable path 44, such as a
wired path, a cable path, fiber-optic path, satellite path, a
combination of such paths, etc.
[0047] User equipment such as user television equipment 20 and user
computer equipment 22 may access the on-line program guide and
server 36 using similar arrangements. User television equipment 20
may access the on-line program guide and server 36 using
communications path 46 or using path 27, television distribution
facility 14, and path 44. User computer equipment 22 may access the
on-line program guide and server 36 using communications path 48 or
using path 28, television distribution facility 14, and path 44.
Paths 46 and 48 may be any suitable paths, such as wired paths,
cable paths, fiber-optic paths, wireless paths, satellite paths, a
combination of such paths, etc.
[0048] Program guide application functions and the functions of
other interactive television applications may be supported using
server 36 and other servers connected to communications network 34
such as server 56. Interactive television applications may also be
supported by servers or other suitable equipment at one or more
service providers such as service provider 50. For example, a home
shopping service may be supported by a service provider such as
service provider 50 that has sales representatives, order
fulfillment facilities, account maintenance facilities, and other
equipment for supporting interactive home shopping features. A home
shopping application that is implemented using the user equipment
may be used to access the service provider to provide these
features to the user. The user equipment may access service
provider 50 via television distribution facility 14 and
communications path 52 or via communications network 34 and
communications path 54. Communications paths such as paths 52 and
54 may be any suitable paths, such as wired paths, cable paths,
fiber-optic paths, satellite paths, a combination of such paths,
etc.
[0049] Another example of an interactive television application is
a home banking application. A home banking service may be supported
using personnel at facilities such as service provider 50. An
interactive home banking application that is implemented using the
user equipment may access the home banking service via television
distribution facility 14 and communications path 52 or via
communications network 34 and communications path 54.
[0050] If desired, an interactive television application such as a
network-based video recorder or a video-on-demand application may
be supported using server 56, server 36, or equipment at service
provider 50. Video-on-demand content and video recorded using a
network-based video recorder arrangement may be stored on server 56
or server 36 or at service provider 50 and may be provided to the
user equipment when requested by users. An interactive television
application may be used to support the functions of a personal
video recorder (sometimes called a digital video recorder) that is
implemented using user equipment 18. Illustrative equipment that
may be used to support personal video recorder functions include
specialized personal video recorder devices, integrated receiver
decoders (IRDs), set-top boxes with integrated or external hard
drives, or personal computers with video recording
capabilities.
[0051] If desired, applications such as the interactive television
program guide application, a home shopping application, a home
banking application, a video-on-demand application, game
applications, and other applications (e.g., applications related to
e-mail and chat or other communications functions, etc.) may be
provided as separate applications that are accessed through a
navigation shell application (i.e., a menu application with menu
options corresponding to the applications). The features of such
applications may be combined. For example, games, video-on-demand
services, home shopping, network-based video recorder functions,
personal video recorder functions, navigational functions, program
guide functions, communications functions, and other suitable
functions may be provided using one application or any other
suitable number of applications.
[0052] Moreover, the interactive television program guide
application, the home banking application, the home shopping
application, the network-based video recorder and personal video
recorder applications, the video-on-demand application, the gaming
applications, communications applications, and navigational
applications, are only a few illustrative examples of the types of
interactive television applications that may be-supported by system
10. Other suitable applications that may be supported include, news
services, web browsing and other Internet services, and interactive
wagering services (e.g., for wagering on horse races and the
like).
[0053] The interactive television application or applications that
are used in interactive television system 10 may be implemented
locally on the user equipment. The applications may also be
implemented in a distributed fashion (e.g., using a client-server
architecture in which the user equipment serves at least partly and
for at least some of the time, as the client and a server such as
server 56 at television distribution facility 14, server 36, or
other suitable equipment acts as the server. Other distributed
architectures may also be used if desired. Moreover, some or all of
the interactive television system features of system 10 may be
provided using operating system software or middleware software.
Such operating system software and middleware may be used instead
of or in combination with application-level software. Regardless of
the particular arrangement used to implement interactive television
features related to program guides, home shopping, home banking,
video-on-demand, Internet, communications, etc., the software that
supports these features may be referred to as an application or
applications.
[0054] Illustrative user television equipment 20 that is based on a
set-top box arrangement is shown in FIG. 2. Input/output 58 may be
connected to communications paths such as paths 27 and 46.
Input/output functions may be provided by one or more wires or
communications paths, but are shown as a single path in FIG. 2 to
avoid overcomplicating the drawing. Television programming and
other information may be received using input/output 58. Commands
and requests and other information from the user may also be
transmitted over input/output 58.
[0055] Set-top box 60 may be any suitable analog or digital set-top
box (e.g., a cable set-top box). Set-top box 60 may contain an
analog tuner for tuning to a desired analog television channel.
Set-top box 60 may also contain digital decoding circuitry for
receiving digital television and music channels. Both analog and
digital channels may be handled together if desired. Multiple
tuners may be provided (e.g., to handle simultaneous watch and
record functions). Box 60 may be an integrated receiver decoder
(IRD) that handles satellite television. If desired, box 60 may
have circuitry for handling cable, over-the-air broadcast, and
satellite content. Box 60 may include a storage device (e.g., a
digital storage device such as a hard disk drive) for providing
recording capabilities. Box 60 may also be connected to a recording
device 62 such as a video cassette recorder, personal video
recorder, or other device or devices with storage capabilities.
[0056] Set-top box 60 contains a processor (e.g., a microcontroller
or microprocessor or the like) that is used to execute software
applications. Set-top box 60 may contain memory such as
random-access memory for use when executing applications.
Nonvolatile memory may also be used (e.g., to launch a boot-up
routine and other instructions). Hard disk storage in box 60 or in
recording device 62 may be used to back up data and to otherwise
support larger databases and storage requirements than may be
supported using random-access memory approaches.
[0057] Set-top box 60 may have infrared (IR) or other
communications circuitry for communicating with a remote control or
wireless keyboard. Set-top box 60 may also have dedicated buttons
and a front-panel display. The front-panel display may, for
example, be used to display the current channel to which the
set-top box is tuned.
[0058] Set-top box 60 may also have communications circuitry such
as a cable modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN)
modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a telephone modem,
wireless modem, etc. for communications with other equipment. Such
communications may involve the Internet or any other suitable
communications networks or paths. If desired, the components of
set-top box 60 may be integrated into other user equipment (e.g., a
television or videocassette recorder).
[0059] Recording device 62 may be used to record videos provided by
set-top box 60. For example, if set-top box 60 is tuned to a given
television channel, the video signal for that television channel
may be passed to recording device 62 for recording on a
videocassette, compact disc, digital video disk, or internal hard
drive or other storage device. Recording device 62 may have
communications circuitry such as a cable modem, an ISDN modem, a
DSL modem, a telephone modem, etc. for communications with other
equipment. Such communications may involve the Internet or any
other suitable communications networks or paths. The components of
recording device 62 may be integrated into other user equipment
(e.g., a television, stereo equipment, etc.).
[0060] Recording device 62 may be controlled using a remote control
or other suitable user interface. If desired, video recorder
functions such as start, stop, record, etc. and other functions for
device 62 may be controlled by set-top box 60. For example, set-top
box 60 may control recording device 62 using infrared commands
directed toward the remote control inputs of recording device 62 or
set-top box 60 may control recording device 62 using other wired or
wireless communications paths between box 60 and device 62.
