Patent ID: 8385721

Claim:
A method of generating a playlist of media programs in an arrangement of electronic media devices that includes at least one programmable media recorder, comprising: (a) adding a media program to a playlist maintained by an electronic processor; (b) determining by the electronic processor whether the added media program is preferred to be viewed in a first condition or in a second condition; (c) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the first condition: setting the programmable media recorder to record the added media program; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the added media program, and placing the added media program in the temporal gap; and (d) if the electronic processor determines that the added media program is preferred to be viewed in the second condition: determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist; if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, carrying out step (c); if it is determined that the added media program does not temporally conflict with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the second condition, placing the added media program in the playlist at a transmission time of the added media program; determining whether the added media program temporally conflicts with any previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition; and if it is determined that the added media program temporally conflicts with a previously added program in the playlist that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, determining a temporal gap in the playlist long enough to accommodate the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition, and placing in the temporal gap the previously added media program that has been determined to be viewed in the first condition.