Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/482—End-user interface for program selection
  • H04N21/4821—End-user interface for program selection using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
  • H04N21/431—Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
  • H04N21/4312—Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
  • H04N21/4314—Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
  • H04N21/436—Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
  • H04N21/43615—Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
  • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
  • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/472—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content
  • H04N21/47202—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
  • H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
  • H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors

Definitions

• the present invention relates to systems for and methods of distributing content data.
• this invention relates to an apparatus and method of formatting an on ⁇
• Cable services continuously broadcast scheduled programing through a preselected set of
• Pay-per-view services which allow costumers to receive scheduled one time program transmissions through the cable network.
• Other available services include satellite programming which allow consumers to select on demand pay-per view-programs from a set of available programs.
• Electronic program guides are on-screen guides or programming schedules that provide program listings for channels that are broadcast or provided by a cable system.
• Prior art electronic program guides offer online searching through program listings and schedules by genre, title or data. When a television viewer uses such a schedule, the viewer can find a
• program of interest identify the channel, and punch the number into a remote control device.
• the user scans the program schedule for such programs.
• the prior art guide 100 includes a list of channels 110, a time schedule 120, a grid display 130 of programs, and a description section 140 for conveying additional text information about the programs.
• the programs are displayed consecutively for each channel in the form of a grid.
• the prior art guide 100 is deficient for many reasons.
• the prior art guide 100 typically includes only one source of content, i.e. broadcast television on a predetermined schedule.
• the prior art guide 100 does not provide the viewer with the capability of, or comprehensive information about, purchasing or receiving pay-per-view events, on demand programming, streaming media content off the Internet, or content from consumer electronic devices such as
• the prior art guide 100 also has a static time range and can only display shows within that time range. As shown in Figure 1, the time schedule 120 displays two hours of schedule information. In the case of a two-hour movie, the viewer is not provided with any information as to what program is appearing immediately following the two-hour movie. The viewer is also left with the burden of navigating through the guide by scrolling back and forth. In addition, the prior art guide 100 does not provide display information showing where, for example, a selected program is being played. For example, in a modern home entertainment system where the viewer can play a DVD located in the family room on a television located in a bedroom, the prior art guide 100 does not have the capability of visually displaying what content is being displayed by what output device.
• What is needed is an electronic programming guide that is adaptable to various sources of content such as scheduled-based broadcast content, digitally stream-able on- demand multimedia content, and controllable consumer electronic devices. What is also needed is a programming guide that includes both the sources of content available to a user as well as any output device or devices for displaying the content sources.
• the present invention teaches an innovative format for an electronic programming guide that is adaptable to various sources of content such as scheduled-based broadcast content, digitally stream-able on-demand multimedia content, and controllable consumer electronic devices.
• the programming guide of the present invention can include both the sources of content available to a user as well as any output device or devices for displaying the content sources.
• an electronic content guide is disclosed.
• the electronic content guide comprises a source field for listing content sources and output devices; and a first content field for listing schedule data corresponding to first content data presently available for viewing from each one of the content sources and for listing display information corresponding to the first content data being displayed for viewing at a present time by each one of the output devices.
• the source field and the first content field are displayable in parallel columns.
• the content sources can include at least one of: scheduled broadcast content; non- scheduled broadcast content; and consumer source devices.
• the scheduled broadcast content can include at least one of: a network station, a cable channel, a satellite-based channel, and a pay-per-view channel.
• the non-scheduled content can include at least one of: on-demand programming, streaming media content, and downloadable multimedia files.
• the consumer source devices can include at least one of: a DVD player, a television tuner, a VCR, a PVR, an MP3 player, a digital video recorder, a PDA, a cellular telephone, and a computer.
• the first content data corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title and a corresponding program time.
• the first content data corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a program title and a source identifier.
• the first content data corresponding to the consumer source device comprise a program title and a status identifier.
• the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.
• the first content data corresponding to the output devices comprise an output device location corresponding to a program title and a status identifier.
• the output devices can include at least one of: a stereo
• the electronic content guide can further include a second content field, displayable in
• content can comprise a program title that is immediately available for viewing from the
• program title includes a corresponding program time.
• corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a download time and a download fee.
• the second content data corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a
• the second content data is
• corresponding to the output devices comprise a physical location of the output devices
• the electronic content guide can further include a
• the device the first content data, and the second content data.
• the electronic content guide includes a source field for listing content
• the electronic content guide also includes a first content field for
• the electronic content guide further includes a second content field for listing schedule data corresponding to second
• the source field, the first content field and the second content field are displayable in parallel columns.
• each output device each output device, the first content data, and the second content data.
• the electronic content guide includes a source field for listing content
• the content source can be displayed simultaneously on more than one of the output devices.
• electronic content guide can also include a second content field, displayable in a column
• each content source each output device, the first content data, and the second content data.
• Figure 1 shows a prior art on-screen programming guide for listing content providers and corresponding program availabilities.
