# US 2014/0157312 A1 · Custom electronic program guides > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0157312 A1 - Document ID: US20140157312A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,302 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: The Nielson Company (US), LLC - Inventors: Maini Williams; Heli Margit Järventie-Ahonen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157312A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/41265: {having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204)} - H04N 21/4667: {Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections} - H04N 21/4668: {for recommending content, e.g. movies} - 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: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Custom electronic program guides are disclosed. An example method includes collecting identifying information associated with media using at least one of a microphone or camera of a consumer electronics device, determining a characteristic of the consumer electronics device, the characteristic being at least one of a length of time during which the identifying information was collected, a percentage of the identifying information corresponding to a same program, or a geographic location at which the identifying information was collected, and determining, based on the characteristic, whether the collected identifying information is to be used in generating a custom electronic program guide for a user associated with the consumer electronics device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: collecting identifying information associated with media using at least one of a microphone, a camera, or an optical sensor of a first device; determining a geographic location at which the identifying information was collected; and determining, based on the geographic location, whether the collected identifying information is to be used in generating a custom electronic program guide for a user associated with the first device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving program information associated with the identifying information from a database and displaying the program information to the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, further comprising prompting the user to authorize use of the identifying information to generate the custom electronic program guide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, further comprising generating the custom electronic program guide with program information associated with the identifying information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, wherein the user is prompted to authorize use of the identifying information when the geographic location is outside of a designated area but is not prompted to authorize the use when the geographic location is within the designated area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising cross-referencing the identifying information with program information stored in a database and generating the custom electronic program guide to include the program information. ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 (canceled) ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing at least one of: a length of time during which the identifying information was collected to a time period threshold stored in a database, or the geographic location to a designated area stored in the database. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying program information on a user interface associated with the first device, the program information comprising at least one of a program name, channel information, character information, timing information, or program description information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying user appointment information associated with a user of the first device in a calendar view of the custom electronic program guide; and displaying the program information in the calendar view to indicate timing conflicts between one or more user appointments associated with the appointment information and one or more programs associated with the program information. ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further instructing a second device in communication with the first device to present a program associated with the identifying information when the program is selected by a user on the first device. ### Claim 14 A first device comprising: a collector to collect identifying information associated with media presented on a second device; a monitor to determine a geographic location at which the identifying information was collected; and a selector to determine that the collected identifying information is to be used in generating a custom electronic program guide when the geographic location is in a designated area and to determine that the collected identifying information is not to be used in generating the custom electronic program guide when the geographic location is outside of the designated area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A first device according to claim 14, further comprising a program guide generator to generate the custom electronic program guide with program information associated with the identifying information when the selector determines that the collected identifying information is to be used in generating the custom electronic program guide. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A first device according to claim 14, further comprising a user interface and a controller to prompt the user via the user interface to authorize use of the identifying information in generating the custom electronic program guide. ### Claim 17 (canceled) ### Claim 18 (canceled) ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A first device according to claim 14, further comprising: a controller to cross-reference the identifying information with program information stored in a database; and a program guide generator to generate the custom electronic program guide to include the program information. ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) A first device according to claim 19, wherein the database is located in at least one of the consumer electronics device or at a central data facility. ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) A first device according to claim 14, further comprising a graphical user interface to display user appointment information associated with a user of the first device in a calendar view of the custom electronic program guide and to display the program information in the calendar view to indicate timing conflicts between one or more user appointments associated with the appointment information and one or more programs associated with the program information. ### Claim 25 (canceled) ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) A first device according to claim 14, further comprising a controller to instruct the second device in communication with the first device to present a program associated with the identifying information when the program is selected by a user on the consumer electronics device. ### Claim 27 A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least: collect identifying information associated with media using at least one of a microphone, a camera, or an optical sensor of a first device; determine a geographic location at which the identifying information was collected; and determine, based on the geographic location, whether the collected identifying information is to be used in generating a custom electronic program guide for a user associated with the first device. ### Claim 28 (canceled) ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) A storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to prompt the user to authorize use of the identifying information to generate the custom electronic program guide. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A storage medium according to claim 29, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to generate the custom electronic program guide with program information associated with the identifying information. ### Claim 31 (canceled) ### Claim 32 (depends on 27) A storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to cross-reference the identifying information with program information stored in a database and to generate the custom electronic program guide to include the program information. ### Claim 33 (canceled) ### Claim 34 (canceled) ### Claim 35 (depends on 27) A storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to compare at least one of: a length of time during which the identifying information was collected to a time period threshold stored in a database, or the geographic location to a designated area stored in the database. ### Claim 36 (canceled) ### Claim 37 (depends on 27) A storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to display user appointment information associated with a user of the first device in a calendar view of the custom electronic program guide and to display the program information in the calendar view to indicate timing conflicts between one or more user appointments associated with the appointment information and one or more programs associated with the program information. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) A storage medium according to claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to instruct a second device associated with the first device to record the program when a timing conflict exists. ### Claim 39 (depends on 27) A storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to instruct a second device associated with the first device to present a program associated with the identifying information when the program is selected by a user on the first device. ### Claim 40 (canceled) ### Claim 41 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, wherein the user is prompted to authorize use of the identifying information to generate the custom electronic program guide when the geographic location is outside of a designated area but is not prompted to authorize the use when the geographic location is within the designated area.