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 method for constructing program schedules, the method comprising: 
 receiving program data from a remote source with a television system office computer;    automatically loading the program data into cells of a program schedule grid displayed using the television system office computer; and    editing the program data in response to personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving program data comprises receiving program titles.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving program data comprises receiving program summary information.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving program data comprises receiving program running times.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving program data comprises receiving program ratings.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving program data comprises receiving program data over the Internet.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein editing the program data comprises copying program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein editing the program data further comprises pasting the copied program data into a second cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein editing the program data comprises deleting program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein editing the program data further comprises undeleting the program data deleted from the cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising adding program data to a blank cell of the program schedule grid in response to the personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising searching for program data in the program schedule grid in response to the personnel accessing a search function using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising setting display preferences for the program schedule grid in accordance with inputs received from the personnel using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         14 . A system for constructing program schedules, the system comprising: 
 means for receiving program data from a remote source with a television system office computer;    means for automatically loading the program data into cells of a program schedule grid displayed using the television system office computer; and    means for editing the program data in response to personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for receiving program data comprises means for receiving program titles.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for receiving program data comprises means for receiving program summary information.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for receiving program data comprises means for receiving program running times.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for receiving program data comprises means for receiving program ratings.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for receiving program data comprises means for receiving program data over the Internet.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for editing the program data comprises means for copying program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the means for editing the program data further comprises means for pasting the copied program data into a second cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the means for editing the program data comprises deleting program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the means for editing the program data further comprises means for undeleting the program data deleted from the cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising means for adding program data to a blank cell of the program schedule grid in response to the personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising means for searching for program data in the program schedule grid in response to the personnel accessing a search function using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising means for setting display preferences for the program schedule grid in accordance with inputs received from the personnel using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         27 . Machine-readable media for use in constructing program schedules, wherein the machine-readable media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising: 
 receiving program data from a remote source with a television method office computer;    automatically loading the program data into cells of a program schedule grid displayed using the television system office computer; and    editing the program data in response to personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.    
     
     
         28 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for receiving program data comprises machine-readable instructions for receiving program titles.  
     
     
         29 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for receiving program data comprises machine-readable instructions for receiving program summary information.  
     
     
         30 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for receiving program data comprises machine-readable instructions for receiving program running times.  
     
     
         31 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for receiving program data comprises machine-readable instructions for receiving program ratings.  
     
     
         32 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for receiving program data comprises machine-readable instructions for receiving program data over the Internet.  
     
     
         33 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for editing the program data comprises machine-readable instructions for copying program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         34 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 33  wherein the machine-readable instructions for editing the program data further comprises machine-readable instructions for pasting the copied program data into a second cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         35 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  wherein the machine-readable instructions for editing the program data comprises machine-readable instructions for deleting program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         36 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 35  wherein the machine-readable instructions for editing the program data further comprises machine-readable instructions for undeleting the program data deleted from the cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         37 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  further encoded with machine-readable instructions for adding program data to a blank cell of the program schedule grid in response to the personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         38 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  further encoded with machine-readable instructions for searching for program data in the program schedule grid in response to the personnel accessing a search function using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         39 . The machine-readable media defined in  claim 27  further encoded with machine-readable instructions for setting display preferences for the program schedule grid in accordance with inputs received from the personnel using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         40 . A system for constructing program schedules, the system comprising: 
 a television system office computer configured to provide a program grid schedule grid, the program schedule grid having cells for automatically loading program data received by the television system office computer from a remote source, wherein the television system office computer is further configured to edit the program data in response to personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.    
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the program data received by the television system office computer comprises program titles.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the program data received by the television system office computer comprises program summary information.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the program data received by the television system office computer comprises program running times.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the program data received by the television system office computer comprises program ratings.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the program data received by the television system office computer comprises program data over the Internet.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the television system computer is configured to edit the program data by copying program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the television system computer is configured to edit the program data by pasting the copied program data into a second cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the television system computer is configured to edit the program data by deleting program data from a cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the television system computer is configured to edit the program data by undeleting the program data deleted from the cell of the program schedule grid.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the television system computer is further configured to add program data to a blank cell of the program schedule grid in response to the personnel interacting with the program schedule grid using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the television system computer is further configured to search for program data in the program schedule grid in response to the personnel accessing a search function using the television system office computer.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the television system computer is further configured to set display preferences for the program schedule grid in accordance with inputs received from the personnel using the television system office computer.