Electronic-mail reminder for an internet television program guide

Abstract

An Internet television program guide electronic-mail (e-mail) reminder system is provided. The system allows a user at a multimedia system to order and receive e-mail message reminders of scheduled television events over the Internet. The user can order e-mail reminders after selecting a program from the program listings or by supplying [a program title directly] specific user program preferences without having to consult the program listings. The user can specify when and how often the reminders will be generated and received. If desired, the user can view a list of all currently requested e-mail reminders. Entries can be added to the list or the user can cancel a previously ordered reminder. The user can order e-mail reminders for scheduled pay-per-view programs using the system. The user can also have reminder information periodically updated and available directly on the user's multimedia system.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . An Internet e-mail reminder system for transmitting e-mail reminder messages of media events to a user over the Internet comprising:
 communications circuitry; and   control circuitry configured to:
 receive, using the communications circuitry, a user selection of a selectable attribute option; 
 receive a user input of a keyword related to the selected attribute option; 
 automatically search for a media asset relating to both the keyword and the selected attribute option; 
 automatically generate an order of at least one e-mail reminder message when a matching media asset is found as a result of the search; and 
 automatically generate and transmit the at least one e-mail reminder message to the user via e-mail over the Internet to remind the user when the matching media asset is to begin. 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the search is automatically repeated at a predetermined time. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the search is performed periodically. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a user selection of a selectable e-mail reminder management option;   generate for display an identifier associated with the at least one e-mail reminder message;   in response to user input, modify an attribute of the at least one e-mail reminder message; and   automatically generate and transmit the at least one e-mail reminder message to the user via e-mail over the Internet according to the modified attribute of the at least one e-mail reminder message to remind the user when the matching media asset is to begin.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein an indication of how soon before the matching media asset is to begin the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user is received from the user, and wherein the e-mail reminder message is automatically generated and transmitted according to the indication. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein an indication of a how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user is received from the user, and wherein the e-mail reminder message is automatically generated and transmitted according to the indication. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the selectable attribute option corresponds to at least one of a media asset genre, an actor's name, a complete media asset title, or a partial media asset title. 
     
     
         46 . A method for transmitting e-mail reminder messages of media events to a user over the Internet, the method comprising:
 receiving a user selection of a selectable attribute option;   receiving a user input of a keyword related to the selected attribute option;   automatically searching for a media asset relating to both the keyword and the selected attribute option;   automatically generating an order of at least one e-mail reminder message when a matching media asset is found as a result of the search; and   automatically generating and transmitting the at least one e-mail reminder message to the user via e-mail over the Internet to remind the user when the matching media asset is to begin.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the search is automatically repeated at a predetermined time. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the search is performed periodically. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection of a selectable e-mail reminder management option;   generating for display an identifier associated with the at least one e-mail reminder message;   in response to user input, modifying an attribute of the at least one e-mail reminder message; and   automatically generating and transmitting the at least one e-mail reminder message to the user via e-mail over the Internet according to the modified attribute of the at least one e-mail reminder message to remind the user when the matching media asset is to begin.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein an indication of how soon before the matching media asset is to begin the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user is received from the user, and wherein the e-mail reminder message is automatically generated and transmitted according to the indication. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein an indication of a how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user is received from the user, and wherein the e-mail reminder message is automatically generated and transmitted according to the indication. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the selectable attribute option corresponds to at least one of a media asset genre, an actor's name, a complete media asset title, or a partial media asset title. 
     
     
         53 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions encoded thereon for transmitting e-mail reminder messages of media events to a user over the Internet, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to receive a user selection of a selectable attribute option;   instructions to receive a user input of a keyword related to the selected attribute option;   instructions to automatically search for a media asset relating to both the keyword and the selected attribute option;   instructions to automatically generate an order of at least one e-mail reminder message when a matching media asset is found as a result of the search; and   instructions to automatically generate and transmit the at least one e-mail reminder message to the user via e-mail over the Internet to remind the user when the matching media asset is to begin.   
     
     
         54 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein the search is automatically repeated at a predetermined time. 
     
     
         55 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein the search is performed periodically. 
     
     
         56 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 instructions to receive a user selection of a selectable e-mail reminder management option;   instructions to generate for display an identifier associated with the at least one e-mail reminder message;   instructions to, in response to user input, modify an attribute of the at least one e-mail reminder message; and   instructions to automatically generate and transmit the at least one e-mail reminder message to the user via e-mail over the Internet according to the modified attribute of the at least one e-mail reminder message to remind the user when the matching media asset is to begin.   
     
     
         57 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein an indication of how soon before the matching media asset is to begin the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user is received from the user, and wherein the e-mail reminder message is automatically generated and transmitted according to the indication. 
     
     
         58 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein an indication of a how often the e-mail reminder message is to be generated and sent to the user is received from the user, and wherein the e-mail reminder message is automatically generated and transmitted according to the indication.