Intelligent electronic program guide

Abstract

A subscriber unit for use in a television system including a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the subscriber unit including a receiving unit for receiving the program schedule information from said television network, an icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide including an icon-based hierarchical program guide including the program schedule information, and display apparatus for displaying the program guide, the icon-based hierarchical program guide including a plurality of hierarchically-arranged screens each including at least one icon. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A television system comprising: 
 a television network; and    transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, at least one of said multiplicity of subscriber units including: 
 a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information from said television network;  
 a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;  
 an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and  
 display apparatus for displaying the program guide.  
   
     
     
         2 . A subscriber unit for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the subscriber unit comprising: 
 a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information;    a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;    an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and    display apparatus for displaying the program guide.    
     
     
         3 . A television system comprising: 
 a television network; and    transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the transmitting apparatus comprising a headend, the headend including: 
 a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and  
 an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information,  
   wherein said transmitting apparatus is operative to transmit the customized program schedule information to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, and    at least one of said multiplicity of subscriber units includes: 
 a receiving unit for receiving said customized program schedule information from said television network; and  
 display apparatus for displaying a program guide comprising the customized program schedule information.  
   
     
     
         4 . A headend for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information to at least one subscriber unit, the headend comprising: 
 a profile storage unit for storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with said at least one subscriber unit; and    an intelligent agent for customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information.    
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said transmitting apparatus comprises network transmitting apparatus for transmitting over said television network.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said transmitting apparatus comprises: 
 recording apparatus for recording information on a removable medium; and    means for sending said removable medium to a subscriber location comprising said subscriber unit,    and said subscriber unit includes loading apparatus for loading said information from said removable medium into said subscriber unit.    
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said intelligent agent also comprises profile determination apparatus for determining viewer preference profile information for at least one television viewer and for providing said viewer preference profile information to said profile storage unit for storage as a viewer preference profile, 
 wherein said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information by monitoring television viewing behavior of said at least one television viewer.    
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  and wherein said television viewing behavior comprises viewing at least a portion of at least one viewed television program.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8  and wherein said television viewing behavior comprises said television viewer viewing only a portion of at least one viewed television program.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9  and wherein said profile determination apparatus compares a length of said portion of said at least one viewed television program to a predetermined viewing threshold length to determine whether said length is greater than said threshold length, and 
 wherein said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information based, at least in part, on whether said length is greater than said threshold length.  
 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10  and wherein, when said length is determined to be less than said threshold length, said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information without regard to said viewing only a portion of said at least one television program.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 10  and wherein, when said portion is determined to be less than said threshold, said profile determination apparatus determines that said viewer is engaged in channel surfing behavior, and 
 said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information based, at least in part, on said channel surfing behavior.  
 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to any of claims  7 - 12  and wherein said program schedule information comprises a first plurality of criteria, at least one of said first plurality of criteria being associated with each of a second plurality of television programs, and 
 said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information based, at least in part, on at least one of said plurality of criteria associated with said at least one viewed television program.  
 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to any of claims  7 - 13  and wherein said profile determination apparatus determines said viewer preference profile information, at least in part, in accordance with input provided by said at least one television viewer.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to any of claims  7 - 14  and wherein said profile determination apparatus determines viewer preference profile information from a reaction of said at least one television viewer to previously displayed customized program schedule information.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein each said viewer preference profile comprises a viewer preference profile of exactly one viewer.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to any of claims  1 - 15  and wherein at least one said viewer preference profile comprises a viewer preference profile of a plurality of viewers.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to any of the above claims and also comprising viewer preference profile loading apparatus for providing a recorded viewer preference profile to the profile storage unit for storage.  
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said viewer preference profile loading apparatus receives said recorded viewer preference profile via said television network.  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to either  claim 18  or  claim 19  and wherein said viewer preference profile loading apparatus receives said viewer preference profile from profile storage apparatus located remotely thereto.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises emphasizing at least a portion of said customized program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.  
     
     
         22 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises deemphasizing at least a portion of said customized program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.  
     
     
         23 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises tailoring a custom channel based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.  
     
     
         24 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises automatically tuning to a program selected based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.  
     
     
         25 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises automatically recording, on recording apparatus, a program selected based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.  
     
     
         26 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said customizing comprises ordering at least some of said customized program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.  
     
     
         27 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said display apparatus is operative to display an on-screen alert comprising at least part of said customized program schedule information.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus according to  claim 27  and wherein said alert comprises an unsolicited alert.  
     
     
         29 . Apparatus according to  claim 28  and wherein said unsolicited alert comprises audience viewing information comprising an indication of a proportion of an audience currently viewing a program.  
     
     
         30 . Apparatus according to  claim 29  and wherein said program comprises a program currently being viewed by a viewer.  
     
     
         31 . Apparatus according to  claim 29  and wherein said program comprises a program not currently being viewed by a viewer.  
     
     
         32 . Apparatus according to either  claim 27  or  claim 28  and wherein said display apparatus displays said on-screen alert a predetermined period of time before a scheduled starting time of a television program, said at least part of said customized program schedule information comprising information associated with said television program.  
     
