Interactive television program guide system and method with niche hubs
AssigneeRovi Guides, Inc.
InventorsMichael D. Ellis, Edward B. Knudson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for providing interactive program guide features and other features and information related to a specific user interest or programming category in niche hubs is provided. For example, a movie lovers niche hub may provide programming features such as television program listings for movies, video-on-demand listings for movies, pay-per-view listings for movies, web site links related to movies, movie-related merchandise, movie news groups, movie chat groups, movie e-mail clubs, movie contests, movie trivia questions, movie actor interviews, movie reviews, movie channel package ordering, etc.
Claims20
A method for personalizing an interactive media guide, the method comprising:
- receiving a first user input selecting a profile graphic generated for display on a display screen;
- in response to the first user input, retrieving a personal profile associated with a plurality of niche hubs, wherein each niche hub of the plurality of niche hubs is associated with a user interest;
- generating for display, on the display screen, a plurality of hub graphics associated with the personal profile, wherein each of the plurality of hub graphics is associated with one of the plurality of niche hubs;
- receiving a second user input adding a user-selected first media listing to a user-selected first niche hub of the plurality of niche hubs;
- in response to the second user input, updating the first niche hub to include the first media listing;
- receiving a third user input adding a user-selected second media listing to a user-selected second niche hub of the plurality of niche hubs;
- in response to the third user input, updating the second niche hub to include the second media listing;
- receiving a fourth user input selecting either the first niche hub or the second niche hub;
- and
- in response to the fourth user input selecting either the first niche hub or the second niche hub, generating for display, on the display screen, media listings in the selected niche hub.
A system for personalizing an interactive media guide, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:
- receive a first user input selecting a profile graphic generated for display on a display screen;
- in response to the first user input, retrieve a personal profile associated with a plurality of niche hubs, wherein each niche hub of the plurality of niche hubs is associated with a user interest;
- generate for display, on the display screen, a plurality of hub graphics associated with the personal profile, wherein each of the plurality of hub graphics is associated with one of the plurality of niche hubs;
- receive a second user input adding a user-selected first media listing to a user-selected first niche hub of the plurality of niche hubs;
- in response to the second user input, update the first niche hub to include the first media listing;
- receive a third user input adding a user-selected second media listing to a user-selected second niche hub of the plurality of niche hubs;
- in response to the third user input, update the second niche hub to include the second media listing;
- receive a fourth user input selecting either the first niche hub or the second niche hub;
- and
- in response to the fourth user input selecting either the first niche hub or the second niche hub, generate for display, on the display screen, media listings in the selected niche hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.