US6760537B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for television program scheduling
Assignee: Gemstar Development LLC
•
Filing: 2001-09-28
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Granted: 2004-07-06
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Expires: 2021-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Television programs are tuned by a television tuner using a method involving establishing a communications link between a user of a television tuner and database of television schedule information, the database located a site remote from the user. The user communicates program selection criteria to the site remote from the user. A database of television schedule information is searched based on the program selection criteria and program identification data is derived from the database, the program identification data corresponding to television programs meeting the program selection criteria. The program identification data is transmitted over the communications link to a television tuner controller.
Inventors
- 👤 Roy J. Mankovitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 17:27
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/765; H04N5/78; H04N5/782
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: establishing a communications link between a user of a television tuner and a database of television schedule information, the database located at a site remote from said user; communicating television program rating criteria from said user to said site remote from the user; searching the database of television schedule information based on the television program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database, the program identification data excluding television programs meeting the program rating criteria; and transmitting said program identification data over said communications link to a television tuner controller.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: establishing a communications link between a user of a television tuner and a database of television schedule information, the database located at a site remote from said user; communicating television program rating criteria from said user to said site remote from the user; searching the database of television schedule information based on the television program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database, the program identification data excluding television programs meeting the program rating criteria; and transmitting said program identification data over said communications link to a television tuner controller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling the recording of television programs identified by the program identification data, the step of controlling being performed by the television tuner controller.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling an apparatus for viewing the programs identified by the program identification data, the step of controlling being performed by the television tuner controller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said establishing a communications link comprises establishing a telephone connection between the user and the database of television schedule information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said program identification data includes representations of program channels and times.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 5 wherein program identification data comprises compressed program codes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said television program rating criteria comprises at least one of the group consisting of violence, nudity, profanity, adult situations, and sexual theme.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of communicating television program rating criteria comprises communicating television program rating criteria from the user to a representative at the site remote from the user and wherein said step of searching a database of television schedule information comprises the step of the representative entering the program rating criteria into a computer system for searching the database.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the television tuner controller comprises a cable box controller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the television tuner controller comprises a satellite receiver controller.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: a television tuner controller; a communications link between the television tuner controller and a site remote from the television tuner controller for transmitting television program rating criteria from a user of the television tuner controller to the remote site; a database of program schedule information located at the remote site; means for searching the database of program schedule information based on the transmitted program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database for at least one television program excluding the transmitted program rating criteria; and transmitting the program identification data over the communications link to the television tuner controller.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: a television tuner controller; a communications link between the television tuner controller and a site remote from the television tuner controller for transmitting television program rating criteria from a user of the television tuner controller to the remote site; a database of program schedule information located at the remote site; means for searching the database of program schedule information based on the transmitted program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database for at least one television program excluding the transmitted program rating criteria; and transmitting the program identification data over the communications link to the television tuner controller.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the television tuner controller further comprises means for controlling the recording of programs identified by the program identification data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the television tuner controller further comprises means for controlling an apparatus for viewing the programs identified by the program identification data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the communications link comprises a telephone connection between the user and remote site.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 11 , 12 or 13 wherein the program identification data includes representations of program channels and times.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 15 wherein program identification data comprises compressed program codes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the television program rating criteria comprises at least one of the group consisting of violence, nudity, profanity, adult situations, and sexual theme.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the means for searching comprise means for communicating television program rating criteria from the user to a representative at the site remote from the user and means for entry by the representative of the program rating criteria into a computer system for searching the database of television schedule information.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the television tuner controller comprises a cable box controller.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the television tuner controller comprises a satellite receiver controller.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: establishing a communications link between a user of a television tuner and a database of television schedule information, the database located at a site remote from said user; communicating television program rating criteria from said user to said site remote from the user; searching the database of television schedule information based on the television program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database, the program identification data corresponding to television programs meeting the program rating criteria; and transmitting said program identification data over said communications link to a television tuner controller.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: establishing a communications link between a user of a television tuner and a database of television schedule information, the database located at a site remote from said user; communicating television program rating criteria from said user to said site remote from the user; searching the database of television schedule information based on the television program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database, the program identification data corresponding to television programs meeting the program rating criteria; and transmitting said program identification data over said communications link to a television tuner controller.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of controlling the recording of television programs identified by the program identification data, the step of controlling being performed by the television tuner controller.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said program identification data includes representations of program channel and time.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 21 wherein program identification data comprises compressed program codes.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said television program rating criteria comprises at least one of the group consisting of violence, nudity, profanity, adult situations, and sexual theme.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
117 words
A system for programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: a television tuner controller; a communications link between the television tuner controller and a site remote from the television tuner controller for transmitting television program rating criteria from a user of the television tuner controller to the remote site; a database of program schedule information located at the remote site; means for searching the database of program schedule information based on the transmitted program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database for at least one television program corresponding to the transmitted program rating criteria; and transmitting the program identification data over the communications link to the television tuner controller.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
117 words
A system for programming the tuning of a television program by a television tuner comprising: a television tuner controller; a communications link between the television tuner controller and a site remote from the television tuner controller for transmitting television program rating criteria from a user of the television tuner controller to the remote site; a database of program schedule information located at the remote site; means for searching the database of program schedule information based on the transmitted program rating criteria and deriving program identification data from the database for at least one television program corresponding to the transmitted program rating criteria; and transmitting the program identification data over the communications link to the television tuner controller.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the television tuner controller further comprises means for controlling the recording of programs identified by the program identification data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the program identification data includes representations of program channel and time.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 26 wherein program identification data comprises compressed program codes.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the television program rating criteria comprises at least one of the group consisting of violence, nudity, profanity, adult situations, and sexual theme.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-07-06 | 2008-01-05 | 2008-07-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-07-06 | 2012-01-05 | 2012-07-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-07-06 | 2016-01-05 | 2016-07-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |