METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC CHANNEL SWITCHING FOR IPTV

• US 20100031290A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hua, Suzann, Zaki, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US12/182,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20100031290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

A method of providing automatic channel switching for IPTV is disclosed. The method includes: authenticating a user having an IPTV service profile upon receiving an indication that the user has powered on the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device; downloading the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile from a subscriber database; retrieving the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data from a Calendar Server and storing the IPTV-related calendar data in a local database, wherein the calendar data includes the exact date and time at which the user wants to watch at least one IPTV broadcast on an IPTV viewing device; transmitting IPTV content to the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device through a set-top box; and changing the channel on the IPTV viewing device automatically based on the user'"'"'s calendar data.

Claims

1. A method of providing automatic channel switching for IPTV, the method comprising:

authenticating a user having an IPTV service profile upon receiving an indication that the user has powered on the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device;

downloading the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile from a subscriber database;

retrieving the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data from a Calendar Server and storing the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data in a local database, wherein the calendar data includes the exact date and time at which the user wants to watch at least one IPTV broadcast on an IPTV viewing device;

transmitting IPTV content to the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device through a set-top box; and

changing the channel on the IPTV viewing device automatically based on the user'"'"'s calendar data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber database stores one or more of the following types of data:

subscriber name data, subscriber profile data, IPTV registration data, subscriber charging server address data, and Initial Filter Criteria, wherein the Initial Filter Criteria indicates whether the user has subscribed to integrated Automatic Channel Switching service for IPTV.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the local database stores one or more of the following types of data:

subscriber info data, subscriber billing account data, available IPTV channels data, and PTV-related calendar data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the IPTV application server interfaces with the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device via a SIP-based distribution network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile includes Initial Filter Criteria that indicates the user has subscribed to Automatic Channel Switching Service for IPTV.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the time as scheduled in the user'"'"'s calendar, retrieving the downloaded calendar data from the local database or receiving a reminder from the Calendar Server directly.

8. An apparatus for providing automatic channel switching for IPTV, the apparatus comprising:

a subscriber database; and

an IPTV application server operative to;

authenticate a user having an IPTV service profile upon receiving an indication that the user has powered on the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device;

download the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile from a subscriber database;

retrieve the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data from a Calendar Server and store the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data in a local database, wherein the calendar data includes the exact date and time at which the user wants to watch at least one IPTV broadcast on an IPTV viewing device;

transmit IPTV content to the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device through a set-top box; and

change the channel on the IPTV viewing device automatically based on the user'"'"'s calendar data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the database stores one or more of the following types of data:

subscriber name data, subscriber profile data, IPTV registration data, subscriber subscriber charging server address data, IPTV channels data, and Initial Filter Criteria, wherein the Initial Filter Criteria indicates whether the user has subscribed to integrated Automatic Channel Switching service for IPTV.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the local database stores one or more of the following types of data:

subscriber info data, subscriber billing account data, available IPTV channels data, and PTV-related calendar data.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the database comprises a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the IPTV application server interfaces with the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device via a SIP-based distribution network.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile includes Initial Filter Criteria that indicates the user has subscribed to Automatic Channel Switching Service for IPTV.

14. A system for providing automatic channel switching for IPTV, the system comprising:

authenticating means for authenticating a user having an IPTV service profile upon receiving an indication that the user has powered on the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device;

downloading means for downloading the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile from a subscriber database;

retrieving means for retrieving the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data from a Calendar Server;

storing means for storing the user'"'"'s IPTV-related calendar data, wherein the calendar data includes the exact date and time at which the user wants to watch at least one IPTV broadcast on an IPTV viewing device;

transmitting means for transmitting IPTV content to the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device through a set-top box; and

changing means for changing the channel on the IPTV viewing device automatically based on the user'"'"'s calendar data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the database stores one or more of the following types of data:

subscriber name data, subscriber profile data, IPTV registration data, subscriber charging server address data, IPTV channels data, and Initial Filter Criteria, wherein the Initial Filter Criteria indicates whether the user has subscribed to integrated Automatic Channel Switching service for IPTV.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the local database stores one or more of the following types of data:

subscriber info data, subscriber billing account data, available IPTV channels data, and PTV-related calendar data.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the database comprises a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the IPTV application server interfaces with the user'"'"'s IPTV viewing device via a SIP-based distribution network.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the user'"'"'s IPTV service profile includes Initial Filter Criteria that indicates the user has subscribed to Automatic Channel Switching Service for IPTV.