Patent ID: 7581238

Claim:
A method implemented by a client device, the method comprising: receiving, by the client device, a viewer request to record episodes of a program at a selected broadcast start time and day; creating a program event to record the episodes of the program, wherein creating the program event comprises generating an episode record chart, an episode exclude chart and a history chart for the program; establishing a time window that includes a first time period before the selected broadcast start time of the episodes of the program and a second time period after the selected broadcast start time of the episodes, wherein the first and second time periods are consecutive to form the time window centered about the selected broadcast start time; listing days and times at which episodes of the program will be recorded in the episode record chart for the program; determining, by the client device, from program guide information additional episodes of the program scheduled for broadcast within the time window having broadcast start times within the time window at times other than the selected broadcast start time; listing the additional episodes having broadcast start times within the time window at times other than the selected broadcast start time in an episode exclude chart, wherein the episode exclude chart lists broadcast days and times of the additional episodes scheduled for broadcast within the time window that will not be recorded; maintaining the history chart for the program by including information comprising: whether an episode of the program was recorded at a scheduled broadcast time; whether the episode of the program was broadcast as scheduled but not recorded; and whether the episode of the program was not broadcast as scheduled and not recorded; determining from the program guide information that an episode of the program is scheduled for broadcast at a new broadcast time earlier or later than the selected broadcast start time; referring to the history chart to determine that one or more episodes have been previously recorded at the new broadcast time, and not broadcast and recorded at the selected broadcast start time; and designating, by the client device, the new broadcast time as a new selected broadcast start time for recording future episodes of the program.