Electronic program guide viewing history generator method and system

Claim 2

A media control system, comprising: a computer connected to a data source to receive periodic updates of schedule data relating to available media content deliverable through a channel; said computer being connected to control a delivery of selected media content through said channel to a media output device; said computer being connected to a preference data store storing preference data indicating media content preferred by a user; said computer being connected to a user interface with a display and an input device; said computer being programmed to select a subset of said available media content responsively to said preference data; said computer being further programmed to display first identifiers corresponding to said subset and accept first input indicating a one of said first identifiers to be used currently or in the future and to control a delivery of media content responsively to said first input; said computer being further programmed to display second identifiers corresponding to said schedule data and schedule data relating to media content not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display and to accept second input indicating multiple ones of said second identifiers indicating preferences and to store data responsive to said second input in said preference store without controlling a delivery of media content responsively thereto.

Claim 3

A system as in claim 1 , wherein said computer is further programmed to store data responsive to said first input in said preference store.

Claim 4

A system as in claim 1 , wherein said multiple ones are displayed simultaneously on said display.

Claim 5

A system as in claim 1 , wherein said computer is further programmed to display a list of categories of media content and to accept input indicating ones of said categories to exclude from said second identifiers, and to exclude from said second identifiers accordingly.

Claim 6

A system as in claim 1 , wherein said second identifiers include video clips.

Claim 7

A system as in claim 1 , wherein said second identifiers include narrative descriptions.

Claim 8

A media control system, comprising: a computer connected to a data source to receive periodic updates of schedule data relating to available media content deliverable through a channel; said computer being connected to control a delivery of selected media content through said channel to a media output device; said computer being connected to a preference data store storing preference data indicating media content preferred by a user; said computer being connected to a user interface with a display and an input device; said computer being programmed to select a subset of said available media content responsively to said preference data; said computer being further programmed to display first identifiers corresponding to said subset and accept first input indicating a one of said first identifiers to be used currently or in the future and to control a delivery of media content responsively to said first input; said computer being further programmed to display second identifiers corresponding to said schedule data and schedule data relating to media content not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display and to accept second input indicating at least one of said second identifiers indicating a preference and to store data responsive to said second input in said preference store, said second identifiers being derived from said schedule data and filtered such that said second identifiers include substantially no redundant entries, redundant entries being entries that are characterized by content that is identical according to at least one criterion other than a time of availability for use.

Claim 9

A media control system, comprising: a computer connected to a data source to receive periodic updates of schedule data relating to available media content deliverable through a channel; said computer being connected to control a delivery of selected media content through said channel to a media output device; said computer being connected to a preference data store storing preference data indicating media content preferred by a user; said computer being connected to a user interface with a display and an input device; said computer being programmed to select a subset of said available media content responsively to said preference data; said computer being further programmed to display first identifiers corresponding to said subset and accept first input indicating a one of said first identifiers to be used currently or in the future and to control a delivery of media content responsively to said first input; said computer being further programmed to display second identifiers corresponding to said schedule data and schedule data relating to media content not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display and to accept second input indicating at least one of said second identifiers indicating a preference and to store data responsive to said second input in said preference store, said second identifiers being derived from said schedule data and filtered such that said second identifiers include substantially no redundant entries, redundant entries being entries that are characterized by content that is identical according to at least one criterion other than a time of availability for use.

Claim 10

A system as in claim 7 , wherein said computer is further programmed to display a list of categories of media content and to accept input indicating ones of said categories to exclude from said second identifiers, and to exclude from said second identifiers accordingly.

Claim 11

A system as in claim 7 , wherein said computer is programmed to store said data responsive to said second input without controlling a delivery of media content responsively thereto.

Claim 12

A system as in claim 7 , wherein said second identifiers include video clips.

Claim 13

A system as in claim 7 , wherein said second identifiers include narrative descriptions.

Claim 16

A device as in claim 12 , wherein said user input indicating multiple selections indicates more than one selection from a single instance of displaying through said user-interface, whereby said user is able to select multiple identifiers without changing a display of said user-interface.

Claim 17

A device as in claim 12 , wherein said EPG system controls a media transmission channel responsively to said preference data stored in said preference database.

Claim 18

A device as in claim 12 , wherein said controller is programmed to eliminate redundant program identifiers, where said respective programs identified by said redundant program identifiers are distinguishable only by a time of broadcast.

Claim 19

A device as in claim 12 , wherein said controller is further programmed such that said multiple selections indicate specific preferred uses of program material including at least one of: recording, viewing, and preventing an ability to view.

