Methods and systems for notifying clients concerning electronic presentations

Abstract

Methods and systems for enabling users to register for notifications pertaining to electronic presentations of interest are described. The inventive methods and systems enable users to monitor many different electronic presentations without physically connecting to them for continuous play. Users can opt to monitor for the occurrence of an electronic presentation itself, or for events that might occur within various electronic presentations. The events can be monitored live through the use of meta information that is generated as the electronic broadcast is about to be, or is being broadcast. The meta information can be generated manually or automatically.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving source information from at least one source of one or more television programs, the source information describing one or more broadcast events that can occur during a time period within which television programs are broadcast;    evaluating the source information against user information that gives an indication of broadcast events that are of interest to a user; and    making one or more broadcast events available to one or more users if, as a result of said evaluating, it appears that the one or more users would be interested in said one or more broadcast events.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more broadcast events do not pertain to information associated with the television programs.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of making comprises displaying one or more broadcast events for a user.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of making comprises recording one or more broadcast events for a user.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said acts are performed by a television set.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said acts are performed by a set-top box.  
     
     
         7 . A method comprising: 
 receiving source information from at least one source of one or more television programs, the source information describing one or more broadcast events that can occur during a time period within which the television programs are broadcast;    evaluating the source information against user information that gives an indication of broadcast events that are of interest to a user; and    making one or more broadcast events available to one or more users if, as a result of said evaluating, it appears that the one or more users would be interested in said one or more broadcast events, said act of making being performed independent of whether a user is operating a television on which the television programs can be played.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one or more broadcast events do not pertain to information associated with the television programs.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said act of making comprises recording one or more broadcast events for a user.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said acts are performed by a television set.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said acts are performed by a set-top box.  
     
     
         12 . A method comprising: 
 receiving user information from a user, the user information describing one or more broadcast events that can occur during a time period in which television programs are broadcast;    receiving source information from one or more sources of television programs;    evaluating the source information to determine whether any of the one or more broadcast events that have been specified by a user occur; and    if one or more broadcast events occur, making an occurring broadcast event available for a user to watch.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said act of making comprises generating and sending a notification to the user.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said act of making comprises recording an occurring broadcast event.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making occur independent of whether a television on which programs can be played is turned on for playing programs.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making are performed by a television.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said acts of receiving, evaluating and making are performed by a set top box.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making are performed relative to a television program that the user is not currently watching.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making are performed relative to a television program that the user is not currently watching and during a time period when a different television program is playing on a television.  
     
     
         20 . A method comprising: 
 receiving source information from at least one source of one or more television programs, the source information describing one or more subjects that can occur during a time period within which the television programs are broadcast;    evaluating the source information against user information that gives an indication of subjects that are of interest to a user; and    making one or more subjects available to one or more users if, as a result of said evaluating, it appears that the one or more users would be interested in said one or more subjects.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said one or more subjects do not pertain to subjects presented in the television programs.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said one or more subjects comprise subjects presented outside of the television programs.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said act of making comprises displaying information associated with one or more subjects for a user.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said act of making comprises recording information associated with one or more subjects for a user.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said acts are performed by a television set.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said acts are performed by a set-top box.  
     
     
         27 . A method comprising: 
 receiving source information from at least one source of one or more television programs, the source information describing one or more subjects that can occur during a time period within which the television programs are broadcast;    evaluating the source information against user information that gives an indication of subjects that are of interest to a user; and    making one or more subjects available to one or more users if, as a result of said evaluating, it appears that the one or more users would be interested in said one or more subjects, said act of making being performed independent of whether a user is watching a television program as it is being broadcast.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said one or more subjects do not pertain to information presented by the television program.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said act of making comprises recording information associated with one or more subjects for a user.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said acts are performed by a television set.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said acts are performed by a set-top box.  
     
     
         32 . A method comprising: 
 receiving user information from a user, the user information describing one or more subjects that can occur during a time period in which television programs are broadcast;    receiving source information from a source of television programs;    evaluating the source information to determine whether any of the one or more subjects that have been specified by a user occur; and    in an event one or more subjects occur, making information associated with an occurring subject available for a user to watch.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said act of making comprises generating and sending a notification to the user.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said act of making comprises recording information associated with said one or more subjects.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making occur independent of whether a user is watching television programs.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making are performed by a television.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said acts of receiving, evaluating and making are performed by a set top box.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making are performed relative to a television program that the user is not currently watching.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said acts of receiving source information, evaluating and making are performed relative to a television program that the user is not currently watching and during a time period when a different television program is running on a television.