# US 10,321,197 B2 · System and method of recording television content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,321,197 B2 - Document ID: US10321197B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/733,569 - Filed: 2015-06-08 - Published: 2015-09-24 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2008-01-31 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP - Inventors: Scott White; James Cansler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321197B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)} - H04N 5/782: on tape - H04N 21/25891: {being end-user preferences (retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/4334: {Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27)} - H04N 21/4586: {Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25)} - H04N 21/47214: {for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market (stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224)} - H04N 21/4821: {using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time} - H04N 21/4826: {using recommendation lists, e.g. of programmes or channels sorted out according to their score} - H04N 21/6543: for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording {(remote booting in general G06F9/4416)} - H04N 21/6582: {Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number (arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method of recording television content is disclosed and includes receiving one or more television program search criteria from a set-top box device at a recurrent searching system. The method also includes storing the one or more search criteria at the recurrent searching system. Further, the method includes performing a first search of electronic program guide (EPG) data accessible to the recurrent searching system based on the television program search criteria and performing at least one additional search of EPG data accessible to the recurrent searching system based on the television program search criteria after the first search. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving, by a recurrent searching system including a processor, a plurality of search criteria associated with media content from a set-top box, wherein the plurality of search criteria comprises a first search criteria and a second search criteria; storing, by the recurrent searching system, the plurality of search criteria at a first memory of the recurrent searching system; performing, by the recurrent searching system, a first search of a first electronic program guide (EPG) data based on the plurality of search criteria during a first search time period; detecting, by the recurrent searching system, a lapse of the first search time period during which no match has been found among the first EPG data according to the plurality of search criteria; determining, by the recurrent searching system, that the first EPG data has not been updated during the first search time period; performing, by the recurrent searching system, a second search of the first EPG data via an electronic program guide server based on the second search criteria during a second search time period, wherein the second search is performed in response to the lapse of the first search time period during which no match has been found according to the plurality of search criteria, and is not performed in response to an update to the first EPG data; identifying, by the recurrent search system, a first recommendation according to the second search criteria; detecting, by the recurrent searching system, a lapse of the second search time period during which no match has been found among the first EPG data according to the second search criteria; determining, by the recurrent searching system, that the first EPG data has been updated to a second EPG data at the recurrent searching system, the electronic program guide server or a combination thereof during the second search time period; responsive to the second search time period elapsing with no match being found and the first EPG data updated to the second EPG data, performing, by the recurrent searching system, a third search of the second EPG data based on the plurality of search criteria during a third search time period; identifying, by the recurrent searching system, a first media content that matches the plurality of search criteria during the third search; configuring, by the recurrent search system, a digital video recorder (DVR) to record the first media content; determining, by the recurrent search system, a second media content according to the first recommendation, wherein the second media content serves as a selectable alternative option to a presentation of the first media content; and providing, by the recurrent search system, the first recommendation to the set-top box to enable a user to select via user-generated input a viewing of the second media content in place of the first media content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the third search of the second EPG data is performed at a second memory that is accessible to a mobile device, and wherein the second memory is remote from the mobile device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising determining, by the recurrent searching system, the first media content is a television program. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the second memory is located at a media device in communication with a mobile device, wherein one of the first search criteria and the second search criteria is generated at the mobile device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising providing, by the recurrent searching system, a second recommendation for a third media content according the third search of the second EPG data during the third search time period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising deleting, by the recurrent searching system, the first search criteria from the first memory. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the deleting of one of the first search criteria and the second search criteria is responsive to a deletion request generated by a mobile device based on user input at the mobile device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the recurrent searching system, adjusted search data from a mobile device, wherein the adjusted search data is generated based on user input at the mobile device; and performing, by the recurrent searching system, an additional search based on the adjusted search data. ### Claim 9 A media device, comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: accessing user input information; obtaining a plurality of search criteria associated with media content from a set-top box, wherein the plurality of search criteria comprises a first search criteria and a second search criteria; sending the plurality of search criteria to an electronic program guide server via a network; receiving a first command from the electronic program guide server to perform a first search of first electronic program guide (EPG) data