Claim 20

A media control device, comprising: a controller connected to at least one data store holding at least preference data and media content identification data, a first subset of said identification data identifying media content available through a communications channel and a second subset of said identification data identifying media content not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display through said communications channel; said controller being connectable to said communications channel to control delivery of said media content through said communications channel; a user interface including a display and an input device; said controller being programmed to select a first portion of said first subset of said identification data responsively to said preference data, display said first portion of said first subset of said identification data, and accept a command through said input device to use first media content from said first portion of said first subset of said identification data; said controller being further programmed to control said communications channel responsively to said command to use; said controller being further programmed to display a second portion of said identification data and accept commands through said input device to select second media content from said second portion of identification data without using said second media content; and said controller being programmed to modify said preference data responsively to both said commands to select and said command to use.

Claim 21

A media control device, comprising: a controller connected to at least one data store holding at least preference data and media content identification data, a first subset of said identification data identifying media content available through a communications channel and a second subset of said identification data identifying media content not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display through said communications channel; said controller being connectable to said communications channel to control delivery of said media content through said communications channel; a user interface including a display and an input device; said controller being programmed to select a first portion of said first subset of said identification data responsively to said preference data, display said first portion of said first subset of said identification data, and accept a command through said input device to use first media content from said first portion of said first subset of said identification data; said controller being further programmed to control said communications channel responsively to said command to use; said controller being further programmed to display a second portion of said identification data and accept commands through said input device to select second media content from said second portion of identification data without using said second media content; and said controller being programmed to modify said preference data responsively to both said commands to select and said command to use.

Claim 22

A device as in claim 17 , wherein said controller is programmed such that said first portion of said first subset of said identification data and said second portion of said identification data are each displayed as lists of identifiers and the identifiers used in the two lists are identical where they pertain to the same media content.

Claim 23

A device as in claim 17 , wherein said first portion of said first subset of said identification data has multiple identifiers identifying a same content and said second portion of said identification data has only single identifiers identifying said same content.

Claim 24

A device as in claim 17 , wherein said controller is programmed to accept commands to limit said second portion identification data and to limit said second portion of identification data accordingly.

Claim 25

A device as in claim 20 , wherein: said controller is programmed to display predefined classes of media content; said commands to limit include a command to emphasize representation in said second portion of identification data of identifiers corresponding to at least one of said predefined classes of media content.

Claim 26

A device as in claim 21 , wherein said commands to limit including a command to omit representation in said second portion of identification data identifiers corresponding to at least one of said predefined classes of media content.

Claim 27

A device as in claim 20 , wherein: said controller is programmed to display predefined classes of media content; said commands to limit include a command to omit representation in said second portion of identification data identifiers corresponding to at least one of said predefined classes of media content.

Claim 30

A method as in claim 24 , wherein said step of generating a second list includes displaying a list of program categories, accepting commands referencing said program categories, and excluding programs from said second list responsively to said commands referencing said program categories.

Claim 33

A method as in claim 26 , wherein: said step of accepting commands referencing said program categories includes accepting a command to emphasize programs in a selected category; and said step of modifying said list includes increasing representation in said list of programs in said selected category.

Claim 34

A computer user interface for generating media content selections to serve as examples of desired selections for use in generating and refining user-preference profiles stored in a database, the computer user-interface comprising: a controller with a display and an input connected to receive program selection identifiers; said controller being programmed to: receive media content data from a data source; display, on said display, content identifiers of said media content responsive to said media content, wherein at least one of said identifiers identifies media content that is not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display; at a time of inputting, receive inputs from a user indicating ones of said identifiers corresponding to content the user prefers to use, said inputs not necessarily indicating content said user will use, but content to serve as an example for purposes of building a user-preference profile; and transmit said inputs to said database.

Claim 35

A computer user interface for generating media content selections to serve as examples of desired selections for use in generating and refining user-preference profiles stored in a database, the computer user-interface comprising: a controller with a display and an input connected to receive program selection identifiers; said controller being programmed to: receive media content data from a data source; display, on said display, content identifiers of said media content responsive to said media content, wherein at least one of said identifiers identifies media content that is not currently available for display and not scheduled to be available for display; at a time of inputting, receive inputs from a user indicating ones of said identifiers corresponding to content the user prefers to use, said inputs not necessarily indicating content said user will use, but content to serve as an example for purposes of building a user-preference profile; and transmit said inputs to said database.

Claim 36

An interface as in claim 28 , wherein said content identifiers displayed on said display are further responsive to a preference profile representative of the preferences of a plurality of users.

Claim 37

A system as in claim 1 , wherein said preference data further indicates media content preferred by a plurality of other users.

Claim 38

A system as in claim 7 , wherein said preference data further indicates media content preferred by a plurality of other users.