MXPA96003321A - Method and apparatus for providing an interactive guide to events available on an information network - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for providing an interactive guide to events via an information network on which the events are available, comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of database pages for communication over said information network, each page corresponding to a time slot over which events are available on the network;inserting schedule data for each event to be included in the interactive guide into the database page for the time slot during which the event is to be provided;and transmitting said database pages via said information network at a transmission rate selected to enable the recovery of a particular database page within a predetermined acquisition time limit, for retrieval of schedule data for the time slot represented by that page.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AN INTERACTIVE GUIDE IN AN INFORMATION NETWORK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the offering of services over a communication network, and more particularly to an interactive guide for individual events that are available through an information network. The invention can be particularly applied in the provision of an interactive program guide for events (eg television programs, movies, concerts, sporting events, interactive forums, and the like) that are available on a cable or satellite television network. The availability of digital networks for the transmission of games, information services, television programming (including movies and special events), shopping e? domicile, and the like, has greatly increased the number and variety of these services available to consumers. Systems with 500 or more programming channels are contemplated and are expected to be in operation in the near future. One challenge that is emerging in the development and design of these systems is how to keep consumers informed about the programming of the many P1228 / 96MX different events being; offer. In the past, when cable and satellite television systems had generally provided less than 100 channels, programming guides were printed and distributed on a weekly or monthly basis. Periodicals, such as, for example, TELEGUIA. They have been available for purchase in service positions or by subscription. Obviously, any change in the programming that was made after the printing of the programming guides caused these printed guides to have errors. In addition, for the contemplated systems of 500 or more channels, the immense volume of entries makes the use of printed program guides expensive and inconvenient. Linking a large number of programs is a complex task and the search task that a consumer makes to find a desired program can be extremely inconvenient. A logical solution to the problem of providing an updated and accurate guide for a large number of events is to provide guidance through an electronic means. The communications industry is working on the development of programming guides that can be uploaded to the subscriber's terminal, for example as "a separate box" connected to the subscriber's television in order to provide the information P1228 / 96MX calendrical programming. An obstacle to implementing this type of electronic programming guide is the number of bandwidths that are required to carry the large amount of calendar information in a communication channel. Another obstacle is the amount of memory that is required to store the calendar data for a week or more inside the separate box. A random access memory (RAM) of this kind is currently very expensive. This is in conflict with the requirements that the separate consumer box must be a relatively cheap item. Another problem faced by the designers of electronic guides for the events available in a communication network is to provide a calendar information in a timely manner. Subscribers would be impatient if the response time to provide a calendar information when requesting it for a particular time interval would require a long wait. In an ideal system, a subscriber would receive an immediate response to a request for calendar information that belonged to a particular time period. After obtaining the calendar information, the subscriber may wish to have more details in relation to a particular program. Again, it would be very inconvenient to wait more than a few seconds P1228 / 96MX in obtaining the informacic >; n descriptive about the program. Ideally, the description information should be provided almost instantaneously after requesting it. It would be helpful to provide an interactive event guide that was economical in terms of both the cost and the bandwidth of communication. It would also be helpful to provide this interactive guide so that it answers users' questions in an instantaneous or almost instantaneous way. It would also be another advantage to provide an interactive service guide that could be received by a relatively inexpensive separating box, and that would be adapted to the amount of RAM available in a particular separate box. The method of providing interactive service guidance would allow more advanced separate boxes with more memory to respond to requests for programming and description information even more quickly than those with less memory. The present invention provides both a method and an apparatus for implementing an interactive event guide, with the above advantages and others.

P1228 / 96MX SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the method of the present invention, an interactive event guide is provided through an information network. The interactive guide can be provided in the same network in which the events described are available. A plurality of "pages" of databases is provided for communication about the information network. Each page corresponds to a particular period of time, and includes data that defines the titles of the events offered during the time period to which the page belongs. Pages can optionally include descriptions of events. In this way, for each event that is not included in the interactive guide, the calendar data is inserted into the database page for the interval or time intervals during which the event will be provided. The database pages are transmitted through the information network at a selected transmission rate to allow recovery of a particular database pages within a predetermined acquisition time limit, for the retrieval of the calendar data for the time interval represented by that page. The default limit for the acquisition time is selected to provide the requested calendar information without undue delay from the P1228 / 96MX point of view of system users. The calendar data may be representative of the services and information messages that identify the events provided by particular information services at particular times. The method may comprise the additional step of classifying the calendar data by information service and message type to insert them into the database pages in a preformatted form. The calendrical data are transmitted in the preformatted form to facilitate the display of the calendars by time intervals, in a decoder without executing the classification in the decoder. In an illustrated embodiment, the transmission step, transmit the database pages in a packet transport stream, where the different categories of the data are carried in different packet streams. Each packet stream has a specific or unique packet identifier (PID). The database pages are carried in at least one packet stream identified by a unique PID. In one embodiment, each of the database pages is carried in a separate packet stream that has a unique PID for that page. An additional data stream can be provided so that it contains foundation data needed to decode the data P1228 / 96MX calendáricos carried in the pages of databases. The additional data stream has its own PID. The database pages can contain calendar data for periods of time beyond an updated period of time. For example, they may contain data for a week or more, in addition to the current day. In a preferred embodiment, a separate data stream is provided with calendar information of the current time period, i.e. the current day. The separate stream has its own PID and provides the calendar information for the current time period at a rate that is less than the speed at which the calendar data carried in the database pages is provided. More particularly, the data for the current time period