[0061] The output of recording device 62 may be provided to
television 64 for display to the user. If desired, multiple
recording devices 62 or no recording device 62 may be used. If
recording device 62 is not present or is not being actively used,
the video signals from set-top box 60 may be provided directly to
television 64. Any suitable television or monitor may be used to
display the video. In the equipment of FIG. 2 and the other
equipment of system 10, the audio associated with various video
items is typically distributed with those video items and is
generally played back to the user as the videos are played.
[0062] Another illustrative arrangement for user television
equipment 20 is shown in FIG. 3. In the example of FIG. 3, user
television equipment 20 includes a recording device 66 such-as a
digital video recorder (e.g., a personal video recorder (PVR)) that
uses a hard disk or other storage for recording video or may be a
digital video disc recorder, compact disc recorder, videocassette
recorder, or other suitable recording device. Equipment 20 of FIG.
3 may also include a television 68. Input/output 70 may be
connected to communications paths such as paths 27 and 46.
Television programming and other information may be received using
input/output 70. Commands and requests and other information from
the user may be transmitted over input/output 70.
[0063] Recording device 66 may contain at least one analog tuner
for tuning to a desired analog television channel (e.g., multiple
tuners may be provided). Recording device 66 may also contain
digital decoding circuitry for receiving digital television and
music channels. If desired, recording device 66 may contain
circuitry for handling both analog and digital channels. Recording
device 66 also contains a processor (e.g., a microcontroller or
microprocessor or the like) that is used to execute software
applications. Recording device 66 may contain memory such as
random-access memory for use when executing applications.
Nonvolatile memory may also be used to store a boot-up routine or
other instructions. The hard disk and other storage in recording
device 66 may be used to support databases (e.g., program guide
databases or interactive television application databases). The
hard disk or other storage in recording device 66 may also be used
to record video such as television programs or video-on-demand
content or other content provided to recording device 66 over
input/output 70.
[0064] Recording device 66 may have IR communications circuitry or
other suitable communications circuitry for communicating with a
remote control. Recording device 66 may also have dedicated buttons
and a front-panel display. The front-panel display may, for
example, be used to display the current channel to which the
recording device is tuned.
[0065] Recording device 66 may also have communications circuitry
such as a cable modem, an ISDN modem, a DSL modem, a telephone
modem, a wireless modem, etc. for communications with other
equipment. Such communications may involve the Internet or other
suitable communications networks or paths.
[0066] If desired, recording device 66 may include a satellite
receiver or other equipment that has wireless communications
circuitry for receiving satellite signals.
[0067] Recording device 66 of FIG. 3 or recording device 62 of FIG.
2 may record new video while previously recorded video is being
played back on television 68 or 64. This allows users to press a
pause button during normal television viewing. When the pause
button is pressed, the current television program is stored on the
hard disk of digital video recorder 66. When the user presses play,
the recorded video may be played back. This arrangement allows the
user to seamlessly pause and resume television viewing. Recording
device 66 and 62 may also be used to allow a user to watch a
previously-recorded program while simultaneously recording a new
program.
[0068] The set-top box arrangement of FIG. 2 and the digital video
recorder set-top box arrangement of FIG. 3 are merely illustrative.
Other arrangements may be used if desired. For example, user
television equipment may be based on a WebTV box, a personal
computer television (PC/TV), or any other suitable television
equipment arrangement. If desired, the functions of components such
as set-top box 60, digital video recorder 66, a WebTV box, or PC/TV
or the like may be integrated into a television or personal
computer or other suitable device.
[0069] An illustrative remote control 72 for operating user
television equipment 20 (or suitable user computer equipment 22) is
shown in FIG. 4. Remote control 72 may have function keys 74 and
other keys 76 such as keypad keys, power on/off keys, pause, stop,
fast-forward and reverse keys, etc. Volume up and down keys 78 may
be used for adjusting the volume of the audio portion of a video.
Channel up and down keys 80 may be used to change television
channels and to access content on virtual channels. Cursor keys 82
may be used to navigate on-screen menus. For example, cursor keys
82 may be used to position an on-screen cursor, indicator, or
highlight (sometimes all generically referred to herein as a
highlight or highlight region) to indicate interest in a particular
option or other item on a screen displayed by the interactive
television application.
[0070] An OK key 84 (sometimes called a select or enter key) may be
used to select on-screen options that the user has highlighted.
[0071] Keys 74 may include a record key 86 for initiating
recordings. Menu button 88 may be used to direct the interactive
television application to display a menu on the user's display
screen (e.g., on television 64 or 68 or on a suitable monitor or
computer display). Info button 90 may be used to direct the
interactive television application to display an information
display screen. If the user has highlighted a particular program
listing, for example, pressing the info button 90 may direct the
interactive television application to provide additional program
schedule information related to that program listing (e.g., a
program summary, actor information, etc.).
[0072] Lock button 92 may be used to modify access privileges. For
example, a parent may use lock button 92 or on-screen options to
establish parental control settings for the interactive television
application. The parental control settings may be time-based
settings (e.g., to prevent a child from watching television during
a particular time block such as from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM). The
parental control settings may also be used to block programming
based on rating, channel, program title, etc. A locked or blocked
program is typically not viewable until the interactive television
application is provided with a suitable personal identification
number (PIN). Once this PIN has been entered, the interactive
television program will unlock the user's equipment and allow the
locked content to be accessed.
[0073] Exit button 94 may be used to exit the interactive
television application or to exit a portion of the interactive
television application. Guide button 96 may be used to invoke the
interactive television program guide.
[0074] The keys shown in FIG. 4 are merely illustrative. Other keys
or buttons may be provided if desired. For example, a music button
may be used to access music with the interactive television
application. An edit button may be used to edit stored content
(e.g., to remove commercials, remove portions of a video, etc.).
Alphanumeric buttons may be used to enter alphanumeric characters.
A last or back button may be used to browse backward in the
interactive television application (e.g., to return to a previous
channel or display screen). Video recorder function buttons such as
a play button, pause button, stop button, rewind button,
fast-forward button, and record button, may be used to control
video recorder functions (local or network-based) in system 10. A
help key may be used to invoke help functions such as
context-sensitive on-screen help, etc.
[0075] Illustrative user computer equipment 22 is shown in FIG. 5.
In the arrangement of FIG. 5, personal computer 98 may be
controlled by the user using keyboard 100 or other suitable user
input device, such as a trackball, mouse, touch pad, touch screen,
voice recognition system, a remote control such as remote control
72 of FIG. 4, etc. Video content such as television programming and
interactive television application display screens may be displayed
on monitor 102. Television programming, video-on-demand content,
video recordings played back from a network-based video recorder,
and other information may be received from paths 28 and 48 (FIG. 1)
using input/output 104. The user may also send commands and other
information used during interactions with the interactive
television application and system 10 over input/output line
104.
[0076] Personal computer unit 98 may contain a television or video
card such as television tuner card for decoding analog and digital
television channels and for handling streaming video content.
Multiple video cards (e.g., tuner cards) may be provided if
desired. An illustrative television tuner card that may be used may
contain an analog television tuner for tuning to a given analog
channel and digital decoding circuitry for filtering out a desired
digital television or music channel from a packetized digital data
stream. Any suitable card or components in computer unit 98 may be
used to handle video and other content delivered via input/output
line 104 if desired.
[0077] Personal computer unit 98 may contain one or more processors
(e.g., microprocessors) that are used to run the interactive
television application or a portion of the interactive television
application.
[0078] Storage in personal computer unit 98 such as a hard drive,
DVD drive, CD drive, or other suitable storage device or devices
may be used to store video and other content. For example, the
interactive television application and personal computer unit 98
may use this storage to provide the functions of a personal video
recorder.
