Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
88609914
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UPDATING INFORMATION IN REAL TIME FOR
USE IN A MEDIA GU/DANCE APPLICATION
This application is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application
No. 2,807,366, filed on July 22, 2011.
Reference to Related Applications
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Utility
Application Nos. 12/851,915, 12/851,917 and 12/851,922 filed
August 6, 2010.
Background of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to media guidance
applications, and in particular, to providing real-time
updates of media information in a media guidance application
for enhancing the performance of media recordings and other
media guidance application features.
[0003] A user may record media using a media guidance
application using a recording instruction. The recording
instruction typically includes media scheduling and
availability information for the media to be recorded. In a
conventional media storage system, after the recording
instruction is entered, changes to the scheduling or
availability of the media may cause the media recording to be
incomplete. In some conventional media storage systems this
problem is mitigated by adding a buffer period to the
beginning and end of a recording time. However, the extended
buffer period solution may still result in recording problems
because the buffer period may not be adequate. Additional
extensions of time for the buffer period may increase the
likelihood that complete media recordings are performed,
however the extended recording time will utilize excessive
storage capacity. In addition, the use of buffer periods may
cause overlaps and conflicts with subsequent recordings..
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Summary of the Invention
[0004] Accordingly, systems and methods are described
herein for updating a media guidance application with real-
time media information for improving media recording
effectiveness. Recording instructions, whether system or user
initiated, may be entered and stored in a media recording
system. The recording instruction may include information
related to a media asset selected for recording, such as an
identifier for the selected media asset. Other information
related to the selected media asset may also be included in
the recording instruction, such as a start time, end time,
source for the selected media asset, or other availability-
related information for the selected media asset. Prior to
performance of a media recording based on the recording
instructions, update information related to the selected media
asset may be obtained using data received from a non-media
information source, such as a media update data feed, a sports
ticker data feed, sports websites, sports scoreboards, web
blogs, and social network comments. The non-media information
source data may be used to generate update information which
may be analyzed to determine whether It includes data that is
different from the data included in the recording instruction.
If the update information data differs from the recording
instruction data, the recording instruction may be updated to
include the update information. Update information may also
be obtained during performance of the media recording, and the
recording instruction may be updated as necessary. Following
completion of the media recording, update information,
including actual start and end times, may also be obtained.
The actual start and end times may be used to remove any
excess recordings on a media storage device in the event the
recording extended longer than the media start and/or end
time. The end time may also be used to determine whether
portions of the media recording were missed because the
recording ended prior to the end time. If material is missing
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in the recording, the media guidance application may update
the recording by obtaining the missed material from another
source.
[0005] The update information may be based on data obtained
from one or more non-media information sources. Such sources
may be monitored to obtain and aggregate data relevant to
performing certain media recordings. Since non-media
information sources typically do not provide media data in a
format that is immediately useful by a media guidance
application, the media data provided by non-media information
source may require analysis to provide relevant update
information to a media guidance application.
[0006] Certain non-media information sources may be used
for providing update information data for particular media
assets. The non-media information sources used for update
information may be identified using a media attribute of the
media asset. The media attributes for the media asset may be
included in a recording instruction or in the media asset
profile, and used to identify associated non-media information
sources. For example, a sports media attribute may be
included in a recording instruction ox a data profile for a
sports event. The sports media attribute may be used to
identify certain sports information sources for monitoring for
data relevant to media updates for the sports event. The non-
media information sources may be used individually or in
combination when supplying data for update information. Each
non-media information source may be assigned a reliability
score which may be used to determine whether to use
information from each source alone or in combination with
other sources.
[0007] Using real-time update information to update a
recording instruction may cause recording conflicts to arise
which were not known at the time the recording instructions
were initially entered. For example, a recording instruction
for a media asset that is scheduled to follow an extended live
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performance event may result in a conflict because the following
media asset may start and end later than expected or overlap with
the extended live performance event. Media assets following content
having an extended overrun can be pre-empted entirely or
rescheduled. Such conflicts can be resolved by a user or
automatically by the system.
[0008] The update information may be provided by a data feed of
aggregated data from one or more of the non-media information
sources. The data feed of update information may include data that
is determined to differ from media information received from a
media information source, such as a media guidance application
listings data source. The update information data feed typically
includes an identifier associated with a media asset, a title of
the media asset, a start time of the media asset, an end time of
the media asset, a source of the media asset, an estimated overrun
of the schedule for the media asset, a time stamp of the media
information update, and a time of the next media information
update. The information included in the data feed may be generated
based on data provided by one or more non-media information
sources. The data feed may be an RSS feed, EBIF feed, or other data
feed type.
[0008a] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a
method for providing updated information for a media guidance
application at least partially implemented on processing circuitry,
comprising: accessing a media information server to receive media
information from a media information data source, the media
information including first information for a media asset included
in a media listing; accessing a non-media information server to
receive second information associated with the media asset from a
non-media information source; comparing the first information from
the media information data source to the second information from
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the non-media information source; determining, using processing
circuitry, whether the first information differs from the second
information based on the comparing of the first information from
the media information data source to the second information from
the non-media information source; and if the first information is
different from the second information, generating update
information in a data feed for a media guidance application
indicating the second information from the non-media information
source.
[0008b] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a
system for providing updated information for a media guidance
application, comprising processing circuitry communicatively
coupled to a media information server and a non-media information
server, the processing circuitry configured to: access the media
information server to receive media information from a media
information data source, the media information including first
information for a media asset included in a media listing; access
the non-media information server to receive second information
associated with the media asset from a non-media information
source; compare the first information from the media information
data source to the second information from the non-media
information source; determine whether the first information differs
from the second information based on the comparing of the first
information from the media information data source to the second
information from the non-media information source; and if the first
information is different from the second information, generate
update information in a data feed for a media guidance application
indicating the second information from the non-media information
source.
[0008c] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an
apparatus for providing updated information for a media guidance
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application at least partially implemented on processing circuitry,
comprising: means for accessing a media information server to
receive media information from a media information data source, the
media information including first information for a media asset
included in a media listing; means for accessing a non-media
information server to receive second information associated with
the media asset from a non-media information source; means for
comparing the first information from the media information data
source to the second information from the non-media information
source; means for determining, using processing circuitry, whether
the first information differs from the second information based on
the comparing of the first information from the media information
data source to the second information form the non-media
information source; and if the first information is different from
the second information, means for generating update information in
a data feed for a media guidance application indicating the second
information from the non-media information source.
Brief Description of the Figures
[0009] The above and other objects and advantages of the
invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following
detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts
throughout, and in which:
[0010] FIG. 1A shows an illustrative system in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention.
[0011] FIGS. 1-2 show illustrative display screens that may be
used to provide guidance for online video and other types of media.
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[ 0022 ] FIG. 3 shows an illustrative user equipment device
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 shows an illustrative system in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative data structure for a
media asset in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 6 depicts an illustrative data structure for a
media information update in accordance with embodiments of the
invention.
[0016] FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative table associating
media attributes and update sources in accordance with
embodiments of the invention.
[00171 FIG. 8-11 show illustrative flow diagrams for
updating a media guidance application in accordance with
embodiments of the invention.
