Electronic program guide with related-program search feature

Abstract

A system for searching for programs is provided. The system may provide the user with an opportunity to indicate an interest in a given program. The system may provide the user with an opportunity to request that the system locate programs that are related to the given program in which the user has indicated an interest. The system may locate program listings that are related to the given program. The located program listings may be related to the given program based on attributes of the given program. The system may display a list of located listings and allow the user to select listings from the list. The system may tune to a program selected from the list, may display an information display screen for a program selected from the list, etc. The system may provide the user with an opportunity to configure and save search parameters. The system may sort related program listings based on the attributes of the given program. The system may provide the user with the opportunity to retrieve saved searches to locate currently available program listings and the opportunity to delete a saved search, rename, a saved search, receive automatic notifications of programs matching a saved search, etc.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for searching for programs using an interactive system, the method comprising:
 displaying a video having a plurality of attributes;   in response to receiving a dedicated user input while the video is being displayed, determining a list of one or more programs based on one or more attributes of the displayed video; and   automatically displaying the determined list of programs.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the attributes comprise one or more of program title, program actors, program duration, program genre, program channel, program rating, projector director, program production year, and the program's series title. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving program listings data, wherein the program listings data contains information regarding a plurality of programs and the attributes that are associated with each of the plurality of programs.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining a particular program is included in the list of one or more programs comprises matching at least one of the attributes of the displayed video with the attributes associated with the particular program. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 displaying a listing of the attributes of the displayed video;   receiving a user assignment of various importance levels to each of the attributes of the displayed video; and   determining the list of one or more programs based on the attributes of the displayed video and the user assigned importance levels.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 displaying a listing of the attributes of the displayed video;   receiving a user selection of one or more of the attributes of the displayed video; and   determining the list of one or more programs based on the selected one or more attributes.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection of logical operators to be performed on the selected attributes when more than two attributes are selected; and   determining the list of one or more programs based on the selected one or more attributes and based on the selected logical operators.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising storing the selected one or more attributes in a save file. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 displaying a listing of previously stored save files, wherein each save file has one or more attributes stored in it;   selecting a particular save file from the listing of previously stored save files; and   determining a list of one or more programs based on one or more attributes stored in the particular save file.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising sorting the determined list of programs based on the attributes of each program. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a user selection of a particular program from the determined list of programs. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising tuning to the particular program in response to receiving the user selection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising displaying information related to the particular program in response to receiving the user selection. 
     
     
         15 . A system for searching for programs using an interactive system, the system comprising:
 a display for displaying a video having a plurality of attributes;   an input device for receiving a dedicated user input while the video is being displayed;   a processor for determining a list of one or more programs based on one or more attributes of the displayed video in response to the input device receiving the dedicated user input; and   a display processor for automatically displaying the determined list of programs.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the attributes comprise one or more of program title, program actors, program duration, program genre, program channel, program rating, projector director, program production year, and the program's series title. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 the processor receiving program listings data, wherein the program listings data contains information regarding a plurality of programs and the attributes that are associated with each of the plurality of programs.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor determines a particular program is included in the list of one or more programs by matching at least one of the attributes of the displayed video with the attributes associated with the particular program. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 the display displaying a listing of the attributes of the displayed video;   the input device receiving a user assignment of various importance levels to each of the attributes of the displayed video; and   the processor determining the list of one or more programs based on the attributes of the displayed video and the user assigned importance levels.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 the display displaying a listing of the attributes of the displayed video;   the input device receiving a user selection of one or more of the attributes of the displayed video; and   the processor determining the list of one or more programs based on the selected one or more attributes.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 the input device receiving a user selection of logical operators to be performed on the selected attributes when more than two attributes are selected; and   the processor determining the list of one or more programs based on the selected one or more attributes and based on the selected logical operators.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a storage device for storing the selected one or more attributes in a save file. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 the display displaying a listing of previously stored save files, wherein each save file has one or more attributes stored in it;   the input device receiving a selection of a particular save file from the listing of previously stored save files; and   the processor determining a list of one or more programs based on one or more attributes stored in the particular save file.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor sorts the determined list of programs based on the attributes of each program. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the input device receives a user selection of a particular program from the determined list of programs. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising a tuner for tuning to the particular program in response to the input device receiving the user selection. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the display displays information related to the particular program in response to the input device receiving the user selection.