SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACCESSING ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE INFORMATION OVER A BACKCHANNEL COMMUNICATION PATH

• US 20100306804A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Mountain, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• 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 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42615 involving specific demultiplexing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A systems and methods access electronic program guide (EPG) information via a backchannel link. An exemplary embodiment receives a first portion of EPG information residing in a data channel of a program content stream, establishes a communication link between a media device and a remote EPG content system, and receives a second portion of EPG information from the remote EPG content system via the established communication link.

Claims

1. A method for accessing electronic program guide (EPG) information by a media device, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion of EPG information residing in a data channel of a program content stream;

establishing a communication link between the media device and a remote EPG content system; and

receiving a second portion of EPG information from the remote EPG content system via the established communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPG information in the data channel is communicated in a serial format that is periodically repeated, and wherein the second portion of EPG information is communicated in a moving pictures experts group (MPEG) format in accordance with at least one of a digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard and an American television standards committee (ATSC) standard.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pushing the second portion of the EPG information from the remote EPG content system to the media device, wherein the second portion of EPG information is predefined.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

starting the media device at a start time, wherein pushing the second portion of EPG information to the media device begins at substantially the start time and includes program information encompassing a predefined period.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pulling the second portion of the EPG information from the remote EPG content system to the media device, wherein the second portion of EPG information is selected by the media device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

identifying a program channel of interest, wherein the second portion of EPG information corresponds to programming available on the identified program channel of interest.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the program channel of interest corresponds to a current program channel that is currently communicated from the media device to a media presentation device.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

identifying a time of interest, wherein the second portion of EPG information corresponds to programming available beginning at the time of interest and encompassing a predefined period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the time of interest corresponds to a current time.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the time of interest corresponds to a time of an end of the EPG information in the first portion of EPG information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tuning a tuner to receive the program content stream with the data channel of EPG information.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pulling supplemental EPG information of interest from the remote EPG content system.

13. A media device electronic program guide (EPG) access system, comprising:

a program content stream interface configured to receive at least one program channel and an EPG data channel with a first portion of EPG information therein;

a backchannel interface configured to establish a communication link to a remote EPG content system, and configured to receive a second portion of EPG information; and

a processor system communicatively coupled to the program content stream interface and the backchannel interface, wherein the processor system constructs an EPG from the first portion of EPG information and the second portion of EPG information.

14. The media device EPG access system of claim 13, further comprising:

a remote interface communicatively coupled to the processor system and configured to receive a program channel selection from a remote control,

wherein the processor system identifies EPG information of interest based upon the selected program channel, and

wherein the identified EPG information of interest is communicated to the remote EPG content system, and wherein the remote EPG content system communicates the second portion of EPG information corresponding to the identified EPG information of interest to the media device over the communication link.

15. The media device EPG access system of claim 13, wherein the backchannel interface is a modem, wherein the communication link is established over the Internet to a server residing at the remote EPG content system.

16. The media device EPG access system of claim 13, wherein the received at least one program channel and the EPG data channel resides in a satellite signal.

17. A method for communicating electronic program guide (EPG) information to a media device that receives a first portion of EPG information over a data channel, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link between a remote EPG content system and the media device; and

communicating a second portion of EPG information from the remote EPG content system via the established communication link to the media device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request for specified EPG information from the media device, wherein the second portion of EPG information includes the specified EPG information.

19. An electronic program guide (EPG) access system that provides EPG information to a media device that receives a first portion of EPG information over a data channel, comprising:

a backchannel interface configured to establish a communication link to the media device, and configured to communicate a second portion of EPG information to the media device over the communication link;

a memory with stored current EPG information; and

a processor system communicatively coupled to the backchannel interface and the memory, wherein the processor system constructs the second portion of EPG information based upon information received from the media device received over the communication link.

20. The EPG access system of claim 19, wherein the backchannel interface is a server, wherein the communication link is established over the Internet to a modem residing in the media device, and wherein the server is responsive to hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests from a web browser agent executing in the media device.

21. A method for accessing electronic program guide (EPG) information by a media device, the method comprising:

receiving a program content stream via a program content stream interface;

establishing a communication link between a media device and a remote EPG content system; and

receiving a portion of EPG information from the remote EPG content system via the established communication link.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the program content stream comprises:

receiving a satellite signal with the program content stream therein.