• Figure 2 shows an on-screen programming guide adaptable for listing multiple source providers, including source listings, content listings and availabilities, and output devices for
• Figure 2 shows an on-screen programming guide adaptable for listing multiple source
• the guide 200 lists any number of content sources 211 and output devices 212 within a
• the guide 200 also includes a first content field 220 for listing schedule
• the guide 200 can be displayed for viewing at a present time by the output devices 212.
• the guide 200 can be
• content field 230 can also include download and pricing information, if applicable, for the
• the second content field can even include source location information
• the guide 200 can also include a descriptor field 250 for
• the content sources 211 within the source field 210 can comprise scheduled broadcast content, non-scheduled content, and consumer source devices.
• the scheduled broadcast
• the content can include at least one of: a network station, a cable channel, a satellite-based channel, and a pay-per-view channel.
• the non-scheduled content can include at least one of: on-demand programming, streaming media content, and downloadable multimedia files.
• the consumer source devices can include at least one of: a DVD player, a VCR, a PVR, an MP3 Player, a digital video recorder, a television tuner a PDA, a cellular telephone, and a computer.
• the content sources 211 within the source field 210 comprise the network stations Ch. 2 KTVU- FOX, Ch. 4 KRON-NBC, Ch. 5 KPIX-CBS; the downloadable file from the Internet (Atom Films); and the consumer source device Home Device DVD player. It will be apparent that additional content sources can be included within the source field 210.
• the output devices 212 within the source field 210 can comprise at least one of: a television, a stereo speaker, a computer monitor, a computer speaker, a display device, and a storage device.
• the output devices 212 within the source field 210 comprise two Home Device Televisions.
• the televisions display content from any one of the content sources 211.
• the first content data 221 corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title and a corresponding program time.
• an entry for Show A is listed as being available from Ch. 2 KTVU-FOX.
• the Show A has a start time of 1 :00 PM and a finish time of 1 :30 PM.
• an entry for Show C is listed as being available from Ch. 4 KRON-NBC.
• the Show C has a start time of 1 :00 PM and a finish time of 2:00 PM.
• an entry for Show A is listed as being available from Ch. 2 KRON-NBC.
• the Show C has a start time of 1 :00 PM and a finish time of 2:00 PM.
• Show E is listed as being available from Ch. 5 KPIX-CBS.
• the Show E has a start time of 12:30 PM and a finish time of 4:30 PM.
• the first content data 221 corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a program title and a source identifier.
• a program title For example, within the first content field 220 an entry for Short Film G is listed as being available from the Internet.
• the Short Film G is an On-Demand program with no program start time.
• the first content data 221 corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.
• an entry for Film H is listed as being available from the Home Device DVD Player.
• the Film H is recorded on a DVD.
• the consumer source device listed on the guide 200 can be any consumer source device, such as a VCR, PVR an MP3 player, television tuner, a digital video recorder, a PDA, a cellular telephone or computer, that displays its content on an output device such as a television.
• the first content data 221 corresponding to the output devices comprise a program title and a status identifier.
• an entry for Show A is listed as being sent to and displayed by a first Home Device television.
• the entry for Show A also lists the first television as being "on” next to "Status".
• the guide 200 lists Show A as being displayed on the first television, which is "on”.
• an entry for Living Room TV is listed as being available from a second Home Device television.
• the Living Room TV is actually the first television and the second television is a
• the Living Room TV is watching the Show A
• the Bedroom TV is watching what the Living Room TV is watching.
• Show A is being displayed on both the first television (Living Room TV) and the second television (Bedroom TV).
• the second content field 230 which is displayable in a column parallel to the source field 210 and the first content field 220, corresponds to the second content data 231.
• the second content data 231 corresponding to the scheduled broadcast content comprise a program title that is immediately available for viewing from the content sources
• the program title of the scheduled broadcast content includes a corresponding program time.
• a Show B is listed as being available from the Ch.2 KTVU-FOX immediately following completion of the Show A.
• the Show B has a start time of 1 :30 PM and a finish time of 2:00 PM.
• a Show D is listed as being available from the Ch. 4 KRON-NBC immediately following completion of the Show C.
• the Show D has a start time of 2:00 PM and a finish time of 3:00 PM.
• a Show F is listed as being available from the Ch.5 KPIX-CBS immediately following completion of the Show E.
• the Show F has a start time of 4:30 PM and a finish time of 5:00 PM.
• the guide 200 of the present invention shows what program is next available following the completion of the presently available program no matter what time the next program comes on. In the Figure 2, this is shown on the rows whose sources are Ch.2 KTVU-FOX, Ch. 4 KRON-NBC, and Ch.5 KPIX-CBS.
• the second content data 231 corresponding to the non-scheduled content comprise a download time and a download fee, if applicable.
• the Short Film G listed in the first content field 220 has a download time of 1 :06:23 (estimated) and no download fee, which are listed in the second content field
• corresponding to the consumer source devices comprise a physical location of the consumer
• the Home Device DVD Player listed under the source field 210 For example, the Home Device DVD Player listed under the source field 210
• the guide 200 can realize that the Home Device DVD Player, which contains the DVD Film H, is actually the DVD Player located in the living room.
• the output devices comprise a physical location of the output devices where the first content
• the First Home Device TV is
• Show A TV is presently playing Show A while the Bedroom TV is playing what the Living Room TV is playing, i.e. the Show A.
• content source 211 can be displayed simultaneously on more than one of the output devices
• This novel feature of the present invention allows, for example, two viewers, one
• guide 200 can include a descriptor field 250 for displaying a detailed description of each
• each output device 212 each output device 212, the first content data 221, and the second content
• the descriptor field preferably comprises an area for listing more detailed
• the descriptor field 250 can include a
• the electronic program guide of the present invention can be supported with any one of

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=33476745

Family Applications (1)

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Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (1)

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• 2004
  • 2004-05-14 EP EP04752176A patent/EP1623524A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-05-14 WO PCT/US2004/015095 patent/WO2004105293A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2004-05-14 TW TW093113767A patent/TW200508895A/zh unknown

Patent Citations (1)

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