[0079] User equipment 18 such as user television equipment 20 and
user computer equipment 22 may be used with network equipment such
as server 56, server 36, and equipment at service providers such as
service provider 50 of FIG. 1 to provide network-based video
recording functions. Video recording functions may be provided by
storing copies of television programs and other video content on a
remote server (e.g., server 56 or server 36 of FIG. 1) or other
network-based equipment such as equipment at a service provider
such as service provider 50.
[0080] Video recordings may be made in response to user commands
that are entered at user equipment 18. In a personal video recorder
arrangement, the interactive television application may be used to
record video locally on the user equipment in response to the user
commands. In a network-based video recorder arrangement, the
interactive television application may be used to record video or
to make virtual recordings on network equipment such as server 36,
56, or equipment at service provider 50 in response to the user
commands. The user commands may be provided to the network
equipment over the communications paths shown in FIG. 1. The
personal video recorder arrangement and the network-based video
recorder arrangement can support functions such as fast-forward,
rewind, pause, play, and record.
[0081] To avoid unnecessary duplication in a network-based video
recorder environment, the system 10 may provide network-based video
recording capabilities by using virtual copies or recordings. With
this approach, each user may be provided with a personal area on
the network that contains a list of that user's recordings. The
video content need only be stored once (or a relatively small
number of times) on the network equipment, even though a large
number of users may have that video content listed as one of their
recordings in their network-based video recorder personal area.
[0082] The user television equipment and user computer equipment
arrangements described above are merely illustrative. A more
generalized embodiment of illustrative user equipment is shown in
FIG. 6.
[0083] As shown in FIG. 6, control circuitry 106 is connected to
input/output 108. Input/output 108 may be connected to one or more
communications paths such as paths 26, 27, 28, 42, 46, and 48 of
FIG. 1. Television and music programming may be received via
input/output 108 (e.g., from programming sources 12, servers or
other equipment such as server 36, service providers such as
service provider 50, and television distribution facility 14).
Program schedule information for an interactive television program
guide may be received from data source 30 via input/output 108.
Input/output 108 may also be used to receive information from data
source 30 for other interactive television applications. The user
may use control circuitry 106 to send commands, requests, and other
suitable information using input/output 108.
[0084] Control circuitry 106 may be based on any suitable
processing circuitry 110 such as processing circuitry based on one
or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal
processors, programmable logic devices, etc. Memory (e.g.,
random-access memory and read-only memory), hard drives, DVD
drives, CD drives, or any other suitable memory or storage devices
may be provided as storage 112 that is part of control circuitry
106. Tuning circuitry such as one or more analog tuners, one or
more MPEG-2 decoders or other digital video circuitry, or any other
suitable tuning or video circuits or combinations of such circuits
may also be included as part of circuitry 106. Encoding circuitry
(e.g., for converting over-the-air or cable analog signals to MPEG
signals for storage) may also be provided. The tuning and encoding
circuitry may be used by the user equipment to receive and display
or play or record a particular television or music channel or other
desired audio and video content (e.g., video-on-demand content or
requested network-based or local video recorder playback).
Television programming and other video and on-screen options and
information may be displayed on display 114. Display 114 may be a
monitor, a television, or any other suitable equipment for
displaying visual images. Speakers 116 may be provided as part of a
television or may be stand-alone units. Digital music and the audio
component of videos displayed on display 114 may be played through
speakers 116.
[0085] A user may control the control circuitry 106 using user
input interface 118. The user input interface 118 may be any
suitable user interface, such as a mouse, trackball, keypad,
keyboard, touch screen, touch pad, voice recognition interface,
remote control, etc.
[0086] An illustrative menu 120 that may be displayed on the user's
display screen is shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, menu 120 may
provide the user with an number of selectable options. The options
shown in FIG. 7 are merely illustrative. Any suitable options may
be provided if desired.
[0087] A user of user equipment 18 (e.g., a user of user television
equipment 20 or a user of user computer equipment 22, or a user of
any other suitable user equipment device) may invoke an interactive
television menu such as menu screen 120 by pressing menu button 88
(FIG. 4). Remote control 72 (FIG. 4) or other user interface 118
(FIG. 6) may be used to position highlight region 121 on top of
selectable options such as options 122-135. If the user selects
option 122 or 123, a screen of program listings may be displayed.
Option 124 may be used to display program listings for channels
designated by the user as "favorites." Option 125 may be used to
provide program listings selected for promotion by a service
provider (e.g., a program guide service provider, a cable operator,
etc.). Option 126 may be used to invoke a home shopping service.
Options 127 may be used to search program listings by title, time,
category, or any other criteria. Option 128 may be selected to
display options related to video-on-demand services. Option 129 may
be selected to display an interactive list of previously recorded
recordings and option 131 may be selected to display an interactive
list of programs scheduled for recording. Option 130 may be
selected to display pay-per-view program listings and pay-per-view
services options. If the user selects option 132, the user may-be
presented with an opportunity to access home banking functions.
Option 133 may be selected to change system setup options and
option 134 may be selected to launch a web browser or other
application for accessing the Internet. Option 135 may be selected
to access other interactive television services. When the user
selects an option with highlight region 121 from menu screen 120,
the user's selection may be described in information display region
136.
[0088] If desired, program guide screens such as menu screen 120
and other interactive television application screens may include
selectable advertisements 137. Any suitable advertisements may be
provided, including panel advertisements, banner advertisements,
advertisements provided between program listings, advertisements
provided on certain program listings or other portions of the
screen, or any other suitable advertisements. A user may use cursor
keys 82 of remote control 72 (FIG. 4) to position a highlight
region on an advertisement of interest and may select the
highlighted advertisement using OK key 84. Users of other user
interfaces may make appropriate selections using the buttons or
controls available through those interfaces (e.g., using voice
commands if the user interface involves a voice recognition
arrangement, etc.).
[0089] An illustrative program guide screen 138 that may be
displayed for the user is shown in FIG. 8. Program guide screen 138
may be displayed, for example, when the user selects program
listings option 122 of FIG. 7, when the user selects a suitable
option from within an interactive television program guide
application or other interactive television application, or when
the user presses an appropriate remote control button such as guide
button 96 or otherwise uses user input interface 118 to indicate a
desire to view program listings.
[0090] Program guide screen 138 may contain a grid or list of
program listings 143. Program listings 143 may include program
titles, channels, scheduled broadcast times, and any other suitable
program schedule information. Highlight region 142 may be used to
select a desired program listing 144. Program Information for
selected programs may appear elsewhere on program guide screen 138
(e.g., in program information display region 139). If the user
presses OK key 84 when a program listing for a current program is
highlighted, the interactive television application may tune to the
channel for that program. If the user presses OK key 84 when a
program listing for a future program is highlighted, the
interactive television application may provide the user with an
opportunity to set a reminder for that program or to record that
program.
[0091] Other functions that the interactive television application
may provide include the ability to set favorites or establish
preferences or other settings. For example, the user may select a
particular channel for the program guide to automatically tune to
when the user equipment is turned on. The user may also select
favorite programs, favorite channels, etc. The program guide or
other interactive television application may provide the user with
the ability to establish parental control settings, the ability to
search for programming of interest, and the ability to view program
descriptions, advertisements, text, graphics, and video, etc. These
are merely illustrative examples of interactive television
functions that may be provided by interactive television system 10.
Other suitable interactive television functions may be provided if
desired.
[0092] A user may access program listings (e.g., program listings
of the type shown in FIG. 8) by using the interactive television
application to select an on-screen option such as option 122 and
123 of FIG. 7, by pressing a dedicated guide button such as guide
button 96 on remote control 72, by selecting any other suitable
button or on-screen option, etc. In the example of FIG. 8, program
listings are currently being displayed for television programs that
air between 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM. As shown by arrows 140 and 141,
the user may use right or left cursor keys to navigate to other
times (e.g., to direct the interactive television application to
display appropriate screens of program listings 143 for different
time periods). If desired, the user may select options or press
keys (or use user input interface 118 to otherwise enter suitable
commands) that direct the interactive television application to
display program listings organized by channel, by genre, by service
type (e.g., pay-per-view or regular broadcast television), etc.
