Customizing virtual channels in a discovery interface

• US 20080022310A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Poling, Daniel L., Fong, Jeffrey C., Azera, Frederic, Van Flandern, Michael W., Coomer, Christen
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4622 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A unified discovery interface presents broadcast discovery data relating to broadcast content available via a broadcast channel and non-broadcast discovery data relating to non-broadcasting content available via a virtual channel of the unified discovery interface. In one implementation, the virtual channel is customizable via a discovery interface relationship parameter that indicates a relationship of the virtual channel within the unified discovery interface. The unified discovery interface allows a user to select between broadcast media content available via a broadcast channel and non-broadcast media content available via the virtual channel.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a customized virtual channel including non-broadcast content within a unified discovery interface, the method comprising:

receiving first discovery data related to broadcast media content available via a broadcast channel;

receiving second discovery data related to non-broadcast media content to be presented for selection via a virtual channel in a unified discovery interface, the virtual channel comprising a discovery interface relationship parameter indicating a relationship of the virtual channel within the unified discovery interface; and

presenting the unified discovery interface comprising the broadcast channel and the virtual channel through which a user may select between the broadcast media content and the non-broadcast media content, wherein a location of the virtual channel is determined based upon the discovery interface relationship parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first discovery data comprises metadata relating to the broadcast media content available via the broadcast channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first discovery data further comprises metadata relating to a relationship between the broadcast media content and other media content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first discovery data operation comprises downloading a compilation of data including the first discovery data from a server via a wide area network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the compilation further comprises the second discovery data relating to the non-broadcast media content available via the virtual channel presented in the unified discovery interface.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the receiving the second discovery data comprises downloading a second compilation of data including the second discovery data from a server via a wide area network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein non-broadcast content associated with the virtual channel is selectable by a user via local settings of a media client.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-broadcast content associated with the virtual channel is received via a subscription.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-broadcast content associated with the virtual channel is selectable by a third party via a media client interface.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-broadcast media content comprises Internet Protocol media content.

11. A media content delivery device for presenting a customized virtual channel including non-broadcast media content within a unified discovery interface, the media content delivery device comprising:

a discovery interface that presents first discovery data relating to broadcast media content available via a broadcast channel and second discovery data relating to non-broadcast media content available via a virtual channel in a unified discovery interface and receives a user selection of a particular media content for presentation; and

a content player interface that provides the particular media content for presentation.

12. The media content delivery device of claim 11 further comprising a tuner for selecting between a plurality of individual broadcast media content.

13. The media content delivery device of claim 11 further comprising a media client interface that updates the second discovery data.

14. The media content delivery device of claim 11 wherein the non-broadcast media content comprises Internet Protocol media content.

15. The media content delivery device of claim 11 wherein the second discovery data comprises metadata relating to the non-broadcast media content available via the virtual channel of the unified discovery interface.

16. The user content delivery device of claim 11 wherein the second discovery data comprises a discovery interface relationship parameter relating to a relationship between the virtual channel and another channel of the unified discovery interface.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer process that implements the operations comprising:

receiving first discovery data related to broadcast media content available via a broadcast channel;

receiving second discovery data related to non-broadcast media content to be presented for selection via a virtual channel in a unified discovery interface, the virtual channel comprising a discovery interface relationship parameter indicating a relationship of the virtual channel within the unified discovery interface;

presenting the unified discovery interface comprising the broadcast channel and the virtual channel through which a user may select between the broadcast media content and the non-broadcast media content, wherein a location of the virtual channel is determined based upon the discovery interface relationship parameter

receiving a user selection of a particular media content for presentation; and

providing the particular media content for presentation.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the second discovery data comprises metadata relating to the non-broadcast media content available via the virtual channel of the unified discovery interface.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the second discovery data further comprises a discovery interface relationship parameter relating to a relationship of the virtual channel within the unified discovery interface.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the broadcast media content comprises time-based programming content and the non-broadcast media content comprises Internet Protocol content.