METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYBACK OF CONTENT ITEMS

• US 20100050206A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Roth, Rudy, Proidl, Adolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,707,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A plurality of content items can be played back, simultaneously. Preferred content items can be played back in overlays (203, 205, 207, 209) alongside a main screen area (201) playing back a currently selected content item.

Claims

1. A method for playback of a plurality of content items, the method comprising the steps of:

playback of a currently selected content item;

playback, simultaneously, of current content of at least one other content item, said at least one other content item being a preferred content item.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein simultaneous playback of current content of at least one other content item is triggered automatically.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein playback is automatically triggered by commencement of recording of said at least one other content item.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein playback is automatically triggered by said at least one other content item becoming available.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

selecting one of said at least one other content item; and

executing an operation on said selected content item.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of executing an operation on said selected content item comprises the steps of:

pausing playback of said current content item; and

making said selected one of said at least one other content item said currently selected content item.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one other content item matches at least one user-defined characteristic.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein each content item is played back on a content channel and said preferred content item is played back on a personal content channel.

9. A computer program product comprising a plurality of program code portions for carrying out the method according to claim 1.

10. Apparatus for playback of a plurality of content items, the apparatus comprising:

playback of a currently selected content item;

playback, simultaneously, of current content of at least one other content item, said at least one other content item being a preferred content item.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein simultaneous playback of current content of at least one other content item is triggered automatically.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

means for recording a content item, wherein playback is automatically triggered by commencement of recording of said at least one other content item.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

means for playing back content items stored in a network, wherein playback is automatically triggered by said at least one other content item becoming available.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

selecting one of said at least one other content item; and

executing an operation on said selected content item.