Technique for delivering via a communications network data for image display with a desired aspect ratio

• US 20050278740A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Helms, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234372 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; 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 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system and method are provided for delivering data including graphical components to user terminals through a communications network, e.g., a cable TV network. In one embodiment, multiple versions of a graphical component of a program guide, each formatted for a respective aspect ratio of a user'"'"'s TV, are generated. On the other hand, a single version of non-graphical program guide data may also be generated. A data stream containing the non-graphical data and the multiple versions of the graphical component is transmitted to set-top terminals in the network via a transmission channel. If a graphical component is desired, the set-top terminal retrieves from the data stream a selected version of the graphical component that is compatible with the aspect ratio of the TV to which it is connected.

Claims

1. A system for delivering through a communications network data representing a graphical image, the data being receivable by at least one terminal and being used to generate the graphical image on a display device associated therewith, which has one of at least first and second aspect ratios, the system comprising:

a processing unit for generating a first record containing data representing a first version of the graphical image formatted for the first aspect ratio, and a second record containing data representing a second version of the graphical image formatted for the second aspect ratio, a transmission channel in the communications network being assigned to transport both the first record and second record therethrough; and

a mechanism for sending, through the transmission channel, a data stream containing the first record and the second record, and information concerning the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio associated with the first record and the second record, respectively, thereby facilitating selecting by the at least one terminal one of the first record and the second record to recover a version of the graphical image corresponding to an aspect ratio of the display device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more video frames.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more graphical icons.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first aspect ratio is 4:

3.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second aspect ratio is 16:

9.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) cable network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a broadcast file system (BFS).

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one terminal comprises a cable set-top terminal.

9. An apparatus for receiving through a communications network data representing a graphical image, comprising:

a processor for identifying an aspect ratio of a display device associated with the apparatus; and

an interface for accessing a predetermined transmission channel in the communications network, the predetermined transmission channel transporting a plurality of records therethrough, which include at least first and second records containing data representing first and second versions of the graphical image, respectively, each version being associated with a respective aspect ratio of a display device, at least one record being selected from the plurality of records, the at least one record containing data representing a version of the graphical image associated with the identified aspect ratio, the graphical image being generated based on the data in the selected record.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more video frames.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more graphical icons.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the aspect ratio of the display device is 4:

3.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the aspect ratio of the display device is 16:

9.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the communications network comprises an HFC cable network.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the predetermined transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a BFS.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the predetermined transmission channel also transports information identifying the aspect ratio associated with the version of the graphical image corresponding to the selected record.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the data in the selected record is modified to generate the graphical image having a first resolution, which is different from a second resolution of the version of the graphical image represented by the data in the selected record.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first resolution is 1920×

1080 pixels.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second resolution is 960×

540 pixels.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first resolution is 1280×

720 pixels.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second resolution is 1920'"'"'1080 pixels.

24. A method for delivering through a communications network data representing a graphical image, the data being receivable by at least one terminal and being used to generate the graphical image on a display device associated therewith, which has one of at least first and second aspect ratios, the method comprising:

generating a first record containing data representing a first version of the graphical image formatted for the first aspect ratio, and a second record containing data representing a second version of the graphical image formatted for the second aspect ratio, a transmission channel in the communications network being assigned to transport both the first record and second record therethrough; and

sending, through the transmission channel, a data stream containing the first record and the second record, and information concerning the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio associated with the first record and the second record, respectively, thereby facilitating selecting by the at least one terminal one of the first record and the second record to recover a version of the graphical image corresponding to an aspect ratio of the display device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more video frames.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more graphical icons.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the first aspect ratio is 4:

3.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the second aspect ratio is 16:

9.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the communications network comprises an HFC cable network.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a BFS.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one terminal comprises a cable set-top terminal.

32. A method for use in an apparatus for receiving through a communications network data representing a graphical image, comprising:

identifying an aspect ratio of a display device associated with the apparatus;

accessing a predetermined transmission channel in the communications network, the predetermined transmission channel transporting a plurality of records therethrough, which include at least first and second records containing data representing first and second versions of the graphical image, respectively, each version being associated with a respective aspect ratio of a display;

selecting, from the plurality of records, at least one record containing data representing a version of the graphical image associated with the identified aspect ratio; and

generating the graphical image based on the data in the selected record.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more video frames.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the graphical image comprises one or more graphical icons.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the aspect ratio of the display device is 4:

3.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the aspect ratio of the display device is 16:

9.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the communications network comprises an HFC cable network.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the predetermined transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a BFS.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein the predetermined transmission channel also transports information identifying the aspect ratio associated with the version of the graphical image corresponding to the selected record.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein the data in the selected record is modified to generate the graphical image having a first resolution, which is different from a second resolution of the version of the graphical image represented by the data in the selected record.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the first resolution is 1920×

1080 pixels.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the second resolution is 960×

540 pixels.

44. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the first resolution is 1280×

720 pixels.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the second resolution is 1920×

1080 pixels.