Home entertainment system and method of its operation

Abstract

An EPG database for a home entertainment system includes files that contain information about television programs retrievable by time and channel. The files are linked to each other so information about, a future television program can be obtained by accessing a file about a current television program. A current television program displayed on the screen of a home entertainment system includes an announcement or advertisement of a future television program. The availability of an electronic program guide function (e.g., record, watch, details, display time, display channel, display by theme, and Internet connection) is signaled during, before, or after the announcement. A command is issued to invoke the EPG function. The information about the future television program is retrieved from the file about the current television program in fee database. The EPG function is executed with the retrieved information. As a result, an EPG function can be performed with respect to a future television program without embedding information about the future television program in the television signal.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of activating a function to be performed in relation to media assets, the method comprising:
 generating for display a first media asset;   prompting the user, while the first media asset is being generated for display, whether to activate the function in relation to a series of media assets to which the first media asset belongs;   receiving, while the first media asset continues to be generated for display, a user selection to activate the function in relation to the series of media assets; and   activating the function in relation to the series of media assets in response to the user selection.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein activating the function in relation to the series of media assets comprises scheduling the series of media assets for recording. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein activating the function in relation to the series of media assets comprises generating for display a synopsis associated with a selected media asset in the series of media assets. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the user selection is a first user selection and the prompting is performed in response to receiving a second user selection to activate the function in relation to the first media asset. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory, schedule information associated with each media asset in the series of media assets to which the first media asset belongs; and   linking, in the memory, the schedule information associated with the first media asset to the schedule information associated with other media assets in the series of media assets such that the schedule information associated with the other media assets can be retrieved by accessing the schedule information associated with the first media asset.   
     
     
         17 . A method of activating a function to be performed in relation to media assets, the method comprising:
 generating for display, during the display of a first media asset, an announcement or advertisement of a second media asset and an indication of the availability of activating the function in relation to a series of media assets to which the second media asset belongs;   in response to the indication, receiving a user selection to activate the function in relation to the series of media assets; and   activating the function in relation to the series of media assets in response to the user selection.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein activating the function in relation to the media assets comprises scheduling the series of media assets for recording. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein activating the function in relation to the series of media assets comprises generating for display a synopsis associated with a selected media asset in the series of media assets. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the user selection is a first user selection; and   the indication of the availability of activating the function in relation to the series of media assets is generated for display in response to receiving a second user selection to activate the function in relation to the second media asset.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory, schedule information associated with each media asset in the series of media assets to which the second media asset belongs; and   linking, in the memory, the scheduling information associated with the second media asset to the schedule information associated with other media assets in the series of media assets such that the schedule information associated with the other media assets can be retrieved by accessing the scheduling information associated with the second media asset.   
     
     
         22 . A system for activating a function to be performed in relation to media assets, the system comprising:
 a display processor configured to generate for display a first media asset; and   control circuitry configured to:
 prompt the user, while the first media asset is being generated for display, whether to activate the function in relation to a series of media assets to which the first media asset belongs; 
 receive, while the first media asset continues to be generated for display, a user selection to activate the function in relation to the series of media assets; and 
 activate the function in relation to the series of media assets in response to the user selection. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the function is activated in relation to the series of media assets by configuring the control circuitry to:
 schedule the series of media assets for recording.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the function is activated in relation to the series of media assets by configuring the control circuitry to:
 generate for display a synopsis associated with a selected media asset in the series of media assets.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the user selection is a first user selection and the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a second user selection to activate the function in relation to the first media asset; and   in response to receiving the second user selection, prompt the user, while the first media asset is being generated for display, whether to activate the function in relation to a series of media assets to which the first media asset belongs.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising a memory configured to:
 store schedule information associated with each media asset in the series of media assets to which the first media asset belongs; and   link the schedule information associated with the first media asset to the schedule information associated with other media assets in the series of media assets such that the schedule information associated with the other media assets can be retrieved by accessing the schedule information associated with the first media asset.   
     
     
         27 . A system for activating a function to be performed in relation to media assets, the system comprising:
 a display processor configured to generate for display, during the display of a first media asset, an announcement or advertisement of a second media asset and an indication of the availability of activating the function in relation to a series of media assets to which the second media asset belongs; and   control circuitry configured to:
 receive a user selection, in response to the indication, to activate the function in relation to the series of media assets; and 
 activate the function in relation to the series of media assets in response to the user selection. 
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the function is activated in relation to the series of media assets by configuring the control circuitry to:
 schedule the series of media assets for recording.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the function is activated in relation to the series of media assets by configuring the control circuitry to:
 generate for display a synopsis associated with a selected media asset in the series of media assets.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the user selection is a first user selection; and   the display processor is further configured to generate for display the indication of the availability of activating the function in relation to the series of media assets in response to receiving a second user selection to activate the function in relation to the section media asset.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a memory configured to:
 store schedule information associated with each media asset in the series of media assets to which the second media asset belongs; and   link the scheduling information associated with the second media asset to the schedule information associated with other media assets in the series of media assets such that the schedule information associated with the other media assets can be retrieved by accessing the scheduling information associated with the second media asset.