Detailed Description of Embodiments
[0018] The amount of media and media information available
to users in any given media delivery system can be
substantial. Consequently, many users desire a form of media
guidance through an interface that allows users to efficiently
navigate media selections, easily identify media that they may
desire, and obtain such media. An application which provides
such guidance is referred to herein as an interactive media
guidance application or, sometimes, a media guidance
application or a guidance application.
[0019] Interactive media guidance applications may take
various forms depending on the media for which they provide
guidance. One typical type of media guidance application is
an interactive television program guide. Interactive
television program guides (sometimes referred to as electronic
program guides) are well-known guidance applications that,
among other things, allow users to navigate among and locate
many types of media content including conventional television
programming (provided via traditional broadcast, cable,
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satellite, Internet, or other means), as well as pay-per-view
programs, on-demand programs (as in video-on-demand (VOD)
systems), Internet content (e.g., streaming media,
downloadable media, Weboasts, etc.), and other types of media
or video content. Guidance applications also allow users to
navigate among and locate content related to the video content
including, for example, video clips, articles, advertisements,
chat sessions, games, etc. Guidance applications also allow
users to navigate among and locate multimedia content. The
term multimedia is defined herein as media and content that
utilizes at least two different content forms, such as text,
audio, still images, animation, video, and interactivity
content forms. Multimedia content may be recorded and played,
displayed or accessed by information content processing
devices, such as computerized and electronic devices, but can
also be part of a live performance. It should be understood
that the invention embodiments that are discussed in relation
to media content are also applicable to other types of
content, such as video, audio and/oz multimedia.
(0020] With the advent of the Internet, mobile computing,
and high-speed wireless networks, users are accessing media on
personal computers (PCs) and other devices on which they
traditionally did not, such as hand-held computers, personal
digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, smartphones, or
other mobile devices. On these devices users are able to
navigate among and locate the same media available through a
television. Consequently, media guidance is necessary on
these devices, as well. The guidance provided may be for
media content available only through a television, for media
content available only through one or more of these devices,
or for media content available both through a television and
one or more of these devices. The media guidance applications
may be provided as on-line applications (i.e., provided on a
web-site), or as stand-alone applications or clients on hand-
held computers, PDAs, mobile telephones, smartphones, or other
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mobile devices. The various devices and platforms that may
implement media guidance applications are described in more
detail below.
E00211 The inventions disclosed herein relate, broadly
speaking, to systems and methods for updating media
information in real-time, for use in media recording, or other
media system operations. Some examples of media system
operations may include setting reminders for media assets,
providing information about media in a search context,
parental control settings, media consumption monitoring. As
will be understood by one of skill in the art, the inventions
disclosed herein may be used with many combinations of media
sources and media components, and used with a media guidance
application to provide a variety of media operations. One
exemplary system for implementing the inventions described
herein is depicted in FIG, lA which shows user equipment
device 10 which may be implemented with user equipment 20.
User equipment device 10 may be used to access media content
and a media guidance application, further described herein.
The user equipment device 10 may be the user equipment device
300 described in reference to FIG. 3. User equipment 20, such
as a television, computer, handheld device, or other
equipment, may be used with user equipment device 10 to access
media content. User equipment 20 may include the user
equipment components discussed in connection with FIG. 4, such
as the user television equipment 402, user computer equipment
404, wireless user communications equipment 406, internet
television, or any other type of user equipment suitable for
accessing media using user equipment device 10/300 which may
be separate or integrated with user equipment 20. For
example, some integrated user equipment and user equipment
devices may be a set-top box integrated television or
computer, or WehTV, or other integrated arrangement.
[0022] User equipment device 10 and user equipment 20 may
be in communication with a media monitor 22, sources 23 and
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remote facilities 24 via one or more communications networks
30. The communication networks 30 may include private and
public communications networks, as well as the networks
disclosed for communications network 414.
[0023] In system 50 a user may use user equipment device
10, such as a computer or set top box, to record a media
asset, such as a sports event, which may be viewed using user
equipment 20, which may be a computer, mobile device,
television, or other device. The recording of the media asset
can be set by the user by entering a recording instruction in
the user equipment device 10. The user may use media listings
information supplied by a media guidance application in the
selection of the media asset for recording. Media listings
information may also be used in the recording instruction. In
advance of, during, and following completion of the recording,
update information about the media may be received based on
data from one or a combination of non-media information
sources, such as a media monitor 22, sources 23, and/or remote
facilities 24. Such update information may be useful, in
particular, when recordings are made of live performances and
sports events which may often have scheduling changes to
accommodate, for example, overtime periods and encore
performances. The update information can be used to revise
the recording instruction so that the recording is performed
properly without beginning late or ending early.
[0024] The update information may be obtained from a
variety of non-media information sources. Some non-media
information sources may provide update information in a format
that is usable by user equipment device 10 or user equipment
20. Other non-media information sources may provide data that
must be analyzed and formatted for use by user equipment
device 10 or user equipment 20. In this scenario, the data
may be collected or received by the user equipment device 10,
user equipment 20, or a headend 24. The data may be
aggregated from several sources for analysis, or analyzed
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individually. The data may also be formatted by the user
equipment device 10, user equipment 20, or a headend 24, into
an update information format that can be used in a media
guidance application.
[0025] One non-media information source may be a media
monitor 22 which monitors media and provides update
information about media. Some examples of media monitors 22
may include dedicated viewers and cohorts of viewers. Such
viewers may be typical media consumers, as well as viewers who
are experienced with predicting scheduling overruns. The
media monitors 22 may use information obtained from live media
viewing, as well as non-media information sources, such as
sources 23. Non-media information sources 23 providing media
update information may include websites which may directly
provide updates to media monitor 22 or which may be polled to
obtain update information. Source 23 may include websites
such as social networking websites, news websites, sports
websites, and other websites that may be relevant to media.
For example, Twitter website tweet data may be aggregated to
identify comments relating to a media asset, and which may be
analyzed to determine if the comments indicate a scheduling
change. More specifically, tweets indicating that overtime is
underway for a sports event, a sports event is rained out,
that an artist is performing an encore, or that an award
winner is making a long acceptance speech may be used to
provide media update information.
[0026] Remote facilities 24 may also provide media update
information. Remote facilities 24 may be a media headend,
media distribution point, regional facility, national
facility, or other facility that provides media information
updates. The remote facility 24 may generate update
information based on analysis of media assets and media
information. The remote facility 24 may also poll sources 23
to obtain media information that may be useful for generating
update information. The remote facility 24 may also receive
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update information directly from sources 23 and/or media
monitor 22. The media update information received from the
non-media information sources may be used to update recording
settings or other instructions for media operations using the
media guidance application.
[0027] The functionality discussed above may be implemented
using the media guidance display screens shown in FIGS. 1-2 in
conjunction with the user equipment device 300 depicted in
FIG. 3 and user equipment system depicted in FIG. 4.
