Three Dimensional Light Electronic Programming Guide

• US 20080163300A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 for processing graphics
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus of displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). In one embodiment, an EPG is displayed in a three dimensional virtual mesh, in which independent objects representing television programs are situated. The simplified nature of the three dimensional EPG reduces the amount of processing necessary to display it. In addition, the virtual mesh may be displayed isometrically, so that hardware requirements are further reduced and it may be possible to use a software only three dimensional graphics pipeline. If a user has a set top box (STB) with a hardware accelerated graphics pipeline, the EPG may be displayed in a full three dimensional perspective view. A user can navigate the mesh to find television programs that they wish to view. A user can assign values to types of television programs that they prefer, and these programs will be displayed more prominently.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) comprising:

generating a three dimensional virtual mesh polyhedron including a plurality of planes, wherein the virtual mesh polyhedron is displayed such that more than one surface of the virtual mesh polyhedron is displayed;

displaying a first object on a first plane of the plurality of planes and a second object on a second plane of the plurality of planes; and

generating a supplementary information area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said polyhedron is displayed in an isometric view.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said EPG is generated exclusive of three dimensional graphics circuitry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of one of said objects causes a program provided on a certain channel at a certain time to be selected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said objects are independent of said polyhedron.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said objects represent a certain television program on a certain channel at a certain time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual mesh polyhedron is a cube.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said cube further comprises three axes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said axes correspond to time, channel, and user preference.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said planes are parallel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said planes correspond to levels of preference.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said objects is a pictogram.

13. One or more computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:

generating a three dimensional virtual mesh polyhedron including a plurality of planes, wherein the virtual mesh polyhedron is displayed such that more than one surface of the virtual mesh polyhedron is displayed;

displaying a first object on a first plane of the plurality of planes and a second object on a second plane of the plurality of planes; and

generating a supplementary information area.

14. The one or more computer readable media of claim 13, wherein selection of one of said objects causes a program provided on a certain channel at a certain time to be selected.

15. The one or more computer readable media of claim 13, wherein said objects are independent of said polyhedron.

16. The one or more computer readable media of claim 13, wherein said objects represent a certain television program on a certain channel at a certain time.

17. The one or more computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the first plane and the second plane correspond to different levels of viewing preference.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

generating a three dimensional virtual mesh polyhedron including a plurality of planes, wherein the virtual mesh polyhedron is displayed such that more than one surface of the virtual mesh polyhedron is displayed;

displaying a first object on a first plane of the plurality of planes and a second object on a second plane of the plurality of planes; and

generating a supplementary information area.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first plane and the second plane correspond to different levels of viewing preference.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first plane is an internal plane of the polyhedron and the second plane is an external plane of the polyhedron.