during a first search time period from the electronic programming guide server accessible to the media device based on the plurality of search criteria; detecting a lapse of the first search time period during which no match has been found among the first EPG data according to the plurality of search criteria; determining that the first EPG data has not been updated during the first search time period; receiving a second command from the electronic program guide server to perform a second search of the first EPG data based on the second search criteria during a second search time period, wherein the second search is performed in response to the lapse of the first search time period during which no match being found according to the plurality of search criteria, and is not performed in response to an update to the first EPG data; identifying a recommendation according to the second search criteria; detecting a lapse of the second search time period during which no match has been found among the first EPG data according to the second search criteria; determining that the first EPG data has been updated to a second EPG data at a recurrent searching system, the electronic program guide server or a combination thereof during the second search time period; responsive to the second search time period elapsing with no match being found and the first EPG data updated to the second EPG data, receiving a third command from the electronic program guide server to perform a third search of the second EPG data accessible to the media device based on the plurality of search criteria during a third search time period; identifying a first media content that matches the plurality of search criteria during the third search; configuring a digital video recorder (DVR) to record the first media content; determining a second media content according to the recommendation, wherein the second media content serves as a selectable alternative option to a presentation of the first media content; and providing the recommendation to the set-top box to enable a user to select via user-generated input a viewing of the second media content in place of the first media content. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The media device of claim 9, wherein the first EPG data is updated to the second EPG data based on scheduling of television programs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The media device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise receiving instructions from the electronic program guide server to record the second media content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The media device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise determining the first media content is a television program. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The media device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise receiving instructions to record the television program. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The media device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise providing a second recommendation for a third media content according the third search of the second EPG data during the third search time period. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The media device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise generating instructions for the DVR to record the third media content. ### Claim 16 A machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising: obtaining a plurality of search criteria associated with media content from a set-top box, wherein the plurality of search criteria comprises a first search criteria and a second search criteria; sending the plurality of search criteria to an electronic program guide server via a network; receiving a first command from the electronic program guide server to perform a first search of first electronic program guide (EPG) data during a first search time period from the electronic programming guide server accessible to a media device based on the plurality of search criteria; detecting a lapse of the first search time period during which no match has been found among the first EPG data according to the plurality of search criteria; determining that the first EPG data has not been updated during the first search time period; receiving a second command from the electronic program guide server to perform a second search of the first EPG data based on the second of search criteria during a second search time period, wherein the second search is performed in response to the lapse of the first search time period during which no match being found according to the plurality of search criteria, and is not performed in response to an update to the first EPG data; identifying a recommendation according to the second search criteria; detecting a lapse of the second search time period during which no match has been found among the first EPG data according to the second search criteria; determining that the first EPG data has been updated to a second EPG data at a recurrent searching system, the electronic program guide server or a combination thereof during the second search time period; responsive to the second search time period elapsing with no match being found and the first EPG data updated to the second EPG data, receiving a third command from the electronic program guide server to perform a third search of the second EPG data accessible to the media device based on the plurality of search criteria during a third search time period; identifying a first media content that matches the plurality of search criteria during the third search; configuring a digital video recorder (DVR) to record the first media content; determining a second media content according to the recommendation, wherein the second media content serves as a selectable alternative option to a presentation of the first media content; providing the recommendation to the set-top box to enable a user to select via user-generated input a viewing of the second media content in place of the first media content; and configuring the DVR to record the second media content. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise deleting the first search criteria from a first memory. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the third search of the second EPG data is performed at a second memory that is accessible to a mobile device, and wherein the second memory is remote from the mobile device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The machine-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise providing a second recommendation for a third media content according the third search of the second EPG data during the third search time period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The machine-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the second memory is located at the media device in communication with the mobile device, wherein one of the first search criteria and second search criteria is generated at the mobile device.