[0028] FIGS. 1-2 show illustrative display screens that may
be used to provide media guidance, and in particular media
listings. The display screens shown in FIGS. 1-2 may be
implemented on any suitable device or platform. While the
displays of FIGS. 1-2 are illustrated as full screen displays,
they may also be fully or partially overlaid over media
content being displayed. A user may indicate a desire to
access media information by selecting a selectable option
provided in a display screen (e.g., a menu option, a listings
option, an icon, a hyperlink, etc.) or pressing a dedicated
button (e.g., a GUIDE button) on a remote control or other
user input interface or device. In response to the user's
indication, the media guidance application may provide a
display screen with media information organized in one of
several ways, such as by time and channel in a grid, by time,
by channel, by media type, by category (e.g., movies, sports,
news, children, or other categories of programming), or other
predefined, user-defined, or other organization criteria.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows illustrative grid program listings
display 100 arranged by time and channel that also enables
access to different types of media content in a single
display. Display 100 may include grid 102 with: (1) a column
of channel/media type identifiers 104, where each
channel/media type identifier (which is a cell in the column)
identifies a different channel or media type available; and
(2) a row of time identifiers 106, where each time identifier
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(which is a cell in the row) identifies a time block of
programming. Grid 102 also includes cells of program
listings, such as program listing 108, where each listing
provides the title of the program provided on the listing's
associated channel and time. With a user input device, a user
can select program listings by moving highlight region 110.
Information relating to the program listing selected by
highlight region 110 may be provided in program information
region 112. Region 112 may include, for example, the program
title, the program description, the time the program is
provided (if applicable), the channel the program is on (if
applicable), the program's rating, and other desired
information.
[0030] In addition to providing access to linear
programming provided according to a schedule, the media
guidance application also provides access to non-linear
programming which is not provided according to a schedule.
Non-linear programming may include content from different
media sources including on-demand media content (e.g., VOD),
Internet content (e.g., streaming media, downloadable media,
etc.), locally stored media content (e.g., video content
stored on a digital video recorder (DVR), digital video disc
(DVD), video cassette, compact disc (CD), etc.), or other
time-insensitive media content. On-demand content may include
both movies and original media content provided by a
particular media provider (e.g., HBO On Demand providing "The
Sopranos" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm"). HBO ON DEMAND is a
service mark owned by Time Warner Company L.P. et al. and THE
SOPRANOS and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM are trademarks owned by the
Home Box Office, Inc. Internet content may include web
events, such as a chat session or Webcast, or content
available on-demand as streaming media or downloadable media
through an Internet web site or other Internet access (e.g.
FTP).
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[0031] Grid 102 may provide listings for non-linear
programming including on-demand listing 114, recorded media
listing 116, and Internet content listing 118. A display
combining listings for content from different types of media
sources is sometimes referred to as a "mixed-media" display.
The various permutations of the types of listings that may be
displayed that are different than display 100 may be based on
user selection or guidance application definition (e.g., a
display of only recorded and broadcast listings, only on-
demand and broadcast listings, etc.). As illustrated,
listings 114, 116, and 118 are shown as spanning the entire
time block displayed in grid 102 to indicate that selection of
these listings may provide access to a display dedicated to
on-demand listings, recorded listings, or Internet listings,
respectively. In other embodiments, listings for these media
types may be included directly in grid 102. Additional
listings may be displayed in response to the user selecting
one of the navigational icons 120. (Pressing an arrow key on
a user input device may affect the display in a similar manner
as selecting navigational icons 120.)
[0032] Display 100 may also include video region 122,
advertisement 124, and options region 126. Video region 122
may allow the user to view and/or preview programs that are
currently available, will be available, or were available to
the user. The content of video region 122 may correspond to,
or be independent from, one of the listings displayed in
grid 102. Grid displays including a video region are
sometimes referred to as picture-in-guide (PIG) displays. PIG
displays and their functionalities are described in greater
detail in Satterfield et al. U.S. Patent No. 6,564,378, issued
May 13, 2003 and Yuen et al. U.S. Patent No. 6,239,794, issued
May 29, 2001. PIG displays may be included in other media
guidance application display screens of the present invention.
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[0033]
Advertisement 124 may provide an advertisement for
media content that, depending on a viewer's access rights
(e.g., for subscription programming), is currently available
for viewing, will be available for, viewing in the future, or
may never become available for viewing, and may correspond to
or be unrelated to one or more of the media listings in
grid 102. Advertisement 124 may also be for products or
services related or unrelated to the media content displayed
in grid 102. Advertisement 124 may be selectable and provide
further information about media content, provide information
about a product or a service, enable purchasing of media
content, a product, or a service, provide media content
relating to the advertisement, etc. Advertisement 124 may be
targeted based on a user's profile/preferences, monitored user
activity, the type of display provided, or on other suitable
targeted advertisement bases,
[0034] While
advertisement 124 is shown as rectangular or
banner shaped, advertisements may be provided in any suitable
size, shape, and location in a guidance application display.
For example, advertisement 124 may be provided as a
rectangular shape that is horizontally adjacent to grid 102.
This is sometimes referred to as a panel advertisement. In
addition, advertisements may be overlaid over media content or
a guidance application display or embedded within a display.
Advertisements may also include text, images, rotating images,
video clips, or other types of media content. Advertisements
may be stored in the user equipment with the guidance
application, in a database connected to the user equipment, in
a remote location (including streaming media servers), or on
other storage means or a combination of these locations.
Providing advertisements in a media guidance application is
discussed in greater detail in, for example, Knudson et al.,
U.S. Patent Application No. 10/347,673, filed January 17,
2003, Ward, III et al. U.S. Patent No. 6,756,997, issued June
29, 2004, and Schein et al. U.S. Patent No. 6,388,714, issued
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May 14, 2002. It will be appreciated that
advertisements may be included in other media guidance
. . . =
application display screens of the present invention.
[0035] Options region 126 may allow the user to access
t==
different types of media content, media guidance application
displays, and/or media guidance application features. Options
region 126 maybe part of display 100 (and other display
screens of the, present invention), or may be invoked by a user
by selecting an on-screen option or pressing a dedicated or
assignable button on a user input device. The selectable
options within options region 126 may concern features related
to program listings in grid 102 or may include options
available from a main menu display. Features related to
program listings may include searching for other air times or
ways of receiving a program, recording a program, enabling
series recording of a program, setting program and/or channel
as a favorite, purchasing a program, or other features.
Options available from a main menu display may include search
options, VOD options, parental control options, access to
various types of listing displays, subscribe to a premium
service, edit a user's profile, access a browse overlay, or
other options.
[0036] The selectable options region 126 may include a
recording option( which when selected causes a highlighted
listing in the program listings grid 102 to be recorded by
setting a recording instruction in the media guidance
application for a recording to a recording device. The
recording instruction typically includes at least information
identifying the selected program for recording. Program
recordings may also be set by a user by selecting a listing in
the grid 102 and entering a record command, which will cause a
recording instruction for the selected listing to be set.
[0037] The media guidance application may be personalized
T=
based on a user's preferences. A personalized media guidance
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application allows a user to customize displays and features
to create a personalized "experience" with the media guidance
application. This personalized experience may be created by
allowing a user to input these customizations and/or by the
media guidance application monitoring user activity to
determine various user preferences. Users may access their
personalized guidance application by logging in or otherwise
identifying themselves to the guidance application.
