Remotely configuring content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12380458-B2
Application number	US-202418657429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2024
Priority date	Jun 8, 2011
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A system is presented that comprises a third-party ad provider that serves advertisements to different websites being viewed at a plurality of display devices. The advertisements may be from different advertisers, and may include advertisements from a content service provider. The advertisements from the service provider may include a promotion for a video program presented by the service provider and may provide a selectable option for a viewer of the website to have that viewer's DVR service automatically programmed to record the promoted video program. The selectable option may be selected with a single action by the viewer, and all communications, associations between the display device and the DVR service, and programming of the DVR service may occur automatically without intervention by the viewer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a first computing device, that a user account is not authorized to record a first content item referenced in a program list requested by a second computing device;
causing, by the first computing device and based on the determining, a modified version of the program list to be sent to the second computing device, wherein the modified version of the program list replaces a reference to the first content item with a reference to a second content item; and
causing, based on a selection of an option associated with the second content item, a digital video recorder to record the second content item.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing the digital video recorder to record the second content item comprises:
causing, based on a selection of the option via a user interface on the second computing device, sending one or more commands to the digital video recorder via a network, wherein the one or more commands are configured to cause the digital video recorder to record the second content item.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the option is configured to be selectable with a single input via a user interface associated with the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference to the second content item comprises an advertisement for the second content item.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises accessing user account records to determine that the user account is not associated with a service provider.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the option is customized based on the user account.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second content item comprises a television program.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the option comprises an option to record the second content item via the digital video recorder.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, based on the determining, output of a second option on the second computing device, wherein the second option allows a user to obtain authorization to record the first content item.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program list comprises the reference to the first content item, and wherein the program list is not sent to the second computing device.

11. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
determine that a user account is not authorized to record a first content item referenced in a program list requested by a first computing device;
cause, based on the determining that the user account is not authorized to record the first content item, a modified version of the program list to be sent to the first computing device, wherein the modified version of the program list replaces a reference to the first content item with a reference to a second content item; and
cause, based on a selection of an option associated with the second content item, a digital video recorder to record the second content item.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
receive, via a user interface on the first computing device, a communication indicative of the selection of the option; and
send, via a network and based on the communication indicative of the selection, one or more commands configured to cause the digital video recorder to record the second content item.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the option is configured to be selectable with a single input via a user interface associated with the first computing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the reference to the second content item comprises an advertisement for the second content item.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
access user account records to determine that the user account is not associated with a service provider.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the option comprises an option to record the second content item via the digital video recorder.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
cause output of a second option on the first computing device, wherein the second option allows a user to obtain authorization to record the first content item.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the program list comprises the reference to the first content item, and wherein the program list is not sent to the first computing device.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the option is customized based on the user account.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second content item comprises a television program.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
determining that a user account is not authorized to record a first content item referenced in a program list requested by a first computing device;
causing, based on a determination that the user account is not authorized to record the first content item, a modified version of the program list to be sent to the first computing device, wherein the modified version of the program list replaces a reference to the first content item with a reference to a second content item; and
causing, based on a selection of an option associated with the second content item, a digital video recorder to record the second content item.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
receiving, via a user interface on the first computing device, a communication indicative of the selection of the option; and
sending, via a network and based on the communication indicative of the selection, one or more commands configured to cause the digital video recorder to record the second content item.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the option is configured to be selectable with a single input via a user interface associated with the first computing device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the reference to the second content item comprises an advertisement for the second content item.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
accessing user account records to determine that the user account is not associated with a service provider.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the option comprises an option to record the second content item via the digital video recorder.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
causing output of a second option on the first computing device, wherein the second option allows a user to obtain authorization to record the first content item.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the program list comprises the reference to the first content item, and wherein the program list is not sent to the first computing device.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the option is customized based on the user account.

30. The non-transit

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Dixon Chris
• Smith Jason

Classifications

• H04N21/4227

  {Providing} Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work · CPC title

• H04N21/812

  involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02) · CPC title

• H04N21/485

  End-user interface for client configuration · CPC title

• H04N21/482

  End-user interface for programme selection · CPC title

• H04N21/472

  End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)} · CPC title