[0093] Selectable options, such as options 145, 146, 147, 148, 149,
150, 151, and 152, may be provided as part of program guide screen
138 or any other program guide screen for providing access to
various interactive television application features. For example,
option 145 may be used to display a home screen or main menu, such
as menu screen 120 of FIG. 7. Option 146 may be selected to display
program listings for channels designated by the user as
"favorites." Option 147 may be selected to display listings of
recommended programs using highlight region 142. Scroll indicators
148 and 149 may be used to navigate down and up through program
listings. Option 150 may be selected to display information related
to video-on-demand services. Option 151 may be selected to search
television program listings by title, time, category, or any other
suitable criteria. Option 152 may be selected to display
information related to digital music services.
[0094] The interactive television application may provide a "flip"
tuning feature. As shown in FIG. 9, when the user invokes the flip
mode, flip display 153 may be provided over a portion of a channel
(i.e., channel 2) that the user is currently tuned to and is
watching on display screen 154. Flip display 153 contains
information (in region 156) on the program 155 appearing on the
current channel (channel 2) to which the set-top box 60 or other
user equipment is tuned. The user may change the channel using
channel up and down keys on the remote control or using user
interface 118 to issue other suitable channel change commands. This
simultaneously changes the channel to which the set-top box 60 or
other user equipment is tuned and the channel information displayed
in region 156 (and the associated program information 155).
[0095] The flip display 153 may be removed manually or
automatically (e.g., after a few seconds or other suitable time
period of user inactivity). When the user starts changing channels
again, the flip display 153 may be displayed again.
[0096] The flip feature of the interactive television application
therefore allows the user to view program information for the
channel that the user is currently viewing as the user changes
channels. In the example of FIG. 9, the flip display 153 is
displayed in the form of an overlay on top of the current channel.
If desired, the video for the current channel may be reduced in
size and the flip information (e.g., the program title and channel
information for the current program) may be displayed at a location
on the periphery of the reduced-size video (e.g., at the bottom,
side, or top of the reduced-size video).
[0097] An advertisement 158 or other content may be provided in the
flip display region if desired. Other optional information that may
be displayed in flip display 153 includes information on the
scheduled broadcast times for the program 155, ratings information,
program descriptions, and other program-related information.
[0098] The interactive television application may also be used to
provide a browse feature. As shown in FIG. 10, when the user
invokes the browse feature (e.g., by pressing an up or down cursor
key), browse display 160 may be displayed as an overlay over a
portion of the channel (i.e., channel 2) that is being displayed on
the user's display screen 162 and to which the user is currently
tuned. Browse display 160 may initially contain information on the
current channel. For example, browse display 160 may, when
initially invoked by the user, contain the title of the current
program and information on the current channel such as the current
channel number, call letters, and network logo.
[0099] When the user presses the up or down cursor key (or enters
other suitable commands using user interface-118), the browse
display-may be changed to display information on the programming
available on other channels. In the example of FIG. 10, the user
has pressed the cursor keys repeatedly, until the user has browsed
to channel 99. The video that is being displayed on display screen
162 has not changed in this example (channel 2 is still being
displayed).
[0100] As indicated by arrows 166, the user may use right and left
cursor keys 82 (or other suitable controls) to browse to other time
slots (e.g., to view information related to programming that is
scheduled for broadcast at a later time). Browse display 160 may
contain an advertisement 168, information 170 on scheduled program
times, program descriptions and other program-related information
and icons such as check icon 163 (to indicate that a reminder has
been set for a given program) and ratings icon 161.
[0101] If the user locates a currently available program of
interest on another channel, the user may press the OK key 84 to
direct the interactive television application to tune the user
equipment to that channel.
[0102] The browse display 160 may be removed manually or may be
removed automatically from display screen 162 after a suitable
period of user inactivity (e.g., after a few seconds or a minute or
two).
[0103] If desired, the browse display can be displayed on the
periphery of the video for the current program rather than as an
overlay. The video for the current channel may be reduced in size
accordingly.
[0104] When the user has indicated interest in a program (e.g., by
positioning highlight region 142 of FIG. 8 on top of a given
program listing, by tuning to a program, by viewing a program
listing on the flip banner of FIG. 9 or the browse banner of FIG.
10, etc.), the user may press info key 90 (FIG. 4) to obtain more
information for that program. Illustrative info screens 171 and 180
that may be displayed when a user presses info button 90 are shown
in FIGS. 11 and 12, respectively. Screens such as screens 171 and
180 may be provided when a user selects a program listing from a
interactive television application screen (e.g., program guide
screen 138 of FIG. 8). Info screen 171 of FIG. 11 may include a
detailed description 172 of a program selected by the user.
Description 172 may include, for example, the title, time, channel,
and rating of the program, or any other suitable information. As in
FIG. 8, selectable options may be provided as part of info screen
171 to provide access to various interactive television application
features. For example, option 174 may be used to return to the
previous program guide screen. Option 175 may be used to tune to
the selected program or set a reminder for the selected program
(e.g., the program for which information is displaying in
description 172). Option 176 may be selected to display recording
options and services for the selected program. Option 177 may be
selected to display options for adding a reminder for the selected
program. Option 178 may be used to display options for adding the
selected program or channel to a user's favorites, and option 179
may be used to display options for providing a parental lock on the
selected program. Selectable options for other interactive
television application features may also be provided. A highlight
region may be used to select any of the selectable options provided
by a program guide screen. Information describing a highlighted
option may be provided, for example, in information display region
173.
[0105] Information screens may include advertisements. For example,
info screen 180 of FIG. 12 may include selectable advertisements
181. Information regions on screen 180 such as title region 182 and
program description region 186 may be used to display information
on the selected program such as title information, ratings
information, plot summary information, information about actors,
genre, critics ratings, etc.
[0106] Region 190 may be used to inform the user of the possibility
of setting a reminder for the selected program, of tuning to the
channel showing the selected program, of recording the selected
program, of purchasing the selected program if it is a pay-per-view
program, of parentally controlling the selected program, of
configuring a related profile or preference settings, or performing
any other suitable action related to the selected program. Region
190 may also be used to provide additional information related to
the selected program. The user may position highlight region 184 on
top of either yes option 183 or no option 185 or any other suitable
options (e.g., options to tune to the channel, to record the
program, to purchase the program, to parentally control the
program, to configure the preference settings, etc.). When the user
presses the OK key 84, the interactive television application may
then take appropriate actions. If the user opts to set a reminder
for the program listed in the info screen 180, the interactive
television application may display a pop-up reminder overlay on top
of the video for the channel that the user is currently watching
just before the program associated with the reminder is scheduled
to begin, or any suitable display screen that is active at the time
that the reminder pops up (e.g., a program listings screen).
[0107] An illustrative reminder is shown in FIG. 13. In the example
of FIG. 13, the user is watching channel 3. The current time is
6:58 PM. Previously, the user set a reminder for the program "On
The Riviera," which is scheduled to be shown on channel 39 at 7:00
PM. Because the program for which the user set the reminder is just
about to begin, the interactive television application displays
reminder list 192 as an overlay on top of the video for channel 3
that is being presented on display screen 194. The reminder list
may contain a list of one or more programs for which the user has
set reminders. In the example of FIG. 13, one program listing 196
("On The Riviera") is displayed.
