Patent Publication Number: US-2011078731-A1

Title: Systems and methods for multiple media guidance application navigation

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates to interactive media guidance applications and more particularly to multiple media guidance application navigation. 
     Traditional systems allow a user to navigate an interactive program guide (IPG) using various devices such as mobile devices, computers and other media equipment devices. When navigating an IPG on a mobile device, the user is limited to the navigational equipment (e.g., screen and keypads) of the mobile device which are not optimal for performing various operations (e.g., searching for programs and scheduling recordings). Additionally, because each mobile device provides a user interface for the IPG that is specific to the mobile device, the user must learn different navigation techniques to use depending on which mobile device the user is accessing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods for multiple media guidance application navigation. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a system that allows a user to view and access media guidance application settings from any given mobile device (e.g., cell phone or portable gaming machine) and centralize those settings using a media equipment device (e.g., set top box). 
     In some embodiments, a first mobile device may be detected with a media equipment device. The media equipment device may receive a mobile media guidance application data structure from the first mobile device. The media equipment device may replicate the mobile media guidance application (or generate a media guidance application) associated with the first mobile device based on settings stored in the received data structure. Access to the replicated media guidance application associated with the first mobile device may be provided on the media equipment device. 
     The media equipment device may store or track changes to the settings made to the replicated media guidance application on the media equipment device and transmit a data structure with the changes to the settings to the first mobile device. In some embodiments, the user may modify display characteristics (e.g., the appearance of menu options and items in the mobile media guidance application and which menu options are provided) of the replicated media guidance application as the changed settings. In some implementations, changes to the display characteristics may be made through a guide customization screen on the media equipment device. The first mobile device may modify the mobile media guidance application implemented on the first mobile device using information in the data structure received from the media equipment device. 
     In some embodiments, a second mobile device may be detected with the media equipment device. The media equipment device may receive a mobile media guidance application data structure from the second mobile device. The media equipment device may replicate the mobile media guidance application (or generate a media guidance application) associated with the second mobile device based on settings stored in the received data structure. The media equipment device may provide a display that includes multiple media guidance applications in windows to provide access to each of the replicated or generated mobile media guidance applications associated with the first and second mobile devices. 
     In some embodiments, access to each of the replicated mobile media guidance applications associated with the first and second mobile devices may be provided in one window using a tabbed guide approach. In particular, each replicated mobile media guidance application that is associated with a different mobile device may be indicated with a different tab of the tab display. Selection of one of the tabs in the tab display, may cause the replicated mobile media guidance application associated with the mobile device corresponding to the selected tab to be retrieved and displayed in a region adjacent to the tab display. 
     In some embodiments, settings from a replicated mobile media guidance application associated with a first mobile device may be modified using the media equipment device and transmitted in the form of a data structure to a second mobile device. In particular, settings of mobile media guidance applications implemented on various mobile devices may be synchronized such that all the settings associated with the different devices are the same and consistent among the devices. 
     In some embodiments, a replicated mobile media guidance application on the media equipment device may provide access to functionality unique to the mobile device with which the replicated mobile media guidance application is associated. In particular, the replicated mobile media guidance application on the media equipment device may be associated with a mobile phone and accordingly may provide access to telephony and SMS functionalities of the mobile phone. More specifically, the user may select an option to call a particular contact from a contacts list displayed in the replicated mobile media guidance application on the media equipment device. Resources from the media equipment device and the mobile device with which the replicated mobile media guidance application is associated may be consumed by the media equipment device to place the call to the contact. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  show illustrative display screens that may be used to provide media guidance application listings in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows an illustrative user equipment device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an illustrative cross-platform interactive media system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows an illustrative display screen of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications simultaneously displayed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  show illustrative display screens of a mobile media guidance application displayed on a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows an illustrative display screen of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications simultaneously displayed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  show illustrative display screens of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications navigation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  shows an illustrative display screen of mobile media guidance application customization in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows an illustrative display screen of an alert for a mobile media guidance application displayed on a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  show illustrative mobile media guidance application data structures in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  are illustrative flow diagrams for multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications navigation in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     This invention generally relates to systems and methods for multiple media guidance application navigation. In particular, access to replicated mobile media guidance application settings associated with various mobile media guidance applications may be provided using a media equipment device. The settings of a given replicated mobile media guidance application may be modified using the media equipment device and transmitted back to the mobile device associated with the given media guidance application. 
     The amount of media available to users in any given media delivery system can be substantial. Consequently, many users desire a form of media guidance through an interface that allows users to efficiently navigate media selections and easily identify media that they may desire. An application which provides such guidance is referred to herein as an interactive media guidance application or, sometimes, a media guidance application or a guidance application. 
     Interactive media guidance applications may take various forms depending on the media for which they provide guidance. One typical type of media guidance application is an interactive television program guide. Interactive television program guides (sometimes referred to as electronic program guides) are well-known guidance applications that, among other things, allow users to navigate among and locate many types of media content including conventional television programming (provided via traditional broadcast, cable, satellite, Internet, or other means), as well as pay-per-view programs, on-demand programs (as in video-on-demand (VOD) systems), Internet content (e.g., streaming media, downloadable media, Webcasts, etc.), and other types of media or video content. Guidance applications also allow users to navigate among and locate content related to the video content including, for example, video clips, articles, advertisements, chat sessions, games, etc. Guidance applications also allow users to navigate among and locate multimedia content. The term multimedia is defined herein as media and content that utilizes at least two different content forms, such as text, audio, still images, animation, video, and interactivity content forms. Multimedia content may be recorded and played, displayed or accessed by information content processing devices, such as computerized and electronic devices, but can also be part of a live performance. It should be understood that the invention embodiments that are discussed in relation to media content are also applicable to other types of content, such as video, audio and/or multimedia. 
     With the advent of the Internet, mobile computing, and high-speed wireless networks, users are accessing media on personal computers (PCs) and other devices on which they traditionally did not, such as hand-held computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, or other mobile devices. On these devices users are able to navigate among and locate the same media available through a television. Consequently, media guidance is necessary on these devices, as well. The guidance provided may be for media content available only through a television, for media content available only through one or more of these devices, or for media content available both through a television and one or more of these devices. The media guidance applications may be provided as on-line applications (i.e., provided on a web-site), or as stand-alone applications or clients on hand-held computers, PDAs, mobile telephones, or other mobile devices. The various devices and platforms that may implement media guidance applications are described in more detail below. 
     One of the functions of the media guidance application is to provide media listings and media information to users.  FIGS. 1-2  show illustrative display screens that may be used to provide media guidance, and in particular media listings. The display screens shown in  FIGS. 1-2  and  5 - 12  may be implemented on any suitable device or platform. While the displays of  FIGS. 1-2  and  5 - 12  are illustrated as full screen displays (for the given platform), they may also be fully or partially overlaid over media content being displayed. A user may indicate a desire to access media information by selecting a selectable option provided in a display screen (e.g., a menu option, a listings option, an icon, a hyperlink, etc.) or pressing a dedicated button (e.g., a GUIDE button) on a remote control or other user input interface or device. In response to the user&#39;s indication, the media guidance application may provide a display screen with media information organized in one of several ways, such as by time and channel in a grid, by time, by channel, by media type, by category (e.g., movies, sports, news, children, or other categories of programming), or other predefined, user-defined, or other organization criteria. 
       FIG. 1  shows illustrative grid program listings display  100  arranged by time and channel that also enables access to different types of media content in a single display. Display  100  may include grid  102  with: (1) a column of channel/media type identifiers  104 , where each channel/media type identifier (which is a cell in the column) identifies a different channel or media type available; and (2) a row of time identifiers  106 , where each time identifier (which is a cell in the row) identifies a time block of programming. Grid  102  also includes cells of program listings, such as program listing  108 , where each listing provides the title of the program provided on the listing&#39;s associated channel and time. With a user input device, a user can select program listings by moving highlight region  110 . Information relating to the program listing selected by highlight region  110  may be provided in program information region  112 . Region  112  may include, for example, the program title, the program description, the time the program is provided (if applicable), the channel the program is on (if applicable), the program&#39;s rating, and other desired information. 
     In addition to providing access to linear programming provided according to a schedule, the media guidance application also provides access to non-linear programming which is not provided according to a schedule. Non-linear programming may include content from different media sources including on-demand media content (e.g., VOD), Internet content (e.g., streaming media, downloadable media, etc.), locally stored media content (e.g., video content stored on a digital video recorder (DVR), digital video disc (DVD), video cassette, compact disc (CD), etc.), or other time-insensitive media content. On-demand content may include both movies and original media content provided by a particular media provider (e.g., HBO On Demand providing “The Sopranos” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm”). HBO ON DEMAND is a service mark owned by Time Warner Company L.P. et al. and THE SOPRANOS and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM are trademarks owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. Internet content may include web events, such as a chat session or Webcast, or content available on-demand as streaming media or downloadable media through an Internet web site (e.g., HULU or YOUTUBE) or other Internet access (e.g., FTP). 
     Grid  102  may provide listings for non-linear programming including on-demand listing  114 , recorded media listing  116 , and Internet content listing  118 . A display combining listings for content from different types of media sources is sometimes referred to as a “mixed-media” display. The various permutations of the types of listings that may be displayed that are different than display  100  may be based on user selection or guidance application definition (e.g., a display of only recorded and broadcast listings, only on-demand and broadcast listings, etc.). As illustrated, listings  114 ,  116 , and  118  are shown as spanning the entire time block displayed in grid  102  to indicate that selection of these listings may provide access to a display dedicated to on-demand listings, recorded listings, or Internet listings, respectively. In other embodiments, listings for these media types may be included directly in grid  102 . Additional listings may be displayed in response to the user selecting one of the navigational icons  120 . (Pressing an arrow key on a user input device may affect the display in a similar manner as selecting navigational icons  120 .) 
     Display  100  may also include video region  122 , advertisement  124 , and options region  126 . Video region  122  may allow the user to view and/or preview programs that are currently available, will be available, or were available to the user. The content of video region  122  may correspond to, or be independent from, one of the listings displayed in grid  102 . Grid displays including a video region are sometimes referred to as picture-in-guide (PIG) displays. PIG displays and their functionalities are described in greater detail in Satterfield et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,378, issued May 13, 2003 and Yuen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,794, issued May 29, 2001, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. PIG displays may be included in other media guidance application display screens of the present invention. 
     Advertisement  124  may provide an advertisement for media content that, depending on a viewer&#39;s access rights (e.g., for subscription programming), is currently available for viewing, will be available for viewing in the future, or may never become available for viewing, and may correspond to (i.e., be related to) or be unrelated to one or more of the media listings in grid  102 . Advertisement  124  may also be for products or services related or unrelated to the media content displayed in grid  102 . Advertisement  124  may be selectable and provide further information about media content, provide information about a product or a service, enable purchasing of media content, a product, or a service, provide media content relating to the advertisement, etc. Advertisement  124  may be targeted based on a user&#39;s profile/preferences, monitored user activity, the type of display provided, or on other suitable targeted advertisement bases. 
