Multiple interactive electronic program guide system and methods
US6505348B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/485
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multiple Interactive Program Guide (IPG) system provides different television programming and different IPGs to several different users respectively. A single set-top box is capable of providing programming and scheduling data to several different television sets. Each of the different IPGs share a common database. Therefore, a first IPG being viewed by a first user can display data added or modified via a second IPG by a second user of the system. Furthermore, the data added or modified by the second user can influence the viewing rights of the first user. Also, all the competing and conflicting requests for limited resources, such as VCR scheduled recordings, will be brought to the users' attention and will be displayed by the system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.