can be provided in "a drip stream", the data of which is stored in the RAM of a separate subscriber box or the like. The data for future periods of time are carried in a "stream of data on request" which carries the data at a much higher speed, for recoveries based on a real time with a request for future calendric information from a subscriber. As the available RAM at the subscriber's location will typically be less than that available to store all future calendar information, the disposition of a P1228 / 96MX separate high-speed data stream request, according to the present invention, allows the desired calendar data to be recovered without undesired delay. The storage of the current programming data in the RAM allows the current data to be recovered virtually instantaneously and displayed in response to the subscriber's request. For each event that is to be included in the interactive guide, the calendar data may comprise a title record containing the title information for that event and optionally may comprise a description record containing description information for that event. In this form, the description information for an event can be processed in a decoder independently of the title information for that event. The insertion of the title and description records within the database pages can be distributed so that the title information is communicated at a higher speed than the description information. The title and description records for a time interval of interest can be stored in the decoder memory (eg, a separate box that has a subscriber). The amount of memory available to store the records can be monitored. In case the amount of available memory is less than P1228 / 96MX that is required to store the title and description records for a time and interest interval, the description records may be purged to make room for the title records. The calendrical data may also comprise a calendar record for the time interval to which the calendar data belong. The calendrical record contains title and description record identifiers that cross-reference the start time of the event with the title and description records for that event. A decoder that provides an interactive program guide (IPG) is revealed from the data received through an information network in which the events listed in the programming guide are available. The decoder includes means for retrieving the IPG drip data from the information network at a first data rate. The drip data comprises current calendar information to be stored in a decoder memory and displayed practically instantaneously at any time during a current period of time. Means are provided for selectively retrieving the IPG data on request from the information network at a second data rate that is practically greater than the first data rate. The data on request is provided P1228 / 96MX on pages and include future calendar information. Each of the pages contains data on request for different future time intervals. Means are provided for selectively storing pages retrieved from the IPG request data for display after retrieval thereof from the information network. IPG drip data and IPG data on demand can be received from at least one packet transport stream containing a succession of packets. The packets for the drip data are identified by a first packet identifier (PID) and the packets for the pages of the data on request are identified by at least one second PID. In a disclosed embodiment, each of the pages of the IPG data on request corresponds to a different time interval and has a unique PID. Each of the pages of the IPG data on request may alternatively have a unique page identifier, where a plurality of pages communicate with a common PID. For each event to be included in the interactive guide, the calendar information may comprise a title record containing title information for that event and may optionally comprise a description record containing description information for P1228 / 96MX that event. The decoder may further comprise means for retrieving the calendrical records from the current and future calendrical information. The calendrical records contain title and description record identifiers that cross-reference the start time for an event and the title and description records provided for that event. Means are provided that respond to an entry made by a user to selectively issue title information for specific time intervals and descriptions for specific programs based on the information contained in the calendar records. The decoder may further comprise monitoring a quantity of available memory in the storage medium. In case the amount of available memory is less than that required to store the title and description records for a time interval of interest, the description records may be purged to take place for the title records in the storage medium. The memory of the decoder preferably has a size sufficient to maintain the current calendar information for at least 24 hours. The drip data can then provide calendar information for at least one full day of events at a time. P1228 / 96MX As noted above, each page can be carried in a separate packet stream that has a unique PID for that page. In such a case, the decoder may further comprise a first PID processor for acquiring calendar information contained in a first page for a first time slot. A second PID processor may be provided to acquire calendar information contained in a second page for a second time interval immediately following the first time interval. Means are provided for selectively combining a portion of the calendar information acquired by the first PID processor with a portion of the calendar information acquired by the second PID processor, to provide the calendar of available events for a period of time encompassing the first and second time intervals. A method for providing an interactive program guide from data received by an information network is disclosed, wherein the data listed in the programming guide is available. A drip IPG data stream is provided at a first data rate. The drip data stream comprises current calendar information to be communicated to a decoder and stored in it. The drip P1228 / 96MX data stream allows instantaneous display of portions of current calendar information on a screen coupled to the decoder. An IPG data stream on request is provided at a second data rate that is faster than the first data rate. The data on request is provided on pages and includes future calendar information. Each of the pages contains data on request for at least one different future time interval. The second data rate is selected to allow the selective acquisition and display of portions of the future calendar information to be made on the screen at a predetermined acquisition time limit. The drip data stream is transmitted at the first speed and the data stream on request is transmitted at the second speed, on the information network to be received by a set of decoders. The current and future calendar information may be representative of the messages and information services that identify events provided by particular information services at particular times. The method comprises the additional step of classifying the calendar information by information service and message type for transmission to the decoders in a preformatted form. This facilitates P1228 / 96MX the acquisition and storage of calendars by time intervals in the decoders, without executing the classification in the decoder. For each event to be included in the interactive guide, the calendar information may comprise a title record containing title information for that event, and optionally may comprise a description record containing description information for that event. The description information for an event can then be processed in the decoders regardless of the title information of for that event. The method may comprise the additional step of assigning the transmission of the title and description records within the data stream on request, so that it communicates the title information for a speed greater than the description information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a block diagram of various elements that are needed to generate an IPG packet stream in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of the apparatus for receiving and decoding the IPG data; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a preferred method for communicating information P1228 / 96MX calendar that includes the title records and description records; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration illustrating the labeling of calendar data for different time intervals with unique PIDs for each advance interval; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration that provides an example of how the IPG data ranges are assigned to the PIDs to allow the calendar data to be provided at the interface between two consecutive time slots.