     While advertisement  124  is shown as rectangular or banner shaped, advertisements may be provided in any suitable size, shape, and location in a guidance application display. For example, advertisement  124  may be provided as a rectangular shape that is horizontally adjacent to grid  102 . This is sometimes referred to as a panel advertisement. In addition, advertisements may be overlaid over media content or a guidance application display or embedded within a display. Advertisements may also include text, images, rotating images, video clips, or other types of media content. Advertisements may be stored in the user equipment with the guidance application, in a database connected to the user equipment, in a remote location (including streaming media servers), or on other storage means or a combination of these locations. Providing advertisements in a media guidance application is discussed in greater detail in, for example, Knudson et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/347,673, filed Jan. 17, 2003, Ward, III et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,997, issued Jun. 29, 2004, and Schein et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,714, issued May 14, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. It will be appreciated that advertisements may be included in other media guidance application display screens of the present invention. 
     Options region  126  may allow the user to access different types of media content, media guidance application displays, and/or media guidance application features. Options region  126  may be part of display  100  (and other display screens of the present invention), or may be invoked by a user by selecting an on-screen option or pressing a dedicated or assignable button on a user input device. The selectable options within options region  126  may concern features related to program listings in grid  102  or may include options available from a main menu display. Features related to program listings may include searching for other air times or ways of receiving a program, recording a program, scheduling a reminder for a program, ordering a program, enabling series recording of a program, setting program and/or channel as a favorite, purchasing a program, or other features. Options available from a main menu display may include search options, VOD options, parental control options, access to various types of listing displays, subscribe to a premium service, edit a user&#39;s profile, access a browse overlay, or other options. 
     The media guidance application may be personalized based on a user&#39;s preferences. A personalized media guidance application allows a user to customize displays and features to create a personalized “experience” with the media guidance application. This personalized experience may be created by allowing a user to input these customizations and/or by the media guidance application monitoring user activity to determine various user preferences. Users may access their personalized guidance application by logging in or otherwise identifying themselves to the guidance application. Customization of the media guidance application may be made in accordance with a user profile. The customizations may include varying presentation schemes (e.g., color scheme of displays, font size of text, etc.), aspects of media content listings displayed (e.g., only HDTV programming, user-specified broadcast channels based on favorite channel selections, re-ordering the display of channels, recommended media content, etc.), desired recording features (e.g., recording or series recordings for particular users, recording quality, etc.), parental control settings, and other desired customizations. 
     The media guidance application may allow a user to provide user profile information or may automatically compile user profile information. The media guidance application may, for example, monitor the media the user accesses and/or other interactions the user may have with the guidance application. Additionally, the media guidance application may obtain all or part of other user profiles that are related to a particular user (e.g., from other web sites on the Internet the user accesses, such as www.tvguide.com, from other media guidance applications the user accesses, from other interactive applications the user accesses, from a handheld device of the user, etc.), and/or obtain information about the user from other sources that the media guidance application may access. As a result, a user can be provided with a unified guidance application experience across the user&#39;s different devices. This type of user experience is described in greater detail below in connection with  FIG. 4 . Additional personalized media guidance application features are described in greater detail in Ellis et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/179,410, filed Jul. 11, 2005, Boyer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,098, issued Jan. 16, 2007, and Ellis et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/105,128, filed Feb. 21, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
     Another display arrangement for providing media guidance is shown in  FIG. 2 . Video mosaic display  200  includes selectable options  202  for media content information organized based on media type, genre, and/or other organization criteria. In display  200 , television listings option  204  is selected, thus providing listings  206 ,  208 ,  210 , and  212  as broadcast program listings. Unlike the listings from  FIG. 1 , the listings in display  200  are not limited to simple text (e.g., the program title) and icons to describe media. Rather, in display  200  the listings may provide graphical images including cover art, still images from the media content, still frames of a video associated with the listing, video clip previews, live video from the media content, or other types of media that indicate to a user the media content being described by the listing. Each of the graphical listings may also be accompanied by text to provide further information about the media content associated with the listing. For example, listing  208  may include more than one portion, including media portion  214  and text portion  216 . Media portion  214  and/or text portion  216  may be selectable to view video in full-screen or to view program listings related to the video displayed in media portion  214  (e.g., to view listings for the channel that the video is displayed on). 
     The listings in display  200  are of different sizes (i.e., listing  206  is larger than listings  208 ,  210 , and  212 ), but if desired, all the listings may be the same size. Listings may be of different sizes or graphically accentuated to indicate degrees of interest to the user or to emphasize certain content, as desired by the media provider or based on user preferences. Various systems and methods for graphically accentuating media listings are discussed in, for example, Yates, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/324,202, filed Dec. 29, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Users may access media content and the media guidance application (and its display screens described above and below) from one or more of their user equipment devices.  FIG. 3  shows a generalized embodiment of illustrative user equipment device  300 . More specific implementations of user equipment devices are discussed below in connection with  FIG. 4 . User equipment device  300  may receive media content and data via input/output (hereinafter “I/O”) path  302 . I/O path  302  may provide media content (e.g., broadcast programming, on-demand programming, Internet content, and other video or audio) and data to control circuitry  304 , which includes processing circuitry  306  and storage  308 . Control circuitry  304  may be used to send and receive commands, requests, and other suitable data using I/O path  302 . I/O path  302  may connect control circuitry  304  (and specifically processing circuitry  306 ) to one or more communications paths (described below). I/O functions may be provided by one or more of these communications paths, but are shown as a single path in  FIG. 3  to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. 
     Control circuitry  304  may be based on any suitable processing circuitry  306  such as processing circuitry based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, etc. In some embodiments, control circuitry  304  executes instructions for a media guidance application stored in memory (i.e., storage  308 ). In client-server based embodiments, control circuitry  304  may include communications circuitry suitable for communicating with a guidance application server or other networks or servers. Communications circuitry may include a cable modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a telephone modem, an Fiber To The Home (FTTH) (optical fiber) service, or a wireless modem for communications with other equipment. Such communications may involve the Internet or any other suitable communications networks or paths (which is described in more detail in connection with  FIG. 4 ). In addition, communications circuitry may include circuitry that enables peer-to-peer communication of user equipment devices, or communication of user equipment devices in locations remote from each other (described in more detail below). 
     Memory (e.g., random-access memory, read-only memory, or any other suitable memory), hard drives, optical drives, or any other suitable fixed or removable storage devices (e.g., DVD recorder, CD recorder, video cassette recorder, or other suitable recording device) may be provided as storage  308  that is part of control circuitry  304 . Storage  308  may include one or more of the above types of storage devices. For example, user equipment device  300  may include a hard drive for a DVR (sometimes called a personal video recorder, or PVR) and a DVD recorder as a secondary storage device. Storage  308  may be used to store various types of media described herein and guidance application data, including program information, guidance application settings, user preferences or profile information, or other data used in operating the guidance application. Nonvolatile memory may also be used (e.g., to launch a boot-up routine and other instructions). 
     Control circuitry  304  may include video generating circuitry and tuning circuitry, such as one or more analog tuners, one or more MPEG-2 decoders or other digital decoding circuitry, high-definition tuners, or any other suitable tuning or video circuits or combinations of such circuits. Encoding circuitry (e.g., for converting over-the-air, analog, or digital signals to MPEG signals for storage) may also be provided. Control circuitry  304  may also include scaler circuitry for upconverting and downconverting media into the preferred output format of the user equipment  300 . Circuitry  304  may also include digital-to-analog converter circuitry and analog-to-digital converter circuitry for converting between digital and analog signals. The tuning and encoding circuitry may be used by the user equipment to receive and to display, to play, or to record media content. The tuning and encoding circuitry may also be used to receive guidance data. The circuitry described herein, including for example, the tuning, video generating, encoding, decoding, scaler, and analog/digital circuitry, may be implemented using software running on one or more general purpose or specialized processors. Multiple tuners may be provided to handle simultaneous tuning functions (e.g., watch and record functions, picture-in-picture (PIP) functions, multiple-tuner recording, etc.). If storage  308  is provided as a separate device from user equipment  300 , the tuning and encoding circuitry (including multiple tuners) may be associated with storage  308 . 
     A user may control the control circuitry  304  using user input interface  310 . User input interface  310  may be any suitable user interface, such as a remote control, mouse, trackball, keypad, keyboard, touch screen, touch pad, stylus input, joystick, voice recognition interface, or other user input interfaces. Display  312  may be provided as a stand-alone device or integrated with other elements of user equipment device  300 . Display  312  may be one or more of a monitor, a television, a liquid crystal display (LCD) for a mobile device, or any other suitable equipment for displaying visual images. In some embodiments, display  312  may be HDTV-capable. Speakers  314  may be provided as integrated with other elements of user equipment device  300  or may be stand-alone units. The audio component of videos and other media content displayed on display  312  may be played through speakers  314 . In some embodiments, the audio may be distributed to a receiver (not shown), which processes and outputs the audio via speakers  314 . 
     The guidance application may be implemented using any suitable architecture. For example, it may be a stand-alone application wholly implemented on user equipment device  300 . In such an approach, instructions of the application are stored locally, and data for use by the application is downloaded on a periodic basis (e.g., from the VBI of a television channel, from an out-of-band feed, or using another suitable approach). In another embodiment, the media guidance application is a client-server based application. Data for use by a thick or thin client implemented on user equipment device  300  is retrieved on-demand by issuing requests to a server remote to the user equipment device  300 . In one example of a client-server based guidance application, control circuitry  304  runs a web browser that interprets web pages provided by a remote server. 
     In yet other embodiments, the media guidance application is downloaded and interpreted or otherwise run by an interpreter or virtual machine (run by control circuitry  304 ). In some embodiments, the guidance application may be encoded in the ETV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF), received by control circuitry  304  as part of a suitable feed, and interpreted by a user agent running on control circuitry  304 . For example, the guidance application may be a EBIF widget. In other embodiments, the guidance application may be defined by a series of JAVA-based files that are received and run by a local virtual machine or other suitable middleware executed by control circuitry  304 . In some of such embodiments (e.g., those employing MPEG-2 or other digital media encoding schemes), the guidance application may be, for example, encoded and transmitted in an MPEG-2 object carousel with the MPEG audio and video packets of a program. 
     User equipment device  300  of  FIG. 3  can be implemented in system  400  of  FIG. 4  as user television equipment  402 , user computer equipment  404 , wireless user communications device  406 , or any other type of user equipment suitable for accessing media, such as a non-portable gaming machine. For simplicity, these devices may be referred to herein collectively as user equipment or user equipment devices. User equipment devices, on which a media guidance application is implemented, may function as a standalone device or may be part of a network of devices. Various network configurations of devices may be implemented and are discussed in more detail below. 
