System and Method for Alphanumeric Channel-Changing

• US 20080244643A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Angiolillo, Joel, Virzi, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/693,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244643A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• 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 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 using a channel name

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method and system for alphanumeric channel-changing comprising receiving one or more entries corresponding to a name of a channel, matching the name of the channel against channel data stored in at least one database to form a match, and providing the channel corresponding to the one or more entries based on the match.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving one or more entries corresponding to a name of a channel;

matching the name of the channel against channel data stored in at least one database to form a match; and

providing, at a display device, the channel corresponding to the one or more entries based on the match.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more entries comprises one or more alphanumerical characters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more alphanumerical characters comprises a distinct numerical sequence corresponding to an alphanumerical character.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel data comprises at least one of the following channel information:

channel number, channel name, list of programs, program start and end times for each of the programs, and ratings.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the channel information is stored in the form of metadata within the channel data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the match is at least one of a full match or a partial match.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises initiating an auto-completion function in the event the match is a partial match.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the auto-completion function completes the name of the channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more entries comprises receiving signals having alphanumeric entries.

10. A computer readable media comprising code to perform the acts of the method of claim 1.

11. A system, comprising:

a receiver to receive one or more entries from a remote control device, wherein the one or more entries corresponds to a name of a channel;

a processor to match the name of the channel against channel data stored in at least one database to form a match; and

an output to provide, at a display device, the channel corresponding to the one or more entries based on the match.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving one or more entries corresponding to at least a partial name of a channel;

matching the at least partial name of the channel against channel data stored in at least one database to form one or more matches;

outputting, at a display device, to display a channel menu comprising the one or more matches;

receiving a user selection command indicating a selected match from the one or more matches; and

providing, at the display device, the channel corresponding to the selected match.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more entries comprises one or more alphanumerical characters.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more alphanumerical characters comprises a distinct numerical sequence corresponding to an alphanumerical character.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein outputting a channel menu comprising the one or more matches further comprises displaying a full name of the channel corresponding to each of the one or more matches.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more matches are outputted for display in at least one of the following orders:

alphabetically, numerically, by frequency of use, by popularity, and by rating.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the channel data comprises at least one of the following channel information:

channel number, channel name, list of programs, program start and end times, and ratings.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the channel information is stored in the form of metadata within the channel data.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the remote control device is a device comprising an alphanumeric capability.

20. A computer readable media comprising code to perform the acts of the method of claim 12.

21. A system, comprising:

a receiver to receive one or more entries from a remote control device, wherein the one or more entries corresponds to at least a partial name of a channel;

a processor to match the at least partial name of the channel against channel data stored in at least one database to form one or more matches;

an output to provide, at a display device, a channel menu comprising the one or more matches;

a receiver to receive a user selection command indicating a selected match from the one or more matches; and

an output to provide, at the display device, the channel corresponding to the selected match.