METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING ONE OF A PLURALITY OF VIDEO CHANNELS FOR VIEWINGS

• US 20110016491A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Top Victory Investments Limited (TPV Technology Co., Ltd. (f/k/a Nanjing Huadong Electronics Information & Technology))
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Padma L.A., Saiyed, Sajid M., Venkataraman, Vijayan, Bhat, Sanjay, Narayanan, Venkatasubramanian
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

One of a plurality of video channels is selected for viewing. A specific one of a plurality of video channels is bookmarked. An object representing said bookmarked channel is displayed. A displayed object is selected to select the bookmarked channel.

Claims

1. A method for selecting one of a plurality of video channels for viewing, the method comprising the steps of:

bookmarking a specific one of a plurality of video channels;

displaying an object representing said bookmarked video channel; and

selecting a displayed object to select said bookmarked video channel.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said object is displayed only when said bookmarked video channel represented by said object is not currently selected for viewing.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of displaying an object comprises the step of:

displaying said object as an overlay of a currently viewed video channel.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of bookmarking a specific one of a plurality of video channels comprises the step of:

automatically bookmarking a currently viewed video channel when said currently viewed video channel has been viewed for a certain time period.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

removing said displayed object upon selection of said object.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

removing said displayed object if not selected for a certain time period.

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

8. Apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of video channels for viewing, the apparatus comprising:

input interface means for enabling bookmarking of a specific one of a plurality of video channels;

display controller means for enabling display of an object representing said bookmarked video channel; and

wherein said input interface means and display controller means enable selection of a displayed object to select said bookmarked video channel.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said display controller means enable display of said object only when said bookmarked video channel represented by said object is not currently selected for viewing.