Interactive television program guide system having multiple devices within a household

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. The system coordinates the operation of the interactive television program guides so that the program guide settings that were adjusted with the given interactive television program guide are used by the other interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc. The operation of applications such as web browser applications, home shopping applications, home banking applications, game applications, etc. may also be coordinated.

1 - 94 . (canceled)  
     
     
         95 . A method for using an interactive television program guide system based on a plurality of user television equipment devices located in a single household on which a plurality of interactive television program guides are accessible, wherein the user television equipment devices are interconnected by communications paths and wherein at least one of the television equipment devices comprises a recording device, the method comprising: 
 providing an opportunity for a user to select a program for recording on a first interactive television program guide associated with a first user television equipment device, wherein the first user television device is located at a first location in the household; and    recording the selected program on the recording device, wherein the recording device is associated with a second user television equipment device, and wherein the second user television equipment device is located at a second location within the household that is different from the first location.    
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the recording device is a videocassette recorder.  
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the recording device is a personal video recorder.  
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the recording device is associated with a second interactive television program guide.  
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising: 
 allowing the user to select from a plurality of recording devices, wherein:    each of the plurality of recording devices is associated with at least one of a plurality of user television equipment devices that are located at locations within the household that are different from the first location; and    recording the selected program on the selected recording device.    
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein at least one of the plurality of recording devices is associated with an interactive television program guide.  
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein one of the user television equipment devices comprises a set-top box and at least a television and the other user television equipment device comprises a television but not a set-top box.  
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 101 , wherein the set-top box comprises an embedded hard disk and wherein recording the selecting program comprises using the hard disk.  
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the selected program is recorded at a future time.  
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the selected program comprises a series of programs.  
     
     
         105 . An interactive television program guide system based on a plurality of user television equipment devices located in a single household on which a plurality of interactive television program guides are accessible, wherein the user television equipment devices are interconnected by communications paths and wherein at least one of the television equipment devices comprises a recording device, wherein: 
 a first user television equipment device is configured to provide a user with an opportunity to select a program for recording on a first interactive television program guide associated with the first user television equipment device, wherein the first user television device is located at a first location within the household; and    a second user television device is configured to record the selected program on the recording device, wherein the recording device is associated with the second user television equipment device and wherein the second user television device is located at a second location in the household that is different from the first location.    
     
     
         106 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein the recording device is a videocassette recorder.  
     
     
         107 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein the recording device is a personal video recorder.  
     
     
         108 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein the recording device is associated with a second interactive television program guide.  
     
     
         109 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein: 
 the first interactive television progam guide is configured to allow the user to select from a plurality of recording devices, wherein each of the plurality of recording devices is associated with at least one of a plurality of user television equipment devices that are in locations in the household that are different from the first location.    
     
     
         110 . The system of  claim 109  wherein at least one of the plurality of recording devices is associated with an interactive television program guide.  
     
     
         111 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein one of the user television equipment devices comprises a set-top box and at least a television and the other user television equipment device comprises a television but not a set-top box.  
     
     
         112 . The system of  claim 111 , wherein the set-top box comprises an embedded hard disk and wherein the second user television device is configured to record the selected program using the hard disk.  
     
     
         113 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein the selected program is recorded at a future time.  
     
     
         114 . The system of  claim 105 , wherein the selected program comprises a series of programs.  
     
     
         115 . Machine-readable media for using an interactive television program guide system based on a plurality of user television equipment devices located in a single household on which a plurality of interactive television program guides are accessible, wherein the user television equipment devices are interconnected by communications paths and wherein at least one of the television equipment devices comprises a recording device, the machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions encoded thereon for: 
 providing an opportunity for a user to select a program for recording on a first interactive television program guide associated with a first user television equipment device, wherein the first user television device is located at a first location in the household; and    recording the selected program on the recording device, wherein the recording device is associated with a second user television equipment device, and wherein the second user television equipment device is located at a second location within the household that is different from the first location.    
     
     
         116 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , wherein the recording device is a videocassette recorder.  
     
     
         117 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , wherein the recording device is a personal video recorder.  
     
     
         118 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , wherein the recording device is associated with a second interactive television program guide.  
     
     
         119 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for: 
 allowing the user to select from a plurality of recording devices, wherein:    each of the plurality of recording devices is associated with at least one of a plurality of user television equipment devices that are located at locations within the household that are different from the first location; and    recording the selected program on the selected recording device.    
     
     
         120 . The machine-readable media of  claim 99 , wherein at least one of the plurality of recording devices is associated with an interactive television program guide.  
     
     
         121 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , wherein one of the user television equipment devices comprises a set-top box and at least a television and the other user television equipment device comprises a television but not a set-top box.  
     
     
         122 . The machine-readable media of  claim 101 , wherein the set-top box comprises an embedded hard disk and wherein recording the selecting program comprises using the hard disk.  
     
     
         123 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , wherein the selected program is recorded at a future time.  
     
     
         124 . The machine-readable media of  claim 95 , wherein the selected program comprises a series of programs.