METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POPULATING A MENU STRUCTURE ON A USER DEVICE

• US 20090031346A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kidd, Deanna R.
• Application Number:
  US11/828,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20090031346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A method and system includes a user device and a content processing system establishing a structure for a menu. The content processing system receives content, receives metadata corresponding to the content from a content provider and communicates the metadata to the user device. The user device populates the menu with the metadata.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a structure for a menu;

receiving content at a content processing system;

receiving metadata corresponding to the content from a content provider at the content processing system;

communicating the metadata to a user device; and

populating the menu with the metadata at the user device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein establishing various fields comprises establishing a plurality of templates.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein receiving metadata comprises receiving metadata corresponding at least one of the plurality of templates.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein establishing comprises establishing a plurality of guide categories within the menu structure.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving content comprises receiving content through a first communication means and receiving content information comprises receiving the content through a second communication means different than the first communication means.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the first communication means comprises a satellite or optical fiber and the second means comprises a digital file.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a broadband communication system.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a terrestrial system.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a menu selection from the menu;

communicating a material identification associated with the menu selection to the content processing system; and

communicating the content corresponding to the menu selection to the user device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a satellite.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a broadband communication system.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a terrestrial system.

14. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the material identification comprises communicating the material identification through a broadband communication system.

15. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the material identification comprises communicating the material identification through a terrestrial system.

16. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite and wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a satellite.

17. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite and wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a broadband communication system.

18. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite and wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a terrestrial system.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises a start time and an end time.

20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises an asset identification.

21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a fixed user device.

23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.

25. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a first communication means and a second communication means, wherein said content processing system receiving content through the first communication means and wherein the content processing system receiving metadata through the second communication means different than the first communication means.

26. A system as recited in claim 25 wherein the first communication means comprises a satellite or optical fiber and the second means comprises a digital file.

30. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said user device generating a menu selection from the menu, communicating a material identification associated with the menu selection to the content processing system;

and

said user device communicating the content corresponding to the menu selection to the user device.

31. A system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a satellite communicating the content.

32. A system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a broadband communication system communicating the content.

33. A system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a terrestrial system communicating the content.

34. A system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata and the content.

35. A system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata and a broadband communication system communicating the content.

36. A system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata and a terrestrial system communicating the content.

24. A system comprising:

a user device; and

a content processing system establishing a structure for a menu,

receiving content, receiving metadata corresponding to the content from a content provider and communicating the metadata to the user device;

said user device populating the menu with the metadata.

27. A system as recited in claim 24 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata.

28. A system as recited in claim 24 further comprising a broadband communication system communicating the metadata.

29. A system as recited in claim 24 further comprising a terrestrial system communicating the metadata.

37. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the metadata comprises a start time and an end time.

38. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the metadata comprises an asset identification.

39. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

40. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the user device comprises a fixed user device.

41. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.