Personal television channel system
AssigneeUnited Video Properties, Inc.
InventorsMichael D. Ellis, G. Victor Treyz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is provided in which contributors such as individuals in the home may create personal television channel programming. Personal television programs may be distributed to multiple viewers over a communications network such as the Internet. Personal television program schedule information may be stored in a database that is also used to store program schedule information for traditional television channels. Viewers may use a program guide or other interactive television application to view program schedule information, to set reminders, to set favorites, to establish parental controls, and perform other such functions. Links may be provided from displayed personal television channels to web sites, chat rooms, e-mail applications, and other such features.
Claims112
A method for using a system in which personal television programs are scheduled for distribution to viewers on personal television channels, comprising:
- providing an opportunity for different contributors who are individuals to supply personal television program schedule information to a program schedule database that indicates particular future times and dates at which certain personal television programs are to be available for viewing by the viewers on viewer equipment;
- providing the viewers with access to the personal television program schedule information at the viewer equipment;
- providing the personal television programs from the contributor equipment of different individual contributors to the viewer equipment of each of the viewers over a communications network;
- and
- providing each of the contributors with an opportunity to provide the program schedule database with a description of that contributor's personal television channel.
A system in which personal television programs are scheduled for distribution to viewers on personal television channels, the system comprising:
- means for providing an opportunity for different contributors who are individuals to supply personal television program schedule information to a program schedule database that indicates particular future times and dates at which certain personal television programs are to be available for viewing by the viewers on viewer equipment;
- means for providing the viewers with access to the personal television program schedule information at the viewer equipment;
- means for providing the personal television programs from the contributor equipment of different individual contributors to the viewer equipment of each of the viewers over a communications network;
- and
- means for providing each of the contributors with an opportunity to provide the program schedule database with a description of that contributor's personal television channel.
A system in which personal television programs are scheduled for distribution to viewers on personal television channels, comprising:
- contributor equipment that allows different contributors who are individuals to supply personal television program schedule information and a description of that contributor's personal television channel to a program schedule database, wherein the personal television program schedule information indicates particular future times and dates at which certain personal television programs are to be available for viewing by the viewers;
- viewer equipment that provides the viewers with access to the personal television program schedule information;
- and
- a communications network connected to the contributor equipment and the viewer equipment, wherein the communications network provides the personal television programs from the contributor equipment of different individual contributors to the viewer equipment of each of the viewers.
Machine-readable media for use in a system in which personal television programs are scheduled for distribution to viewers on personal television channels, wherein the machine-readable media is encoded with machine-readable instructions thereon for:
- providing an opportunity for different contributors who are individuals to supply personal television program schedule information to a program schedule database that indicates particular future times and dates at which certain personal television programs are to be available for viewing by the viewers on viewer equipment;
- providing the viewers with access to the personal television program schedule information at the viewer equipment;
- providing the personal television programs from the contributor equipment of different individual contributors to the viewer equipment of each of the viewers over a communications network;
- and
- providing each of the contributors with an opportunity to provide the program schedule database with a description of that contributor's personal television channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.