Media content menu navigation and customization

• US 20070124773A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Morris, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Media content menu navigation and customization is described. In an embodiment, a content menu is displayed that includes a listing which collectively identifies media content that is available for viewing from multiple data streams. The multiple data streams can each provide different media content that is collectively identified where the different media content of each data stream is related. Each of the multiple data streams of the media content are mapped to a television channel and each data stream has an associated sub-channel identifier. At least some of the sub-channel identifiers are displayed and optionally an associated image corresponding to the media content that is available for viewing via the associated sub-channel is displayed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying a content menu that includes a listing which collectively identifies media content that is available for viewing from multiple data streams;

receiving a user-selectable input of the listing to select the media content for viewing;

receiving the multiple data streams of the media content that are each mapped to a television channel, each data stream of the media content having an associated sub-channel identifier; and

displaying at least some of the sub-channel identifiers and an associated image corresponding to the media content that is available for viewing via the associated sub-channel.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an additional user-selectable input of a sub-channel identifier; and

displaying the media content corresponding to the selected sub-channel identifier.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising initiating the display of the media content corresponding to the selected sub-channel identifier by switching sub-channels without changing the television channel.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the additional user-selectable input of the sub-channel identifier is received when the sub-channel identifier is displayed for viewing.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the additional user-selectable input of the sub-channel identifier is received when the sub-channel identifier is not displayed for viewing.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sub-channel identifiers are displayed as sub-channel numbers, and wherein the associated image corresponding to the media content is a video of the media content displayed for viewing.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying the media content that is available for viewing via each sub-channel, and wherein the sub-channel identifiers are displayed as sub-channel numbers over the respective display of media content to indicate which display of media content is initiated by a sub-channel number.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising mapping the multiple data streams of the media content to the television channel, and dynamically assigning the sub-channel identifiers to each data stream of the media content.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multiple data streams each provide different media content that is collectively identified by the listing included in the content menu, and wherein the different media content of each data stream is related.

10. A system, comprising:

a navigation application configured to initiate display of a content menu that includes a listing which collectively identifies media content that is available for viewing from multiple data streams;

a television-based client system configured to;

receive the multiple data streams of the media content from a content provider, the multiple data streams each being mapped to a television channel and each data stream of the media content having an associated sub-channel identifier; and

display at least some of the sub-channel identifiers over the corresponding media content that is available for viewing via the associated sub-channel.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the television-based client system is further configured to receive an additional user-selectable input of a sub-channel identifier, and display the media content corresponding to the selected sub-channel identifier.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the navigation application is further configured to initiate the display of the media content corresponding to the selected sub-channel identifier by switching sub-channels without changing the television channel.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the television-based client system is further configured to receive the additional user-selectable input of the sub-channel identifier when the sub-channel identifier is displayed for viewing.

14. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the television-based client system is further configured to receive the additional user-selectable input of the sub-channel identifier when the sub-channel identifier is not displayed for viewing.

15. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the sub-channel identifiers are displayed as sub-channel numbers over a corresponding video of the media content to indicate which display of media content is initiated by a sub-channel number.

16. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the multiple data streams each provide different media content that is collectively identified by the listing included in the content menu, and wherein the different media content of each data stream is related.

17. A system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a content provider configured to:

map the multiple data streams of the media content to the television channel;

dynamically assign the sub-channel identifiers to each data stream of the media content; and

deliver the multiple data streams mapped to the television channel to the television-based client system.

18. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a television-based client system to:

receive a user-selectable input to select a content menu listing which collectively identifies media content that is available for viewing from multiple data streams;

receive the multiple data streams of the media content that are each mapped to a television channel, each data stream of the media content having an associated sub-channel identifier; and

display at least some of the sub-channel identifiers and corresponding media content that is available for viewing via the associated sub-channel.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 18, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the television-based client system to receive an additional user-selectable input of a sub-channel identifier, and display the media content corresponding to the selected sub-channel identifier.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the television-based client system to display the media content corresponding to a selected sub-channel identifier by switching sub-channels without changing the television channel.