     User television equipment  402  may include a set-top box, an integrated receiver decoder (IRD) for handling satellite television, a television set, a digital storage device, a DVD recorder, a video-cassette recorder (VCR), a local media server, or other user television equipment. One or more of these devices may be integrated to be a single device, if desired. User computer equipment  404  may include a PC, a laptop, a tablet, a WebTV box, a personal computer television (PC/TV), a PC media server, a PC media center, or other user computer equipment. WEBTV is a trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Wireless user communications device  406  may include PDAs, a mobile telephone, a portable video player, a portable music player, a portable gaming machine, or other wireless devices. 
     It should be noted that with the advent of television tuner cards for PC&#39;s, WebTV, and the integration of video into other user equipment devices, the lines have become blurred when trying to classify a device as one of the above devices. In fact, each of user television equipment  402 , user computer equipment  404 , and wireless user communications device  406  may utilize at least some of the system features described above in connection with  FIG. 3  and, as a result, include flexibility with respect to the type of media content available on the device. For example, user television equipment  402  may be Internet-enabled allowing for access to Internet content, while user computer equipment  404  may include a tuner allowing for access to television programming. The media guidance application may also have the same layout on the various different types of user equipment or may be tailored to the display capabilities of the user equipment. For example, on user computer equipment, the guidance application may be provided as a web site accessed by a web browser. In another example, the guidance application may be scaled down for wireless user communications devices. 
     In system  400 , there is typically more than one of each type of user equipment device but only one of each is shown in  FIG. 4  to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. In addition, each user may utilize more than one type of user equipment device (e.g., a user may have a television set and a computer) and also more than one of each type of user equipment device (e.g., a user may have a PDA and a mobile telephone and/or multiple television sets). 
     The user may also set various settings to maintain consistent media guidance application settings across in-home devices and remote devices. Settings include those described herein, as well as channel and program favorites, programming preferences that the guidance application utilizes to make programming recommendations, display preferences, and other desirable guidance settings. For example, if a user sets a channel as a favorite on, for example, the web site www.tvguide.com on their personal computer at their office, the same channel would appear as a favorite on the user&#39;s in-home devices (e.g., user television equipment and user computer equipment) as well as the user&#39;s mobile devices, if desired. Therefore, changes made on one user equipment device can change the guidance experience on another user equipment device, regardless of whether they are the same or a different type of user equipment device. In addition, the changes made may be based on settings input by a user, as well as user activity monitored by the guidance application. 
     The user equipment devices may be coupled to communications network  414 . Namely, user television equipment  402 , user computer equipment  404 , and wireless user communications device  406  are coupled to communications network  414  via communications paths  408 ,  410 , and  412 , respectively. Communications network  414  may be one or more networks including the Internet, a mobile phone network, mobile device (e.g., Blackberry) network, cable network, public switched telephone network, or other types of communications network or combinations of communications networks. BLACKBERRY is a service mark owned by Research In Motion Limited Corp. Paths  408 ,  410 , and  412  may separately or together include one or more communications paths, such as, a satellite path, a fiber-optic path, a cable path, a path that supports Internet communications (e.g., IPTV), free-space connections (e.g., for broadcast or other wireless signals), or any other suitable wired or wireless communications path or combination of such paths. Path  412  is drawn with dotted lines to indicate that in the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  it is a wireless path and paths  408  and  410  are drawn as solid lines to indicate they are wired paths (although these paths may be wireless paths, if desired). Communications with the user equipment devices may be provided by one or more of these communications paths, but are shown as a single path in  FIG. 4  to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. 
     Although communications paths are not drawn between user equipment devices, these devices may communicate directly with each other via communication paths, such as those described above in connection with paths  408 ,  410 , and  412 , as well other short-range point-to-point communication paths, such as USB cables, IEEE 1394 cables, wireless paths (e.g., Bluetooth, infrared, IEEE 802-11x, etc.), High-Density Multichip Interconnect (HDMI), or other short-range communication via wired or wireless paths. BLUETOOTH is a certification mark owned by Bluetooth SIG, INC. The user equipment devices may also communicate with each other directly through an indirect path via communications network  414 . 
     System  400  includes media content source  416  and media guidance data source  418  coupled to communications network  414  via communication paths  420  and  422 , respectively. Paths  420  and  422  may include any of the communication paths described above in connection with paths  408 ,  410 , and  412 . Communications with the media content source  416  and media guidance data source  418  may be exchanged over one or more communications paths, but are shown as a single path in  FIG. 4  to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. In addition, there may be more than one of each of media content source  416  and media guidance data source  418 , but only one of each is shown in  FIG. 4  to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. (The different types of each of these sources are discussed below.) If desired, media content source  416  and media guidance data source  418  may be integrated as one source device. Although communications between sources  416  and  418  with user equipment devices  402 ,  404 , and  406  are shown as through communications network  414 , in some embodiments, sources  416  and  418  may communicate directly with user equipment devices  402 ,  404 , and  406  via communication paths (not shown) such as those described above in connection with paths  408 ,  410 , and  412 . 
     Media content source  416  may include one or more types of media distribution equipment including a television distribution facility, cable system headend, satellite distribution facility, programming sources (e.g., television broadcasters, such as NBC, ABC, HBO, etc.), intermediate distribution facilities and/or servers, Internet providers, on-demand media servers, and other media content providers. NBC is a trademark owned by the National Broadcasting Company, Inc., ABC is a trademark owned by the ABC, INC., and HBO is a trademark owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. Media content source  416  may be the originator of media content (e.g., a television broadcaster, a Webcast provider, etc.) or may not be the originator of media content (e.g., an on-demand media content provider, an Internet provider of video content of broadcast programs for downloading, etc.). Media content source  416  may include cable sources, satellite providers, on-demand providers, Internet providers, or other providers of media content. Media content source  416  may also include a remote media server used to store different types of media content (including video content selected by a user), in a location remote from any of the user equipment devices. Systems and methods for remote storage of media content, and providing remotely stored media content to user equipment are discussed in greater detail in connection with Ellis et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/332,244, filed Jun. 11, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Media guidance data source  418  may provide media guidance data, such as media listings, media-related information (e.g., broadcast times, broadcast channels, media titles, media descriptions, ratings information (e.g., parental control ratings, critic&#39;s ratings, etc.), genre or category information, actor information, logo data for broadcasters&#39; or providers&#39; logos, etc.), media format (e.g., standard definition, high definition, etc.), advertisement information (e.g., text, images, media clips, etc.), on-demand information, and any other type of guidance data that is helpful for a user to navigate among and locate desired media selections. 
     Media guidance application data may be provided to the user equipment devices using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, the guidance application may be a stand-alone interactive television program guide that receives program guide data via a data feed (e.g., a continuous feed, trickle feed, or data in the vertical blanking interval of a channel). Program schedule data and other guidance data may be provided to the user equipment on a television channel sideband, in the vertical blanking interval of a television channel, using an in-band digital signal, using an out-of-band digital signal, or by any other suitable data transmission technique. Program schedule data and other guidance data may be provided to user equipment on multiple analog or digital television channels. Program schedule data and other guidance data may be provided to the user equipment with any suitable frequency (e.g., continuously, daily, a user-specified period of time, a system-specified period of time, in response to a request from user equipment, etc.). In some approaches, guidance data from media guidance data source  418  may be provided to users&#39; equipment using a client-server approach. For example, a guidance application client residing on the user&#39;s equipment may initiate sessions with source  418  to obtain guidance data when needed. Media guidance data source  418  may provide user equipment devices  402 ,  404 , and  406  the media guidance application itself or software updates for the media guidance application. 
     Media guidance applications may be, for example, stand-alone applications implemented on user equipment devices. In other embodiments, media guidance applications may be client-server applications where only the client resides on the user equipment device. For example, media guidance applications may be implemented partially as a client application on control circuitry  304  of user equipment device  300  and partially on a remote server as a server application (e.g., media guidance data source  418 ). The guidance application displays may be generated by the media guidance data source  418  and transmitted to the user equipment devices. The media guidance data source  418  may also transmit data for storage on the user equipment, which then generates the guidance application displays based on instructions processed by control circuitry. 
     Media guidance system  400  is intended to illustrate a number of approaches, or network configurations, by which user equipment devices and sources of media content and guidance data may communicate with each other for the purpose of accessing media and providing media guidance. The present invention may be applied in any one or a subset of these approaches, or in a system employing other approaches for delivering media and providing media guidance. The following three approaches provide specific illustrations of the generalized example of  FIG. 4 . 
     In one approach, user equipment devices may communicate with each other within a home network. User equipment devices can communicate with each other directly via short-range point-to-point communication schemes describe above, via indirect paths through a hub or other similar device provided on a home network, or via communications network  414 . Each of the multiple individuals in a single home may operate different user equipment devices on the home network. As a result, it may be desirable for various media guidance information or settings to be communicated between the different user equipment devices. For example, it may be desirable for users to maintain consistent media guidance application settings on different user equipment devices within a home network, as described in greater detail in Ellis et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/179,410, filed Jul. 11, 2005. Different types of user equipment devices in a home network may also communicate with each other to transmit media content or scheduled media asset events (e.g., reminders for media assets). For example, a user may transmit media content from user computer equipment to a portable video player or portable music player. 
     In a second approach, users may have multiple types of user equipment by which they access media content and obtain media guidance. For example, some users may have home networks that are accessed by in-home and mobile devices. Users may control in-home devices via a media guidance application implemented on a remote device. For example, users may access an online media guidance application on a website via a personal computer at their office, or a mobile device such as a PDA or web-enabled mobile telephone. The user may set various settings (e.g., recordings, reminders, program orders, or other settings) on the online guidance application to control the user&#39;s in-home equipment. The online guide may control the user&#39;s equipment directly, or by communicating with a media guidance application on the user&#39;s in-home equipment. Various systems and methods for user equipment devices communicating, where the user equipment devices are in locations remote from each other, is discussed in, for example, Ellis et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/927,814, filed Aug. 26, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     In a third approach, users of user equipment devices inside and outside a home can use their media guidance application to communicate directly with media content source  416  to access media content. Specifically, within a home, users of user television equipment  404  and user computer equipment  406  may access the media guidance application to navigate among and locate desirable media content. User television equipment  404  may be referred to below as media equipment device. Users may also access the media guidance application outside of the home using wireless user communications devices  406  to navigate among and locate desirable media content. 
     It will be appreciated that while the discussion of media content has focused on video content, the principles of media guidance can be applied to other types of media content, such as music, images, playlists, etc. 
