On-line schedule system with personalization features

Abstract

An on-line scheduling application allows users to personalize how television-related, entertainment-related, and social event related information is provided. Users may select one or more sources from which the information is obtained. Users may set up a date book that is also uses as a source. Users may select one or more delivery schemes that the application uses to provide the information. One or more of the personalization features of the scheduling application may be incorporated into an on-line television programming guide.

1 - 33 . (canceled)  
     
     
         34 . A method for providing a user with personalized schedule information for television-related and personal-related events, comprising: 
 providing the user with an opportunity to select at least one television-related information source from a plurality of television-related information sources for providing television program listings for the television-related events;    providing the user with an opportunity to specify first criteria for delivering at least one television program listing for a television-related events from the at least one selected television-related information source;    providing the user with an opportunity to enter scheduling information for an event personal to the user;    providing the user with an opportunity to select a delivery scheme from a plurality of delivery schemes for delivering the personalized schedule information, wherein the personalized schedule information includes the at least one television program listing for the television-related event based on the first specified criteria and the user entered scheduling information;    generating the personalized schedule information; and    delivering the personalized schedule information to the user based on the delivery scheme selected by the user.    
     
     
         35 . The method defined in  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of delivery schemes comprises a plurality of delivery schemes selected from the group of delivery schemes consisting of: continuous delivery, e-mail, HTML mail, pager/digital phone reminder, and pager/digital phone notification.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising providing the user with an opportunity to specify display settings for displaying the personalized schedule information.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising maintaining a history of user preferences based on the information specified by the user.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising means for providing the user with reminders based on the history of user preferences.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising providing the user with reminders for one of the at least one television program listing and the user entered scheduling information.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the personalized schedule information further comprises at least one video or video still related to one of the television program listings.  
     
     
         41 . A system for providing a user with personalized schedule information for television-related and personal-related events, the system comprising control circuitry configured to: 
 provide the user with an opportunity to select at least one television-related information source from a plurality of television-related information sources for providing television program listings for the television-related events;    provide the user with an opportunity to specify first criteria for delivering at least one television program listing for a television-related events from the at least one selected television-related information source;    provide the user with an opportunity to enter scheduling information for an event personal to the user;    provide the user with an opportunity to select a delivery scheme from a plurality of delivery schemes for delivering the personalized schedule information, wherein the personalized schedule information includes the at least one television program listing for the television-related event based on the first specified criteria and the user entered scheduling information;    generate the personalized schedule information; and    deliver the personalized schedule information to the user based on the delivery scheme selected by the user.    
     
     
         42 . The system defined in claim  1 , wherein the plurality of delivery schemes comprises a plurality of delivery schemes selected from the group of delivery schemes consisting of: continuous delivery, e-mail, HTML mail, pager/digital phone reminder, and pager/digital phone notification.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with an opportunity to specify display settings for displaying the personalized schedule information.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to maintain a history of user preferences based on the information specified by the user.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with reminders based on the history of user preferences.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the user with reminders for one of the at least one television program listing and the user entered scheduling information.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the personalized schedule information further comprises at least one video or video still related to one of the television program listings.