Customization of the media guidance application may be made in
accordance with a user profile. The customizations may
include varying presentation schemes (e.g., color scheme of
displays, font size of text, etc.), aspects of media content
listings displayed (e.g., only HDTV programming, user-
specified broadcast channels based on favorite channel
selections, re-ordering the display of channels, recommended
media content, etc.), desired recording features (e.g.,
recording or series recordings for particular users, recording
quality, etc.), parental control settings, and other desired
customizations.
[0038] The media
guidance application may allow a user to
provide user profile information or may automatically compile
user profile information. The media guidance application may,
for example, monitor the media the user accesses and/or other
interactions the user may have with the guidance application.
Additionally, the media guidance application may obtain all or
part of other user profiles that are related to a particular
user (e.g., from other web sites on the Internet the user
accesses, such as www.tvguide.com, from other media guidance
applications the user accesses, from other interactive
applications the user accesses, from a handheld device of the
user, etc.), and/or obtain information about the user from
other sources that the media guidance application may access.
As a result, a user can be provided with a unified guidance
application experience across the user's different devices.
This type of user experience is described in greater detail
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below in connection with FIG. 4. Additional personalized
media guidance application features are described in greater
detail in Ellis et al., U.S. Patent Application
No. 11/179,410, filed July 11, 2005, Boyer et al., U.S. Patent
Application No. 09/437,304, filed November 9, 1999, and Ellis
et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 10/105,128, filed February
1
21, 2002.
[0039] Another display arrangement for providing media
guidance is shown in FIG. 2. Video mosaic display 200
includes selectable options 202 for media content information
organized based on media type, genre, and/or other
organization criteria. In display 200, television listings
option 204 is selected, thus providing listings 206, 208, 210,
and 212 as broadcast program listings. Unlike the listings
from FIG. 1, the listings in display 200 are not limited to
simple text (e.g., the program title) and icons to describe
media. Rather, in display 200 the listings may provide
graphical images including cover art, still images from the
media content, video clip previews, live video from the media
content, or other types of media that indicate to a user the
media content being described by the listing. Each of the
graphical listings may also be accompanied by text to provide
further information about the media content associated with
the listing. For example, listing 208 may include more than
one portion, including media portion 214 and text portion 216.
Media portion 214 and/or text portion 216 may be selectable to
view video in full-screen or to view program listings related
to the video displayed in media portion 214 (e.g., to view
listings for the channel that the video is displayed on).
100401 The listings in display 200 are of different sizes
(i.e., listing 206 is larger than listings 208, 210, and 212), but if if
desired, all the listings may be the same size.
Listings may be of different sizes or graphically accentuated
to indicate degrees of interest to the user or to emphasize
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certain content, as desired by the media provider or based on
user preferences. Various systems and methods for graphically
accentuating media listings are distussed in, for example,
Yates, U.S. Patent Application No. 11/324,202, filed December
t-
29, 2005.
[0041] Users may access media content and the media
guidance application (and its display screens described above
and below) from one or more of their user equipment devices.
FIG. 3 shows a generalized embodiment of illustrative user
equipment device 300. The user equipment device 300 may be
used in connection with the system discussed in connection
with FIG. 4. User equipment device 300 may receive media content and and data
via input/output (hereinafter I/O")" path
302. I/O path 302 may provide media content (e.g., broadcast
programming, on-demand programming, Internet content, and
other video or audio) and data to control circuitry 304, which
includes processing circuitry 306 and storage 308. Control
circuitry 304 may be used to send and receive commands,
requests, and other suitable data using I/O path 302. I/O
path 302 may connect control circuitry 304 (and specifically
processing circuitry 306) to one or more communications paths
(described below). I/O functions may be provided by one or
more of these communications paths, but are shown as a single
path in FIG. 3 to avoid overcomplicating the draWing.
[0042] Control circuitry 304 may be based on any suitable
processing circuitry 306 such as processing circuitry based on
one or more microprocessors, miprocontrollers, digital signal
processors, programmable logic devices, etc. In some
embodiments, control circuitry 304 executes instructions for a
media guidance application stored in memory (i.e., storage
308). In client-server based embodiments, control circuitry
304 may include communications circuitry suitable for
communicating with a guidance application server or other
networks or servers. Communications circuitry may include a
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cable modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN)
modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a telephone
modem, or a wireless modem for communications with other
equipment. Such communications may involve the Internet or
any other suitable communications networks or paths (which is
described in more detail in connection with FIG. 4). In
addition, communications circuitry may include circuitry that
enables peer-to-peer communication of user equipment devices,
or communication of user equipment devices in locations remote
from each other (described in more detail below).
[0043] Memory (e.g., random-access memory, read-only
memory, or any other suitable memory), hard drives, optical
drives, or any other suitable fixed or removable storage
devices (e.g., DVD recorder, CD recorder, video cassette
recorder, or other suitable recording device) may be provided
as storage 308 that is part of control circuitry 304. Storage
308 may include one or more of the above types of storage
devices. For example, user equipment device 300 may include a
hard drive for a DVR (sometimes called a personal video
recorder, or PVR) and a DVD recorder as a secondary storage
device. Storage 308 may be used to store various types of
media described herein and guidance application data,
including program information, guidance application settings,
user preferences or profile information, or other data used in
operating the guidance application. Nonvolatile memory may
also be used (e.g., to launch a boot-up routine and other
instructions).
[0044] Control circuitry 304 may include video generating
circuitry and tuning circuitry, such as one or more analog
tuners, one or more MPEG-2 decoders or other digital decoding
circuitry, high-definition tuners, or any other suitable
tuning or video circuits or combinations of such circuits.
Encoding circuitry (e.g., for converting over-the-air, analog,
or digital signals to MPEG signals for storage) may also be
provided. Control circuitry 304 may also include scaler
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circuitry for upconverting and downconverting media into the
preferred output format of the user equipment 300. Circuitry
304 may also include digital-to-analog converter circuitry and
analog-to-digital converter circuitry for converting between
digital and analog signals. The tuning and encoding circuitry
may be used by the user equipment to receive and to display,
to play, or to record media content. The tuning and encoding
circuitry may also be used to receive guidance data. The
circuitry described herein, including for example, the tuning,
video generating, encoding, decoding, scaler, and
analog/digital circuitry, may be implemented using software
running on one or more general purpose or specialized
processors. Multiple tuners may be provided to handle
simultaneous tuning functions (e.g., watch and record
functions, picture-in-picture (PIP) functions, multiple-tuner
recording, etc.). If storage 308 is provided as a separate
device from user equipment 300, the tuning and encoding
circuitry (including multiple tuners) may be associated with
storage 308.
[0045] A user may
control the control circuitry 304 using
user input interface 310. User input interface 310 may be any
suitable user interface, such as a remote control, mouse,
trackball, keypad, keyboard, touch screen, touch pad, stylus
input, joystick, voice recognition interface, or other user
input interfaces. Display 312 may be provided as a stand-
alone device or integrated with other elements of user
equipment device 300. Display 312 may be one or more of a
monitor, a television, a liquid crystal display (LCD) for a
mobile device or smartphone, or any other suitable equipment
for displaying visual images. In some embodiments, display
312 may be HDTV-capable. Speakers 314 may be provided as
integrated with other elements of user equipment device 300 or
may be stand-alone units. The audio component of videos and
other media content displayed on display 312 may be played
through speakers 314. In some embodiments, the audio may be
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distributed to a receiver (not shown), which processes and
outputs the audio via speakers 314.
