System and method to facilitate selection and programming of an associated audio/visual system

Abstract

A system and method to facilitate selection and programming of at least one of audio and visual program are disclosed. A first computer is operative to connect to a second computer for filtering through a plurality of audio and/or visual programs based on selection criteria to provide a filtered representation of programs. A program from the filtered representation of programs may be selected at the first computer so as to cause a token indicative of the selected program to be assigned to a recipient operative to receive the token. The recipient may be a user at the first computer, a third computer, or an entertainment appliance. The token represents the selected program with sufficient particularity to program an entertainment system based on the token to record the program represented by the token.

1 . A system to facilitate selection of at least one of an audio and visual program, comprising: 
 a first computer that connects to a second computer for filtering through a plurality of at least one of audio and visual programs based on selection criteria to provide a filtered representation of programs;    wherein a program from the filtered representation of programs is selectable at the first computer so as to cause a token indicative of the selected program to be sent to a recipient, the token representing the selected program with sufficient particularity to enable the recipient to program a recording system based on the associated token to record the program represented by the token.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first computer provides a signal to the second computer for selecting at least one program from the filtered representation of programs, at least one token for the selected at least one program being sent to the recipient in response to initiating a send process at the second computer.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the token is sent to the recipient as part of a message.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the message is a text email message, the token is associated with the email message.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the token is an attachment to the email message.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first computer is a server having an associated database including at least some of the plurality of programs, the server searching providing results including the programs substantially matching the selection criteria.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the token includes a universal program identifier for the program.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection criteria is provided at the first computer and employed by the second computer to provide the filtered representation of programs.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selection criteria is established at the second computer and employed to provide the filtered representation of programs.  
   
   
       10 . A system to facilitate selection of at least one of an audio and visual program, comprising: 
 a first computer programmed provide a first signal to a second computer for instructing the second computer to sort through information related to a plurality of at least one of audio and visual programs, the first computer receiving a second signal from the second computer indicative of a filtered representation of programs, the first computer providing a third signal to the second computer for causing a message having an associated token to be sent to a recipient;    wherein the token represents at least one of an audio and visual program of the filtered representation of programs so as to enable the recipient thereof to program a recording system based on the associated token to record the program represented by the token.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first computer sends a fourth signal to the second computer for selecting a program from the filtered representation of programs, the token representing the selected program.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the message is a text email message, the token is associated with the email message.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the token is an attachment of the email message.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first signal further includes computer executable instructions for instructing the second computer to provide the filtered representation of programs based on program criteria stored at the second computer.  
   
   
       15 . A computer implemented method that facilitates programming of an associated device, the method comprising: 
 selecting at a remote computer a program from program information provided by a server system identifying at least one of an audio and visual program; and    sending a message to a recipient, the message having a token that represents the selected program with sufficient particularity to program a recording system based on the token to record the program represented by the token.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further including filtering through the program information based on selection criteria provided from the remote computer.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the selected program is selected from the filtered information.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising receiving a message at the remote computer having the requested token in response to the request.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising filtering through information in response to a request from the remote computer to provide a filtered representation of at least one of an audio and visual program; and 
 sending to a recipient a message having an associated token based on the filtered representation, the token including program criteria sufficient to program a recording system based on the token to record a predetermined program represented by the token.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  having further comprising selecting a program from the filtered representation, the token representing the selected program.