Multiple interactive electronic program guide system and methods

Abstract

A multiple Interactive Program Guide (IPG) system provides different television programming and different IPGs to several different users respectively. A single set-top box is capable of providing programming and scheduling data to several different television sets. Each of the different IPGs share a common database. Therefore, a first IPG being viewed by a first user can display data added or modified via a second IPG by a second user of the system. Furthermore, the data added or modified by the second user can influence the viewing rights of the first user. Also, all the competing and conflicting requests for limited resources, such as VCR scheduled recordings, will be brought to the users' attention and will be displayed by the system.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method for resolving recording conflicts among a plurality of user television equipment devices on each of which is implemented an interactive program guide, comprising:
 receiving a request to schedule a program for recording, wherein one of the interactive program guides receives the request;   identifying one or more conflicting recording requests that conflict with the request; and   displaying at least one of the one or more conflicting recording requests for resolving the conflict.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein one of the plurality of user television equipment devices is at least one of a set-top box, a computer and a server. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the interactive program guide received the one or more conflicting recording requests previous to receiving the request. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 displaying options for at least one of canceling the request, canceling one of the one or more conflicting recording requests, and recording at least a portion of each of the programs associated with the request and one of the one or more conflicting recording requests.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 identifying a first user associated with the request;   identifying one or more second users associated with the one or more conflicting recording requests;   determining that the first user has a higher priority than the one or more second users; and   providing the first user with the opportunity to select to schedule the request in response to determining that the first user has a higher priority.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 identifying a first password received from the first user;   identifying one or more second passwords received from the one or more second users;   determining that the first password has a higher priority than the one or more second passwords; and   identifying that the first user has higher priority than the one or more second users in response to determining that the first password has a higher priority.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 selecting to schedule the request; and   adding the request to a listing of scheduled events displayed by each of the interactive program guides.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 receiving a request to cancel the request that is displayed in the listing of scheduled events; and   removing the request from the listing of scheduled events so that the request is not displayed in the listing of scheduled event.   
     
     
         40 . A system that resolves recording conflicts, comprising:
 a plurality of television equipment devices;   a plurality of interactive program guides, wherein one of the plurality of interactive program guides is implemented on each of the plurality of television equipment devices;   a processor configured to:
 receive a request to schedule a program for recording, wherein the request is received via one of the plurality of interactive program guides; and 
 identify one or more conflicting recording requests that conflict with the request; and 
   a display that displays at least one of the one or more conflicting recording requests for resolving the conflict.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein one of the plurality of user television equipment devices is at least one of a set-top box, a computer and a server. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 provide options for at least one of canceling the request, canceling one of the one or more conflicting recording requests, and recording at least a portion of each of the programs associated with the request and one of the one or more conflicting recording requests.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a first user associated with the request;   identify one or more second users associated with the one or more conflicting recording requests;   determine that the first user has a higher priority than the one or more second users; and   provide the first user with the opportunity to select to schedule the request in response to the determining that the first user has a higher priority.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a first password received from the first user;   identify one or more second passwords received from the one or more second users;   determine that the first password has a higher priority than the one or more second passwords; and   identify that the first user has a higher priority than the one or more seconds users in response to determining that the first password has a higher priority.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a selection to schedule the request; and   add the request to a listing of scheduled events displayed by each of the interactive program guides.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive a request to cancel the request that is displayed in the listing of scheduled events; and   remove the request from the listing of scheduled events so that the request is not displayed in the listing of scheduled event.