US Patent No: 6,163,316

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Electronic programming system and method

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Abstract

An electronic programming guide (70) operates on a computing platform (12) associated with a television (40). The platform (12) accesses a program listing database (48) containing program listing information (6) for a plurality of television programs. The electronic programming guide (70) includes a profile database (80) that stores a viewer profile (84) and a suggest module (76) that is coupled to the profile database (80). The suggest module (76) accesses the viewer profile (84) and the program listing information (6) and, in response, generates a preferred schedule (100) according to the viewer profile (84) and the program listing information (6). The preferred schedule (100) indicates the desirability of a particular program relative to other programs. The electronic programming guide (70) may also be used to instruct a recorder (20) to record a television program in accordance with the program listing information (6) and viewer input information that does not specify broadcast information concerning the program.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDDALLAS, TX17006

International Classification(s)

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  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Killian, Robert T Richardson, TX 5 230

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC. (7)
4,706,121 TV schedule system and process 912 1986
4,977,455 System and process for VCR scheduling 639 1988
5,353,121 Television schedule system 645 1993
5,479,268 User interface for television schedule system 509 1994
5,532,754 Background television schedule system 385 1994
5,550,576 Method and apparatus for merging television program schedule information received from multiple television schedule information sources 284 1995
5,479,266 User interface for television schedule system 284 1995
 
MICROSOFT CORPORATION (3)
5,657,072 Interactive entertainment network system and method for providing program listings during non-peak times 206 1996
5,699,107 Program reminder system 213 1996
5,758,259 Automated selective programming guide 266 1997
 
UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC. (2)
5,781,246 Electronic television program guide schedule system and method 171 1994
5,585,866 Electronic television program guide schedule system and method including virtual channels 319 1995
 
APPLE INC. (1)
5,594,509 Method and apparatus for audio-visual interface for the display of multiple levels of information on a display 379 1993
 
AT&T CORP. (1)
5,465,113 Programmable channel regulating cable television controller 123 1993
 
MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (1)
5,517,254 Program table displaying apparatus 87 1994
 
TECHNOLOGY, PATENTS & LICENSING (1)
5,550,575 Viewer discretion television program control system 197 1994
 
U.S. PHILIPS CORPORATION (1)
5,223,924 System and method for automatically correlating user preferences with a T.V. program information database 424 1992

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC. (31)
6,665,869 Program guide application interface system 59 1998
6,820,278 Cooperative television application system having multiple user television equipment devices 56 1998
6,865,746 Electronic program guide with related-program search feature 84 1999
8,255,961 Systems and methods for caching data in media-on-demand systems 0 2001
8,156,528 Personal video recorder systems and methods 0 2002
7,398,541 Electronic television program guide schedule system and method 11 2003
7,493,646 Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders 6 2003
7,624,410 Program guide application interface system 1 2003
7,984,468 Systems and methods for providing program suggestions in an interactive television program guide 3 2003
7,254,823 Apparatus and method for constrained selection of favorite channels 5 2004
8,046,801 Interactive television program guide with remote access 11 2004
8,006,263 Interactive television program guide with remote access 1 2005
7,603,685 Program guide system with combination category search 16 2005
8,010,979 Electronic program guide using markup language 2 2006
7,890,490 Systems and methods for providing advanced information searching in an interactive media guidance application 3 2006
7,913,278 Interactive television program guide with remote access 5 2007
8,087,050 Client-server electronic program guide 0 2007
7,779,445 Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders 14 2009
7,779,440 Apparatus and method for constrained selection of favorite channels 0 2009
7,873,973 Program guide system with combination category search 0 2009
8,301,632 Systems and methods for providing advanced information searching in an interactive media guidance application 0 2009
8,359,616 Systems and methods for automatically generating advertisements using a media guidance application 0 2009
8,161,071 Systems and methods for audio asset storage and management 0 2009
7,805,742 Program guide application interface system 1 2009
8,291,461 Systems and methods for managing the distribution of on-demand media 0 2009
8,255,952 Interactive television system with programming-related links 0 2010
8,281,345 Personal video recorder systems and methods 0 2010
8,370,884 Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders 0 2010
7,971,222 Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders 7 2010
7,937,727 Apparatus and method for constrained selection of favorite channels 0 2010
8,381,248 Program guide system with combination category search 0 2011
 