     In some embodiments, processing circuitry  306  on a media equipment device may receive a user selection to access media guidance application settings of one or more mobile devices. Processing circuitry  306  may detect the presence of any mobile devices within a particular range of the media equipment devices. Systems and methods for detecting the presence of mobile devices are discussed in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______, (Attorney Docket No. UV-495) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/504,191, filed Jul. 16, 2009, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Processing circuitry  306  may establish a short-range communications link (or in some implementations long-range communications link) with the detected mobile devices and receive settings associated with their respective mobile media guidance applications. Processing circuitry  306  may generate a different media guidance application for each of the detected devices that each includes the settings received from the respective mobile devices to replicate the mobile media guidance applications of the respective mobile devices. The user may access the generated media guidance applications on the media equipment device to modify attributes/settings and execute functions associated with the generated media guidance applications. By navigating the media guidance application with the settings of the mobile device using the media equipment device instead of the mobile device, the user is able to modify attributes/settings, make selections and execute functions that may otherwise be more difficult to achieve with the navigation techniques and limitations of the particular mobile device or that may otherwise exceed the processing power of the given mobile device. 
     As a result of receiving the user selection to navigate the media guidance applications of mobile devices using the media equipment device, processing circuitry  306  may navigate the user to a screen that includes each of the media guidance applications generated based on the settings received from a corresponding mobile device.  FIG. 5  shows an illustrative display screen  500  of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications simultaneously displayed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Screen  500  may include a first window with a first media guidance application  510 , a second window with a second media guidance application  520 , a mobile device guide link  530 , and various media guidance application options  502 ,  504 ,  506  and  508 . 
     Screen  500  may be a navigation screen of the media guidance application running locally on the media equipment device. For example, screen  500  may be one of the various navigation screens of the media guidance application that runs on a set top box and the windows with screen  500  that include the first and second media guidance applications may be generated by the software of the media guidance application that is running on the set top box. The media guidance application that is running on the media equipment device (e.g., set top box) can therefore be thought of as the operating system of the media equipment device and as such to simplify the discussion may be referred to below as the operating system of the media equipment device. More specifically, various options  502 ,  504 ,  506  and  508  may be the options provided by the operating system of the media equipment device. Additionally, the option selected by the user to navigate to screen  500  may be provided by the operating system of the media equipment device. 
     Each window that includes the media guidance application  510  and  520  associated with a particular mobile device may be generated by a separate application that is executed by the operating system of the media equipment device. For example, upon establishing a link with a particular mobile device, the operating system of the media equipment device may launch a new application in a window that is programmed to perform the functions of generating the media guidance application for the mobile device. Alternatively, each window that includes the media guidance application associated with a particular mobile device may be generated by the operating system of the media equipment device as a module of the local operating system of the media equipment device. 
     First and second windows that include first and second media guidance applications  510  and  520  may be overlaid on top of background  550 . Background  550  may be a currently tuned television channel, a video, an application, website, desktop, an operating system navigation screen, an image or any combination of the same. First and second windows that include first and second media guidance applications  510  and  520  may be partially transparent to allow the user to see the items of first and second windows that include first and second media guidance applications  510  and  520  while at the same time seeing background  550 . 
     Each mobile device may display a mobile media guidance application suitable for navigation using the navigation techniques of the mobile device.  FIG. 6  shows an illustrative display screen of a mobile media guidance application  610  displayed on a first mobile device  600  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 7  shows an illustrative display screen of a mobile media guidance application displayed on a second mobile device  700  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. First mobile device  600  may be a mobile phone device such as a cellular telephone with a keypad navigation technique and second mobile device  700  may be an eBook mobile device with a touch screen type navigation technique for reading books on a large screen. 
     Each media guidance application  510  and  520  may be generated based on a mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  received from a corresponding mobile device to replicate the mobile media guidance application of the corresponding mobile device. For example, first media guidance application  510  may be generated based on a mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  ( FIG. 13 ) received from first mobile device  600  ( FIG. 6 ) and second media guidance application  520  may be generated based on a different mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  received from second mobile device  700  ( FIG. 7 ). In particular, processing circuitry  306  may parse through various fields of mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  received from first mobile device  600  to determine whether settings have changed on first mobile device  600  since the last time a link was established between first mobile device  600  and the media equipment device. 
     In some embodiments, media guidance application data may only be available on or through the media equipment device and first mobile device  600  may only provide storage for personal data associated with a particular user and not any other media guidance application data. For example, the operating system of the media equipment device may allow the user to view program scheduling information provided by a remote source while first mobile device  600  may only allow the user to store personal data such as display preferences of a media guidance application viewed on the media equipment device (discussed below), favorite media asset listings, reminders, contacts information, and various other media guidance application configuration information. When a link is established between the media equipment device and first mobile device  600 , the media equipment device may update the operating system parameters of the local media guidance application with personal data received from first mobile device  600  via a mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  ( FIG. 13 ). When the user browses the media guidance application of the media equipment device (e.g., the operating system) and selects an option to view reminders or favorite media asset listings, the media equipment device may navigate the user to a display screen of the operating system that includes the reminders or favorite media asset listings the user has previously selected or set using the media equipment device as well as the reminders or favorite media asset listings that were stored on first mobile device  600 . 
     When a link is established for the first time with first mobile device  600 , processing circuitry  306  may request all the settings associated with the mobile media guidance application of first mobile device  600  to be provided (e.g., by way of additional transmission of data structures). Processing circuitry  306  may generate first media guidance application  510  based on the received settings to replicate the mobile interactive program guide of first mobile device  600  to allow the user to navigate mobile media guidance application  610  of first mobile device  600  using the media equipment device. Second media guidance application  520  may similarly be generated by processing circuitry  306  to replicate the mobile media guidance application of second mobile device  700 . 
     For example, first media guidance application  510  may include a recorded programs option  514  in options menu  512 . Processing circuitry  306  may retrieve from a recorded programs field of data structure  1300  ( FIG. 13 ), a list of items indicating which programs that have been recorded have been accessed or deleted. In particular, processing circuitry  306  may display items  516  indicating all the programs that have been recorded and may include an indicator  517  identifying that a particular program in items  516  has been watched on the mobile device. Similarly, if the user has recorded a particular program using the mobile device and as a result a program listing associated with the recorded program has been added on the mobile media guidance application of the mobile device, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve that information from data structure  1300  and include a program listing of the recorded program in items  516 . 
     In some embodiments, recorded programs option  514  of first media guidance application  510  may identify programs that are available for access on first mobile device  600  (e.g., have been stored to a memory of first mobile device  600 ) and may not identify programs that are recorded on the media equipment device. In particular, the settings included in first media guidance application  510  may relate solely to first mobile device  600  to which guide  510  corresponds. For example, when processing circuitry  306  receives a user selection of recorded programs option  504 , a list of programs available for access or that have been recorded on a memory of the media equipment device may be provided. The list provided as a result of receiving a selection of recorded programs option  504  may be different from the items  516  identifying recorded programs of first media guidance application  510 . 
     In some embodiments, recorded programs option  514  identifies programs that are available for access using a home equipment device such as the media equipment device. In such circumstances, items  516  identifying recorded programs that are available using the media equipment device may include the same program listings as the list provided when recorded programs option  504  is selected. Similarly, selection of reminders option in first media guidance application  510  may provide a list of items  516  that identifies reminders that have been scheduled with any device associated with the user or that have been scheduled using the corresponding mobile device. Preferably, the list provided when reminders option is selected using any device (e.g., mobile device or media equipment device) is the same to ensure the user gets the information associated with the reminder. In particular, if the user has added a reminder on a given mobile device, when the mobile device is linked to the media equipment device, processing circuitry  306  may include the added reminder (1) in items  516  generated with first media guidance application  510  and (2) in a list of reminders provided when the user selects reminders option  502 . 
     Second media guidance application  520  may include a television schedule option  524  in options menu  522 . Processing circuitry  306  may retrieve from a television schedule field of data structure  1300  ( FIG. 13 ), a list of items indicating which programs have been accessed on second mobile device  700 . In particular, processing circuitry  306  may display a television schedule  526  based on the received data structure and may include an indicator  527  identifying that a particular program has been watched on second mobile device  700 . 
     In some embodiments, television schedule option  524  of second media guidance application  520  provides a television schedule of programs that is tailored to second mobile device  700  (e.g., a schedule that has been stored to a memory of second mobile device  700 ) and may not be the same as the television schedule provided on the media equipment device. In particular, the settings included in second media guidance application  520  may relate solely to second mobile device  700  to which guide  520  corresponds. For example, when processing circuitry  306  receives a user selection of television schedule guide option  506 , a television schedule guide that is stored in a memory of the media equipment device and that relates to the media equipment device may be provided. The television schedule guide provided as a result of receiving a selection of television schedule guide option  506  may be different from television schedule  526  of second media guidance application  520 . 
     In some implementations, the television schedule corresponding to the media equipment device that is provided as a result of a user selection of guide option  506  may be different from television schedule  526  associated with second mobile device  700  because television schedule  526  may be generated based on the television schedule data that is stored on second mobile device  700 . For example, the television schedule stored on second mobile device  700  may be less up-to-date than the television schedule stored on the media equipment device and thus different from the television schedule stored on the media equipment device. This may be because updates to the mobile device may be performed once per day whereas updates to the media equipment device may be performed multiple times per day. 
     In some implementations, portions of the media guidance application data may only become available to the media equipment device through first mobile device  600 . For example, the media equipment device may not have IPTV capabilities to receive media guidance application data (e.g., media asset information such as scheduling or access information) and first mobile device  600  may have such IPTV capabilities. In such circumstances, first mobile device  600  may provide through mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  personal data associated with a particular user (e.g., a user&#39;s favorite media asset listings, reminders, recordings, display characteristics) and media guidance application data that first mobile device  600  may have received with the IPTV capabilities of first mobile device  600 . Accordingly, the media equipment device may include in the local media guidance application or in one of the windows that includes a replicated media guidance application of first mobile device  600 , portions of the media guidance application data pertaining to or that were received with IPTV capabilities. In some implementations, the IPTV capabilities may be a function unique to first mobile device  600 . Accordingly, the media equipment device may provide access to the functionality that is unique to first mobile device  600  (as discussed above and below). 
     For example, the media equipment device may provide as a result of receiving a user selection of guide option  506 , a listing of programs provided over a broadcast cable or satellite source and a listing of programs provided over the Internet (e.g., on-demand programs). The media equipment device may also allow the user to select one of the listings corresponding to the programs provided over the Internet (e.g., the listings that were received from first mobile device  600  that pertain to the IPTV capabilities of first mobile device  600 ) and may provide access to or display the program corresponding to the selected listing using the IPTV capabilities of first mobile device  600 . More specifically, the media equipment device may establish a short range communications link with first mobile device  600  and may transmit a request to first mobile device  600  instructing first mobile device  600  to retrieve or provide access to the program corresponding to the selected program listing. First mobile device  600  may consume the IPTV capabilities of first mobile device  600  to retrieve or provide access to the selected program over the Internet and may transmit the content of the selected program back to the media equipment device to allow the user to access the selected program using the media equipment device. In some implementations, this process may be fully automated such that the user need only select the program listing and the connections between the device and between the first mobile device and the Internet are seamlessly established. 
