Interactive television program guide with remote access

Abstract

An interactive television program guide with remote access is provided. The interactive television program guide is implemented on interactive television program guide equipment. A remote program guide access device is connected to the interactive television program guide equipment by a remote access link to provide a user with remote access to program guide functions. An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of enabling a user to access content, the method comprising:
 identifying by a user a device to which a plurality of contents will be broadcasted and the device having an associated user interface for locally controlling the device;   selecting by the user a future broadcasted content from the plurality of contents;   setting up the device to record the content when the content is broadcasted to the device; and   wherein the selecting and the identifying are done over the Internet via a web site different from the local user interface.   
     
     
         2 . A method of enabling a user to access content, the method comprising:
 providing user access to a server via a web site on the Internet;   enabling identifying on the web site a device of the user to which a plurality of contents will be broadcasted;   selecting by the user a future broadcasted content from the plurality of contents;   setting up the device by the server through a connection from the server to the device to record the future broadcasted content.   
     
     
         3 . A system comprising:
 a server on the Internet accessible to a user via a web site;   a device accessible by the server;   wherein,   the server is configured to receive input from the user via the web site, the input including a selection of a content from a plurality of contents that will be broadcasted to the device and a request to record the content and in response to the input, the server is configured to set up the device to record a future broadcast of the content.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the device is accessible by the server over the Internet. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the device is accessible by the server over a phone line. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the selection of the content from the plurality of contents is done from an electronic program guide on the web site. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the web site is accessible to the user from a personal digital assistant of the user.