Universal and portable channel designations

Abstract

Systems and methods are described that provide favorite channel designation portability from a variety of locations, devices and/or programming service providers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile intelligent device based system that translates between two different channel/network line-ups comprising:
 a mobile intelligent device; and   a mobile device application that is loaded in the mobile intelligent device, configured to store channel/network line-ups wherein the mobile device application links the mobile intelligent device to one or more Internet websites storing a plurality of channel/network line-ups and downloads a selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up and a selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up to the mobile intelligent device, the mobile device application associates a channel identifier from the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up with a channel identifier from the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up that distributes the same network.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the mobile device application is further configured to display a program guide translated according to the associated selected alternate service provider's channel identifiers. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the mobile device application is further configured to link the mobile intelligent device to one or more Internet websites storing remote control command codes for a plurality of service provider's set-top boxes and download a selected viewing service provider's remote control codes for a set-top box to the mobile intelligent device. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein the mobile device application is further configured to accept an alternate service provider channel identifier input and output a remote control command code corresponding to its associated viewing service provider channel identifier. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4  wherein the mobile intelligent device is further configured to output the remote control command code over an RF or optical link. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the mobile intelligent device is further configured to update the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up and the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up. 
     
     
         7 . An application for loading in a mobile intelligent device comprising code means for, when executed on the mobile intelligent device, instructing the mobile intelligent device to control steps in a method for translating between two different channel/network line-ups comprising:
 linking the mobile intelligent device to one or more Internet websites storing a plurality of different service providers' channel line-ups;   selecting a viewing service provider;   downloading the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up to the mobile intelligent device;   selecting an alternate service provider;   downloading the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up to the mobile intelligent device; and   associating a channel identifier from the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up with a channel identifier from the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up that distributes the same network.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  further comprising displaying a program guide translated according to the associated selected alternate service provider's channel identifiers. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7  further comprising:
 linking the mobile intelligent device to one or more Internet websites storing remote control command codes for a plurality service providers' set-top boxes; 
 selecting the viewing service provider's remote control codes for a set-top box; and 
 downloading the selected remote control codes to the mobile intelligent device. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  further comprising:
 selecting an alternate service provider channel identifier; and 
 outputting a remote control code corresponding to its associated viewing service provider channel identifier. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein outputting a remote control command code is over an RF or optical link. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7  further comprising periodically updating the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up and the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up. 
     
     
         13 . An application for loading in a mobile intelligent device comprising code means for, when executed on the mobile intelligent device, instructing the mobile intelligent device to control steps in a method for translating between two different channel/network line-ups comprising:
 linking the mobile intelligent device to one or more Internet websites storing a plurality of different service providers' channel line-ups;   selecting a viewing service provider;   selecting an alternate service provider; and   associating a channel identifier from the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up with a channel identifier from the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up that distributes the same network.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising downloading a program guide translated according to the associated selected alternate service provider's channel identifiers to the mobile intelligent device. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising:
 linking the mobile intelligent device to one or more Internet websites storing remote control command codes for a plurality service providers' set-top boxes; 
 selecting the viewing service provider's remote control codes for a set-top box; and 
 downloading the selected remote control codes to the mobile intelligent device. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  further comprising:
 selecting an alternate service provider channel identifier; and 
 outputting a remote control code corresponding to its associated viewing service provider channel identifier. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein outputting a remote control command code is over an RF or optical link. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising periodically updating the selected viewing service provider's channel/network line-up and the selected alternate service provider's channel/network line-up.