COMCAST IP HOLDINGS I, LLC (14)
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7,770,196 Set top terminal for organizing program options available in television delivery system 0 2001
8,001,568 Methods and systems for displaying recommended content alternatives 1 2002
7,392,531 Recommendation-based electronic program guides with user-imperceptible preferences 0 2002
7,962,929 Using relevance to parse clickstreams and make recommendations 1 2003
7,930,715 Operations center for a television program packaging and delivery system 0 2009
8,117,635 Method and apparatus for targeting of interactive virtual objects 1 2010
 
SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA (12)
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8,020,183 Audiovisual management system 1 2001
7,904,814 System for presenting audio-video content 7 2001
8,214,741 Synchronization of video and data 2002
7,657,907 Automatic user profiling 19 2002
7,221,407 Television having a java engine and a removable device port 2 2004
7,509,580 Audiovisual information management system with preferences descriptions 4 2004
8,356,317 Presence based technology 0 2005
7,793,205 Synchronization of video and data 2 2005
7,653,131 Identification of replay segments 1 2005
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TIVO INC. (8)
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6,958,759 Method and apparatus for preserving, enlarging and supplementing image content displayed in a graphical user interface 12 2001
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7,202,878 Method and apparatus for preserving, enlarging and supplementing image content displayed in a graphical user interface 7 2005
8,276,181 Content distribution system and method for optimizing multiplexed transport channels 0 2007
 
SONY CORPORATION (6)
7,503,056 Receiver, program retrieval method, and receiving method 0 1998
8,151,302 Broadcasting system and receiving apparatus 0 2000
7,657,905 Receiver, program retrieval method, and receiving method 1 2001
7,752,257 Information providing method, information providing system, and information server apparatus 0 2002
8,375,406 Information processing apparatus and method, and program 0 2008
8,281,340 Information processing apparatus and method, and program 0 2008
 
STARZ ENTERTAINMENT, LLC (6)
7,779,439 Program guide environment 1 2002
7,984,463 Instant video on demand playback 1 2003
7,818,763 Video advertising 7 2003
7,631,331 Cross-channel interstitial program promotion 10 2003
8,020,186 Methods and systems for distributing on-demand programming 0 2005
8,037,494 Cross-channel interstitial program promotion 0 2009
 
COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (5)
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7,027,882 Compact implementations for limited-resource platforms 1 2002
8,069,076 Generating audience analytics 0 2004
 
THOMSON LICENSING (5)
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6,981,042 Multimedia terminal adapted for multiple users 5 1999
7,698,722 Method and receiver for managing the consistency of service lists in digital television 0 2000
7,096,483 Dedicated channel for displaying programs 6 2000
7,380,262 Method and apparatus for generating a list of suggested scheduled television programs 12 2001
 
HUGHES ELECTRONICS CORPORATION (4)
7,661,119 Method and apparatus for providing non-resident program guide information to a media subscriber 5 2000
7,191,461 Method and apparatus for adapting program guides to meet subscriber criteria 2 2000
7,036,137 Method and apparatus for providing unified program guide information to a media subscriber 5 2000
6,922,844 Method and apparatus for distinguishing program guides according to originating network 7 2000
 
INDEX SYSTEMS, INC. (4)
7,328,450 Method and system for displaying targeted advertisements in an electronic program guide 33 2003
8,265,458 System and method for generating video taping reminders 0 2004
7,941,818 System and method for utilizing EPG database for modifying advertisements 0 2007
8,272,011 Method and system for displaying advertisements between schedule listings 2010
 
INTEL CORPORATION (4)
6,539,437 Remote control inputs to java applications 18 1998
7,302,693 Remote control inputs to Java applications 1 2003
7,962,573 Method and apparatus to determine broadcast content and scheduling in a broadcast system 0 2007
8,108,542 Method and apparatus to determine broadcast content and scheduling in a broadcast system 1 2010
 
KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V. (4)
7,933,968 Token-based personalization of smart appliances 0 2000
7,937,725 Three-way media recommendation method and system 4 2000
6,851,090 Method and apparatus for displaying program recommendations with indication of strength of contribution of significant attributes 17 2000
7,853,119 Video recorder control using streamed data packets 0 2003
 
