Series reminders and series recording from an interactive television program guide

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. In addition, other options may be provided that allow the user to determine, for example, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all channels on which the program airs or only on a selected channels, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for all episodes including reruns or only new episodes, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for network or syndicated episodes, and whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all days or only on selected days of the week. Before the scheduled broadcast time of each episode of each selected program series, the system sends a reminder message to the user that reminds the user of the program episode or sends a record command to a videocassette recorder to initiate recording of the episode. The system allows a user to view a list of all currently requested program reminders and scheduled program recordings. The user may update, change, or cancel any entry in either list or the system may automatically update the lists to match new broadcast schedule information. If the user sets a reminder or schedules a recording that conflicts with an existing reminder or recording, the system may inform the user of the conflict and allow the user to resolve the conflict or the system may resolve the conflict.

1 - 126 . (canceled)  
     
     
         127 . A method for displaying television programs on user television equipment of a plurality of users, comprising the steps of: 
 storing program listings for television programs associated with a plurality of television channels;    allowing a user to schedule a recording of a television program;    identifying a series of television programs associated with the television program scheduled for recording from the stored program listings; and    allowing the user to schedule a recording of a subset of the series of television programs, wherein the subset includes a plurality of television programs selected from the series of television programs based on a combination of criteria supplied by the user.    
     
     
         128 . (canceled)  
     
     
         129 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of recording on a server.  
     
     
         130 . (canceled)  
     
     
         131 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of selecting a television program.  
     
     
         132 - 134 . (canceled)  
     
     
         135 . The method defined in  claim 131  further comprising the step of displaying a recording options screen on the user television equipment when the user selects the television program.  
     
     
         136 . The method defined in  claim 135  further comprising the step of displaying recording options on the recording options screen.  
     
     
         137 . (canceled)  
     
     
         138 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for a single episode of a series.  
     
     
         139 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on specific channels on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         140 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on all channels on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         141 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on specific days of the week on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         142 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on all days of the week on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         143 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for first-run broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         144 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for rerun broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         145 . (canceled)  
     
     
         146 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for syndicated broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         147 . (canceled)  
     
     
         148 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying an option to schedule a recording for all rerun, first-run, network, syndicated, and previously unrecorded broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         149 - 153 . (canceled)  
     
     
         154 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying a program recording update screen.  
     
     
         155 . The method defined in  claim 131  wherein the step of selecting a television program further comprises the step of displaying a program recording update screen.  
     
     
         156 . (canceled)  
     
     
         157 . The method defined in  claim 154  further comprising the step of deleting a scheduled recording.  
     
     
         158 . The method defined in  claim 154  further comprising the step of updating a scheduled recording.  
     
     
         159 . The method defined in  claim 157  further comprising the step of deleting a single episode scheduled recording.  
     
     
         160 . The method defined in  claim 157  further comprising the step of deleting an entire series scheduled recording.  
     
     
         161 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of displaying conflicting recordings.  
     
     
         162 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of not displaying conflicting recordings if the system supports simultaneous recordings.  
     
     
         163 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of allowing the user to resolve conflicts between scheduled recordings.  
     
     
         164 . The method defined in  claim 127  further comprising the step of allowing the system to resolve conflicts between scheduled recordings.  
     
     
         165 - 209 . (canceled)  
     
     
         210 . A system in which television programs are displayed on user television equipment of a plurality of users comprising: 
 a television distribution facility configured to provide the television programs;    user television equipment that receives the television programs from the television distribution facility, wherein the user television equipment and television distribution facility are configured to: 
 store program listings for television programs associated with a plurality of television channels;  
 allow a user to schedule a recording of a television program;  
   identify a series of television programs associated with the television program scheduled for recording from the stored program listings; and    allow the user to schedule a recording of a subset of the series of television programs, wherein the subset includes a plurality of television programs selected from the series of television programs based on a combination of criteria supplied by the user.    
     
     
         211 . (canceled)  
     
     
         212 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to record using a server.  
     
     
         213 - 214 . (canceled)  
     
     
         215 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to allow the user to select a television program.  
     
     
         216 - 218 . (canceled)  
     
     
         219 . The system defined in  claim 215  further configured to display a recording options screen on the user television equipment when the user selects the television program.  
     
     
         220 . The system defined in  claim 219  further configured to display recording options on the recording options screen.  
     
     
         221 . (canceled)  
     
     
         222 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for a single episode of a series.  
     
     
         223 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on specific channels on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         224 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on all channels on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         225 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on specific days of the week on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         226 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for given programs which are part of the series on all days of the week on which the program is to be broadcast.  
     
     
         227 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for first-run broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         228 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for rerun broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         229 . (canceled)  
     
     
         230 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for syndicated broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         231 . (canceled)  
     
     
         232 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display an option to schedule a recording for all rerun, first-run, network, syndicated, and previously unrecorded broadcasts of given programs which are part of the series.  
     
     
         233 - 237 . (canceled)  
     
     
         238 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display a program recording update screen.  
     
     
         239 . The system defined in  claim 215  further configured to display a program recording update screen.  
     
     
         240 . (canceled)  
     
     
         241 . The system defined in  claim 238  further configured to allow the user to delete a scheduled recording.  
     
     
         242 . The system defined in  claim 238  further configured to allow the user to update a scheduled recording.  
     
     
         243 . The system defined in  claim 241  further configured to allow the user to delete a single episode scheduled recording.  
     
     
         244 . The system defined in  claim 241  further configured to allow the user to delete an entire series scheduled recording.  
     
     
         245 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to display conflicting recordings.  
     
     
         246 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured not to display conflicting recordings if the system supports simultaneous recordings.  
     
     
         247 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to allow the user to resolve conflicts between scheduled recordings.  
     
     
         248 . The system defined in  claim 210  further configured to allow the system to resolve conflict between scheduled recordings.  
     
     
         249 - 254 . (canceled)