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 is a block diagram of the coding apparatus for assembling and transmitting interactive program guide (IPG) packets in a multiplex, with various services to be provided over a communication network. A packet stream multiplexer 14 receives the data packets for N different services that are input to the multiplexer by a plurality of terminals 10, 12. The IPG packets are also input to the packet stream multiplexer 14 to multiplex them with the packets of data for different services. Services can provide, for example, events such as television programs (for P1228 / 96MX example through a network service), movies (for example through the HBO service), special sports events, home shopping services, information services, interactive forums, local meetings and any other type of service electronically available through a network Communication. The output of the multiplex of the data stream from the multiplexer 14 is transmitted over the communication network by a conventional transmitter 22. The communication network may comprise, for example, a satellite communication network, a cable television network or a telephone network. The IPG data is input to an IPG data processor 16 via an operator interface 18. The operator interface may comprise a work station that has a keyboard through which the operator enters various calendar information. Other input or input devices, for example optical character readers and speech recognition systems, can be used to input the calendar information to the IPG data processors. Calendar information is typically organized by time intervals on a particular day. The time intervals can be of any size, for example 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12 hours. For each event, a title can be provided together with the time in which the P1228 / 96MX title is available. A description of the event can also be provided as part of the IPG data entry through the operator interface. The IPG data processor outputs both a data stream 17 on request and a data stream 19 drip. Drip current is a low speed IPG current that is used to improve the user's ability to respond and ease of use to the program's guidance function, ensuring that the memory in a subscriber's decoder always has a database that is updated in terms of actual programming. This approach makes the option of displaying a "mini-guide" possible, when a partial program guide is displayed on a small portion of the user's television screen while the rest of the screen continues to show television programs or other available services. When a user wishes to see a portion of the program guide database that is not stored in the decoder memory, the desired portion is acquired from the on-demand stream at high speed. In this way, drip data need not be present for programs with more distant schedules in the future that could be kept in the available decoders that have the largest IPG RAM allocations. All other data is P1228 / 96MX provide by currents upon request. To simplify the implementation, it is preferable that the drip streams be formed in and constructed in the same way as the currents on request. The blocks of data received from the drip streams are filtered in the firmware (machine language) in the decoder to reject those data that represent a future departure greater than the RAM of the particular decoder can support. It is also preferable to provide only one drip current per multiplex, with all current calendrical data being carried in that single stream. The data on request, on the other hand, can be provided in a plurality of different data streams carried in the multiplex output from the packet stream multiplexer 14. The drip and request streams are multiplexed together and formed into packets in an IPG multiplexer and a packer 20. The resulting IPG packets are input to the packet stream multiplexer 14 and combined with the packets for the various services carried in the transmitted multiplex, as indicated above. By providing the most current calendar information (for example, calendars for the current day) the P1228 / 96MX decoder RAM, this information can be recovered by the user without delay once. the RAM has been loaded. The remaining data in the calendar database, ie the data on request, should be able to be recovered with the least possible delay within the constraints of the costs and complexity of the system. In this way, if a user selects a period of time of interest in the future, he / she must be able to see the grid of the program for the future period of time (which contains the calendar of events for that period of time) in a period as long as possible. short possible. This time should not exceed several seconds. The program description information should be available for no more than several seconds later (for example, one to three seconds) for programs whose titles can be viewed on the screen. The low acquisition time required requires the provision of IPG data that has not been stored in RAM at a high transmitted rate. Even at high aggregate data rates (for example, greater than one million bits per second - Mbps), the decoder must be able to support the processing of received messages in its buffers. In a preferred embodiment, aggregate speeds of up to 4 Mbps are provided. The system of the present invention complies with P1228 / 96MX the objectives established earlier when addressing pages by time intervals, filtering data intervals and pages using filtering by firmware and / or hardware, providing multiple PIDs to simplify the required filtering, supplying the data in a preformatted form, and use separate data blocks to communicate title information and program description information. The data associated with the synchronized events are located by pages, identifying the number of pages at a time interval. Synchronized events include virtually all data in the database, with the exception of the foundation data. The foundation data is not necessary to control the processing of the IPG functions, they include compression code boxes (for example Huffman) needed to decompress the description and title texts, channel name boxes, and various well-known data that are required to properly process the data stream in packets and retrieve the information carried by it. The time slots are listed sequentially in the preferred embodiment, for example, starting at day zero of the global positioning satellite (GPS) time reference as is well known in the art. Virtually everything can be used P1228 / 96MX time interval. However, the time intervals of two, four, six, eight, twelve or twenty-four hours are preferred because of their simplicity in processing. The time intervals for IPG drip data may be different from those used for IPG data per request. IPG packets can be packaged using either a few PIDs or many PIDs. Filtering by the Firmware is best suited for implementations that use many PIDs, each carrying several pages. Hardware filtering can efficiently handle many pages that are carried in multiple PIDs. If enough PIDs are available so that only one page of IPG data is assigned to a PID, then only the PID filtering is necessary to acquire the page or pages and the associated interval or timeslots of interest. If several pages are carried in each PID, filtering by the firmware can be executed after filtering the PID, based on a unique page identifier for each page carried over the PID. In an exemplary embodiment, where two time intervals are provided and one week of calendar data is offered, a total of 85 PIDs can be provided. 