MANJOTRE DATA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (4)
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6,943,681 Systems and methods for the automatic registration of devices 36 2003
7,250,854 Systems and methods for the automatic registration of devices 9 2005
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SKYSTREAM NETWORKS INC. (4)
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AOL INC. (3)
6,757,691 Predicting content choices by searching a profile database 72 1999
6,757,707 Displayed complementary content sources in a web-based TV system 18 2000
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GATEWAY, INC. (3)
6,957,445 Method, system, software, and signal for performing events for related programs 0 1999
6,721,954 Personal preferred viewing using electronic program guide 87 1999
7,617,512 Personal preferred viewing using electronic program guide 1 2003
 
NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC. (3)
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8,151,291 Methods and apparatus to meter content exposure using closed caption information 0 2007
7,757,248 Detection of media links in broadcast signals 3 2008
 
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION (3)
7,782,330 Projector, projection display system, and corresponding method and recording medium 5 2008
8,155,768 Projector, projection display system, and corresponding method and recording medium 0 2008
7,965,284 Projector, projection display system, and corresponding method and recording medium 3 2010
 
SONY ELECTRONICS INC. (3)
6,532,592 Bi-directional remote control unit and method of using the same 52 1998
7,778,515 System and method for linking DVD text to recommended viewing 0 2001
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APTIV DIGITAL, INC. (2)
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CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC. (2)
6,312,336 Electronic game guide system 76 1999
7,149,309 Time-dependent authorization 3 1999
 
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7,778,249 Method and system for scheduled streaming of best effort data 2 2005
 
GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (2)
7,996,864 Method and apparatus for displaying television programs and related text 0 2003
8,336,071 System and method for modifying advertisement responsive to EPG information 1 2010
 
GOOGLE INC. (2)
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7,248,563 Method, system, and computer program product for restricting access to a network using a network communications device 4 2002
 
KEEN PERSONAL MEDIA, INC. (2)
7,263,709 System for displaying video data having a promotion module responsive to a viewer profile to entice a viewer to watch a premium content 2 2000
8,079,045 Personal video recorder and method for inserting a stored advertisement into a displayed broadcast stream 0 2001
 
MEEVEE, INC. (2)
7,444,660 System and method for generating metadata for video programming events 11 2001
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TANDBERG TELEVISION, INC. (2)
7,693,222 Method and system for re-multiplexing of content-modified MPEG-2 transport streams using PCR interpolation 2 2003
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VIACLIX, INC. (2)
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6,813,639 Method for establishing channel-based internet access network 3 2001
 
XANBOO INC. (2)
7,734,724 Automated upload of content based on captured event 2 2001
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AOL LLC (1)
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BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION (1)
8,429,688 Broadcast programming guide 0 2001
 
CIRRUS LOGIC, INC. (1)
6,993,722 User interface system methods and computer program products for multi-function consumer entertainment appliances 33 2000
 
CREATETECH SOLUTIONS, LLC (1)
6,727,914 Method and apparatus for recommending television programming using decision trees 44 1999
 
DISH NETWORK L.L.C. (1)
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FACEBOOK, INC. (1)
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FUJITSU LIMITED (1)
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GOLDPOCKET INTERACTIVE (1)
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HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P. (1)
6,622,166 Audio/video from internet direct to compact disc through web browser 3 2001
 
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MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (1)
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NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC, THE (1)
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ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (1)
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SEDNA PATENT SERVICES, LLC (1)
7,487,525 Method and apparatus for gathering programs watched data 0 1998
 
SHARP LABORATORIES OF AMERICA, INC. (1)
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SPOTWARE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (1)
6,662,365 Unified parental locks 60 1999
 
STARZ ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LLC (1)
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THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC. (1)
7,917,602 Method and system for remote television replay control 3 2001
 
THOMSON MULTIMEDIA (1)
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TP VISION HOLDING B.V. (HOLDCO) (1)
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TV GUIDE NETWORKS, INC. (1)
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OTHER [CHECK PATENT PROFILE FOR ASSIGNMENT INFORMATION] (2)
7,636,306 Method and system for scheduled streaming of best effort data 1 2005
8,448,209 System and method for displaying advertisements responsive to EPG information 0 2007