System for addressing on-demand TV program content on TV services platform of a digital TV services provider

• US 10,028,027 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Perez, Milton Diaz
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
• Application Number:
  US15/251,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20160373823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74-104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/239 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 : using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 : directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 : specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 : involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 : for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

Claims

1. A subscriber device for providing video content to a subscriber via a closed, video-on-demand system using a hierarchically arranged electronic program guide, the subscriber device comprising:

a tuner that is configured to obtain and present to the subscriber the video-on-demand electronic program guide as a templatized display, which uses at least one of a plurality of different display templates to which the subscriber device has access, to enable a subscriber using the subscriber device to navigate in a drill-down manner through titles by category information in order to locate a particular one of the titles whose associated video content is desired for viewing on the subscriber device using the same category information as was designated by a video content provider in metadata associated with the video content;

wherein the templatized display has been generated in a plurality of layers, comprising;

(a) a first layer comprising a background screen to provide at least one of a basic color, logo, or graphical theme to the display;

(b) a second layer comprising a particular display template from the plurality of different display templates layered on the background screen, wherein the particular display template comprises one or more reserved areas that are reserved for displaying content provided by a different layer of the plurality of layers; and

(c) a third layer comprising reserved area content generated using the received video content, the associated metadata, and the associated plurality of images to be displayed in the one or more reserved areas in the particular display template as at least one of text, an image, a navigation link, and a button;

wherein the navigating through titles in a drill-down manner comprises navigating from a first level of the hierarchical structure of the video-on-demand content menu to a second level of the hierarchical structure to locate the particular one of the titles, and

wherein a first template of the plurality of different display templates is used as the particular display template for the templatized display for displaying the first level of the hierarchical structure and wherein a second template of the plurality of different display templates is used as the particular display template for the templatized display for displaying the second level of the hierarchical structure,

wherein the received video content was uploaded to a Web-based content management system by a content provider device associated with the video content provider via the Internet in a digital video format, along with associated metadata including title information and category information, and along with an associated plurality of images designated by the video content provider, the associated metadata specifying a respective hierarchical location of a respective title of the video content within the electronic program guide to be displayed on the subscriber device using the respective hierarchically-arranged category information associated with the respective title,

wherein at least one of the uploaded associated plurality of images designated by the video content provider is displayed with the associated respective title in the templatized display.

2. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the tuner is at least one of a set-top box or an internal cable channel tuner.

3. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the associated plurality of images that are received includes at least one of graphic, video and audio elements.

4. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different display templates for display with the electronic program guide are used to locate the particular one of the titles in a drill-down manner from a first level of a hierarchical structure of the electronic program guide to a second level of the hierarchical structure of the electronic program guide, wherein a first of the plurality of different display templates is used for displaying the first level of the electronic program guide and wherein a second of the plurality of different display templates is used for displaying the second level of the electronic program guide.

5. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein at least a first display template of the plurality of different display templates is associated with at least the video content provider.

6. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the associated metadata includes descriptive data about the video content.

7. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the one or more category terms associated with the first video-on-demand program content correspond to one or more topics that pertain to video-on-demand program content from more than one content provider.

8. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the one or more category terms associated with the first video-on-demand program content corresponds to one or more content providers and wherein the hierarchically arranged electronic program guide is organized according to the content provider.

9. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber device is an Internet-connected digital device.

10. The subscriber device of claim 9, wherein the Internet-connected digital device is configured to be used with an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) system.

11. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber device is a digital phone.

12. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

13. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber device is a media player.

14. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber device is a game console.

15. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the tuner is further configured to receive a selection from the subscriber to bookmark a selected title and to store an electronic guide location address for the video-on-demand program associated with the selected title as an electronic bookmark for later viewing.

16. The subscriber device of claim 15, wherein the tuner is further configured to send the electronic bookmark from the subscriber device to a second subscriber device.

17. The subscriber device of claim 16, wherein the tuner is further configured to transmit an email including the stored electronic bookmark to an email address of a user on the Internet.

18. The subscriber device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber device is an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) digital set top box.