[0046] The guidance application may be implemented using
any suitable architecture. For example, it may be a stand-
alone application wholly implemented on user equipment device
300. In such an approach, instructions of the application are
stored locally, and data for use by the application is
downloaded on a periodic basis (e.g., from the VBI of a
television channel, from an out-of-band feed, or using another
suitable approach). In another embodiment, the media guidance
application is a client-server based application. Data for
use by a thick or thin client implemented on user equipment
device 300 is retrieved on-demand by issuing requests to a
server remote to the user equipment device 300. In one
example of a client-server based guidance application, control
circuitry 304 runs a web browser that interprets web pages
provided by a remote server.
[0047] In yet other embodiments, the media guidance
application is downloaded and interpreted or otherwise run by
an interpreter or virtual machine (run by control circuitry
304). In some embodiments, the guidance application may be
encoded in the Enhanced Television Binary Interchange Format
(EBIF), received by control circuitry 304 as part of a
suitable feed, and interpreted by a user agent running on
control circuitry 304. For example, the guidance application
may be an EBIF application. In other embodiments, the
guidance application may be defined by a series of JAVA-based
files that are received and run by a local virtual machine or
other suitable middleware executed by control circuitry 304.
In some of such embodiments (e.g., those employing MPEG-2 or
other digital media encoding schemes), the guidance
application may be, for example, encoded and transmitted in an
MPEG-2 object carousel with the MPEG audio and video packets
of a program.
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[0048] User equipment device 300 of FIG. 3 can be
implemented in system 400 of FIG. 4 as user television
equipment 402, user computer equipment 404, wireless user
communications equipment 406, internet television, or any
other type of user equipment suitable for accessing media,
such as a non-portable gaming machine. For simplicity, these
devices may be referred to herein collectively as user
equipment or user equipment devices. User equipment devices,
on which a media guidance application is implemented, may
function as a standalone device or may be part of a network of
devices. Various network configurations of devices may be
implemented and are discussed in more detail below.
[0049] User television equipment 402 may include a set-top
box, an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) for handling
satellite television, a television set, an internet connected
television, a digital storage device, a DVD recorder, a video-
cassette recorder (VCR), a local media server, or other user
television equipment. One or more of these devices may be
integrated to be a single device, if desired. User computer
equipment 404 may include a PC, a laptop, a tablet, a WebTV
box, a personal computer television (PC/TV), a PC media
server, a PC media center, or other user computer equipment.
WEBTV is a trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Wireless user
communications equipment 406 may include PDAs, a mobile
telephone, smartphones, a portable video player, a portable
music player, a portable gaming machine, or other wireless
devices.
[0050] It should be noted that with the advent of
television tuner cards for PC's, WebTV, and the integration of
video into other user equipment devices, the lines have become
blurred when trying to classify a device as one of the above
devices. In fact, each of user television equipment 402, user
computer equipment 404, and wireless user communications
equipment 406 may utilize at least some of the system features
described above in connection with FIG. 3 and, as a result,
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include flexibility with respect to the type of media content
available on the device. For example, user television
equipment 402 may be Internet-enabled allowing for access to
Internet content, while user computer equipment 404 may
include a tuner allowing for access to television programming.
The media guidance application may also have the same layout
on the various different types of user equipment or may be
tailored to the display capabilities of the user equipment.
For example, on user computer equipment or a portable digital
device such as an iPad, the guidance application may be
provided as a web site accessed by a web browser. In another
example, the guidance application may be scaled down for
wireless user communications devices.
[0051] In
system 400, there is typically more than one of
each type of user equipment device but only one of each is
shown in FIG. 4 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. In
addition, each user may utilize more than one type of user
equipment device (e.g., a user may have a television set and a
computer) and also more than one of each type of user
equipment device (e.g., a user may have a mobile digital
device and a mobile telephone and/or multiple television
sets).
[0052] The user
may also set various settings to maintain
consistent media guidance application settings across in-home
devices and remote devices. Settings include those described
herein, as well as channel and program favorites, programming
preferences that the guidance application utilizes to make
programming recommendations, display preferences, and other
desirable guidance settings. For example, if a user sets a
.. channel as a favorite on, for example, the web site
www.tvguide.com on their personal computer at their office,
the same channel would appear as a favorite on the user's in-
home devices (e.g., user television equipment and user
computer equipment) as well as the user's mobile devices, if
desired. Therefore, changes made on one user equipment device
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can change the guidance experience on another user equipment
device, regardless of whether they are the same or a different
type of user equipment device. In addition, the changes made
may be based on settings input by a user, as well as user
activity monitored by the guidance application.
[0053] The user equipment devices may be coupled to
communications network 414. Namely, user television equipment
402, user computer equipment 404, and wireless user
communications equipment 406 are coupled to communications
network 414 via communications paths 408, 410, and 412,
respectively. Communications network 414 may be one or more
networks including the Internet, a mobile phone network,
mobile device or smartphone (e.g., Blackberry, iPhone)
network, cable network, public switched telephone network, or
other types of communications network or combinations of
communications networks. BLACKBERRY is a service mark owned
by Research In Motion Limited Corp. iPhone is a trademark
owned by Apple Inc. Paths 408, 410, and 412 may separately or
together include one or more communications paths, such as, a
satellite path, a fiber-optic path, a cable path, a path that
supports Internet communications (e.g., IPTV), free-space
connections (e.g., for broadcast or other wireless signals),
or any other suitable wired or wireless communications path or
combination of such paths. Path 412 is drawn with dotted
lines to indicate that in the exemplary embodiment shown in
FIG. 4 it is a wireless path and paths 408 and 410 are drawn
as solid lines to indicate they are wired paths (although
these paths may be wireless paths, if desired).
Communications with the user equipment devices may be provided
by one or more of these communications paths, but are shown as
a single path in FIG. 4 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing.
[0054] Although communications paths are not drawn between
user equipment devices, these devices may communicate directly
with each other via communication paths, such as those
described above in connection with paths 408, 410, and 412, as
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well other short-range point-to-point communication paths,
such as USB cables, IEEE 1394 cables, wireless paths (e.g.,
Bluetooth, infrared, IEEE 802-11x, etc.), or other short-range
communication via wired or wireless paths. BLUETOOTH is a
certification mark owned by Bluetooth SIG, INC. The user
equipment devices may also communicate with each other
directly through an indirect path via communications
network 414.
[0055] System 400 includes media content source 416 and
media guidance data source 418 coupled to communications
network 414 via communication paths 420 and 422, respectively.
Paths 420 and 422 may include any of the communication paths
described above in connection with paths 408, 410, and 412.