     In some implementations, second mobile device  700  may provide a television schedule that is tailored to the user&#39;s location (e.g., by using GPS coordinates or triangulating the user&#39;s current location). More specifically, second mobile device  700  may provide a television schedule of the city, state or country the user is or was in, while the media equipment device may always provide the same television schedule. Additionally, even though second mobile device  700  may be in the same city, state, country or location as the media equipment device, second mobile device  700  may be configured to always provide a television schedule of some different location. Accordingly, television schedule  526  generated based on the information from second mobile device  700  may be different from the television schedule of the media equipment device. Such a feature allows the user to view multiple television schedules (in some implementations simultaneously) of different locations using the media equipment device. 
     In some implementations, the replicated mobile media guidance application displayed on the media equipment device may be visually similar to (e.g., mirror) the mobile media guidance application displayed on the mobile device. For example, first media guidance application  510  may mirror mobile media guidance application  610  that is displayed on first mobile device  600  ( FIG. 6 ) and second media guidance application  520  may mirror the mobile media guidance application that is displayed on second mobile device  700  ( FIG. 7 ). For example, first media guidance application  510  may have menu options and various other items displayed in substantially the same location and in substantially the same way as they appear when displayed on the mobile device. In such circumstances, even though more space may be available on the media equipment device display, in order to avoid confusing the user, media equipment device may nevertheless limit the items provided in first media guidance application  510  to only those items that are displayed on the mobile device. In some implementations, one of the media guidance applications displayed on the media equipment device may be configured to mirror the mobile media guidance application while a second one of the media guidance applications displayed on the media equipment device may be configured to appear differently (include more/less menu options or items) than the mobile media guidance application. 
     In some implementations, the replicated mobile media guidance application displayed on the media equipment device may look different (have a different look and feel) than the mobile media guidance application displayed on the mobile device. For example, first media guidance application  510  may look different (have a different look and feel) than mobile media guidance application  610  that is displayed on first mobile device  600 . In particular, first media guidance application  510  may have options and various other items displayed in the same manner (position and style) as they are displayed on the mobile device but more options and items may be included in the display than when displayed on the mobile device. More specifically, first media guidance application  510  may include a first menu  512  that includes all the options as the menu when displayed on the mobile device and additionally some options that are not included when displayed on the mobile device (e.g., because of the display screen size limitation of the mobile device). 
     For example, first media guidance application  510  looks similar to mobile media guidance application  610  and second media guidance application  520  looks similar to the mobile media guidance application displayed on second mobile device  700 . Although first media guidance application  510  looks similar to mobile media guidance application  610 , first media guidance application  510  is shown to include menu options that do not appear in the display of mobile media guidance application  610 . In particular, first media guidance application  510  may include a search option which is not included in the display of mobile media guidance application  610  (e.g., because the screen of mobile device  600  may not be large enough to accommodate the display of six menu options). 
     Similarly, although second media guidance application  520  looks similar to the mobile media guidance application displayed on second mobile device  700 , second media guidance application  520  is shown to include a television schedule for more time intervals than the media guidance application displayed on second mobile device  700 . In particular, second media guidance application  520  may include program listings for programs broadcast during a 7-8 PM time interval and 8-9 PM time interval while the mobile media guidance application displayed on second mobile device  700  only includes program listings for programs broadcast during the 7-8 PM time interval (e.g., because the screen of mobile device  700  may not be wide enough to accommodate the display of more than one time interval). 
     Similarly, recorded programs menu option  514  and items  516  is shown to be selected in both guides  510  and  610 , respectively. However, while first media guidance application  510  includes four items  516  corresponding to that menu option selection, mobile media guidance application  610  may only include two items  616  in the display at any given time. In order to view the items corresponding to the menu selection that are not included in the display on the mobile device, the user may scroll the display up/down. For example, scrolling items  616  down may bring into view the next item after Seinfeld in items  616  (e.g., Family Guy) which is shown in the larger version of the same display of items  516  after Seinfeld. Thus, this is one way (e.g., because of screen size) that a user is able to more efficiently and conveniently view and navigate about mobile media guidance application  610  using the media equipment device (e.g., the user may not have to scroll multiple times to view different items  616 ). 
     Another way that simplifies navigation of the mobile media guidance application by providing access to the mobile guide on the media equipment device relates to the limitation of navigation techniques available on a given mobile device. For example, the user may navigate through first media guidance application  510  and make selections and/or modifications using a moveable cursor  540  or any other suitable input device available on the media equipment device (e.g., keyboard and/or voice command). The navigation techniques available on the media equipment device may differ and be more convenient to use than those available on first mobile device  600  associated with first media guidance application  510 . For example, first mobile device  600  may provide directional arrow keys  620  as the method of navigating mobile media guidance application  610  displayed on mobile device  600 . Thus, while in order to make various selections on mobile device  600  the user may be required to use multiple keystrokes of directional arrow keys  620 , media equipment device may allow the user to make the same selection by simple movement of moveable cursor  540  with a mouse input device. 
     As the user navigates through and makes modifications to first media guidance application  510 , processing circuitry  306  may track the changes made by storing the changes in a memory. When processing circuitry  306  receives a user selection of update mobile option  518 , processing circuitry  306  may retrieve the tracked changes if any and transmit a mobile media guidance application data structure  1400  ( FIG. 14 ) to first mobile device  600  associated with first media guidance application  510 . Data structure  1400  may include various fields which indicate the changes made to the guide. 
     In some embodiments, the user may modify contents of media guidance applications that are displayed by moving items to and from displayed media guidance applications by way of dragging an item from one media guidance application and dropping the item into another media guidance application. For example, when first media guidance application  510  displays reminders that are associated with and stored on first mobile device  600 , the user may select one or more of the displayed reminders to move to another media guidance application. In particular, the user may select one or more reminders displayed in first media guidance application  510  and drag the selected reminders into second media guidance application  520  and drop them in second media guidance application  520 . As a result, processing circuitry  306  may add the selected one or more reminders to second media guidance application  520  and may transmit the added reminders as modifications to the mobile media guidance application stored on second mobile device  700  in data structure  1400 . In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may continuously update the content and settings of the mobile media guidance application of second mobile device  700  that are changed in second media guidance application  520 . In some other implementations, processing circuitry  306  may update the content and settings of the mobile media guidance application of second mobile device  700  that are changed in second media guidance application  520  when processing circuitry  306  receives a user selection of update mobile option  528 . 
     First mobile device  600  may receive data structure  1400  and may update mobile media guidance application  610  displayed on first mobile device  600  based on the received data structure  1400 . As discussed in more detail below in connection with  FIG. 10 , first mobile device  600  may update mobile media guidance application  610  settings automatically or may first request confirmation from the user. Similarly, second media guidance application  520  may include an update mobile option  528  which when selected instructs processing circuitry  306  to transmit a data structure  1400  to second mobile device  700  associated with second media guidance application  520 . Data structure  1400  that is transmitted may indicate which changes if any were made to second media guidance application  520  that need to be carried over to the mobile media guidance application displayed on second mobile device  700 . 
     Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of customize option  519 . As a result, processing circuitry  306  may navigate the user to screen  1100  ( FIG. 11 ) (discussed in greater detail below) which allows the user to customize the visual appearance or visual characteristics of the mobile media guidance application of the mobile device corresponding to the media guidance application. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of customize option  519  and after the user completes customizing the mobile media guidance application (through screen  1100 ), processing circuitry  306  may transmit a data structure  1400  indicating to the first mobile device associated with first media guidance application  510  what changes to the visual appearance need to be made. 
     In some implementations, customize option  519  may be available on first media guidance application  510  and not available on second media guidance application  520 . For example, first media guidance application  510  may include customize option  519  when an associated first mobile device  600  supports the ability to change the visual appearance of mobile media guidance application  610 . Second media guidance application  520  may not include a customize option when an associated second mobile device  700  has a mobile media guidance application hardwired and built into second mobile device  700  and thus may not be suited for customization. 
     Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of mobile device guide option  530  and as a result may replace one of the displayed media guidance applications  510  or  520  with an media guidance application corresponding to a third mobile device. In some implementations, instead of replacing one of the displayed media guidance applications  510  or  520 , processing circuitry  306  may add a third window to the display that includes an media guidance application corresponding to the third mobile device. Processing circuitry  306  may automatically adjust the sizes of the windows of first and second media guidance applications  510  and  520  to simultaneously display three media guidance applications each corresponding to a different mobile device. 
     In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may adjust the sizes of the three displayed replicated mobile media guidance applications to be the same or processing circuitry  306  may adjust the sizes according to priorities given to different devices. For example, the user may assign a priority to a first device that is greater than priorities assigned to second and third devices. Accordingly, processing circuitry  306  may adjust the sizes of the three displayed windows such that the media guidance application corresponding to the first device with the highest priority is displayed in a larger window (e.g., larger in size) than the second and third media guidance applications corresponding to the second and third devices. 
     In some embodiments, each replicated mobile media guidance application that is displayed that corresponds to a particular mobile device may include an option to access functionality that is unique to the mobile device to which the replicated mobile media guidance application corresponds. For example, first media guidance application  510  may include an option to access a function unique to the first mobile device corresponding to first media guidance application  510  and second media guidance application  520  may include an option to access a function unique to the second mobile device corresponding to second media guidance application  520 . The option that is included in the replicated mobile media guidance application that provides access to the unique functionality may include an identifier  515  or  525 . 
     Identifiers  515  and  525  may indicate to the user that the option provides access to a functionality unique to the mobile device. In some implementations, where first media guidance application  510  mirrors the mobile media guidance application displayed on a given mobile device, identifier  515  may be displayed in first media guidance application  510  and omitted from the display of the mobile media guidance application on the mobile device, as shown in media guidance application  610  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of contacts option of menu  512  and as a result may display items corresponding to the contacts option in place of items  516 . Similarly, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of e-books option of menu  522  and as a result may display items corresponding to the e-books option in place of television schedule  526 . 
       FIG. 8  shows an illustrative display screen  800  of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications simultaneously displayed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Screen  800  may include a first media guidance application  810  which may be the same as first media guidance application  510  ( FIG. 5 ) and second media guidance application  820  which may be the same as second media guidance application  520 . First and second media guidance applications  810  and  820  may be overlaid over background  830  which may be the same as background  550  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     First media guidance application  810  includes a menu region in which contacts option  812  is highlighted to show it has been selected by the user. First media guidance application  810  includes a corresponding items region that includes items associated with the selected contacts option  812 . Contacts option  812  may be a function unique to first mobile device  600 . In particular, contacts option  812  may provide the user with the ability to place telephone calls to users which are included in a stored telephone book list in first mobile device  600 . More specifically, processing circuitry  306  may receive from first mobile device  600  in data structure  1300  a list of contacts stored in a memory of mobile device  600 . In such circumstances, first mobile device  600  may be a cellular or mobile telephone device. The received list may be retrieved by processing circuitry  306  and may be used to generate items region  814  of first media guidance application  810 . For example, items region  814  may include the list of contacts the user has stored in first mobile device  600 . 