[0108] The user can tune to a program by selecting that program
from the reminder list 192. For example, the user may position
highlight region 198 on listing 196 and may select that listing by
pressing the OK key 84. The interactive television application may
then tune the user to the channel for the desired program (i.e.,
channel 39 in this example).
[0109] The user can close the reminder list by pressing the OK key
84 while hide reminder option 200 is highlighted.
[0110] The reminder list may be displayed at any suitable time
(e.g., at 0-15 minutes before the program of interest is to begin,
at a user-selected time before that program, etc.). Moreover, the
reminder list may be displayed around the periphery of the video
for the current channel and the video for the current channel may
be displayed in a reduced-size window. These are merely
illustrative examples. Any suitable arrangement may be used to
notify the user of upcoming programs or in progress programs for
which the user has set reminders and other programs of
interest.
[0111] The interactive television application may be used to
provide the user with access to video-on-demand content. The user
may, for example, be provided with an option such as
video-on-demand option 128 on menu screen 120 of FIG. 7. When the
user selects option 128, the interactive television application may
display a screen such as video-on-demand categories screen 202 of
FIG. 14. Screen 202 may include logos such as logo 204, selectable
(or non-selectable) advertisements such as advertisements 206, and
a screen title 208. The user may position highlight region 210 on
an option 212 corresponding to a video-on-demand category of
interest.
[0112] When the user selects the video-on-demand category of
interest from screen 202, the interactive television application
may display a display screen such as subcategory selection screen
214 of FIG. 15. In the example of FIG. 15, the subcategories screen
214 contains subcategory options 220 corresponding to movies,
because (in this example) the user selected movies A-Z option 212
from screen 202 in FIG. 14. Video window 221 may be provided in any
video-on-demand information screen and may provide information
relating to a video-on-demand program selected by the user or any
other suitable video information.
[0113] The user may position highlight region 218 onto a desired
subcategory 220 and may press OK key 84 to view a list of available
video-on-demand content associated with that subcategory. An
illustrative display screen 222 that the interactive television
application may display for the user when the action subcategory
option 220 (FIG. 15) is selected is shown in FIG. 16. As shown in
FIG. 16, display screen 222 may include information identifying the
selected subcategory 224. Screen 222 may also include a list 226 of
titles 230 (or other content indicators). The user may position
highlight region 228 on a desired video-on-demand title 230 and may
press the OK key to proceed with the selection of that title.
[0114] Selecting a desired video-on-demand title 230 from title
selection screen 222 may direct the interactive television
application to display a video-on-demand information screen such as
information screen 232 of FIG. 17a. Screen 232 may include
information 236 on the selected video-on-demand content, such as
title, run time, price, rating, and a description of the selected
video-on-demand content.
[0115] Selectable options, such as options 234, 235, 237, and 238
may be provided as part of screen 232 to provide access to various
interactive television application features. For example, option
238 may be selected to access options for ordering the selected
video-on-demand content. Option 237 may be used to access options
for recording the selected content, and option 235 may be used to
access options for setting parental control locks for the selected
content. If the user selects option 234, the interactive television
application may display a video clip containing information on the
video-on-demand content of interest (e.g., a promotional video such
as a preview, a trailer, a review, etc.). The video clip may be
delivered to the user equipment 18 from a server such as server 36
or server 56 of FIG. 1 or from equipment at a service provider such
a service provider 50. The interactive television application may
also provide the user with additional information on the
video-on-demand content in response to the user selecting option
234. Other suitable selectable options may also be provided on
screen 232 (e.g., a program package information and purchase
option, options for searching program listings for related content,
etc.).
[0116] If a user requests information for video-on-demand content
that has already been ordered, the interactive television
application may provide video-on-demand information screen such as
screen 239 of FIG. 17b, which may include selectable options
different than those provided for screen 232 of FIG. 17a. For
example, option 240 may be used to start playing selected
video-on-demand content from the program position most recently
viewed. Option 241 may be used to present the selected content from
the beginning, and option 242 may be used to access options for
recording the content. Option 243 may be used to remove the
selected content from a listing of the ordered and available
content. Option 244 may be used to access options for setting
parental control locks for the selected content. If the selected
content is being accessed over a network or being provided by a
network storage device, option 245 may be used to store the content
on a local storage device.
[0117] In response to a user ordering selected content (e.g., by
selecting an on-screen order option such as option 238 of FIG. 17a,
or by using remote control 72 or any other suitable input device
118 to order content, etc.), the interactive television application
may deliver the ordered video-on-demand content to the user
equipment from a server such as server 36 or server 56 or from a
service provider such as service provider 50. The communications
paths and communications network 34 of FIG. 1 may be used in
delivering the requested content.
[0118] The ordered video-on-demand content may be displayed for the
user on a display screen such as video-on-demand playback screen
246 of FIG. 18. As shown in the lower portion of screen 246,
interactive options may be displayed in a toolbar 248 or other
suitable format. The interactive options 248 (or similar remote
control buttons) may allow the user to rewind the video-on-demand
content to the beginning, rewind, play, fast-forward, pause, stop
delivery of the video-on-demand content, or perform other video
playback options. The arrangement of FIG. 18 is merely
illustrative. For example, the video-on-demand content may be
played back in a reduced size window (of fixed or user-selectable
size).
[0119] The interactive television system 10 may be used to support
video recorder functions. The video recorder functions may be
supported using local arrangements (e.g., arrangements in which a
personal video recorder or other suitable equipment in the user's
home is used to record videos on a local hard drive or other
storage device) and network-based arrangements (e.g., arrangements
in which network equipment such as servers 36 and 56 or equipment
at a service provider such as service provider 50 is used to store
video and data for the user). Combinations of these arrangements
may also be supported using system 10.
[0120] In a local video recorder arrangement (sometimes called a
personal video recorder arrangement or local digital video recorder
arrangement), video recordings are stored locally on the user
equipment. Information on which videos have been recorded may also
be maintained locally. Program guide information (e.g., titles,
rates, descriptions, categories, etc.) may also be maintained for
the recorded videos. When a user desires to view a list of the
recordings that the user has stored on the user equipment, the
interactive television application may retrieve this information
from local storage and may display this information to the user
locally on user equipment 18. The user may then select a desired
recording to play back.
[0121] In a network-based video recorder arrangement (sometimes
called a client-server video recorder arrangement), videos may be
stored on the network (e.g., at servers such as servers 36 and 56
or at a service provider such as service provider 50). Information
on which programs have been recorded for the user may be stored
locally and on the network (e.g., at servers such as servers 36 and
56 or at a service provider such as service provider 50).
[0122] Network-based recordings may be made in a number of ways.
For example, some or all of the regularly-broadcast television
programming provided by programming sources 12 may be automatically
recorded or copies of this programming otherwise maintained on a
suitable network storage device such as server 36, server 56, or
equipment at a service provider such as service provider 50. If the
user chooses to "record" a program, no actual recording need be
made, because a copy of the desired program already exists on the
system. With this type of arrangement, virtual recordings take the
place of real recordings.
[0123] The user may be given a "personal area" on the network. The
personal area may be accessed when the user enters an appropriate
personal identification number or by virtue of the user's
connection to the network through a known or trusted communications
path (e.g., when the user is connected through a dedicated cable
path to a server at a cable system headend such as a server 56 at
television distribution facility 14 of FIG. 1).
[0124] The personal area may be used to maintain a list of the
video content that the user has recorded. Whenever the user directs
the network-based video recorder portion of the interactive
television system to make a recording, the system updates the
user's personal area to make it appear as though an additional
"real" copy of the requested recording has been made. The
network-based video recorder implemented with this approach
therefore conserves storage space, while providing users with the
illusion of access to a network-based video recorder dedicated to
their personal use.
