System for collecting television program data

Abstract

A system for collecting program data from television systems is provided. The program data is collected at a main facility that distributes the program data to television distribution facilities for use in passive or interactive electronic television program guides. The system allows personnel at television station office computers to access a database of program data maintained at the main facility and to construct program schedules electronically using this database. The system error checks the program schedules in real time as they are constructed. The system allows reports, such as ad trafficking reports for use by television station personnel, to be generated based on the program schedule of a given television system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for error-checking program data over a data network, comprising: 
 a database of program data;    a plurality of television system computers where program schedules are constructed, wherein the program schedules are constructed using the program data from the database, and wherein at least one of the television system computers is configured to check the program schedules in real-time during the construction.    
     
     
         2 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein at least one of the television system computers is configured to enable personnel to construct the program schedules using a graphic user interface.  
     
     
         3 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein the television system computers are configured to check for program data errors.  
     
     
         4 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, and wherein the television system computers are configured to check for overlaps in adjacent grid cells.  
     
     
         5 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, and wherein the television system computers are configured to check for duplicate program data entries in adjacent grid cells.  
     
     
         6 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, and wherein the television system computers are configured to check for time gaps between program data entries in different grid cells.  
     
     
         7 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein the database is part of a main facility.  
     
     
         8 . The system defined in    claim 1   , further comprising multiple television distribution facilities, wherein the database provides program data to the multiple television distribution facilities.  
     
     
         9 . The system defined in    claim 1   , wherein the television system computers submit the constructed program schedules to the database.  
     
     
         10 . A method for error-checking program data over a data network, comprising: 
 maintaining a database of program data;    using a plurality of television system computers to construct program schedules, wherein the program schedules are constructed using the program data from the database, and wherein at least one of the television system computers is configured to check the program schedules in real-time during the construction.    
     
     
         11 . The method defined in    claim 10   , further comprising configuring at least one of the television system computers to enable personnel to construct the program schedules using a graphic user interface.  
     
     
         12 . The method defined in    claim 10   , further comprising configuring the television system computers to check for program data errors.  
     
     
         13 . The method defined in    claim 10   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising error-checking the program schedules for overlaps in adjacent grid cells.  
     
     
         14 . The method defined in    claim 10   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising error-checking the program schedules for duplicate program data entries in adjacent grid cells.  
     
     
         15 . The method defined in    claim 10   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising error-checking the program schedules for time gaps between program data entries in different grid cells.  
     
     
         16 . The method defined in    claim 10   , wherein maintaining the database comprises maintaining the database at a main facility.  
     
     
         17 . The method defined in    claim 10   , further comprising having the database provide program data to multiple television distribution facilities.  
     
     
         18 . The method defined in    claim 10   , further comprising submitting the constructed program schedules from the television system computers to the database.  
     
     
         19 . A method for electronically collecting program data over a data network, comprising: 
 using a database of program data that is provided to at least one facility for use in a program guide; and    constructing program schedules for submission to the database at a plurality of television system computers by accessing program data in the database over the data network.    
     
     
         20 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising constructing the program schedules from schedules that are preloaded with program data.  
     
     
         21 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising error-checking the program schedules in real-time as they are constructed.  
     
     
         22 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising error-checking the program schedules in real-time for overlaps in adjacent grid cells.  
     
     
         23 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising error-checking the program schedules in real-time for duplicate program data entries in adjacent grid cells.  
     
     
         24 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising error-checking the program schedules in real-time for time gaps between program data entries in different grid cells.  
     
     
         25 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein accessing program data over the data network comprises accessing program data over the Internet.  
     
     
         26 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising submitting constructed program schedules to the database.  
     
     
         27 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising collecting program data at the database that is submitted by a plurality of the television system computers.  
     
     
         28 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising using cable system office computers as at least some of the television system computers.  
     
     
         29 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising using broadcast television system office computers as at least some of the television system computers.  
     
     
         30 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising using satellite television system office computers as at least some of the television system computers.  
     
     
         31 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising transmitting the program data to the television systems via satellite.  
     
     
         32 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising using a television distribution facility as at least one of the facilities.  
     
     
         33 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising constructing program schedules using program lists that contain program titles obtained from the database that are selected from the television system computers.  
     
     
         34 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising constructing program schedules using program lists that contain program titles obtained from the database that are selected from the television system computers and that contain summary information associated with selected program titles.  
     
     
         35 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising electronically generating reports based on the program schedule for a given television system.  
     
     
         36 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising electronically generating ad trafficking reports based on the program schedule for a given television system.  
     
     
         37 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising constructing the program schedules by entering pay-per-view program data.  
     
     
         38 . The method defined in    claim 19   , further comprising constructing the program schedules by accessing pay-per-view program data in the database.  
     
     
         39 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising erasing the program data from a selected grid cell.  
     
     
         40 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein the program schedules contain grid cells, the method further comprising adding program data to a selected grid cell.  
     
     
         41 . The method defined in    claim 19   , wherein using a database comprises using a database located at a main facility.