Repository for information about streaming video/audio channels

• US 20090249418A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Channer Medianet, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Channer Medianet, S.L.
• Inventors: Alastruey Gracia, Cristina, Llorach Marine, Carles
• Application Number:
  US12/079,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249418A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2404 Monitoring of server processing errors or hardware failure error or fault detection G06F11/07; monitoring in general G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A computing platform accessible through a communication network enables users to search among television channels available through the communication network, to select a channel, and to receive the selected channel on a user device, generally a mobile device but sometimes a non-mobile device. Users can readily change among channels. The computing platform stores information about the user, such as their favorite channels and demographic information, and also monitors the status of the television channels. When a channel is not working properly, the platform notifies the user device.

Claims

1. A repository for television channels available through a communication network, comprising:

a server for coupling to the communication network to provide information from the repository in response to a request, and

a data storage for storing the repository, the repository having a record for each of the television channels, the record including an operational status of the television channel, the television channel operative in a streaming mode, the television channel provided by a party other than a provider of the repository.

2. The repository of claim 1, wherein the server is also for querying each of the channels in the repository to obtain the operational status of the channel.

3. The repository of claim 1, wherein the request is a search request, and the information provided from the repository in response to the search request includes operational status information for each of the channels satisfying the search request.

4. The repository of claim 1, wherein the data storage is also for storing a favorite channels list for a user of the repository.

5. The repository of claim 1, wherein the request is a favorite channels request, and the information provided from the repository in response to the favorite channels request includes operational status information for each of the channels in the favorite channels list.

6. A method of using a repository for television channels available through a communication network, comprising:

coupling to the communication network to provide information from the repository in response to a request, and

storing the repository, the repository having a record for each of the television channels, the record including an operational status of the television channel, the television channel operative in a streaming mode, the television channel provided by a party other than a provider of the repository.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising querying each of the channels in the repository to obtain the operational status of the channel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the request is a search request, and the information provided from the repository in response to the search request includes operational status information for each of the channels satisfying the search request.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing a favorite channels list for a user of the repository.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request is a favorite channels request, and the information provided from the repository in response to the favorite channels request includes operational status information for each of the channels in the favorite channels list.