Content alert upon availability for internet-enabled TV

Abstract

The user of an Internet-enabled CE device such as an Internet protocol TV (IPTV) can enter search terms describing desired Internet-sourced programs, and Internet channels are monitored to detect when the desired programs become available. When a desired program is detected an alert appears on screen, which can be selected to navigate to a current alert user interface (UI) from which detected desired programs can be selected for presentation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Consumer electronics (CE) device comprising:
 housing; 
 display on the housing; 
 audio speaker; 
 network interface; 
 processor controlling the display and speaker and communicating with the Internet through the network interface; 
 the processor executing logic including: 
 receiving user preferences and/or keywords via a user interface (UI) presented on the display; 
 periodically communicating with one or more content servers via the network interface to retrieve program metadata of audio video content; 
 searching the program metadata received from the content servers using the preferences/keywords; 
 responsive to a determination that a match exists between the metadata of an Internet-sourced piece of content and the preferences/keywords, presenting on the display a visual alert and/or presenting on the speaker an audible alert indicative of a match to indicate to a user that new content conforming to the preferences and/or keywords is available for play on the CE device. 
 
     
     
       2. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further includes, responsive to a determination that a match exists between the metadata of an Internet-sourced piece of content and the preferences/keywords, adding a name of a program found to match on a “current alert” list and presenting the current alert list upon invocation thereof on the display. 
     
     
       3. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises deleting an entry on the current list at the elapse of a user-defined expiration period. 
     
     
       4. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises deleting an entry on the current list upon user command to delete. 
     
     
       5. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises deleting an entry on the current list when the entry is selected from list for play. 
     
     
       6. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises initiating communication with the content servers to access the metadata. 
     
     
       7. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises waiting until a content server that has updated the content available communicates new metadata to the CE device. 
     
     
       8. The CE device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises providing preferences/keywords to the content server which performs search and match logic and return an indication thereof to the CE device. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus comprising:
 housing; 
 display on the housing; 
 audio speaker; 
 network interface; 
 processor controlling the display and speaker and communicating with the Internet through the network interface; 
 the processor executing logic including: 
 presenting on the display a user preferences and/or keywords entry user interface (UI); 
 responsive to a determination that content satisfying the user preferences and/or keywords which was not available at the time of entering the user preferences and/or keywords has become available at an Internet server, presenting on the display an alert icon to indicate the availability of content; and 
 responsive to an invocation of a current alert UI, presenting on the display a UI listing a name of the content in a current list, the current alert UI being usable to select the content for presentation on the display. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the logic further includes:
 periodically communicating with one or more content servers via the network interface to retrieve program metadata of audio video content; 
 searching the program metadata received from the content servers using the preferences/keywords; and 
 responsive to a determination that a match exists between the metadata of an Internet-sourced piece of content and the preferences/keywords, presenting on the display the visual alert and presenting on the speaker an audible alert indicative of a match to indicate to a user that new content conforming to the preferences and/or keywords is available for play on the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       11. Apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the logic further comprises deleting an entry on the current list at the elapse of a user-defined expiration period. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the logic further comprises deleting an entry on the current list upon user command to delete. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the logic further comprises deleting an entry on the current list when the entry is selected from list for play. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the logic further comprises initiating communication with the content servers to access the metadata. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the logic further comprises waiting until a content server that has updated the content available communicates new metadata to the apparatus. 
     
     
       16. Method comprising:
 receiving from a user of an Internet-enabled consumer electronics (CE) device search terms describing desired Internet-sourced programs; 
 monitoring at least one Internet source to detect when if the desired programs become available; and 
 responsive to a determination that a desired program is detected, generating a signal representative thereof useful for presenting an alert a corresponding message on a screen of the a device of the user. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method is executed by an Internet server. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method is executed by the CE device and the method further includes:
 responsive to selection of the alert, presenting on the screen a current alert user interface (UI); and 
 responsive to selection of an entry on the current alert UI, playing content underlying the entry on the device. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 periodically communicating with one or more content servers via a network interface to retrieve program metadata of audio video content; and 
 searching the program metadata received from the content servers using user-entered preferences and/or keywords describing the desired Internet-sourced programs. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , deleting an entry at the elapse of a user-defined expiration period and/or when the entry is selected for play.