Communications with the media content source 416 and media
guidance data source 418 may be exchanged over one or more
communications paths, but are shown as a single path in FIG. 4
to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. In addition, there may
be more than one of each of media content source 416 and media
guidance data source 418, but only one of each is shown in
FIG. 4 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. (The different
types of each of these sources are discussed below.) If
desired, media content source 416 and media guidance data
source 418 may be integrated as one source device. Although
communications between sources 416 and 418 with user equipment
402, 404, and 406 are shown as through communications network
414, in some embodiments, sources 416 and 418 may communicate
directly with user equipment 402, 404, and 406 via
communication paths (not shown) such as those described above
in connection with paths 408, 410, and 412.
[0056] Media content source 416 may include one or more
types of media distribution equipment including a television
distribution facility, cable system headend, satellite
distribution facility, programming sources (e.g., television
broadcasters, such as NBC, ABC, HBO, etc.), intermediate
distribution facilities and/or servers, Internet providers,
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;
on-demand media servers, and other media content providers.
NBC is a trademark owned by the National Broadcasting Company,
Inc., ABC is a trademark owned by the ABC, INC., and HBO is a
trademark owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. Media content
L-
source 416 may be the originator of media content (e.g., a
television broadcaster, a Webcast provider, etc.) or may not
be the originator of media content (e.g., an on-demand media
content provider, an Internet provider of video content of
broadcast programs for downloading, etc.). Media content
source 416 may include cable sources, satellite providers, on-
demand providers, Internet providers, or other providers of
media content. Media content source 416 may also include a
remote media server used to store different types of media
content (including video content selected by a user), in a
location remote from any of the user equipment devices.
Systems and methods for remote storage of media content, and
providing remotely stored media content to user equipment are
discussed in greater detail in connection with Ellis et al.,
U.S. Patent Application No. 09/332,244, filed June 11, 1999.
(0057] Media guidance data source 418 may provide media
guidance data, such as media listings, media-related
information (e.g., broadcast times, broadcast channels, media
titles, media descriptions, ratings information (e.g.,
parental control ratings, critic's ratings, etc.), genre or
category information, actor information, logo data for
broadcasters' or providers' logos, etc.), media format (e.g.,
standard definition, high definition, etc.), advertisement
information (e.g., text, images, media clips, etc.), on-demand
information, and any other type of guidance data that is
helpful for a user to navigate among and locate desired media
selections. Media Media guidance data source 418 may also be
multiple data sources of varying types. For example, media
guidance data source 418 may be media related websites, such
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as fantasy sports sites, fan websites, and other websites
including information relevant to media assets and media
listings. Media guidance data source 416 may also include a
data feed of media listing updates. Such a data feed could be
provided using an RSS or EBIF data feed that includes only new
updated information. Media guidance data source 418 could
also provide media guidance update data obtained via social
network websites.
[0058] Media guidance application data and updated data may
be provided to the user equipment devices using any suitable
approach. In some embodiments, the guidance application may
be a stand-alone interactive television program guide that
receives program guide data via a data feed (e.g., a
continuous feed, trickle feed, or data in the vertical
blanking interval of a channel). Program schedule data and
other guidance data may be provided to the user equipment on a
television channel sideband, in the vertical blanking interval
of a television channel, using an in-band digital signal,
using an out-of-band digital signal, or by any other suitable
data transmission technique. Program schedule data and other
guidance data may be provided to user equipment on multiple
analog or digital television channels. Program schedule data
and other guidance data may be provided to the user equipment
with any suitable frequency (e.g., continuously, daily, a
user-specified period of time, a system-specified period of
time, in response to a request from user equipment, etc.). In
some approaches, guidance data from media guidance data source
418 may be provided to users' equipment using a client-server
approach. For example, a guidance application client residing
on the user's equipment may initiate sessions with source 418
to obtain guidance data when needed. Media guidance data
source 418 may provide user equipment 402, 404, and 406 the
media guidance application itself or software updates for the
media guidance application.
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[0059] Media guidance applications may be, for example,
stand-alone applications implemented on user equipment
devices. In other embodiments, media guidance applications
may be client-server applications where only the client
resides on the user equipment device. For example, media
guidance applications may be implemented partially as a client
application on control circuitry 304 of user equipment device
300 and partially on a remote server as a server application
(e.g., media guidance data source 418). The guidance
application displays may be generated by the media guidance
data source 418 and transmitted to the user equipment devices.
The media guidance data source 418 may also transmit data for
storage on the user equipment, which then generates the
guidance application displays based on instructions processed
by control circuitry.
[0060] Media guidance system 400 is intended to illustrate
a number of approaches, or network configurations, by which
user equipment devices and sources of media content and
guidance data may communicate with each other for the purpose
of accessing media and providing media guidance. The present
invention may be applied in any one or a subset of these
approaches, or in a system employing other approaches for
delivering media and providing media guidance. The following
three approaches provide specific illustrations of the
generalized example of FIG. 4.
[0061] In one approach, user equipment devices may
communicate with each other within a home network. User
equipment devices can communicate with each other directly via
short-range point-to-point communication schemes describe
above, via indirect paths through a hub or other similar
device provided on a home network, or via communications
network 414. Each of the multiple individuals in a single
home may operate different user equipment devices on the home
network. As a result, it may be desirable for various media
guidance information or settings to be communicated between
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the different user equipment devices. For example, it may be
desirable for users to maintain consistent media guidance
application settings on different user equipment devices
within a home network, as described in greater detail in Ellis
et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 11/179,410, filed July 11,
2005. Different types of user equipment devices in a home
1
network may also communicate with each other to transmit media
content. For example, a user may transmit media content from
user computer equipment to a portable video player or portable
music player.
[0062] In a second approach, users may have multiple types
of user equipment by which they access media content and
obtain media guidance. For example, some users may have home
networks that are accessed by in-home and mobile devices.
Users may control in-home devices via a media guidance
application implemented on a remote device. For example,
users may access an online media guidance application on a
website via a personal computer at their office, or a mobile
device such as a web-enabled mobile telephone or iPad. The
user may set various settings (e.g., recordings, reminders, or
other settings) on the online guidance application to control
the user's in-home equipment. The online guide may control
the user's equipment directly, or by communicating with a
media guidance application on the user's in-home equipment.
Various systems and methods for user equipment devices
communicating, where the user equipment devices are in
locations remote from each other, is discussed in, for
example, Ellis et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 10/927,814,
filed August 26, 2004.
[0063] In a third approach, users of user equipment devices
inside and outside a home can use their media guidance
application to communicate directly with media content source
416 to access media content. specifically, within a home,
users of user television equipment 402 and user computer
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equipment 404 may access the media guidance application to
navigate among and locate desirable media content. Users may
also access the media guidance application outside of the home
using wireless user communications equipment 406 to navigate
among and locate desirable media content.
[0064] It will be appreciated that while the discussion of
media content has focused on video content, the principles of
media guidance can be applied to other types of media content,
such as music, images, etc.
[0065] As discussed herein, the interactive media guidance
application may be used to identify media of interest and
perform recordings of such media. When a recording feature is
used by the user, a recording instruction may be received by
the processing circuitry 306 and stored in storage 308. The
recording instruction will typically include at least an
identifier of the media asset selected for recording, so that
an associated media profile may be obtained to ascertain
additional information about the asset selected for recording.