[0125] Alternatively, there may be no personal area and each user
may have access to all previously recorded content to which they
had rights when originally broadcast.
[0126] As another example, some or all of the content for which a
user requests that a recording be made may be recorded by creating
actual copies (e.g., digital recordings) of the requested content.
These actual copies may be stored on network equipment (e.g.,
servers such as servers 36 and 56 or equipment at a service
provider such as service provider 50).
[0127] Programs recorded onto a network server may be copied to a
user's local storage.
[0128] A combination of these approaches may be used if desired.
For example, some content may be automatically retained by the
system (e.g., copies of popular programming). The user may make
virtual recordings of this material. The presence of the virtual
recordings may be reflected in the user's personal area. Other
content may be stored in the form of actual recordings at the
direction of the user (e.g., less popular content). The presence of
these recordings may also be reflected in the user's personal
area.
[0129] Regardless of the way in which network-based recordings
(virtual or real) and local recordings are made, the interactive
television application may be used to provide the user with
interactive display screens that assist the user in making
recordings, managing recordings (e.g., editing recordings, deleting
recordings, renaming recordings, sending recordings to other users
over the communications paths of FIG. 1, etc.), playing back
recordings, viewing information about recorded programs, etc.
[0130] Once a program has been selected by a user for recording,
the selected program may be presented in an interactive list of
programs scheduled to be recorded. An illustrative scheduled
recordings screen 250 that may be displayed for the user on user
equipment 18 is shown in FIG. 19a. Screen 250 may be displayed by
the interactive television application when the user selects an
option provided by another program guide screen, such as program
guide-screen 120 of FIG. 7 or any other suitable option. Screen 250
may include, for example, a list of programs scheduled to be
recorded 251. A highlight region 252 may be used to select a
scheduled recording from the list. The user may position highlight
region 252 on a desired scheduled recording and select the
scheduled recording using an appropriate key of remote control
72.
[0131] Information about a scheduled recording selected by the user
may be presented in a screen such as screen 253 of FIG. 19b. Screen
253 may include scheduled recording information 254, which may show
the date, time, and channel for which a program is to be recorded.
Information 254 may also indicate which device has been designated
to record the program and whether a parental lock is set for the
program scheduled to be recorded. The user may edit information 254
by selecting edit option 255 using a highlight region. Other
selectable options may be provided in screen 253, for example
cancel option 256 which the user may select to cancel the scheduled
recording.
[0132] Once a program has been recorded, a program guide screen may
be presented to display recorded programs. An illustrative video
recordings screen 260 that may be displayed for the user on user
equipment 18 is shown in FIG. 20. Screen 260 may be displayed by
the interactive television application when the user selects an
option provided by another program guide screen, such as program
guide screen 120 of FIG. 7 or any other suitable option. The
recordings 261 may be local recordings that are stored on the
user's equipment 18 or may-be real or virtual network-based
recordings (e.g., network-based content stored on equipment such as
server 36 or server 56 or at service provider 50). In a
network-based video recorder environment with a personal area,
screens such as screen 260 provide access to all or part of the
user's personal area. The user may navigate through the personal
area using remote control 72 or other suitable user interface
18.
[0133] Screen 260 may include a list of the user's recordings 261.
Recording listings may include the time and channel the program was
recorded or any other suitable information. The user may position
highlight region 262 to select a recording of interest (e.g., to
view that recording, to view information about that program, to
delete the program, etc.). The user may position highlight region
262 on a desired recording and select the recording using an
appropriate key of remote control 72.
[0134] Information about a recording selected by the user may be
presented in a screen such as screen 264 as illustrated in FIG.
20b. Screen 264 may include recording information 265, which may
show the date, time, and channel the program was recorded.
Information 265 may also show whether a parental lock is set for
the recording and what device has been designated to store the
recording. The user may play the recording by selecting option 266.
The user may play the selected recording from the beginning by
selecting option 267. Option 268 may be selected to delete the
recording from the list of recordings. Option 269 may be used to
set a parental lock for the selected recording. If the selected
recording is being stored on a network video storage device, the
user may select option 259 to transfer the recording to a local
storage device. Onscreen options may be selected using a highlight
region and a remote control, or by any other suitable method.
[0135] When a given recording is selected for play back, for
example by selecting play option 266, a display screen such as
display screen 269 of FIG. 21 may be presented. Display screen 269
may include the video 270 of the selected program that is being
played back to the user and options 271 for controlling the video.
Options 271 may, for example, include options that allow the user
to rewind the video to the beginning, to rewind or reverse the
video, to play the video, to fast-forward the video, to pause the
video, or to stop the video. Control of these functions and other
interactive television application functions may be supported using
on-screen options, dedicated or multi-purpose keys on remote
control 72 or other user devices, or other suitable arrangements
involving user interface 118. When on-screen options are used, the
options may be displayed in the form of one or more overlays on top
of video 270 or video 270 may be provided in a reduced-size window
and the options displayed outside of this window.
[0136] With the arrangement of FIGS. 20 and 21, the user can browse
the user's recordings and can play back (and control the playback)
of these recordings. Recordings that are stored locally on user
equipment 18 may be played back by retrieving these recordings from
the local hard drive or other storage on which the recordings are
maintained. Recordings that are stored on the network may be played
back from the network equipment on which the recording content is
stored. User equipment 18 may receive such content in the form of a
real-time video stream or a file download and the interactive
television application may play back the received content using a
display screen arrangement of the type shown in FIG. 21.
[0137] The user may record programming by indicating interest in a
program for recording by highlighting a program of interest on a
suitable display screen provided by the interactive television
application and pressing a record key, by selecting a program for
recording from a flip or browse display, by tuning to a desired
program and selecting an appropriate record button, by selecting a
record option from an information screen, etc. For example, the
user may highlight a program in a program listings screen such as
screen 138 of FIG. 8, or may display a program listing of interest
on a flip display such as flip display 153 of FIG. 9 or on a browse
display such as browse display 160 of FIG. 10. When the user
presses a suitable remote control key such as record key 86 of FIG.
4, the interactive television application may record the desired
program.
[0138] The interactive television application may automatically
record the program that the user selected or may provide one or
more additional confirmation and information screens after the user
presses the record key 86. As an example, the interactive
television application may display a screen such as record set-up
screen 272 of FIG. 22. As shown in FIG. 22, screen 272 may include
title and ratings information in region 273 and a program
description 274. The user may be provided with information on the
scheduled broadcast time for the selected program. If the user
desires to record the program, the user may position highlight
region 275 on top of YES option 276 and may press OK key 84. If the
user does not wish to record the program, the user may position
highlight 275 on top of NO option 277 and may press the OK key 84.
If desired, other options such as series recording options,
recording quality options, and buffer time options may be
provided.
[0139] When the user directs the interactive television application
to record a given program, the interactive television application
will record the program using the local capabilities of user
equipment 18 or using the network-based video recorder capabilities
of the system 10, depending on the equipment of the user, the
capabilities of system 10, and system and user settings.
[0140] After the program has been recorded, the user may use the
interactive television application to view information on the
user's recordings (e.g., using a display screen arrangement of the
type shown in FIG. 20). These techniques for supporting recording
functionality in the interactive television application are merely
illustrative. Any suitable arrangement for recording (as real
recordings or as virtual recordings and locally or on network
equipment) may be used if desired.
[0141] The interactive television application may allow the user to
establish parental control settings. For example, the user may lock
a particular program, a program rating, a channel, a type of
content (e.g., violent or sexual content), or may establish a
parental control setting that blocks all television viewing during
a particular period of time. A user may be required to enter a
personal identification number (PIN) to unlock blocked content.
