Setting events for a set-top box using a browser-enabled device

• US 20020184635A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Istvan, Anthony F.
• Application Number:
  US09/872,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184635A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed which comprises a storage unit having an electronic programming guide stored thereon; a network communication interface connected to a network and to an interactive television system comprising a set-top box; and a processor, wherein the processor is operative with the network communication interface and storage unit to transmit the electronic program guide to a browser-enabled device in communication with the network, to accept commands from the browser-enabled device, and transmit the commands to the set-top box. A method is disclosed which comprises establishing a communication link via a network between a browser-enabled device and an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box; transmitting an electronic programming guide from the server to the browser-enabled device; receiving a command from the browser-enabled device to the server in response to information contained in the electronic programming guide; and transmitting the command from the server to the set-top box.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit having programming information stored thereon;

a network communication interface connected to a network and to an interactive television system comprising a set-top box; and

a processor, wherein the processor is operative with the network communication interface and storage unit to transmit the programming information to a browser-enabled device in communication with the network, to accept a command from the browser-enabled device, and to transmit the command to the set-top box.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the programming information can be displayed on the browser-enabled device as an electronic programming guide (EPG).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each program displayed in the electronic programming guide has commands embedded therein, that are capable of being issued in response to selection of the displayed program.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the browser-enabled device comprises a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further operative to receive a status report from the set-top box and to transmit the status report to the browser-enabled device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the status report includes information about whether the command sent to the set-top box was successfully executed.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the status report includes information about why the command was not successfully executed.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further operative to receive from the browser-enabled device another command to correct a condition that led to a non-execution of a previous command.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set-top box is operative to transmit commands to a device attached thereto.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the device comprises a recording device attached to the set-top box.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the recording device comprises a video cassette recorder (VCR) or a digital video recorder (DVR).

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further operative to send commands to at least one additional set-top box.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the programming information can be displayed on the browser-enabled device as an electronic programming guide (EPG).

15. The system of claim 14 wherein each program displayed in the electronic programming guide has commands embedded therein that are capable of being issued via selection by the displayed program.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the browser-enabled device comprises a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is further operative to receive a status report from the set-top box and to transmit the status report to the browser-enabled device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the status report includes information about whether the command sent to the set-top box was successfully executed.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the status report includes information about why the command was not successfully executed.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is further operative to receive from the browser-enabled device another command to correct a condition that led to a non-execution of a previous command.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the set-top box is operative to transmit commands to a device attached thereto.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the device comprises a recording device attached to the set-top box.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the recording device comprises a video cassette recorder (VCR) or a digital video recorder (DVR).

24. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processor is further operative to send commands to at least one additional set-top box.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising displaying the programming information on the browser-enabled device as an electronic programming guide (EPG) user interface.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein establishing the communication link between the browser-enabled device and the server comprises logging the browser-enabled device into the server.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting a status report from the set-top box to the browser-enabled device via the network.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting another command from the browser-enabled device to the set-top box to correct a condition in which the set-top box cannot execute a previously sent command.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting the command from the set-top box to a device attached thereto.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the device attached to the set-top box comprises a recording device.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the recording device comprises a video cassette recorder (VCR) or a digital video recorder (DVR).

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the browser-enabled device comprises a network-compatible device.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the browser-enabled device comprises a computer, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a handheld computer.

35. The method of claim 25 further comprising transmitting commands to at least one additional set-top box.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 36 wherein the instructions further include instructions to display the programming information on the browser-enabled device as an electronic programming guide (EPG) user interface.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 36 wherein the instructions further include instructions to establish a communication link between the browser-enabled device and the server by logging the browser-enabled device into the server.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 36 wherein the instructions further include instructions to transmit a status report from the set-top box to the browser-enabled device via the network.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 36 wherein the instructions further include instructions to transmit another command from the browser-enabled device to the set-top box to correct a condition in which the set-top box cannot execute a previously sent command.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 36 wherein the instructions further include instructions to transmit the command from the set-top box to a device attached thereto.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 36 wherein the instructions further include instructions to transmit the command to at least one additional set-top box.

13. A system, comprising:

an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box;

a network connected to the server; and

a browser-enabled device connected to the network, wherein the browser-enabled device is operative with the network and the server to receive programming information over the network, accept commands from a user of the browser-enabled device, and transmit the commands to the set-top box via the network.

25. A method, comprising:

establishing a communication link via a network between a browser-enabled device and an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box;

transmitting programming information from the server to the browser-enabled device;

receiving a command from the browser-enabled device to the server in response to the programming information; and

transmitting the command from the server to the set-top box.

36. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to;

establish a communication link via a network between a browser-enabled device and an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box;

transmit programming information from the server to the browser-enabled device;

transmit a command from the browser-enabled device to the server in response to the programming information; and

transmit the command from the server to the set-top box.

43. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit having programming information stored thereon;

a network communication interface connected to a network and to an interactive television system comprising a set-top box; and

a processor, wherein the processor is operative with the network communication interface and storage unit to transmit the programming information to a browser-enabled device in communication with the network, to display the programming information on the browser-enabled device as an electronic programming guide (EPG) user interface, to accept a command from the browser-enabled device, and to transmit the command to the set-top box.

44. A method, comprising:

establishing a communication link via a network between a browser-enabled device and an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box;

transmitting programming information from the server to the browser-enabled device;

displaying the programming information on the browser-enabled device as an electronic programming guide (EPG) user interface;

receiving a command from the browser-enabled device to the server in response to the programming information; and

transmitting the command from the server to the set-top box.

45. A system, comprising:

an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box, wherein the server comprises a processor, a network communication interface, and a storage unit comprising a storage medium, a writing element for writing information thereon, and a reading element for reading information therefrom, and wherein the storage medium has programming information stored thereon;

a network connected to the network communication interface of the server, wherein the server is capable of sending information and receiving information over the network; and

a browser-enabled device connected to the network, wherein the browser-enabled device is operative with the network and the server to receive programming information stored on the storage medium over the network, accept input of a command from a user of the browser-enabled device, and transmit the command to the set-top box via the network and the server.

46. A method, comprising:

establishing a communication link via a network between a browser-enabled device and an interactive television system comprising a server and a set-top box, wherein the server comprises a processor, a network communication interface, and a storage unit comprising a storage medium, a writing element for writing information thereon, and a reading element for reading information therefrom, wherein the storage medium has programming information stored thereon;

transmitting the programming information from the server to the browser-enabled device, wherein the programming information is read from the storage medium by the reading element and transmitted to the network communication interface for transmission to the browser-enabled device via the network;

receiving a command via the network from the browser-enabled device to the server in response to the programming information; and

transmitting the command from the server to the set-top box.