Time-adaptive control of television viewing functionality

A method for providing recorded television services by a television set-top terminal (“STT”), comprising:

• responsive to a first user input,
• receiving by the STT information corresponding to a user-defined time interval, the start and end times of the first user-defined time interval corresponding respectively to a user-selected start time and a user-selected end time,
• receiving by the STT at least one parameter corresponding to a user preference,
• storing data in memory of the STT associating the at least one parameter with the first user-defined time interval,
• enabling recording of television services during the first user-defined time interval according to the at least one parameter;
• responsive to a second user input,
• receiving by the STT a request for recording a television service corresponding to the at least one parameter,
• accessing the data in memory of the STT associating the at least one parameter with the first user-defined time interval,
• determining whether the request is for recording the television service during the first user-defined time interval,
• enabling a recording of the television service responsive to determining that the request is for recording the television service during the first user-defined time interval, and
• preventing the recording of the television service responsive to determining that the request is for recording the television service outside the first user-defined time interval.

A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (“STT”) comprising:

• responsive to receiving by the STT a first user input,
• defining a plurality of contiguous user-defined time intervals including a first user-defined time interval, a second user-defined time interval, and a third user-defined time interval, the second user-defined time interval being between the first user-defined time interval and third user-defined time interval,
• storing a first data in memory of the STT identifying whether a television function corresponding to a first parameter is to be enabled during the first user-defined time interval, wherein the first parameter corresponds to at least one of a television channel characteristic, a television program characteristic, and a television service characteristic, and
• storing a second data in the memory of the STT identifying whether a television function corresponding to a second parameter is to be enabled during the second user-defined time interval, wherein the second parameter corresponds to at least one of a television channel characteristic, a television program characteristic, and a television service characteristic;
• responsive to receiving by the STT a second user input,
• receiving by the STT a request for providing during the first user-defined time interval a first television function corresponding to the first parameter,
• accessing the first data from the memory of the STT,
• determining from the first data whether the first television function is enabled or disabled during the first user-defined time interval,
• enabling the first television function to be provided during the first user-defined time interval responsive to determining from the first data that the first television function is enabled, and
• preventing the first television function from being provided responsive to determining from the first data that the first television function is disabled.

A method implemented by a television set-top terminal (“STT”) comprising:

• receiving by the STT a first user input defining a plurality of contiguous user-defined time intervals including a first user-defined time interval, a second user-defined time interval, and a third user-defined time interval, the second user-defined time interval being between the first user-defined time interval and the third user-defined time interval;
• receiving by the STT a second user input;
• storing data in memory identifying whether a first television function is to be enabled during the first user-defined time interval responsive to receiving the first user input, wherein the first television function includes at least one of enabling recording a television service, enabling a purchase transaction, providing television program information, and tuning to a television channel;
• receiving by the STT a third user input;
• storing data in the memory identifying whether a second television function is to be enabled during the second user-defined time interval responsive to receiving the second user input, wherein the second television function includes at least one of enabling recording a television service, enabling a purchase transaction, providing television program information, and tuning to a television channel;
• receiving user input requesting that the first television function be provided during the first user-defined time interval;
• and
• responsive to receiving the request for the first television function,
• accessing data in the memory identifying whether the first television function is to be enabled during the first user-defined time interval,
• determining whether the first television function is to be enabled responsive to the data in the memory identifying whether the first television function is to be enabled during the first user-defined time interval,
• enabling the first television function during the first user-defined time interval responsive to determining that the first television function is to be enabled during the first user-defined time interval, and
• preventing the first television function from being implemented during the first user-defined time interval responsive to determining that the first television function is not to be enabled during the first user-defined time interval.