Program guide system with preference profiles

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a user may inform a program guide of the user's interests. Information on the user's interests may be stored in a preference profile. There may be more than one preference profile, each for a different user. Each preference profile contains a number of preference attributes (program titles, genres, viewing times, channels, broadcast characteristics, etc.). A preference level (e.g., strong or weak like, strong or weak dislike, illegal, mandatory, don't care, etc.) that is indicative of the user's level of interest is associated with each preference attribute. Preference profiles may be used to restrict the programs that are listed in various program listings display screens and may be used to limit the channels to which the program guide allows the user to tune.

1 - 180 . (canceled) 
   
   
       181 . A program guide system implemented on user media equipment, comprising:
 a provided option to select a plurality of preference attributes based on the user's programming interests;   a provided option to select one of at least several preference levels for each of the plurality of selected preference attributes; and   a displayed list of programming based on the selected preference attributes and selected preference levels.