US 12,120,395 B2
Systems and methods for using playlists
Michael D. Ellis, Boulder, CO (US); Jon P. Radloff, Castle Rock, CO (US); Robert A. Knee, Dresher, PA (US); Michael L Craner, Chester Springs, PA (US); and Joshua Berry, Westmont, NJ (US)
Assigned to Rovi Guides, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Rovi Guides, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/394,066.
Application 12/819,391 is a division of application No. 11/595,240, filed on Nov. 10, 2006, abandoned.
Application 17/394,066 is a continuation of application No. 16/774,192, filed on Jan. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,115,719.
Application 16/774,192 is a continuation of application No. 15/942,973, filed on Apr. 2, 2018, granted, now 10,587,835, issued on Mar. 10, 2020.
Application 15/942,973 is a continuation of application No. 13/309,839, filed on Dec. 2, 2011, granted, now 9,967,509, issued on May 8, 2018.
Application 13/309,839 is a continuation of application No. 13/073,285, filed on Mar. 28, 2011, granted, now 9,118,868, issued on Aug. 25, 2015.
Application 13/073,285 is a continuation of application No. 12/819,391, filed on Jun. 21, 2010, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2022/0030311 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 21/482 (2011.01); H04N 21/262 (2011.01); H04N 21/431 (2011.01); H04N 21/433 (2011.01); H04N 21/454 (2011.01); H04N 21/458 (2011.01); H04N 21/462 (2011.01); H04N 21/47 (2011.01); H04N 21/472 (2011.01); H04N 21/84 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/47 (2013.01) [H04N 21/431 (2013.01); H04N 21/4312 (2013.01); H04N 21/4334 (2013.01); H04N 21/454 (2013.01); H04N 21/4586 (2013.01); H04N 21/4622 (2013.01); H04N 21/47214 (2013.01); H04N 21/482 (2013.01); H04N 21/4825 (2013.01); H04N 21/4828 (2013.01); H04N 21/84 (2013.01); H04N 21/26258 (2013.01); H04N 21/47202 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for playback of media assets using an interactive program guide, comprising:
selecting, by a user, a media asset in the interactive program guide, wherein the selected media asset is an asset that is part of a series;
determining that a threshold number of assets are available, wherein the threshold is greater than one, and in response, automatically generating by the interactive program guide a playlist including episodes from the series;
automatically arranging by the interactive program guide the media assets in the playlist according to a predetermined order;
determining that a first media asset belonging to the series is available from a server, and in response, dynamically updating by the interactive program guide the playlist by adding, to the playlist, the first media asset belonging to the series;
determining that a second media asset belonging to the series is no longer available from the server, and in response, dynamically updating by the interactive program guide the playlist by removing, from the playlist, the second media asset; and
in response to an instruction from the user to playback the media assets in the playlist, seamlessly playing by the interactive program guide the media assets in an order implied by the playlist.