84 of the PIDs are used for the 84 time intervals of two hours in the week (seven days = 168 hours) with a P1228 / 96MX additional PID being provided for the foundation data. In this mode, since each page has its own PID, no page filtering is required in the decoder. The decoder of the invention supplies the calendrical data in a preformatted form. Although a decoder could be designed to accept and process individual database messages, such as daily calendars, titles and registers calendars, prescription schedules and registers, etc., this approach would require a considerable excess bandwidth to supply message heads and the like. In addition, the requirement of this excess would result in shorter message sizes, thus creating excess additional processing in the encoder and decoder. At the same time, the processing time to handle each message could limit the delivery speed, which would increase the acquisition time. By providing data to decoders in preformatted blocks, efficient processing is provided, the waste of memory management is reduced, access time is reduced and memory handling is simplified. More particularly, when pre-formatting calendar data on the transmitter side, operations such as data classification need P1228 / 96MX only execute one. time in the transmitter, and not in each of the millions of decoders that receive the IPG data. In addition to pre-classifying the data, the IPG data is pre-formatted to provide relatively long messages (for example in a kilobyte segment) that are easier to process in the encoder where currents are created, as well as easier and faster to process and store in the decoder. By providing long messages, the decoder only needs to execute block copy operations necessary to build a memory image, in order to sustain the incoming stream of portions of IPG databases. Long messages also allow large blocks of memory to be allocated to the decoder, decreasing the excess associated with the dynamic allocation of memory blocks. The processing time in the decoder is further reduced by allocating a large block of RAM for each of the large data blocks. No additional excess is required in the central processing unit (CPU) greater than that used to collect the memory image. The provision of the pre-formatted IPG data to the decoders also allows all blocks of the IPG data to be purged from the decoder memory once the associated time slot P1228 / 96MX with the data block has passed. Also, if the RAM of the decoder is working slowly, the description data (as opposed to the title data) can be purged, one time interval at a time. The resulting RAM remains with large spaces or holes, instead of with many small holes (ie fragmentation) that could cause the speed of recovery of IPG data from memory to decrease. In the method and apparatus described herein, the pre-formatted IPG data blocks are supplied to the decoders for direct storage in the RAM. In addition, description records are logically separated from daily calendars and title records. This serves two purposes. First, the description records are large. In some cases, the decoder will not have enough RAM to maintain the descriptions for one or more time slots. Second, the description records can be distributed at a slower rate than the title and calendar records. This will allow title and calendar records to be displayed very quickly, with a short wait, if necessary, for description records. An example of the format that can be used for preformatted IPG data blocks is provided in Table 1, which establishes the data block format in P1228 / 96MX a syntax similar to the C language which is a method of describing variable, continuous and possible variable bit sequences, instead of specifying the procedure program and its functions as in the C computer language. The first column of the syntax contains the syntax element. The second column provides the length of the syntax elements in bits. The third column of Table 1 gives the length of the syntax elements in bytes. The last column of Table 1 describes the information carried in several bits of the syntax element. The spindle "IPG_data_block :() { ....}." Indicates that the syntax elements within the keys are a named game and can be invoked anywhere in the syntax using simply the designation "IPG_data_block ( ) ". A conditional occurrence of the bit structures can be indicated with the usual "if" tests (conditional). The customary relationship operators well known in the C language can also be used. Loop structures are possible and use the syntax of the typical C loop head. The syntax box is accompanied by a set of semantics, which provides decreases for each previously undefined syntax field and places restrictions on its use. Five types of data blocks are defined, namely schedule listings, descriptions, common_listings, P1228 / 96MX common_descriptions, and foundation data. The following format of the IPG pre-linked registration structure represents a preferred embodiment of the present invention: P1228 / 96MX TABLE 1 8 / 96MX block_type: A 4-bit enumerated type field that identifies the type of IPG data block. The following code C defines the enumeration: ei-um blockjype. { foundation, commonjistings, common_descripttons, sched istings, deschplions, reserved 1..N}; version: An unsigned 8-bit integer value in the range of 1-255 that reflects the version or revision of the data contained in the block. Each time the database is updated (for example, as a result of program changes, cancellations or additions) a new version of the data block covering the affected time interval is generated. foundation: The block contains data not related to time (foundation data) instead of containing data related to time. The foundation type allows the same data block format to be used for non-time related data, such as for comprehension tables, program topic classes and channel names. com on_listings: The block contains a single copy of each repeated program listing whose first occurrence is in the common_block_time_slot covered by the common_listings block. A repeating program listing is defined as a list that is displayed more than P1228 / 96MX once, within the drip database advance, either in an affiliated group of channels or in a single channel that does not belong to any group. None of these listings should be included in the schedule_listing block (see below). This type of block applies only to drip data. common_descriptions: The block contains a single copy of each repeated program description whose first occurrence is in the common_block_time_slot covered by the common_descriptions block. A repeated program description is defined as a description that is displayed more than once, within the scope of the drip database, either in an affiliated group of channels or in a single channel that does not belong to any group. This description should not be included in any description block (see below). This type of block applies only to drip data. schedule_listing: The block contains daily calendars and specific daily program listings for each time interval. For drip data, these listings correspond to one-emission programs-those that are shown only once within the progress. descriptions: The block contains descriptions of specific programs for each time interval. For drip data, these descriptions correspond to P1228 / 96MX single presentation programs - those that are presented only once within the preview. co mon_block_time_slot_size: A field of enumerated type of 4 bits that defines the size of the time interval in hours for the blocks common_listings and common_descriptions. The size of the interval for these common data blocks must be selected so that it is a multiple integer of the time interval, or equal to it, which is used for the drip data blocks. The following statement C defines the enumeration: cnum common_biock; _time_slot_siee. { two hours, three_ ours, fourjiours, sixjio? rs, eight iours, rwelve iours, i cnty_four_hours, forty_cight_hours, onej? undred_sixty_eight Jiours, reserved 1..N}; trickle_block_time_slot_size: A field of enumerated type of 4 bits that defines the size of the time interval in hours for the blocks of description and schedule_listing by drip. The following statement C defines the enumeration: enum trickle_IPG_time_slot_size { twojiours, threejiours, four iours, six iours, eightjiours, twetve iours, twenty bur Jiours, reservedl..N}; demand_block_ti e_slot_size: A field of enumerated type of 4 bits that defines the size of the interval of P1228 / 96MX time in hours for the description and schedule_listing blocks per request. The following statement C defines the enumeration: cnum tr¡ckleJTG imc_slol_size. { reservedl, reserved2, fourjiours, sixjiours, eightjiours, twelve Jiours, twemy ourjiours, reserved3..N}; time: An unsigned integer in the range from 0 to 23 that represents the time of day in which the starting point of the defined data of this block is found. The time field is ignored for the foundation data blocks. date: An unsigned integer in the range of 0 to OxFFFF, which represents the day for which the block carries the calendar