     Each of the contacts displayed in items region  814  may include a call option  816  and/or an SMS option  818 . Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of call option  816  and determine what resources the media equipment device needs from first mobile device  600  to place a call to the corresponding user. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of call option  816  and as a result may determine that the cellular transmission equipment (e.g., cellular antenna and digital signal processing circuitry) may be needed to place a call to a person Martha corresponding to the selected call option  816 . Processing circuitry  306  may also determine that a speaker is necessary to provide voice received from the selected person (e.g., Martha) to the user and that a microphone is necessary to transmit voice from the user to the selected person (e.g., Martha). Processing circuitry  306  may determine that a microphone and speakers are readily available on the television unit and may therefore determine that the media equipment device need only consume the cellular transmission equipment from first mobile device  600  to complete the call (e.g., process the function unique to the first mobile device  600  with media equipment device). 
     In some embodiments, processing circuitry  306  may establish a continuous connection with first mobile device  600  using a short-range communications path or one or more other suitable communications paths as a result of receiving the user selection of call option  816 . Processing circuitry  306  may transmit a communication to first mobile device  600  instructing first mobile device  600  to use the transmission equipment to place a call to the selected person (e.g., Martha). For example, processing circuitry  306  may instruct first mobile device  600  to dial a specific number corresponding to Martha. Processing circuitry  306  may receive voice data from first mobile device  600  and may provide the received voice data over speakers of the media equipment device. Similarly, processing circuitry  306  may receive voice data from the user over a microphone of the media equipment device and may transmit the voice data to first mobile device  600  for transmission over the cellular transmission equipment. In some embodiments, processing circuitry  306  may use voice-over-ip (VoIP) application (e.g., Skype) to complete the call to Martha when the user selects option  816 . In particular, instead of dialing the telephone number using first mobile device  600 , processing circuitry  306  may utilize an Internet connection available on the media equipment device to allow the user to communicate by voice with Martha in real-time. 
     In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of SMS option  818  and as a result may determine that the cellular transmission equipment (e.g., cellular antenna and digital signal processing circuitry) may be needed to send an SMS message to a person Martha corresponding to the selected SMS option  818 . Processing circuitry  306  may determine that a continuous connection with first mobile device  600  may not be necessary to transmit the SMS message to Martha unlike call option  816 . Accordingly, processing circuitry  306  may receive the text, image, video or other data message from the user when the user selects SMS option  818  and as a result processing circuitry  306  may transmit a communication to first mobile device  600  that contains a telephone number or other identifier of Martha as well as the message content(s) and that instructs first mobile device  600  to transmit the message to Martha over the cellular transmission equipment. 
     In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of SMS option  818  and as a result may determine that cellular transmission equipment (e.g., cellular antenna and digital signal processing circuitry) may not be needed to send an SMS message to a person Martha corresponding to the selected SMS option  818  but that an Internet connection available on the media equipment device is sufficient. Accordingly, processing circuitry  306  may receive the text, image, video or other data message from the user when the user selects SMS option  818  and as a result processing circuitry  306  may transmit the message to Martha over the Internet connection of the media equipment device. 
     Second media guidance application  820  includes a menu region in which e-books option  822  is highlighted to show it has been selected by the user. Second media guidance application  820  includes a corresponding items region that includes items associated with the selected e-books option  822 . E-books option  822  may be a function unique to second mobile device  700 . In particular, e-books option  822  may provide the user with the ability to read books electronically which are included in a stored book list in second mobile device  700 . More specifically, processing circuitry  306  may receive from second mobile device  700  in data structure  1300  a list of electronic books stored in a memory of second mobile device  700 . In such circumstances, second mobile device  700  may be an e-book device which allows the user to read books electronically on a display by downloading books from a third party server. The received list may be retrieved by processing circuitry  306  and may used to generate items region  824  of second media guidance application  820 . For example, items region  824  may include the list of books the user has stored in second mobile device  700  or items region  824  may be a page of an electronic book the user is currently reading on second mobile device  700 . 
     Each of the books displayed in items region  824  may be selected by the user. Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of one of the books listed in items region  824  and determine what resources the media equipment device needs from second mobile device  700  to allow the user to view the book corresponding to the selection. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of a book and as a result may determine that the page last viewed of the selected book may be needed. Accordingly, processing circuitry  306  may transmit a communication to second mobile device  700  requesting the last viewed page of the selected book to be provided to the media equipment device. The last viewed page received from second mobile device  700  may then be displayed in second media guidance application  820 . When the user selects a next page option or previous page option while reading the page of the book using the media equipment device, processing circuitry  306  may send subsequent communications to second mobile device  700  requesting the next or previous page of the selected book to be provided to the media equipment device. 
     In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may receive multiple previous or next pages of the selected book from second mobile device  700  in order to avoid having to establish a connection with second mobile device  700  each time the user requests a next or previous page. In particular, processing circuitry  306  may cache the previous and next pages of the book being read on second media guidance application  820  to more quickly respond to user requests to view pages of the selected book. When the user is done reading the selected book, processing circuitry  306  may transmit data structure  1400  to second mobile device  700  indicating what page the user last read. This way, when the user next accesses the selected book using second mobile device  700 , second mobile device  700  may present the last page the user read when the user was reading the book on the media equipment device instead of presenting the last page the user read when the user last read the book on second mobile device  700 . Thus, the user may seamlessly transition from reading the book on second mobile device  700  to the media equipment device and back to second mobile device  700 . 
     The user may also shop around for more electronic books using the media equipment device. Any electronic book the user decides to purchase or download with the media equipment device, may subsequently be downloaded to second mobile device  700  when an update to second mobile device  700  is performed. 
     In some embodiments, processing circuitry  306  may utilize both the unique functionality provided by first media guidance application  810  and the unique functionality provided by second media guidance application  820  to complete a request. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive user request to transmit a portion of a page or the currently viewed page of the selected book being read in second media guidance application  820  to a contact listed in items region  814 . In particular, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection from the book page displayed in second media guidance application  820  and may be instructed to transmit an SMS message that includes the selected book portion or page (using functionality discussed above in connection with SMS option  818 ) to a selected contact. Thus, processing circuitry  306  may connect to both first and second mobile devices  600  and  700  to complete the request. More specifically, processing circuitry  306  may communicate with second mobile device  700  to receive the selected book portion or page and may communicate with first mobile device  600  to transmit the SMS message to the selected person. 
     In some embodiments, a mobile device may include multiple unique functionalities. In such implementations, the replicated mobile media guidance application associated with the mobile device on the media equipment device may include a menu option for each of the unique functionalities of the mobile device. Functionalities which may be unique to one or more mobile device may include global positioning system (GPS) functionality which may be used to determine a current location of the mobile device and generate maps or media guidance application data based on that location. Other functionalities unique to the mobile devices may include gaming functionality. In such circumstances, a game or portion of the game that is implemented on the mobile device (e.g., a portable gaming machine) may be accessed on the media equipment device using the media guidance application generated for that mobile device. Other functionalities unique to the mobile devices may include music player (e.g., itunes) functionality which may provide access to one or more playlists of music or video media assets. Other functionalities unique to the mobile devices may include any application (e.g., game, utility, or function) that is executable on a given mobile device which may be accessed on the media equipment device with the media guidance application generated for that mobile device. 
     In some embodiments, a link to each of the replicated mobile media guidance applications generated based on mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  received from corresponding mobile devices may be displayed as a tab. In particular, the tab that is more prominently displayed than the other tabs may identify to the user to which mobile device the currently viewed media guidance application corresponds. The user may select each other tab to cause processing circuitry  306  display the replicated mobile media guidance application corresponding to the selected tab. 
       FIG. 9  shows an illustrative display screen  900  of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications navigation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Screen  900  includes a first tab  910 , a second tab  920  and a third tab  930  displayed in a window within the media guidance application or operating system of the media equipment device. First tab  910  may be a link to a third replicated mobile media guidance application associated with a third mobile device, second tab  920  may be a link to first media guidance application  510  associated with first mobile device  600  and third tab  930  may be a link to second media guidance application  520  ( FIG. 5 ) associated with second mobile device  700 . 
     Upon receiving selection of second tab  920  (e.g., by way of determining that a cursor is positioned over tab  920  and a button is pressed), processing circuitry  306  may retrieve first media guidance application  510  that is generated based on data structure  1300  received from first mobile device  600  to replicate the media guidance application of fist mobile device  600 . First media guidance application  510  may be displayed in a region underneath or adjacent to the corresponding second tab  920 . First media guidance application  510  displayed in the region underneath second tab  920  may include a menu  922  which may be the same as menu  512  discussed above in connection with  FIG. 5 . In some implementations, the tabs may be displayed along the vertical axis in an up/down manner and guides corresponding to the selected tabs may be displayed in a region to the left or to the right of the tabs. 
     Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of search option  924  and as a result may display a search region  926  next to or adjacent menu  922 . Search region  926  may include a search textbox  930 , criteria selection region  934 , search location selection region  936  and search limitation region  938 . Processing circuitry  306  may receive input from the user through search textbox  520 . For example, the user may provide a search string to processing circuitry  306  to use to search for and identify media assets. Criteria selection region  934  may be provided to allow the user to instruct processing circuitry  306  to narrow the search using certain criteria. For example, criteria selection region  934  may provide a list of criteria including, for example, TV Show, actor, director, film, band, musician, artist, album, titles, tracks, broadcast time and channel, broadcast date, any other suitable criteria or combination thereof which may be selected by marking corresponding checkboxes. 
     Processing circuitry  306  may execute the search based on the input search string after processing circuitry  306  receives a user selection of GO option  932 . Processing circuitry  306  may search a local or remote database or storage device or any other location specified in region  936  (e.g., the Internet by using a Google search engine) for the search string included in the criteria specified with region  934 . For example, when criteria region  934  specifies a TV Show, processing circuitry  306  may execute the search of remote databases, local databases, storage devices or websites that relate to TV Shows having the search string matching the string provided in textbox  930 . The search may return multiple results or only a single result depending on how many items match the search. 
     The user may also be provided with an option to limit the number of search results by specifying limitations in region  938 . When the search results are limited, processing circuitry  306  may prioritize the items that match the search string based on the closest matches and display a number of matching items less than or equal to the limit provided by the user. In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may first search fields matching the criteria provided by the user of locally stored data structures and then when a number of items less than the limit are found, processing circuitry  306  may search remote databases. For example, when the criteria is a title, processing circuitry  306  may search title fields of media asset data structures (not shown) to determine whether the fields match the search string of textbox  930 . 
     Processing circuitry  306  may generate a display in a window next to GO option  932  or as a new screen that includes a list with the items resulting from the search. The list may be interactive such that the user may add or mark favorite items in the list. For example, when the search yields media asset items, the user may select an add option to add a particular media asset in the interactive list to a profile associated with the user, schedule the selected media asset for recording, set a reminder for the selected media asset or playback or view the selected media asset. Processing circuitry  306  may transmit the search results and in some implementations the search terms corresponding to the search results to first mobile device  600  using data structure  1400 . The search results may be included in mobile media guidance application  610  of first mobile device  600  and may be viewed by the user when the user accesses first mobile device  600 . In such implementations, first mobile device  600  is freed of the processing power and burden of executing the search as the media equipment device (which may be more equipped to perform the search) is utilized to perform the search. 
     In some implementations, the user may input search criteria into first mobile device  600  using mobile media guidance application  610 . When the user presses a GO option in mobile media guidance application  610 , first mobile device  600  may transmit a data structure  1300  that includes the user specified search parameters to the media equipment device. Processing circuitry  306  on the media equipment device may execute and perform the search based on the receive data structure and return the results to first mobile device  600  using data structure  1400 . This entire process may be automated such that the user of first mobile device  600  is seamlessly provided with the search results that are received from the media equipment device. 
     In some embodiments, processing circuitry  306  may determine that there exist differences between the mobile media guidance application and the corresponding replicated mobile media guidance application stored for the mobile device on the media equipment device. In particular, processing circuitry  306  may receive a mobile media guidance application data structure and compare the data of the mobile media guidance application with a previously stored version of the media guidance application. Processing circuitry  306  may allow the user to synchronize the replicated mobile media guidance application stored on the media equipment device with the one stored on the mobile device. 
       FIG. 10  shows an illustrative display screen  1000  of multiple replicated mobile media guidance applications navigation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Screen  1000  may include a similar display of tabbed replicated mobile media guidance applications navigation as discussed above in connection with  FIG. 9 . In particular, first tab  1010  may be the same or similar as first tab  910 , second tab  1020  may be the same or similar as first tab  920  and third tab  1030  may be the same or similar as first tab  930 . The tabbed guides may be displayed in a window  1050  overlaid on top of a background or as a menu portion of the media equipment device operating system. 
     Screen  1000  shows second tab  1020  corresponding to first mobile device  600  selected. An media guidance application  1022  generated based on mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  may be displayed adjacent second tab  1020 . Media guidance application  1022  may be or appear to be the same or similar to the media guidance application displayed adjacent second tab  920  ( FIG. 9 ). Processing circuitry  306  may determine differences or inconsistencies between a previously stored version of media guidance application  1022  on the media equipment device (e.g., version having different settings were previously stored) and the settings specified in the mobile media guidance application data structure received from first mobile device  600 . In some implementations, instead of automatically updating the version stored on the media equipment device with the settings provided in the received mobile media guidance application data structure, processing circuitry  306  may display a prompt  1040  requesting user input. 
     Prompt  1040  may include a message indicating to the user that differences were detected between the mobile media guidance application settings and corresponding settings stored on the media equipment device. Prompt  1040  may provide a list of options that the user may select to instruct processing circuitry  306  on how to resolve the discrepancies. For example, prompt  1040  may include a first radio button  1042  which when selected instructs processing circuitry  306  to download the previously stored settings of the media guidance application to the mobile device. In particular, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve the settings stored for the media guidance application on the media equipment device and generate a mobile media guidance application data structure  1400  to transmit to first mobile device  600 . First mobile device  600  may receive the data structure  1400  and apply the settings to the mobile media guidance application. Once completed, the mobile media guidance application may contain the same settings as the corresponding media guidance application on the media equipment device. 
     In some implementations, first radio button  1042  may be selected by the user to restore a previous version of the mobile media guidance application (e.g., because of a failure or inadvertent loss of data on the mobile device). In particular, first radio button  1042  may be used as a backup mechanism by which the integrity of the user&#39;s data and settings on the mobile device are preserved by the corresponding media guidance application stored on the media equipment device. In addition, the user may replace first mobile device  600  with another equivalent mobile device (e.g., user may exchange one cell phone model for another) but may have no other means to transfer settings of the mobile media guidance application between the two mobile devices. Accordingly, processing circuitry  306  may determine that first mobile device  600  has been replaced with a new mobile device by identifying that the settings transmitted in the data structure from the new mobile device are inconsistent with the one&#39;s stored. As a result, processing circuitry  306  may allow the user to select first radio button  1042  and update the settings of the new mobile device with those that were previously stored to the media equipment device by first mobile device  600 . 
     Prompt  1040  may include a second radio button  1043  which when selected instructs processing circuitry  306  to apply settings from another mobile media guidance application to the mobile device. For example, the user may select second radio button  1043  to maintain consistency between settings of two different mobile devices. In particular, the user may like the visual appearance settings or the reminders set on second mobile device  700  and wish to have those same settings available on first mobile device  600 . Accordingly, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of second radio button  1043  and query the user as to which media guidance application settings of another mobile device to download to first mobile device  600 . The user may select an option to download the settings associated with a mobile media guidance application of second mobile device  700  and as a result, processing circuitry  306  may transmit to first mobile device  600  a data structure  1400  that includes all the settings of the media guidance application of second mobile device  700 . Processing circuitry  306  may also update the corresponding media guidance application settings stored on the media equipment device with the settings of the selected mobile media guidance application of second mobile device  700 . 
     Prompt  1040  may include a third radio button  1044  which when selected instructs processing circuitry  306  update the settings of the replicated mobile media guidance application stored on the media equipment device with the settings of the mobile device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve the settings stored in the data structure  1300  received from first mobile device  600  and replace the settings stored on the media equipment device for the replicated mobile media guidance application corresponding to first mobile device  600  with the retrieved settings. 
     After the user selects a particular one of the radio buttons with the desired action, the user may select a GO option  1046 . Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of GO option  1046  and execute the necessary instructions based on the radio button selected by the user. 
     In some embodiments, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of customize option  519 . As a result, processing circuitry  306  may navigate the user to mobile device guide customization screen  1100  ( FIG. 11 ) to allow the user to change the visual appearance of the media guidance application associated with the mobile device. In particular, the user may change settings which indicate how various menus and options appear on the mobile media guidance application on the mobile device and the replicated mobile media guidance application associated with the mobile device stored on the media equipment device. 
       FIG. 11  shows an illustrative display screen  1100  of mobile media guidance application customization in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Screen  1100  may include a currently selected options region  1110 , an items available that are not selected region  1130 , a mobile media guidance application preview window  1120  and a template selection region  1140 . As the user changes and selects various options to include or exclude from the replicated mobile media guidance application associated with a mobile device, processing circuitry may generate a preview of the media guidance application with the selected settings. The generated preview may be displayed in mobile media guidance application preview window  1120 . Processing circuitry  306  may determine the display characteristics (e.g., screen dimensions) of the mobile device for which the mobile guide is being customized and generate the preview based on the determined display characteristics. More specifically, preview window  1120  allows the user to see what the mobile media guidance application would look like on the mobile device if the changes to the visual characteristics and settings were implemented. 
     Currently selected options region  1110  may include a list of the menu options and items which are enabled for display on the mobile media guidance application. The user may mark/unmark checkboxes for each menu option that the user would like to keep or remove. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection unmarking the checkbox corresponding to unique function to the mobile device. As a result, processing circuitry  306  may remove that menu option from the mobile media guidance application and update the preview window  1120  to reflect that change. The number of items included in currently selected options region  1110  may reflect the number of items that the mobile media guidance application can fit in the display space of the mobile device. For example, first mobile device  600  may only have room to display five items in the mobile media guidance application and accordingly, currently selected options region  1110  may only allow the user to select five items. A details option  1112  may be provided next to each item to provide a description of a corresponding menu option. 
     In some implementations, when one of the checkboxes in currently selected options region  1110  is unmarked, a new menu option may be selected for inclusion in the mobile media guidance application. Accordingly, the user may drag one of the items  1132  from items available that are not selected region  1130  into currently selected options region  1110 . As a result, processing circuitry  306  may add the dragged or selected item into currently selected options region  1110  and mark a corresponding checkbox to indicate that the selected item is enabled. Processing circuitry  306  may update preview window  1120  to reflect the removal and addition of the menu option. In some implementations, the user may position a cursor over one of items  1132  and double click or click a button on a mouse to cause the item over which the cursor is selected to be moved into currently selected options region  1110  and added to the mobile media guidance application. 
     The user may also customize the way in which menu options and items are presented in the media guidance applications displayed on the mobile and media equipment devices. Template selection region  1140  may include a variety of different design templates that may be used to modify the way in which menu options and items appear in the media guidance applications. Template selection region  1140  may include a current template selection  1141  and a template preview  1142  showing how the menu options and items are arranged. The user can see that since template selection  1141  is the currently selected template, there is a close resemblance between the way in which the menu options and items are shown to be arranged in template preview  1142  and mobile media guidance application  610  ( FIG. 6 ) on first mobile device  600 . A second and third template selection options may correspond to different design templates or ways in which the menu options and items of the media guidance applications are arranged. 
     For example, second template  1144  may include menu options and items that are similarly arranged as the menu options and items of the mobile media guidance application on second mobile device  700  ( FIG. 7 ). Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of second template  1144  and may as a result change the way in which options and items appear on first mobile device  600 . Selection of second template  1144  may update the preview window  1120  to allow the user to see how the menu options and items that the user selected in region  1110  would appear in the modified media guidance application. 
     In some implementations, different templates may allow less menu options to be selected. Accordingly, when a different design template is selected that allows for fewer menu options to be provided or displayed, processing circuitry  306  may remove the requisite number of menu options from options currently selected region  1110 . In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may query the user as to which of the currently selected menu options to remove to make room for the newly selected design template. In some implementations, different design templates may allow more menu options to be selected. Accordingly, when a different design template is selected that allows for more menu options to be provided or displayed than the previously selected template, processing circuitry  306  may add the allowable number of menu options to options currently selected region  1110 . In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may query the user as to which of the items  1132  in items that are available and not selected region  1130  to add to currently selected options region  1110 . 
     Third template  1146  may be a folding guide design in which menu options and items that are arranged in different perspective views. For example, menu options  1147  in the third template  1146  may be displayed in a first perspective view and items corresponding to a selected one of the menu options may be displayed adjacent menu options  1147  in a second perspective view that is different from the first perspective view. Folding guides or media guidance applications (media guidance application) with multiple perspective views are described in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______ (Attorney Docket No. UV-486), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of third template  1146  and may as a result change the way in which options and items appear on first mobile device  600 . Selection of third template  1146  may update the preview window  1120  to allow the user to see how the menu options and items that the user selected in region  1110  would appear in the modified media guidance application. Selection of the third template may be used to cause first mobile device  600  to display settings of an media guidance application using perspective views as in a folding guide implementation. 
     In some embodiments, the user may download/upload or design a design template. For example, the user may download a design template from a website and select and apply the downloaded design template to be used as the design template of the mobile media guidance application. In some implementations, the user may upload one design template from one mobile device and download the design template retrieved from the mobile device to a different mobile device. In some implementations, the user may create a design template using suitable design software on the media equipment device. The created design template may then be selected and applied as the design template for the mobile media guidance application. 
     Processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection of apply to mobile device option  1150 . As a result, processing circuitry  306  may generate a data structure  1400 , for transmission to the selected mobile device, that includes the visual characteristics selected by the user in screen  1100 . In some implementations, the user may select an option to apply the visual characteristics to more than one mobile device. In such circumstances, processing circuitry  306  may generate multiple data structures  1400  for transmission to each of the selected mobile devices. The mobile device or devices may receive the data structure(s)  1400  and may apply the settings to the stored mobile media guidance application to change the visual appearance of the mobile media guidance application to have the selected settings and functions. 
     In some embodiments, when settings are received by a mobile device (e.g., through a data structure  1400 ) that change settings and/or visual characteristics of a corresponding mobile media guidance application, the mobile device may alert the user before implementing the changes. In particular, instead of automatically accepting the changes made in the media equipment device, the mobile device may ask the user to confirm that the changes are acceptable before making the modifications to the mobile media guidance application. 
       FIG. 12  shows an illustrative display screen  1200  of an alert in a mobile media guidance application displayed on a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. For example, second mobile device  700  may receive a data structure  1400  with changes to settings from the media equipment device. Second mobile device  700  may as a result prompt the user by way of displaying an alert  1210  about the incoming changes to the settings of the mobile media guidance application. 
     Alert  1210  may inform the user about each of the changes indicated in the received data structure. Alert  1210  may include an accept option  1220 , a reject option  1230  and an accept always option  1240 . Second mobile device  700  may receive a user selection of accept option  1220  and as a result may apply the changes specified in the received data structure  1400  to the mobile media guidance application settings stored in a memory of second mobile device  700 . Second mobile device  700  may receive a user selection of accept always option  1240  and as a result may always apply the changes specified in the received data structure  1400 , and any subsequent data structures  1400  received from the media equipment device, to the mobile media guidance application settings stored in a memory of second mobile device  700 . Selection of accept always option  1240  may cause second mobile device  700  to not display alerts  1210  when changes are received from the media equipment device and in turn to automatically apply the received changes without inquiring or requiring confirmation from the user. 
     In some implementations, a separate alert  1210  may be provided for each individual change or modification and a separate accept option  1220  may have to be selected to apply each individual change to the mobile media guidance application. In some implementations, a list of the changes may be displayed in one alert  1210 , and selection of accept option  1220  may apply all the changes specified in the list. 
     Second mobile device  700  may receive a user selection of reject option  1230  and as a result may not apply (or ignore) the changes specified in the received data structure  1400  to the mobile media guidance application settings stored in a memory of second mobile device  700 . In some implementations, a separate alert  1210  may be provided for each individual change or modification and a separate reject option  1230  may have to be selected to not apply (or ignore) each individual change to the mobile media guidance application. In some implementations, a list of the changes may be displayed in one alert  1210 , and selection of reject option  1230  may not apply (or ignore) all the changes specified in the list. 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  are illustrative flow diagrams  1500  and  1600  for multiple media guidance application navigation in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. At step  1501 , a mobile device is detected using media equipment device. For example, a media equipment device may determine that first mobile device  600  is within a short-range communications path (or within a line or sight) of the media equipment device. 
     At step  1502 , a mobile media guidance application data structure is received from the detected mobile device. For example, first mobile device  600  may transmit a mobile media guidance application data structure  1300  ( FIG. 13 ) to the media equipment device that includes settings of mobile media guidance application  610  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     At step  1504 , a determination is made as to whether there exists previously stored settings in an media guidance application at the media equipment device associated with the detected mobile device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve a mobile device ID from the received data structure  1300  and determine whether any settings have been previously stored that are associated with that mobile device ID. When there exist previously stored settings in a replicated mobile media guidance application associated with the detected device, the process proceeds to step  1508 , otherwise the process proceeds to step  1506 . 
     At step  1506 , an media guidance application is generated based on the data structure received from the detected mobile device to replicate the mobile media guidance application of the detected mobile device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may generate an media guidance application that includes the same settings (e.g., reminders, menu options, and other items) as mobile media guidance application  610 . 
     At step  1508 , the received settings in the data structure are compared with the previously stored settings of the media guidance application associated with the detected device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may compare settings specified in fields of the received data structure  1300  with the previously stored settings corresponding to first mobile device  600 . 
     At step  1510 , a determination is made as to whether there are changes between the previously stored media guidance application and the received settings. When changes are determined, the process proceeds to step  1518 , otherwise the process proceeds to step  1512 . 
     At step  1512 , the stored media guidance application associated with the detected mobile device is retrieved. For example, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve the media guidance application associated with first mobile device  600  from a memory of the media equipment device. 
     At step  1518 , a user input is requested. For example, processing circuitry  306  may generate prompt  1040  ( FIG. 10 ) in which options are provided to the user. When the user input is a revert request (e.g., option  1042  is selected), the process proceeds to step  1520 ; when the user input is an update request (e.g., option  1044  is selected), the process proceeds to step  1524 ; and when the user input is an apply request (e.g., option  1043  is selected), the process proceeds to step  1526 . 
     At step  1520 , the media guidance application associated with the detected mobile device is retrieved. For example, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve the media guidance application associated with first mobile device  600  from a memory of the media equipment device. 
     At step  1522 , the settings of the retrieved media guidance application that were previously stored on the media equipment device are downloaded to the detected mobile device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may package or generate a mobile media guidance application data structure  1400  ( FIG. 14 ) that includes all the settings of the media guidance application retrieved from the memory of the media equipment device. The generated data structure  1400  may be transmitted to first mobile device  600 . 
     At step  1524 , the settings of the retrieved media guidance application that were previously stored on the media equipment device are updated with the settings of the data structure received from the detected mobile device. For example, first mobile device  600  may modify the settings of mobile media guidance application  610  with the settings specified in fields of data structure  1400  received from the media equipment device. 
     At step  1526 , a replicated mobile media guidance application associated with a different mobile device is selected. For example, when processing circuitry  306  receives a user selection of option  1043  ( FIG. 10 ), processing circuitry  306  may ask the user to specify a different mobile device from which to import settings to first mobile device  600 . 
     At step  1528 , settings of the selected replicated mobile media guidance application are retrieved. For example, processing circuitry  306  may retrieve a mobile media guidance application data structure associated with the selected device in which settings of the replicated mobile media guidance application of the selected device are stored. 
     At step  1530 , the settings of the selected replicated mobile media guidance application that are retrieved are applied to the mobile media guidance application of the detected device and the previously stored media guidance application associated with the detected device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may package or generate a mobile media guidance application data structure  1400  ( FIG. 14 ) that includes all the settings of the media guidance application associated with the selected mobile device and transmit the generated data structure  1400  to first mobile device  600 . Processing circuitry  306  may also update the replicated mobile media guidance application stored in the media equipment device that is associated with first mobile device  600  with the settings of the replicated mobile media guidance application associated with the selected mobile device. 
     At step  1514 , a determination is made as to whether another mobile device is detected. When another mobile device is detected, the process returns to step  1502 , otherwise the process proceeds to step  1516 . 
     At step  1516 , access to the replicated mobile media guidance applications associated with the detected devices is provided using the media equipment device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may generate display screen  500  in which first media guidance application  510  associated with first mobile device  600  is displayed in a first window and second media guidance application  520  associated with second mobile device  700  is displayed in a second window ( FIG. 5 ). In some implementations, processing circuitry  306  may provide access to first media guidance application  510  by receiving a user selection of second tab  920  and provide access to second media guidance application  520  by receiving a user selection of third tab  930  in a tabbed media guidance application display ( FIG. 9 ). The process then proceeds to step  1610  ( FIG. 16 ). 
     At step  1610 , a user selection from a first of the replicated mobile media guidance applications provided on the media equipment device is received, where the first media guidance application is associated with a first mobile device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive a user selection to browse through first media guidance application  510  or delete or add various settings (e.g., reminders) to first media guidance application  510 . 
     At step  1620 , a determination is made as to whether the received selection is a selection of a function common to all the replicated mobile media guidance applications. For example, processing circuitry  306  may determine whether a selected menu option is available or common to all the replicated mobile media guidance applications (e.g., TV scheduled guide) or whether the selected menu option is unique to the mobile device (e.g., contacts function or e-book function). When the selection is common to all, the process proceeds to step  1622 , otherwise the process proceeds to step  1670 . 
     At step  1622 , a determination is made as to whether the selection causes modification of a setting of the first media guidance application. When the selection causes a modification, the process proceeds to step  1640 , otherwise the process proceeds to step  1624 . 
     At step  1640 , the modification of the setting is stored to the first media guidance application. 
     At step  1624 , a determination is made as to whether the selection is an instruction to close the first media guidance application. When the selection is an instruction to close, the process proceeds to step  1626 , otherwise the selection is processed and the process proceeds to step  1610 . 
     At step  1626 , a determination is made as to whether settings of the first media guidance application have been modified and stored. When the settings have been modified, the process proceeds to step  1650 , otherwise the process proceeds to step  1630 . 
     At step  1630 , the first mobile device is disconnected. 
     At step  1650 , a mobile media guidance application data structure is transmitted from the media equipment device to the first mobile device. For example, processing circuitry  306  may package or generate a mobile media guidance application data structure  1400  ( FIG. 14 ) that includes all the settings of the replicated mobile media guidance application that have been changed or modified and transmit the generated data structure  1400  to first mobile device  600 . 
     At step  1660 , settings of the first media guidance application that have been changed or modified using the media equipment device are applied to the first mobile device based on the data structure received at the first mobile device. For example, first mobile device  600  may retrieve from fields in the received data structure the settings that have been changed or modified and may make the same changes or modifications to mobile media guidance application  610  stored on first mobile device  600 . 
     At step  1670 , a continuous connection is established with the first mobile device. 
     At step  1680 , resources of the media equipment device and the first mobile device necessary for the selection are identified. For example, when the selection is a call option  816  ( FIG. 8 ), processing circuitry  306  may determine that cellular transmission equipment resources of first mobile device  600  may be necessary and speakers and microphone equipment may be necessary from the media equipment device. 
     At step  1690 , the necessary resources of the media equipment device and the first mobile device are consumed to provide access and processing of the received selection. For example, processing circuitry  306  may receive voice data from first mobile device  600  and provide that voice data over the media equipment device speakers; processing circuitry  306  may transmit voice data that is received from a microphone of the media equipment device to first mobile device  600 ; and first mobile device  600  may use the cellular transmission equipment to send the voice data to a selected person to whom the call is placed. The process then proceeds to step  1610 . 
     It should be understood, that the above steps of the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 15 and 16  may be executed or performed in any order or sequence no limited to the order and sequence shown and described in the figures. Also, some of the above steps of the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 15 and 16  may be executed or performed substantially simultaneously where appropriate or in parallel to reduce latency and processing times. 
     The above described embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.