SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING MEDIA PROGRAMS

• US 20080263618A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: WHITE, SCOTT
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system for presenting media programs is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimedia system having a controller element to receive a request from a set-top box (STB) for an emulator that emulates a user interface of a media player, wherein the request identifies the media player, retrieve the emulator according to the identification of the media player, and transmit to the STB the emulator for emulating the user interface of the media player by way of the STB. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A multimedia system, comprising a controller element to:

receive a request from a set-top box (STB) for an emulator that emulates a user interface of a media player, wherein the request identifies the media player;

retrieve the emulator according to the identification of the media player; and

transmit to the STB the emulator for emulating the user interface of the media player by way of the STB.

2. The multimedia system of claim 1, wherein the media player presents at least one among audio media, moving image media, and still image media.

3. The multimedia system of claim 2, wherein the audio media conforms to one among a plurality of standards defined by a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), wherein the moving image media conforms to one among a plurality of standards defined by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), and wherein the still image media conforms to one among a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standard, and Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) standard.

4. The multimedia system of claim 1, wherein the user interface presented by the STB by way of the emulator substantially mimics the user interface of the media player.

5. The multimedia system of claim 4, wherein the identification of the media player comprises at least one among a model number, a serial number, and a description of the media player.

6. The multimedia system of claim 4, wherein the multimedia system comprises one among an internet protocol television (IPTV) system, a cable media system, and a satellite media system.

7. A computer-readable storage medium in a presentation device, comprising computer instructions for activating an emulator that emulates a user interface (UI) of a media player.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the presentation device comprises a set-top box (STB) coupled to a media device and a media controller that manages operations of the STB.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the media player is coupled to the STB, and wherein the storage medium comprises computer instructions for:

presenting at one among the media device and the media controller a graphical user interface (GUI) that emulates the UI of the media player; and

presenting through the GUI one or more media stored in the media player.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving by way of a selection applied to the GUI a request to present one among the one or more media; and

presenting the selected media at the media device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instructions for:

retrieving the selected media from the media player;

generating audio signals associated with the selected media; and

presenting said audio signals at the media device.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving audio signals from the media player associated with the selected media; and

presenting said audio signals at the media device.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving by way of a selection applied to the GUI a request to copy one or more media from the media player;

retrieving said one or more media from the media player; and

storing said one or more media.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the media selection is supplied to the STB by one among the media controller and the media player.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the media comprises at least one among audio media, moving image media, and still image media, and wherein the media device comprises at least one among a display system, and an audio system.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving by way of a selection applied to the GUI a request to present a select media;

retrieving the selected media from memory; and

presenting the selected media at the media device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions for:

determining an identification of the media player;

submitting to a multimedia system the identification of the media player; and

receiving from the multimedia system the emulator selected according to the identification of the media player.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions for:

determining an identification of the media player;

retrieving the emulator according to the identification of the media player.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions for receiving the emulator from the media player.

20. A media player, comprising a controller element to receive operational instructions from a set-top box (STB) according to an emulator activated by the STB that emulates a user interface of the media player.

21. The media player of claim 20, wherein the media player presents at least one among audio media, moving image media, and still image media, wherein the audio media conforms to one among a plurality of standards defined by a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), wherein the moving image media conforms to one among a plurality of standards defined by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), and wherein the still image media conforms to one among a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standard, and Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) standard.

22. The media player of claim 20, wherein the controller element supplies the emulator to the STB.

23. The media player of claim 20, wherein the controller element supplies the STB an identification of the media player for selecting the emulator, and wherein the identification of the media player comprises at least one among a model number, a serial number, and a description of the media player.

24. The media player of claim 20, wherein the controller element communicates with the STB over one among a wired medium and a wireless medium.