     
         33 . Apparatus according to any of the above claims and wherein said customizing comprises displaying an indication of a proportion of an audience currently viewing a program.  
     
     
         34 . Apparatus according to  claim 33  and wherein said proportion of an audience comprises a proportion of an audience viewing a program currently being viewed by a viewer.  
     
     
         35 . Apparatus according to  claim 33  and wherein said proportion of an audience comprises a proportion of an audience viewing a program not currently being viewed by a viewer.  
     
     
         36 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said display apparatus comprises an icon-based guide generator for producing an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information, and the program guide comprises the icon-based hierarchical program guide.  
     
     
         37 . A television system comprising: 
 a television network; and    transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber unit including: 
 a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information from said television network;  
 an icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and  
 display apparatus for displaying said program guide.  
   
     
     
         38 . A subscriber unit for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the subscriber unit comprising: 
 a receiving unit for receiving said program schedule information from said television network;    an icon-based guide generator for producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and    display apparatus for displaying said program guide.    
     
     
         39 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system, the method comprising: 
 providing a television network; and    transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber unit performing the following steps: 
 receiving said program schedule information from said television network;  
 storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;  
 employing an intelligent agent to customize said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and  
 displaying the program guide.  
   
     
     
         40 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the method comprising: 
 receiving said program schedule information;    storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer;    employing an intelligent agent to customize said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce a program guide comprising customized program schedule information; and    displaying the program guide.    
     
     
         41 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system, the method comprising: 
 providing a television network; and    transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units,    wherein the step of transmitting comprises: 
 storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units;  
 employing an intelligent agent to customize said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information;  
 transmitting the customized program schedule information to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units;  
 receiving, at said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, said customized program schedule information from said television network; and  
 displaying a program guide comprising the customized program schedule information.  
   
     
     
         42 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information, the method comprising: 
 storing at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and    customizing said program schedule information based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile, to produce customized program schedule information.    
     
     
         43 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system, the method comprising: 
 providing a television network; and    transmitting program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, each subscriber unit performing the following steps: 
 receiving said program schedule information;  
 producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and  
 displaying said program guide.  
   
     
     
         44 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting program schedule information, the method comprising: 
 receiving said program schedule information;    producing a program guide comprising an icon-based hierarchical program guide comprising said program schedule information; and    displaying said program guide.    
     
     
         45 . A headend for use in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the transmitting apparatus comprising the headend, the headend comprising: 
 a profile creation unit for creating at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and    a transmission unit for transmitting said at least one viewer preference profile to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units.    
     
     
         46 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting customized program schedule information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the method comprising: 
 creating at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units; and    transmitting said at least one viewer preference profile to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units.    
     
     
         47 . A method for providing a viewer preference profile in a television system comprising a plurality of subscriber units, the method comprising: 
 recording, at a first subscriber unit, a viewer preference profile on a removable medium;    loading, at a second subscriber unit, said viewer preference profile from said recording medium; and    customizing a program guide, at said second subscriber unit, based, at least in part, on said viewer preference profile.    
     
     
         48 . A method for providing audience information to a viewer of a television system, the method comprising: 
 collecting viewing data from a multiplicity of viewers of a television system;    computing audience information from the collected viewing data; and    transmitting the computed audience information to a viewer of the television system.    
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 48  and also comprising: 
 displaying the computed audience information to the viewer of the television system.  
 
     
     
         50 . A method according to either  claim 48  or  claim 49  and wherein the computed audience information comprises real-time computed audience information.  
     
     
         51 . A method for providing a program guide in a television system comprising a television network and transmitting apparatus for transmitting information to a multiplicity of subscriber units, the method comprising: 
 creating at least one viewer preference profile of at least one television viewer associated with one of said multiplicity of subscriber units, based on viewer information associated with said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units;    creating a customized program guide based, at least in part, on said at least one viewer preference profile; and    transmitting said customized program guide to said one of said multiplicity of subscriber units.    
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 51  and wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting via at least one of the following: 
 conventional mail;  
 electronic mail;  
 provision of a World Wide Web site comprising said customized program guide; and  
 wireless transmission to a portable electronic receiving device.  
 
     
     
         53 . Apparatus according to any of claims  36 - 38  and wherein said icon-based hierarchical program guide comprises a plurality of icons, and 
 at least one of said plurality of icons is associated with additional information, said additional information being provided to a user upon request.  
 
     
     
         54 . Apparatus according to  claim 53  and wherein said additional information comprises at least one of the following: audio material; visual material; audio-visual material; multimedia material; a computer program; and at least one preview of at least one program.  
     
     
         55 . Apparatus according to either  claim 53  or  claim 54  and wherein said additional information comprises a plurality of customized items of information, and 
 at least one of said plurality of customized items of information is provided to said user based, at least in part, on at least one of the following: a user preference; a conditional access parameter; and a region in which said user is located.