data. The zero day is January 6, 1980 (day zero GPS). The date field is ignored for the foundation data blocks. bundle_ID: The channels are logically divided into "branches or bundles" to efficiently adjust different channel configurations in their separate cash units. The bundle_ID refers to an unsigned 8-bit integer in the range of 0 to 255 that identifies each bundle or bouquet of source channels and groups. The value 0 defines the "common bundle" (common bouquet) that includes channels common to all P1228 / 9GMX configurations; while other values of the bundle_ID identify configurations of specific bundles or bundles. Typically, a separate converter requires the bouquet 0 and one or more other bouquets for its configuration. data_block_lengt: A 24-bit count of the number of bits that remain in the block. offset_to_next_group_or_source: A 24-bit number that represents the distance in bytes of the next group of source channels or the next source channel, that is, the length of all the data that follows for the specified group_ID or the specified source_ID. This field is ignored for the foundation blocks. group_ID: The identity of the affiliated channel group to which the messages that follow apply. When an is_a_group is adjusted, the IDs of the listing and description records are shared among all the source channels in the group. This field is ignored by the foundation block. source_ID: The identity of the channel to which the following messages apply. The source_ID defines only the identity of the channel. This field is ignored by the foundation blocks. offset_to_next message_type: A 24-bit number that represents the distance in bytes for the next P1228 / 96MX message type. message_type: The type of IPG message common to all messages that follow. log_message: A Boolean flag that indicates, when adjusted, that the length of the message is a 15-bit field. When the flag is not present, the message field length is 7 bits. essage length: A 7 or 15 bit field that defines the length of the message body that follows. message_body (): The body of a given IPG message. The head portions are not stored, but their contents are reflected in fields such as group_message_type and message length. word alignment: These fields provide from zero to one byte of filler, used so that the particular part of the block is taken to a word limit, to have processing and addressing efficiency. The following are examples of message types IPG that can provide: attribute name, class name, named class assignment, classifiable class assignment, classifiable class assignment, translation table, decoding table, data clearing, database advance, source name , calendrical record, program title, P1228 / 96MX program description, program package, pay-per-view programs, etc. An example structure of a particular IPG message type, namely the calendar record, is provided below in the discussion of Figure 3 As will be evident from Table 1, the messages are first sorted by channel number (source_ID) and then by message type. The innermost loop lists a number of messages in a message "group" that has a common message time. The pre-linked IPG data blocks are supplied as high-speed messages in several PIDs. Before data transmission, the data blocks can be formatted into text messages and encapsulated within transport frames (for example, "HDLC" frames, high-level data link control) so that they exit from a series of data ports. output for eventual transmission. The IPG_data_block (), by itself, is transported to the decoder in a manner that is compatible with the provision of digital services in a digital multiplex. In an MPEG-2 compliant system, of which the next preferred embodiment is an example, the IPG_data_block () is placed within a message head that includes the message type (MPEG Table-ID) and the length. The whole message P1228 / 96MX is formed into packets according to the packet formation rules defined for MPEG_2 multiplexes and is delivered to a PID stream that is referenced by an MPEG "Program Mapping Box" (PMT). Another function of the message head is to provide segmentation control. Typically a particular case of an IPG_data_block () is greater than 1024 bytes and thus may have to be segmented for delivery. The transmitted messages are received by a population of receivers through the communication channel which may comprise, for example a cable television distribution path or satellite linkage. A block diagram of the relevant portions of an exemplary receiver implementation is provided in Figure 2. A data receiver 32 receives the transmitted data stream via an input terminal 30. The received data is provided to a demultiplexer 34 of packet stream that outputs the IPG data packets by dripping and on request, to a microprocessor 36 IPG. Other packets in the transport stream, which may include audio and video packets, also exit from the packet stream multiplexer 34. The microprocessor 36 processes data streams separately and on request. On-demand processing is provided as indicated at 40. At a rate set by the P122B / 96MX incoming data products. Drip processing is provided as indicated in 44, at a speed determined by the incoming drip data. In a preferred embodiment, on-demand processing occurs at a rate much greater than that of drip processing. For example, the data rate for the request stream will be in the order of 1-2 Mbps, while the drip current will be in the order of ten kilobits per second (Kbps). Since drip data is stored locally in the receiver's memory, there is no need for it to be provided in a high-speed data stream, since it can be accessed instantaneously from the decoder's RAM. The one loaded by the drip data as well as the selective portions of the requested data within the RAM 50 of the system are controlled by a memory manager 48 coupled to the microprocessor 36. The memory manager will direct the RAM 50 in one form conventional for the storage of the data on request and by dripping for its subsequent recovery by the microprocessor and display on a monitor 54 or the like, coupled to a video processor 52. The selection of the particular time intervals of the future calendric information carried in the stream of data on request, it is done through a user interface P122H / 96MX 46. The user interface may comprise, for example, a remote control coupled to the input instructions to the microprocessor 36 in a well-known manner. One function of the memory manager 48 is to monitor the amount of free memory available in the RAM 50 of the system. In case the amount of available memory is less than what is required to store the title and description records for a time interval of interest, the memory manager may purge the records of the system RAM description with purpose Leave room for all title records. In this way, the title information will be immediately available to the user once it has been loaded into the system RAM. If there is not enough space to store the corresponding description information, the description record for an event requested by a user can be obtained from the data stream on request with a basis to a priority regime as needed. Since the requested data is transmitted at a high speed, the acquisition time for a requested description that has not yet been stored in the RAM 50 of the system will be much shorter. Preferably, the amount of RAM 50 allocated for the IPG data will be sufficient to contain at least P1228 / 96MX minus 24 hours of current calendar information. In this way, calendar information for at least one full day of events at a time can be adjusted. In the preferred embodiment, all calendar information for at least the events of the current day will be provided in the drip data stream for the one loaded to the RAM 50 of the system. In a modality in which the data carried by the on-demand and drip streams are provided in separate pages, in each of the pages a separate packet stream identified by a single PID is carried, in the transport multiplex, the microprocessor 36 it can provide first and second PID processors to acquire calendar information by expanding in two consecutive time intervals. Separate PID processors could be implemented in either hardware or firmware. The first PID processor will acquire the calendrical information contained in a first page for a first time interval. The second PID processor will acquire the calendar information contained in a second page for a second time interval immediately following the first time interval. The microprocessor will selectively combine portions of calendar information acquired by the first and second PID processors to provide a calendar of P1228 / 96MX events available for a period of time that expands in the first and second time intervals. The combined calendar is output from the video processor 52 to be displayed on the screen 54. In order to simplify the processing provided by the microprocessor 36, a service carried on the information network can be divided among a plurality of different data streams, each a your own PID. Processing is simplified in this mode since the individual data rates are smaller. At higher data rates, filtering by the hardware may also be required. There are two different types of elementary PIDs that form the IPG loaded service upon request. A guy carries only one record that describes time intervals. The other type carries foundation data. Records describing time intervals include daily calendar / title records and description records. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the records describing time intervals are carried in the form of a "calendar record" which combines description and title information in a daily calendar. An example of the IPG data recording structure is illustrated in Figure 3. It should be appreciated that many other message types are transmitted in a similar way. A P1228 / 96MX calendrical record usually assigned with the number 60 is identified by source_ID (SID) 62 and the date 64. This information is not stored in the body portion of the message of the IPG data block that carries the record, since it can be found inside the head portions of the block at different levels. The calendrical records are transmitted in the form of blocks N (one block per time interval), each block defines all the title and description records by the title registration IDs 68 and the description record IDs 70, linked by the time Start 66 for the particular program or event. Each of the N blocks contains the title and description information for all events within a particular time interval. Each title 80 record contains compressed text that defines the title or the program or event. The title record also includes a class ID 82, title attribute 84, and a rating of 86. Class IDs 82 provide a set of classes of classifiable topics and subclasses of classifiable topics for use in the selection of calendar categories by subject particular, for example, sports, cinema, comedy, etc. They can also be used to, for example, identify the records as a title record, or to identify a service as a pay-per-event or event event without payment. The P1228 / 96MX title attributes are used to represent several text messages in a compressed form, for example, a plurality (for example 12), attribute bits may be provided, each representing a different message that relates to the events provided . For television programs, the example messages that can be indicated by different attributes are "stereo", "premier", "repetition", "series", "special event", etc. The rating 86 is taken from the standard rating for films and are used as guidelines as to the nature of the content of the film. Title 88 of the actual program is also provided in title 80 records. The description record 90 comprises an ID 92 of the theme class, description attributes 94, the actual description 96 of the program (which may be compressed) as well as the year 98 in which the program was first performed. The rating information 72 and an ID 74 is also provided in the description record. The description attributes may be the same as the attributes in the title records or they may be different. The ID of the class of subjects is similar to the class ID of the title record, and identifies the event title, for example, sports, cinema, comedy, spoken show, program for children, etc. The ID of P1228 / 96MX class identifies the record as a description record. The structure of the title and description records makes it possible to transport information in a service database to system users in an extremely versatile way. Table 2 establishes the structure of the calendrical record in detail. The shaded areas of Table 2 are not stored in the message body portion of the IPG data block, since they can be found within the portions of the block head at different levels. In addition, the daily_schedule message may include references to the title / description for a full day or for a portion of the day. In this way, the structure of the calendrical record can be handled in any desired interval size.

P1228 / 96MX When group_schedule is set, the calendar is assigned to a group of sources, rather than to a single source. When group__schedule is false and the source belongs to an affiliated group, the daily calendar is an exception calendar; that is, the daily calendar defines the differences between the source calendars and the baseline group calendar. When group_schedule is false, and the source does not belong to an affiliated group, then the calendar defines only the programming P1228 / 96MX of the day for the independent source. group_ID specifies the identity of the group for which the daily calendar is assigned. source_ID specifies the identity of the source for which the daily calendar is assigned. schedule date specifies the calendar day (day 0 = January 6, 1980) of the daily calendar. number of entries specifies the number of programs referred to by the daily calendar. Listing_ID identifies the list of programs shown at a given start_time. descriptionjpresent thus indicates a program description record refers to the given start_time. description_ID identifies the program description shown in the given start_time. If desired, the data blocks in the IPG program can be arranged so that the description records are repeated at a rate lower than that of the calendar / title data. An arrangement consists of skipping the description records in a step if and not a step, through the data. In another arrangement, the data is interleaved and organized with all calendar / title blocks being interspersed with a first half of the descriptions, and then all the calendar / title blocks are transmitted interspersed with P1228 / 96 X the second half of the description data. This forming would be repeated so that only half of the descriptions are sent at any time with all the calendar / title blocks. Figure 4 illustrates the arrangement of the IPG data in an advance interval. For example, the drip stream may contain the calendar information for a current period of 24 hours and the dataset stream on request may contain information for the current period plus six additional days to provide calendar information for the period of one week. For the data streams on request, the leading interval 106 is therefore seven days. The seven-day interval is divided into time intervals (for example two hours at a time) as indicated in timeline 100. The calendar data are organized by interval. In this manner, all calendar data for a first time slot is provided on a first page 102a which is identified by a unique PID (PID 1). Each successive page of data for each successive time interval will be identified by its own PID. The last interval in the advance interval is occupied by page 104a, which has N PID. The same format is used for the next seven-day advanced interval. The first interval of P1228 / 96MX next advanced interval is occupied by page 102b, the packets of which are identified in the packet stream by PID 1. The last interval in the second advanced interval and illustrated in Figure 4 is occupied by page 104b. The data packets carrying the calendar information for page 104b are identified by N PID. This format continues indefinitely for successive advanced intervals. Figure 5 illustrates a scheme for assigning the IPG data intervals to PID_select (PIDS). PID_select is used to select the PID where a particular data block will be transmitted to the decoder. The intervals contained in the synchronized IPG data blocks are listed sequentially, for example, starting at day zero GPS. In general, if N PIDs are to be used, the intervals will be divided into groups of size N. The first interval in each group of the interval N is assigned to the PIDS 0 (ie PID_select = 0). The second interval will be assigned to PIDS 1, and so on. Figure 5 illustrates this type of allocation with an example for four PIDs, a time interval of eight hours and a database advance of interval 21 (that is, one week). Each interval 110 contains both calendrical / title data blocks 112 and blocks 114 P1228 / 96MX description data. The IPG data range for the PIDS mapping illustrated