System and method to facilitate programming of an associated recording device

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed to facilitates programming of a recording device. A client system is operatively coupled with the recording device, which, for example, is programmed and/or configured to record selected audio and/or visual broadcast programming. The client system receives a message, such as in the form of electronic mail (email) or another suitable form, from a remotely located computer. One or more tokens are associated with the message for providing program criteria indicative of selected audio and/or visual programming, which may be employed to program the recording device for recording broadcast programming based on the token.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . One or more computer-readable storage devices external to a content provider to store computer-executable instructions, that when executed on one or more processors, perform acts to provide a prediction about a size of a viewing audience for a program to be broadcast prior to a broadcast time of the program, the acts comprising:
 receiving information about programs provided by one or more content providers;   receiving information about one or more local tuning spaces;   storing information relating to a popularity of the program to be broadcast among users prior to the users viewing or recording the program to be broadcast, the information relating to a popularity obtained during one or more user inquiries by one or more users prior to the one or more users viewing or recording the program to be broadcast;   predicting the size of the viewing audience for the program to be broadcast in the local tuning space based on the stored information relating to the popularity of the program to be broadcast; and   sending the predicted size of the viewing audience for the program to be broadcast to prior to the broadcast time of the program in the local tuning space.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , the acts further comprising translating tokens that identify the program to be broadcast into instructions that match the program to be broadcast with a local tuning space by interfacing with the program database and the tuning space database, wherein the information relating to the popularity is obtained during token translations prior to the broadcast time of the program in the local tuning space, the information based on the one or more user inquiries by the one or more users prior to the one or more users viewing or recording the program to be broadcast. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more user inquiries comprise inquiries concerning one or more program specifics of date, time, duration, or channel associated with the program to be broadcast. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , wherein the predicted size of the viewing audience is sent to a content provider. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , further comprising storing demographic information about a viewer and sending at least some of the demographic information prior to the broadcast time of the program in the local tuning space. 
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the information about programs provided by the one or more content providers or the information about one or more local tuning spaces or both according to a change in scheduled programming. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , wherein the program to be broadcast is an audio program. 
     
     
         8 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 1 , wherein the program to be broadcast is a visual program. 
     
     
         9 . A server external to a content provider, the server comprising:
 a program database configured to store information about programs provided by one or more content providers;   a tuning space database configured to store information about one or more local tuning spaces;   a translation function configured to translate tokens that identify a program to be broadcast into instructions compatible with a local tuning space by interfacing with the program database and the tuning space database;   a ratings database configured to store viewership information based at least in part on the information translated from the tokens and based at least in part on one or more user inquiries, the viewership information obtained during token translations prior to the broadcast time of the program to be broadcast; and   a predictive filter configured to estimate a size of a viewing audience intending to view or record the program to be broadcast as indicated by the viewership information stored in the ratings database and to provide the estimated size of the viewing audience prior to the broadcast time of the program.   
     
     
         10 . The server of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more user inquiries comprise inquiries concerning one or more program specifics of date, time, duration, or channel associated with the program to be broadcast. 
     
     
         11 . The server of  claim 9 , wherein the estimated size of the viewing audience is provided to the content provider. 
     
     
         12 . The server of  claim 9 , wherein the predictive filter is further configured to estimate a viewing audience demographics based at least partially on viewership history and to provide the viewing audience demographics prior to the broadcast time of the program. 
     
     
         13 . The server of  claim 9 , further comprising an update function configured to employ update data to modify the program database or the tuning space database or both according to the update data. 
     
     
         14 . The server of  claim 9 , wherein the program to be broadcast is an audio program. 
     
     
         15 . The server of  claim 9 , wherein the program to be broadcast is a visual program. 
     
     
         16 . A method of predicting a size of a viewing audience for a program to be broadcast prior to a broadcast time of the program, the method comprising:
 under control of one or more processors configured with executable instructions:   receiving information about programs provided by one or more content providers;   receiving information about one or more local tuning spaces;   translating tokens that identify the program scheduled to be broadcast into instructions that match the program scheduled to be broadcast with a local tuning space by interfacing with the program database and the tuning space database;   storing information relating to a popularity of the program scheduled to be broadcast among users prior to the users viewing or recording the program scheduled to be broadcast, the information relating to a popularity obtained during token translations prior to the broadcast time of the program in the local tuning space, the information based on one or more user inquiries, by the users prior to the users viewing or recording the program scheduled to be broadcast;   predicting the size of the viewing audience for the program scheduled to be broadcast in the local tuning space based on the stored information relating to the popularity of the program scheduled to be broadcast among users prior to the users viewing or recording the program scheduled to be broadcast; and   sending the predicted size of the viewing audience for the program scheduled to be broadcast prior to the broadcast time of the program in the local tuning space.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more user inquiries comprise inquiries concerning one or more program specifics of date, time, duration, or channel associated with the program to be broadcast. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the predicted size of the viewing audience is sent to a content provider. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising storing demographic information about a viewer and sending at least some of the demographic information prior to the broadcast time of the program in the local tuning space. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising updating the information about programs provided by the one or more content providers or the information about one or more local tuning spaces or both according to a change in scheduled programming.