[0142] With one illustrative arrangement, a parent (or other
suitable user) may select a program to block by highlighting the
program listing for that program in a suitable program listings
screen (e.g., a screen such as screen 138 of FIG. 8). After
highlighting the program to be blocked, the parent may press lock
key 92 on remote control 72 (FIG. 4). The parent may also access
options for setting parental locks by selecting an on-screen
parental control lock option provided by the interactive television
application (e.g., option 234 of FIG. 17a, option 244 of FIG. 17b,
etc.).
[0143] In response to a user selecting an on-screen option or
remote control key to access parental control lock options, the
interactive television application may display a display screen
such as parental controls display screen 278 of FIG. 23a. Parental
controls options may be accessed from a main menu, a selected
program, or any other suitable program guide screen. Users may set
parental locks for a selected program or a range of programming by
selecting from various criteria. For example, users may select to
block programs according to title 279, TV rating 280, movie rating
281, channel 282, or any other suitable criteria. Block ratings
options 280 and 281 may allow users to block all programming with a
given rating (e.g., the same rating as the selected program or a
user-input rating or range of ratings). The user may be provided
with other options for applying parental lock settings by
selecting, for example, (YES/NO) time block option 283. A user may
also select to hide or show adult titles by selecting option 284.
Other selectable options may also be provided in screen 278.
[0144] If the user has selected "YES" for time block option 283, a
time block sub-menu may be provided, for example, screen 286 of
FIG. 23b. The user may use the on-screen options of screen 286 to
set a beginning time (option 288) and ending time (option 290) for
the parental control time period. The user may use option 292 to
make the parental control setting effective for all days of the
week, certain groups of days (e.g., week days or weekend days), or
a particular day or days. The user may press OK key 84 when
finished. Other selectable options may also be provided as part of
screen 286.
[0145] The parental control screens 278 and 286 of FIGS. 23a and
23b are merely illustrative. Any suitable on-screen options or
other user interface arrangement may be used to allow a parent (or
other user) to block (parentally-control) programming airing during
a particular period of time, programming on a particular channel or
channels, programming with a certain rating, individual instances
of certain programs, etc.
[0146] Interactive television application settings such as reminder
settings, pay-per-view purchases, recording-settings, and some
parental control settings may be referred to as "time-based"
settings, because these settings involve the element of time. In
the reminder setting context, for example, reminders are made for
programs that are to be aired at a specific time in the future.
Recordings are also often scheduled for future broadcasts. Parental
controls settings that block the viewing of a program that is aired
at a specific time or that block all or some television viewing
during a particular time window are also time-based settings.
[0147] These time-based settings may give rise to conflicts during
the operation of the interactive television application. For
example, a user may attempt to order a video-on-demand movie or may
attempt to play back recorded video recorder content. If the
duration of the requested video content will cause the delivery of
that content to overlap with a reminder, a purchased pay-per-view
program, a recording, or a period during which programming is
blocked by parental control settings, a conflict will arise. In
situations such as these, the interactive television application
may be used to help resolve the conflict.
[0148] The interactive television application may be used to
resolve such conflicts by presenting the user with display screens
that inform the user of on-screen conflict-resolution options. The
user may use these options in deciding how to best resolve a
conflict.
[0149] A conflict may arise when the user requests delivery of
video-on-demand content or video-recorder content (e.g., a
video-on-demand movie or a movie stored in the user's personal
video recorder or in the user's personal area on a network-based
video recorder). The conflict may occur when the requested content
has a running time that will cause that content to overlap with a
reminder that the user has set. When the interactive television
application detects this type of conflict, the application may
display a conflict notification and resolution screen such as
conflict notification and resolution screen 298 of FIG. 24. Screen
298 may include information that informs the user of the conflict.
Screen 298 may include the title and running time of the
video-on-demand-program. Information on the title and scheduled
broadcast time of the program 299 for which the reminder was set
may be included. Screen 298 may also include an indicator such as
check-mark indicator 300, which indicates that a reminder for the
program 299 has been set.
[0150] In the example of FIG. 24, the user sets a reminder for a
scheduled airing of the television program Seinfeld at 8:00 (e.g.,
using a screen such as screen 180 of FIG. 12). The user then
attempted to order the playback of the movie "The Majestic" (which
may be either video-on-demand or video-recorder content). When
requesting the video, the user may have used a video-on-demand
order process such as the video-on-demand order process described
in connection with FIGS. 7 and 14-17 or a video-recorder playback
request process such as the video-recorder playback request process
described in connection with FIGS. 7, 20, and 21. These are merely
illustrative arrangements for requesting that the interactive
television application present video content on the user's
equipment 18. Any suitable arrangement may be used if desired.
[0151] When the user submits a request to system 10 asking that The
Majestic be delivered to the user's equipment (or presented on the
user's equipment), the interactive television application uses
known information on the running time of the requested video
(supplied, for example, by a suitable network-based or local
database associated with the network-based or local content storage
equipment used to store the video) and uses known information on
the time for the reminder (e.g., from a program guide database
created using program schedule information from data source 30) to
determine whether these two events will overlap. If the events will
overlap, the interactive television application may display screen
298.
[0152] Screen 298 may include a number of on-screen options from
which the user may select to resolve the conflict. The user may,
for example, select option 301 if the user desires to continue with
the delivery of the requested video content to the exclusion of the
reminder. If option 301 is selected, the system 10 will proceed to
deliver the video for Majestic to the user. The reminder for
Seinfeld will be cancelled.
[0153] Option 302 provides with user with an opportunity to
continue with the delivery of the requested video and also allows
the user to reschedule the reminder for Seinfeld. If the user
selects option 302, the interactive television application may
provide the user with a display screen that allows the user to
reschedule the reminder for Seinfeld to another scheduled airing of
the same program (e.g., at the scheduled broadcast time for a
repeat showing of the program or at the scheduled broadcast time
for another episode of Seinfeld, etc.).
[0154] The user may use option 304 to direct the user's local or
network-based video recorder to make a recording of Seinfeld (e.g.,
on user equipment 18 or on network-based equipment in the form of a
virtual or real recording). If the user selects option 304, the
requested video content is delivered to the user and the
interactive television application records Seinfeld at its
scheduled broadcast time-or otherwise-obtains a copy of Seinfeld
for the user.
[0155] Option 306 may be selected if the user desires to watch the
requested video content after Seinfeld is over. The user may select
option 306 to defer the video content delivery (or presentation)
until Seinfeld has aired, at which time the system 10 may
automatically deliver (present) The Majestic to the user.
[0156] Option 308 may be selected if the user desires to select
another time at which to watch the Majestic. The interactive
television program guide may, for example, allow the user to select
another day and time at which to watch the requested video. When
that new day and time arrives, the interactive television
application may automatically (e.g., after a confirmatory prompt)
deliver the requested content to the user.
[0157] The interactive television application may provide the user
with an option such as option 310 that allows the user to cancel
the delivery of the Majestic. This allows the user to watch
Seinfeld.
[0158] Option 311 may be selected if the user would like to begin
watching the Majestic, pause for Seinfeld at its scheduled air
time, and then resume playback of the Majestic after Seinfeld is
over.
[0159] It will be understood that the options presented in conflict
notification and resolution screen 298, or any other conflict
notification and resolution screen discussed here in are
illustrative and that some options may be omitted and others added
if desired.