[0066] An example of a media profile data structure is
depicted in FIG. 5 and can include any information, in any
combination, associated with the media asset, including for
example, an asset title 510, and other information 520, such
as length, average overrun information, identifier, actors,
channel or source, availability, keywords, information,
associated images, and attributes. Such asset information may
be useful in providing media guidance application features,
for example, in the recording context, the asset information
is useful in determining whether a media asset selected for
recording is likely to have scheduling updates or overruns.
Also in the recording context, the identifier may be used to
identify an asset for recording and may include asset code,
series code, episode code or other asset identifying
information.
[0067] A schedule overrun occurs when a media asset, often
a live event, extends beyond its scheduled time, or incurs
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some other change in schedule or availability. For example, a
live sports event may have unexpected overtime periods that
cause it to exceed its scheduled end:time. The overrun may
also cause a following program to be pre-empted or
rescheduled. Average overrun information for a particular
media asset or class of assets may be included in an asset
profile and may offer an indication that the item selected for
recording is also likely to overrun its scheduled time.
Average overrun information may be obtained using actual
overrun data for similar or comparable events. An attribute
of the asset may also indicate that it is likely to overrun
its scheduled time. For example, live performances, sports
events, awards ceremonies often deviate from their respective
scheduled times due to impromptu encore performances, extra
innings or overtime, and extended thank you speeches, etc.
Another type of schedule change may be caused when content is
removed or substituted. For example, when a live sports event
is cancelled due to weather, a substitute program may be made
available. The identification of media assets likely to
deviate from their scheduled times is useful for adjusting
recording instructions, however, the use of real-time
scheduling updates may provide enhanced recording
functionality.
[00681 Real-time updates for media listings information may
be obtained from media guidance data source 418, or other non-
media guidance data sources, such as sources 23. Some
examples of non-media guidance data sources include: media
update data feeds, sports ticker data, sports scoreboard,
websites, web blogs, and website comments. Such sources
typically do not provide media data in a format that is
immediately useful by user equipment 402/404. The media data
provided by non-media guidance data source may require
analysis and aggregation, as described herein, to provide
relevant update information to a media guidance application.
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[0069] An example of a data structure of update information
is presented as FIG. 6. The update information may be created
by a data aggregating processor that may consult one or more
sources for media information. Some information included in
an update information may include a time stamp, asset
identifier, channel, time, estimated overrun, actual overrun,
next update time, preemption information, content change, or
other information. The estimated overrun and actual overrun
information may be used to update a recording instruction
using processing circuitry 306 and included in an updated
recording instruction stored in storage 308 both prior to and
during a recording operation. The actual overrun or underrun
information may be obtained in an update following an asset
end time, and which may be used by the processing circuitry
306 to send instructions to a recording device, such as a DVR,
to delete excess stored data.
[0070] One or more media data sources 418 or non-media
information sources 23 may be used to obtain update
information. For media having certain attributes, some media
data sources 418 or non-media information sources 23 may be
more relevant than others. Processing circuitry 306 may be
configured to support identification of a media attribute
using a media asset data structure, which may be associated
with an update information source in a table, such as that
shown in FIG. 7. For example, for a sports media asset,
update information about the asset may be obtained from a
sports ticker, a scoreboard, fantasy sports websites, a team's
website, sports blogs, or one or more data feeds. As
discussed previously, the media guidance data sources 418 and
sources 23 can communicate with user equipment 402/404/406 to
provide update information directly, or update data that is
analyzed and formatted by the user equipment 402/404/406. The
media guidance data sources 418 and non-media information
sources 23 can also communicate with a head end or other
central clearinghouse for aggregating, analyzing and
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formatting update information that can be communicated to user
equipment 402/404/406, for example, using a data feed. Media
guidance data sources 418 and non-media information sources 23
can also be dedicated update data feeds that provide
information based on an analysis of aggregated information,
described herein.
[0071] The previously mentioned non-media information
sources 23 can provide data regarding media assets in
different ways. For example, a sport ticker, which may be
obtained from any sports ticker data source, may be used to
obtain score and time information for a game or match. Often
the sports ticker data will include a final score for a
completed game. A final score identifier can be used as an
indication that the game or sports event is complete. Such
information could be packaged as update information to
indicate that a game or match has ended and that a recording
of such game can end. The score information can also indicate
that extra innings or overtime is underway. Such information
can be used to trigger update information that indicates an
extended overrun time. Score information can also be used
directly from sources, especially from sources designated as
trustworthy, to send update information, or compared against
information received from other sources in order to verify the
information. For example, an ESPN sports ticker may be
designated as a trustworthy source and used for updates
directly. By contrast, fantasy sports websites, web blogs,
and social network websites, for example, twitter updates
indicating game scores may require verification by comparison
against information received from other sources. Scoreboard
information may also be used to obtain game updates. For
example, when a game is viewed or recorded for viewing later,
processing circuitry 306 can be configured to analyze
scoreboard information on the screen. In general, scoreboards
are shown in the same location and the information used to
create the scoreboard display can be obtained by processing
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circuitry 306 and analyzed to determine, for example, a game
period, time remaining, over time, extra innings, current
score, or final score. Such information can be used to
provide overrun estimates.
[0072] For other types of media, such as live performances
and awards ceremonies, which often have schedule overruns,
update information sources can provide data for real overrun
estimates in ways similar to those discussed in reference to
sports matches. For example, awards ceremony websites and web
blogs may provide information indicating the winners and the
relative progress of the event. In addition, text in closed
caption information for the event can be analyzed, for example
by processing circuitry 306 or a processor at a remote
facility 24, to assess the progress of the event. The closed
caption text data can be analyzed to determine that an event
has ended, for example by looking for word cues. Closing
theme song analysis can also be used to determine that an
event has ended. For example, processing circuitry 306, or a
processor at a remote facility 24 can analyze the sound
associated with a media asset to detect the beginning of a
closing theme song, which may be known and stored in a media
asset profile. If the closing theme song is unknown it may be
detected using analysis of audio components of a media asset
to identify, for example, a continuing musical score without
voice audio.
[0073] The previously mentioned data sources and analysis
techniques are described by way of example only and can be
used in any combination and with a variety of devices in order
to obtain information relevant to media updates. The update
information sources can also include data generated by a group
of dedicated viewers who send media update information to a
central processor for aggregation. Update information can
also be obtained from a user's cohort or social circle. In
such a scenario, the user may designate the social circle or
cohort members with a reliability level for their update
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information. The reliability information can be used by the
media guidance application to determine whether to use the
update information supplied by another member.
[0074] A television widget or application, or computer
application, may also be used to provide data as well as
analyze data updates using an application that is run
separately, but in conjunction, with the media guidance
application. The techniques described herein can be equally
applied to home based media and recording environments as well
as remote recording systems. For example, recordings may be
set using a work or home computer or settop box for recordings
made to remote storage facilities. The techniques described
herein may be used in connection with the processes described
with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 8-11.
[0075] Turning to FIG. 8, media update information may be
Integrated with recording instructions using the steps of 800.