in Figure 5 always ensures that two consecutive intervals are assigned to two different PIDs. This is due to the stepped allocation of intervals for the PIDs. As a result, the data acquisition / processing task can be evenly divided between two PID processors (for example, implemented in the firmware on the microprocessor 36 - Figure 2) in case the two intervals require composing a calendar grid to be displayed to a user . Also, when preparing for time transitions (for example in interval limits if the interval size is two hours, or at two hours in each interval if the interval size exceeds two hours), only two of the N PIDs (assuming the N >; 1) they need to be updated by removing a past interval and adding a future interval. Referring to Figure 5, since the size of the interval (eight hours) is greater than 2, the update is executed at two hours in the interval 127 (that is to say at 10:00 a.m. on the seventh day of the month, with the current time remaining in the interval 126). This requires removing the interval 126 from the PIDS 2 and adding the interval 147 to the PIDS 3, as indicated at 110 '. The other PIDS (PIDS 0 and 1 P1228 / 96MX at intervals 128, 129) remain intact, although the versions may change for the data blocks in each PID. This approach allows smooth transitions to a new service definition in the transition times without interrupting the processing in the decoder. It should be appreciated that this invention provides a method and apparatus for communicating and processing an interactive event guide through an information network carrying various information services. An event listed in the interactive guide is available by subscribing to the information service offered by the event or by acquiring the event individually. The data for the interactive guide can be communicated both in a drip stream for current calendar information and in a stream of data on request for future calendrical information. The current data from the drip stream is stored in the receiver for instant recovery. The requested data is cyclically provided in a high density data stream to selectively recover the calendar information for a period of time of interest. The title and description records are transmitted separately so that the title information can be recovered from the current of P1228 / 96MX on-demand data quickly, with description information following at a slower pace, if necessary, to keep the data flow within the limits of bandwidth of the system and the memory resources of the decoder. The calendrical data can be transmitted in a preformatted form, in order to reduce the amount of processing that needs to be done in the decoder. The transmitted calendar data can be provided in a packet transport stream where different data categories are carried in different packet streams. Each packet stream has its own packet identifier (PID). The prompt recovery and processing of calendar data in the decoder is facilitated by providing individual pages from the calendar database, organized in the time interval, in the data stream transmitted with each page that has its own PID. In this way, when a user selects a time interval for which calendrical information is desired, the decoder needs only to locate the PIDs for that time interval and all the necessary program guide information can be retrieved from the packets transmitted under this PID. . A separate packet stream is provided for the data of P1228 / 96MX foundation, under a PID that identifies the data as foundation data. A memory manager in the decoder can be placed so that. the available memory resources are maintained in instant access to the current calendar information provided by the drip stream, while memory is allocated to the data stream on request, as needed. Although the invention has been described in connection with different preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that various adaptations and modifications may be made therein without thereby departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

P1228 / 96MX

Claims (25)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. A method to provide an interactive guide of events through an information network in the which events are available, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of database pages to communicate over the information network, each page corresponding to a time interval over which the events in the network are available; insert calendrical data for each event to be included in the interactive guide, within the database page, for the time interval during which the event will be provided; and transmitting the database pages through the information network at a selected transmission rate to allow recovery of the particular database page within a predetermined acquisition time limit, to retrieve the calendar data for the interval of time represented by that page.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, P1228 / 96MX, characterized in that the calendrical data are representative of the information services and information messages that identify the events provided by particular information services at particular times, the method includes the additional step of: classifying the calendrical data by message type and information service to insert them into the database pages in a preformatted form, the calendar data is transmitted in the preformatted form in order to facilitate the display of the calendars by time interval in the decoder, without making the classification in the decoder. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that: the transmit step transmits the database pages in a packet transport stream, where different categories of data are carried in different packet streams, each packet stream has a unique packet identifier (PID), - and the pages of the database are carried in at least one packet stream identified by a unique PID. 4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that: each of the pages of the database P1228 / 96MX is carried in a separate package stream that has a Unique PID for that package. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises the additional step of: providing an additional data stream containing the foundation data necessary to decode the calendar data carried in the database pages, the additional data stream has your own PID. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises the additional step of: providing an additional data stream containing foundation data necessary to decode the calendar data carried in the database pages, the additional data stream has its own PID. 7. A method according to claim 3, wherein the pages of the database contain calendar data for periods of time beyond a current time period, the method is characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: providing a separate stream of data containing calendar information for the current time period, the separate stream has its own PID and provides the calendar information for that period of time. P1228 / 96MX current time at a speed that is less than the speed at which the calendric data carried on the database pages is provided. 8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the current time period is a current period of 24 hours. 9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that each event that is to be included in the interactive guide, the calendar data comprises a title record containing title information for that event, and may optionally comprise a description record containing description information for that event, whereby the description information for an event can be processed in a decoder regardless of the information for that event. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises the additional step of assigning the insertion of the title and description records within the pages of the database to communicate the title information at a higher speed than the description information . A method according to claim 10, wherein the title and description records for a time interval of interest are stored in a memory of the decoder, characterized in that it also comprises the P1228 / 96MX steps of: monitoring an amount of available memory to store the records; and, in case the amount of available memory is less than that required to store the title and description records for a time interval of interest, purge the description records to make room and be able to store the title records. A method according to claim 9, wherein the title and description records for a time interval of interest are stored in a decoder memory, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of: monitoring an amount of available memory for storing the records; and in case the amount of available memory is less than the amount required to store the title records for a time interval of interest, purge the description records by deleting them from memory to make room for the title records. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the calendrical data further comprise a calendar record for the time interval to which the calendar data belong, the calendar record contains title and description record identifiers. P1228 / 96MX that cross-reference the start time for this event with the title and description records for that event. 14. A decoder for providing an interactive program guide (IPG) that comes from the data received by an information network in which the inventions listed in the program guide are available, characterized in that it comprises: means for retrieving IPG data by dripping from the information network at a first data rate, the drip data comprises current calendar information to be stored in a decoder memory and displayed, practically instantaneously, at any time during a current period of time; means for selectively retrieving the IPG data on request from the information network at a second data rate that is greater than the first data rate, the on-demand data are provided on pages and comprise future calendar information, each of the pages they contain data on request for different future time intervals; and means for storing pages selectively retrieved from the IPG data on request to display them after retrieval thereof from the information network. P1228 / 96MX 15. A decoder according to claim 14, characterized in that the IPG drip data and the IPG data on request are received from at least one packet transport stream containing a succession of packets, the packets for the drip data are identified for a first packet identifier (PID) and the packets for the pages of the data on request are identified by at least a second PID. 16. A decoder according to claim 15, characterized in that each of the pages of the IPG data on request corresponds to a different time interval and has a unique PID. 17. A decoder according to claim 15, characterized in that each page of the IPG data on request corresponds to a different time slot having a unique page identifier, and a plurality of the pages is communicated under a common PID. 18. A decoder according to claim 14, wherein for each event to be included in the interactive guide the calendar information comprises a title record containing title information for that event, and optionally may comprise a description record containing information description for that event, the decoder further comprises: a means for retrieving the records P1228 / 96MX calendar information from the current and future calendar information, calendar records contain title and description record identifiers that cross-reference the start time of the event and the title and description records provided for that event; and a means that responds to a user's inputs to selectively issue title information for specific time intervals and descriptions for specific programs that are based on the information contained in the calendar records. 19. A decoder according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises: means for monitoring an amount of available memory in the storage medium; and in case the amount of available memory is less than that required to store the title and description records for a time interval of interest, purge the description records to make room in the storage medium for the title records. 20. A decoder according to claim 14, characterized in that the decoder memory is of sufficient size to maintain at least 24 hours of current calendar information, and drip data. P1228 / 96MX provide calendar information for at least one full day of events at a time. 21. A decoder according to claim 15, wherein each of the pages is carried in a separate packet stream having a unique PID for that page, the decoder is further characterized: a first PID processor for acquiring calendar information contained in a first page for a first time interval; a second PID processor for acquiring calendar information contained in a second page for a second time interval immediately following the first time interval; and means for selectively combining a portion of the calendar information acquired by the first PID processor with a portion of the information acquired by the second PID processor, to provide a calendar of events available for a period of time spanning the first and second. timeslots. 22. A method for providing an interactive program guide (IPG) from the data received by an information network in which the events listed in the program guide are available, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: P1228 / 96MX provide an IPG data stream by dripping at a first data rate, the drip data stream comprises current calendrical information to communicate it and store it in a decoder in order to allow instantaneous display of portions of the current calendar information in a screen coupled to the decoder; provide an IPG data stream on request at a second speed that is greater than the first data rate, the on-demand data is provided on pages and comprises future calendar information, each of the pages contains data on request for at least one different future time interval, the second data rate is selected to allow the selective display and acquisition of portions of the calendar portion on the screen, within a predetermined acquisition time limit; and transmitting the data stream by dripping at the first speed, and the data stream on request at the second speed, on the information network for its reception by a population of decoders. 23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the current and future calendrical information is representative of the messages and information services that identify the events provided by information services. P1228 / 96MX particular in the particular times, the method is characterized because it includes the additional step of: classifying the calendrical information by message type and information service for its transmission to the decoders in a preformatted form, thus facilitating the display of the calendars by time interval in the decoders, without executing the classification in the decoder. 24. A method according to claim 22, characterized in that for each event to be included in the interactive guide, the calendar information comprises a title record that contains title information for that event and can optionally comprise a description record containing information description for that event, whereby the description information for an event can be processed in the decoders, regardless of the title information for that event. 25. A method according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises the additional step of assigning the transmission of the title and description records within the data stream on request to communicate the title information at a higher speed than that of the information of description. P1228 / 96MX SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An apparatus and methods for implementing an interactive program guide in an information network are provided. A plurality of pages of a database communicate about the information network. Each page corresponds to a time interval in which events are available on the network. The calendar data for each event to be included in the interactive guide are inserted in the database page for the time interval during which the event will be provided. The pages of the database are transmitted through the information network at a selected transmission speed to allow the recovery of a particular page of the database, within a predetermined acquisition time limit, to retrieve the calendar data for the time represented for that page. The calendar information for a current period of time may be provided in a drip stream with future calendar information provided in a stream of data upon request. The data stream on request is transmitted at a speed considerably higher than that of the drip data stream. The drip current data is loaded into the decoder memory for instant display. The data from P1228 / 96MX the data stream on request are accessible as needed by retrieving only those data necessary for the display of the calendar information for a desired time interval. P1228 / 96MX