[0160] A conflict may arise when the requested-video (e.g., "The
Majestic") overlaps with a recording that the user has scheduled
with the interactive television application (e.g., a recording of
the program Seinfeld) when the system does not support simultaneous
viewing of on-demand content (e.g., video-on-demand movies,
pay-per-view-movies, playback of recorded programs, etc.) and
recording of broadcast content. The interactive television
application may use information on the running time of the
requested video and information on the scheduled time of the
recording to determine whether there is an overlap between these
two events. When a conflict is detected, the interactive television
application may present a screen for the user such as display
screen 312 of FIG. 25.
[0161] As shown in FIG. 25, screen 312 may include information such
as the title and duration of the requested video content and the
title and time 314 of the scheduled recording. Program listings
information for the program for which the recording is scheduled
may be annotated with an icon-such as recording icon 316 that
indicates that the displayed program title is one for which a
recording has been set.
[0162] Display 312 may include a number of on-screen options. The
user may select an appropriate option to instruct the interactive
television application on how to resolve the conflict between the
requested video and the recording that the user has set.
[0163] If the user selects option 318, the interactive television
application will proceed to provide the requested video (e.g., the
Majestic) to the user and will cancel the recording (e.g., the
recording for Seinfeld will be cancelled).
[0164] If the user selects option 320, the interactive television
application will deliver The Majestic and will provide the user
with on-screen options or other suitable opportunities to
reschedule the recording of Seinfeld. For example, the interactive
television application may provide the user with an opportunity to
schedule the recording of Seinfeld for when Seinfeld is being shown
as a repeat.
[0165] If the user selects option 322, the interactive television
application will present The Majestic to the user and will record
Seinfeld using the network-based or local video recorder functions
of system 10.
[0166] The user may select option 324 to defer the delivery of The
Majestic until after Seinfeld has been recorded.
[0167] When the user selects option 326, the interactive television
application may provide the user with one or more screens of
options that allow the user to select another time for viewing the
Majestic.
[0168] Selecting option 328 directs the interactive television
application to cancel delivery of The Majestic. The recording of
Seinfeld will therefore no longer give rise to a conflict and can
proceed as scheduled.
[0169] If desired, option 329 by may be selected to direct the
system to deliver the Majestic to the user until the beginning of
the recording of Seinfeld, pause the Majestic for the duration of
the recording, and then resume the delivery of the Majestic when
recording is complete.
[0170] Conflicts can arise when a requested video will overlap with
a time-based parental control setting. For example, the user may
have blocked the viewing of all programming between 3:00 and 5:00.
If the user requests delivery of video content that will overlap
with this time period, the interactive television application may
display a screen such as conflicts notification and resolution
screen 330 of FIG. 26.
[0171] Screen 330 may include the title of the video-on-demand
program and its duration and information 332 on the particular
parental control setting that has given rise to the conflict.
Screen 330 may also contain options that allow the user to instruct
the interactive television application on how to address the
conflict. The user may select option 334 if the user desires to
watch the requested video and override the existing parental
control settings. With this approach, the user may be required to
supply the interactive television application with a valid personal
identification number (e.g., the parent's PIN) to unlock the
blocked time period.
[0172] The user may select option 336 if the user desires to defer
delivery of The Majestic until after the period of time covered by
the conflicting parental control setting has passed. In the example
of FIG. 26, a parental control setting that blocks all programming
from being viewed between 3:00 and 5:00 has been established. If
the user selects option 336, the interactive television application
may defer presentation of The Majestic until 5:00 PM, which is the
time at which the parental control expires.
[0173] Option 338 may be used to select another time for delivery
of the Majestic. The user may select option 340 to cancel delivery
of the requested video. The user may select option 341 to begin the
Majestic, to pause for the duration of the parental control block,
and to resume delivery of the Majestic after the parental control
block.
[0174] Conflict notification and resolution screens may also be
provided as video overlays, alerts, or reminders. These types of
notification may be particularly useful in resolving conflicts as
they occur rather than in advance of the conflict. For example, as
shown in FIG. 27, a screen 350 may be provided that includes a
video for on-demand content (e.g., a video-on demand-movie, a
recorded movie, a pay-per-view movie, a broadcast program that has
been paused or rewound so that it is no longer being viewed in
real-time, etc.). A user may have requested the on-demand video
content and subsequently paused or rewound the video, prolonging
the time it will take the video to complete. Although a conflict
may not have been apparent at the time the video was requested,
because the video's time has prolonged due to pausing, rewinding,
etc., there may now exist a potential conflict with the requested
video and a program previously scheduled to be recorded, a
reminder, an ordered pay-per-view, or a parental control.
[0175] In response to such a conflict, the recording application
may automatically begin buffering the program scheduled for
recording, reminder, or purchase, and when the requested video is
complete, the user may be notified of the presence of the buffered
recording. Alternatively, as the start time for the conflicting
scheduled program approaches, the interactive television
application may provide the user with a conflict alert video
overlay, such as conflict alert video overlay 351 of FIG. 27.
Conflict alert video overlay 351 may include one or more selectable
advertisements 352 as well as a number of on-screen options for
resolving the conflict. The user may select an appropriate option
to instruct the interactive television application on how to
resolve the conflict between the video being displayed and the
recording or other time-based setting that the user has set.
[0176] If the user selects option 354, the interactive television
application may ignore the conflict and continue to provide the
selected video being displayed to the user and may cancel the
recording, reminder, or purchase (e.g., the recording for NBA
Basketball will be cancelled). If the time based setting is a
parental control time block, the user may be requested to enter a
pin to continue watching.
[0177] If the user selects option 356, the interactive television
application will stop providing the requested video being displayed
and tune to the scheduled broadcast of NBA basketball. If the user
selects option 358, the interactive television application may
start to buffer the scheduled program while the requested video
finishes. Once the requested video is complete, the use may be
provided with an opportunity to view the program being recorded in
its entirety.
[0178] A flow chart of illustrative steps involved in resolving
conflicts that arise when a user requests delivery of video that
conflicts with time-based settings such as reminders, recordings,
pay-per-view purchases, and parental controls is shown in FIG. 28.
At step 360, the interactive television application may provide the
user with on-screen options and other suitable opportunities to
create a time-based setting. For example, an interactive television
program guide may be used to provide the user with an opportunity
to establish a reminder for a program, to purchase a pay-per-view
program, to set a recording of a program, or to establish parental
controls that lock all channels or certain channels at particular
times (e.g., during a given period of time or for the duration of a
program, etc.).
[0179] After the user has used the interactive television
application to create one or more of these settings, the user may
be provided with an opportunity to request video content at step
362. For example, the interactive television application may
provide the user with an opportunity to request that
video-on-demand content be delivered from the network. The user may
also be provided with an opportunity to request that local or
network-based video recorder content be played back for the
user.
[0180] When the user requests that video content be presented to
the user on the user equipment 18, the interactive television
application may, at step 364, provide the user with opportunities
to resolve conflicts that arise. For example, the interactive
television application can use information on the expected running
time of the video-on-demand or video recorder content and can use
this information to determine whether the requested video will
overlap with a scheduled program reminder, a scheduled and
pre-ordered pay-per-view program, a scheduled program recording, or
the time period during which a parental control setting is in
effect. The interactive television application may display conflict
notification and resolution screens on the user's equipment.
[0181] The conflict notification and resolution screens that are
displayed for the user may include conflict resolution options that
the user may select. The user may, for example, cancel a reminder,
ordered pay-per-view program, or scheduled recording, or may
override an existing parental control setting by providing an
appropriate parental control PIN. The user may opt to defer or
reschedule delivery of the requested video to avoid the conflict,
or the user may cancel video delivery. The interactive television
application may resolve the conflict in accordance with the user's
instructions at step 366.
[0182] The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of
this invention and various modifications can be made by those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of
the invention.
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