The media update information may also be used to update
guidance application schedules, as well as guidance features
globally, or selectively, for example, if use of the feature
is relevant to the media update information. To initiate the
process 800, a media recording instruction may be received at
step 810. The media recording instruction may be entered by a
user using a media guidance application by selection of a
program listing 102, an associated option 126, or other input
mechanism. The recording instruction may be received by
processing circuitry 306. The recording instruction may be
stored in storage 308 with associated media information, such
as a media identifier at step 820. The media identifier may
be any aspect of the media asset to be recorded by the
recording instruction, and which may be used to obtain a media
asset profile 500.
[0076] On a periodic basis, or immediately prior to a start
time of the recording instruction, processing circuitry 306
may be configured to determine at step 830 whether there are
any updates to media information associated with asset to be
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recorded. This step may be of particular importance for
recording media assets that follow a media asset that has had
a schedule change. For example, if a preceding media asset
overruns its schedule by 30 minutes, the following program
will be delayed by 30 minutes. Without a recording'
instruction update to the start time, a recording of the
following program may begin too early and end before the
program has completed.
[0077] The update determination may be made by the
processing circuitry 306 by polling media data sources 416,
and/or non-media information sources 23, checking a dedicated
update data feed, or other update source, as described herein.
In some systems, the data feeds or other update information
may be broadcast or transmitted to the media guidance
application directly on a periodic basis or when update
information is available so that periodic polling of external
sources is not required.
[0078] In the event that an update to the media information
is detected, the updated information may be stored at step 840
to storage 308 in association with the recording instruction.
If no updates are detected, the recording may be performed
using the processing circuitry 306 and storage 308 or DVR, at
step 850 according to the original recording instruction.
[0079] During the recording operation, the media guidance
application may continue to check for updated information so
that real-time updates of schedule changes can be implemented
in a recording. At step 860, processing circuitry 306 may
check for media update information again. If changes to the
media information are detected, at step 860, the recording
instruction may be updated and stored in storage 308 at step
870. Updates will continue to be monitored during a recording
and any updates will be associated with the recording
instruction. If no changes to the media information are
detected, the recording may be completed based on the
recording instruction at step 880.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-14
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PCTMS2011/045024
[0080] The
process 800 may be optimized for certain types
media assets. For example, when a recording instruction is
received by processing circuitry 306, attributes and any
associated overrun information for the media asset to be
recorded, may be a basis for determining whether or how often
to check for media update information. For some fixed length
assets, such as reruns with known lengths, or first run
episodes of established regular series (not season finales,
for example), update checks may not be performed as
frequently. For sports events and live performances, however,
updates may be checked more frequently.
[0081] Turning
to FIG. 9, when a recording instruction is
received by processing circuitry 306 at step 910, a
determination of attributes may be made by the processing
circuitry 306 of the asset to be recorded, at step 920. The
attributes of the asset may be obtained from an asset profile
(e.g., data structure 500). The processing circuitry 306 may
check whether the asset attribute is a type that has overruns
or other scheduling irregularities at step 930. Such check
may be performed by processing circuitry 306 by checking for
overrun information, or comparing the attribute with a table
of overrun attribute types. If there is no indication that the
media asset has an attribute or other overrun tendency, the
recording may be performed according the recording instruction
at step 940. In some embodiments, real-time schedule update
checks may not be performed for media assets having a low risk
of overruns. In other embodiments, real-time schedule updates
may be performed at a relatively reduced frequency.
[0082] If the
media attribute is determined by processing
circuitry 306 to be one that typically has overruns, the
recording may be performed at step 950. Overrun information
and media update information will be monitored as described
herein by processing circuitry 306. The recording instruction
will be updated at step 960 by processing circuitry to include
any received update information.
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[0083] Turning to FIG. 10, a recording instruction and
media attribute information are received by the processing
circuitry 306 at step 1010 for media selected for recording.
The processing circuitry 306 may check a table (e.g., the
table of FIG. 7) for update sources associated with the media
attribute. The associated sources may be searched by
processing circuitry 306 for media update information at step
1020. Any update information may be integrated by the
processing circuitry in an updated recording instruction, at
step 1030. Such updated recording instruction may be stored
in storage 308. The media asset attributes may also be used
as a basis for setting update monitoring frequency.
[0084] Although continuous update information monitoring
and corresponding updates of recording instructions are useful
for providing accurate recordings, repeated storage of
recording update information may be unwieldy. In some
embodiments, an original or prior media information associated
with a recording instruction may be compared using processing
circuitry 306 with updated media information for the media to
be recorded to assess whether the information change is
significant. Relative benchmarks indicating significance of
changes can be set by the media guidance application or by the
user and can vary according to media asset attributes. Data
indicating such a benchmark may be stored in storage 308, for
example, in a table including associations with media asset
attributes. Such a process is described with reference to
FIG. 11.
[0085] At step 1110, media information may be received by
processing circuitry 306 from media guidance data source 418.
The media information may be stored in storage 308 in
association with a recording instruction at step 1120. Media
update information may be received at step 1130 from media
guidance data source 418. The update information may be
compared by processing circuitry 306 at step 1140 with the
previously stored media information. A threshold for
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differences between media information may be established and
used as a benchmark for the comparison to assess whether any
difference is significant. The thresholds may vary and can be
based on media attributes, program length, and other bases.
If the difference between the update information and the
original media information is determined by processing
1
circuitry 306 at step 1150 to be not significant, the process
continues to cycle through receiving media update information
and comparisons of the updated information at steps 1130-40.
[0086] If the update is determined at step 1150 to be
significant, another determination is made at step 1160 by
processing circuitry 306 as to whether the update will affect
the recording. Such a determination may be made by, for
example, comparing an overrun estimate with one being used in
a recording instruction. If the update is determined to
affect recordings at step 1160, the process returns to step
1130. If the update is determined to affect the recording,
then at step 1170, processing circuitry 306 will integrate the
update in a new recording instruction that may be stored in
storage 308.
[0087] Changes in schedules can cause conflicts between
recording instructions. For example, when a schedule overrun
occurs, subsequent recordings may be affected if a system does
not support multiple tuner functionality. In such a scenario,
some conflict resolution is needed. Some examples of conflict
resolution techniques are disclosed in commonly owned US.
Patent Application Serial Number 12/621,077.
(0088] When recordings are completed, media update
information may be received for the completed recording. For
example, an actual program end time may be received in a final
media update. Such an update can include a designation of its
finality with respect to a particular media asset. The actual
program end time may be compared with the scheduled end time
in the recording instruction using processing circuitry 306 to
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determine if the times are different. Any excess recordings
can be removed by sending an appropriate instruction to the
DVR or other storage device. Any under-recordings can be
repaired by obtaining the missing content from a later
broadcast of the content, or accessing the missing content
from a media source or distribution facility. In some
embodiments, following any recording instruction, the media
guidance application may issue a request for updated schedule
information for the recorded item in order to effectively
manage the use of storage capacity. Such storage management
techniques may be applied to user storage devices that are
local or remote, such as user or network storage located at a
headend facility.
[0089] The foregoing describes systems and methods for
updating information in real time for use in an interactive
media guidance application. The above described embodiments of
the present invention are presented for purposes of
illustration and not of limitation.
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