Provider-defined live multichannel viewing events
First Claim
1. A method for providing a multichannel viewing event, the method comprising:
- broadcasting, by a television service provider, a multichannel viewing event definition to a plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining;
a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event,a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable,the second start time of the multichannel viewing event,an end time of the multichannel viewing event, andstoring, by a television receiver of the plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event;
comparing, by the television receiver, a current time with the second start time and the end time;
determining, by the television receiver, that the current time is within a time period defined by the second start time and the end time;
in response to the current time being determined to be between the second start time and the end time, providing, by the television receiver, as part of the EPG, a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein;
after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection;
receiving, by the television receiver, user input that selects the single-selection option;
in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, accessing, by the television receiver, the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event;
in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tuning one or more tuners of the television receiver based on the plurality of television channels defined in the definition of the multichannel viewing event; and
output a video stream that comprises live feeds of multiple television channels from the plurality of television channels, and, when presented by a display device, the video stream results in the live feeds of the multiple television channels being presented simultaneously.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various arrangements for providing a multichannel viewing event are presented. A definition of the multichannel viewing event may be broadcast to multiple television receivers. A television receiver may, as part of an electronic programming guide, provide a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the broadcast definition. In response to receiving user input that selects the single-selection option, the definition of the multichannel viewing event is accessed. One or more tuners of the television receiver may be tuned based on the television channels defined in the definition of the multichannel viewing event. A video stream that includes live feeds of multiple television channels may then be output to a display device for simultaneous presentation.
216 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for providing a multichannel viewing event, the method comprising:
-
broadcasting, by a television service provider, a multichannel viewing event definition to a plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining; a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event, a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable, the second start time of the multichannel viewing event, an end time of the multichannel viewing event, and storing, by a television receiver of the plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event; comparing, by the television receiver, a current time with the second start time and the end time; determining, by the television receiver, that the current time is within a time period defined by the second start time and the end time; in response to the current time being determined to be between the second start time and the end time, providing, by the television receiver, as part of the EPG, a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein; after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection; receiving, by the television receiver, user input that selects the single-selection option; in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, accessing, by the television receiver, the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event; in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tuning one or more tuners of the television receiver based on the plurality of television channels defined in the definition of the multichannel viewing event; and output a video stream that comprises live feeds of multiple television channels from the plurality of television channels, and, when presented by a display device, the video stream results in the live feeds of the multiple television channels being presented simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A television receiver for outputting a multichannel viewing event, the television receiver comprising:
-
a plurality of tuners; one or more processors; and a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to; receive, via the plurality of tuners, a multichannel viewing event definition, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining;
a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event, a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable and the second start time of the multichannel viewing event;cause the definition of the multichannel viewing event to be stored; compare a current time with the second start time; determine that the current time is after the second start time; in response to the current time being determined is after the second start time, provide as part of an the EPG, a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein; after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection; receive user input that selects the single-selection option; in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, access the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event; in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tune one or more tuners of the plurality of tuners; and cause a video stream to be output that comprises live feeds of multiple television channels from the plurality of television channels, such that, when presented by a display device, the video stream results in the live feeds of the multiple television channels being presented simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for outputting a multichannel viewing event, comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors to:
-
receive a multichannel viewing event definition transmitted to a plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining;
a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event, a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable, and the second start time of the multichannel viewing event;cause the definition of the multichannel viewing event to be stored; compare a current time with the second start time; determine that the current time is after the second start time; in response to the current time being determined to be after the second start time, provide as part of the EPG, a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein; after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection; receive user input that selects the single-selection option; in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, access the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event; in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tune one or more tuners of a plurality of tuners; and cause a video stream to be output that comprises live feeds of multiple television channels from the plurality of television channels, wherein the live feeds of the multiple television channels being presented simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification