Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving television program information

• US 5,038,211 A
• Filed: 07/05/1989
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Superguide Corporation The Shelby NC
• Original Assignee: Superguide Corporation
• Inventors: Hallenbeck, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/375,829
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 358/142, 358/146, 358/147, 358/84, 358/86, 358/143, 358/310, 358/903, 380/10, 380/20
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/8453 by locking or enabling a set of features, e.g. optional functionalities in an executable program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection

Abstract

An online television program information system extracts from a broadcast datastream of television program information only that program information for those shows which meet predetermined selection criteria, and stores only the extracted information. By not storing all broadcast television information, memory size for information storage is reduced and a high performance processor is not required for subset searches of the entire stored datastream for programs of interest. A low cost online television program information system is thereby provided, which may store large amounts of useful program information. Content selective storage is facilitated by transmitting and receiving the television program information in three groups, with the first group comprising event data, the second group comprising titles and the third group comprising descriptions.

Claims

1. An online television program schedule system comprising:

first means for storing at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type;

means for receiving television program schedule information, said television program schedule information comprising at least one of program start time, program end time, program service, and program type for a plurality of television programs;

second storing means, connected to said first storing means and said receiving means, for storing selected portions of received television program schedule information which meet at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type; and

displaying means, operatively connected to said second storing means, for displaying at least part of the selected portions of received television program schedule information to thereby provide an online television program schedule.

2. The online television program schedule system of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises means for sequentially receiving packets of television program schedule information.

3. The online television program schedule system of claim 1 wherein said second storing means comprises;

means for comparing the received television program schedule information with the stored at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program and time, a desired program service, and a desired program type; and

means for storing the received television program schedule information which meets said stored at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program and time, a desired program service, and a desired program type.

4. An online television program schedule system comprising:

means for storing at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type;

means for receiving a television program schedule information datastream, said datastream comprising at least one of program start time, program end time, program service, and program type for a plurality of television programs;

means for extracting from said television program schedule information datastream, television programming information which meets at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type;

means for storing the extracted television program schedule information; and

means for displaying at least some of the extracted television program schedule information to thereby provide an online television program schedule.

5. A method for providing an online television program schedule comprising the steps of:

storing at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type;

sequentially receiving packets of television program schedule information comprising at least one of program start time, program end time, program service, and program type for a plurality of television programs;

storing selected portions of the received packets of television program information which meet at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program; and

displaying at least part of the stored selected portions of the received packets of television program information to thereby provide an online television program schedule.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said storing selected portions of the received packets of television information step comprises the steps of:

comparing information in a received packet of television information with at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type; and

storing information from the received packet of television information which meets at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type.

7. A method for providing an online television program schedule comprising the steps of:

storing at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type;

serially receiving a television program schedule information datastream comprising at least one of program start time, program end time, program service, and program type for a plurality of television programs;

extracting from said television program schedule information datastream, television program information which meets at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type;

storing the extracted television program schedule information; and

displaying at least part of the stored extracted television program schedule information to thereby provide an online television program schedule.

8. Apparatus for transmitting television program information comprising:

means for transmitting a first group of television program information packets for a plurality of television program events, said packets in said first group comprising an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event, an identification of the type of show and an identification number for a show, and excluding a show title; and

means for subsequently transmitting a second group of television program information packets for a plurality of television program shows, said packets in said second group comprising an identification number for a show and a show title, and excluding an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event and an identification of the type of show.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said packets in said second group further comprise an identification number for a show description;

said apparatus further comprising means for serially transmitting a third group of television program information packets for a plurality of television program shows, said packets in said third group comprising an identification number for a show description and a show description; and

excluding an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event, an identification of the type of show and a show title.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said packets in said first group further comprise the length of the associated show title and the length of the associated show description.

11. A method of transmitting television program information comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first group of television program information packets for a plurality of television program events, said packets in said first group comprising an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event, an identification of the type of show and identification number for a show, and excluding a show title; and

subsequently transmitting a second group of television program information packets for a plurality of television program shows, said packets in said second group comprising an identification number for a show and a show title, and excluding an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event and an identification of the type of show.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said packets in said second group further comprise an identification number for a show description;

and method further comprising the step of subsequently transmitting a third group of television program information packets for a plurality of television program shows, said packets in said third group comprising an identification number for a show description and a show description; and

excluding an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event, an identification of the type of show and a show title.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said first type television program information packets further comprise indicators of the length of the associated show title and the associated show description.

14. A television program information transmission format comprising:

a plurality of group one television program information packets, each group one packet comprising information about a unique television program event, including the date and time of said event, the service providing said event, the show type for said event and the show number for said event, and excluding a show title;

followed by

a plurality of group two television program information packets following said group one packets, each group two packet comprising information about a unique television program show, including the show number and the title of said show, and excluding an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event and an identification of the type of show.

15. The television program information format of claim 14 wherein said group two television program information packets further comprise a description number for a description associated with said show;

and wherein said plurality of group two television program information packets are followed by a plurality of group three television program information packets following said second type packets, each group three packet comprising a description number for a show and a description of said show; and

excluding an identification of the date and time of a television program event, an identification of the service providing the event, an identification of the type of show and a show title.

16. The television program information format of claim 14 wherein said group one packets further comprise indicators of the lengths of the title and the lengths of the description associated with said show.

17. A television program information transmission format comprising:

a plurality of group one television program information packets, each group one packet comprising information about a unique television program event, including the date and time of said event, the service providing said event, the show type for said event and the show number for said event;

followed by

a plurality of group two television program information packets following said group one packets, each group two packet comprising information about a unique television program show, including the show number and the title of said show;

said group two television program information packets further comprising a description number for a description associated with said show;

followed by

a plurality of group three television program information packets following said second type packets, each group three packet comprising a description number for a show and a description of said show.

wherein said group one of packets are each of a first predetermined length and wherein said group two and group three packets are of variable length.

18. Apparatus for producing an online television program schedule comprising:

a packet buffer for sequentially receiving packets of said television program information comprising at least one of program start time, program end time, program service, and program type for a plurality of television programs;

a list containing at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type for retaining a received packet of television program information;

television program information storage means;

means for comparing information in said received packet of television program information against at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type in said list, and for storing information from said received packet of television program information in said television program information storage means if the compared information meets at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service, and the desired program type; and

means for displaying at least some of the stored information which meets the at least one of the desired program start time, the desired program end time, the desired program service and the desired program type;

to thereby produce an online television program schedule.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a command/configuration receiver for receiving user selections of the at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type and storing said the at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program type in said list.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said command/configuration receiver includes a remote control unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said displaying means comprises a monitor screen.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 in combination with a video cassette recorder.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 in combination with a satellite television receiver.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 in combination with a cable television converter.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said means for comparing and storing comprises a stored program microcomputer.

26. A method of providing an online television program schedule comprising the steps of:

receiving group one packets of television program information, each of said group one packets identifying a unique television program event and comprising a day and time of said event, a service number, a show type, a show number identifying the television show corresponding to said event, the length of the title of said corresponding show and the length of the description of said corresponding show;

for each received group one packet of television program information, comparing said packet to at least one of a desired time range, desired service and desired type of program;

if the received group one packet of television program information corresponds to at least one of the desired time range, desired service and desired type of program, storing at least said day and time of said event, said service number and said show number and

displaying the stored at least said day and time of said event, said service number and said show number to thereby provide an online television program schedule.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said storing step comprises the step of:

storing said day and time, said service number and said number identifying the television show in an events list and storing said show number in a desired titles list.

28. A method of receiving television program information comprising the steps of:

receiving group one packets of television program information, each of said group one packets identifying a unique television program event and comprising a day and time of said event, a service number, a show type, a show number identifying the television show corresponding to said event, the length of the title of said corresponding show and the length of the description of said corresponding show;

for each received group one packet of television program information, comparing said packet to at least one of a desired time range, desired service and desired type of program;

if the received group one packet of television program information corresponds to at least one of the desired time range, desired service and desired type of program, storing at least said day and time of said event, said service number and said show number; and

if the received group one packet of television program information corresponds to said at least one of the desired time range, desired service and desired type of program, adding the length of the title of said corresponding show to the total amount of storage used, determining whether a description is desired and, if desired, adding the length of the description to the total amount of storage used and providing an indication that a description is desired for the corresponding show.

29. A method of receiving television program information comprising the steps of:

receiving group one packets of television program information, each of said group one packets identifying a unique television program event and comprising a day and time of said event, a service number, a show type, a show number identifying the television show corresponding to said event, the length of the title of said corresponding show and the length of the description of said corresponding show;

for each received group one packet of television program information, comparing said packet to at least one of a desired time range, desired service and desired type of program;

if the received group one packet of television program information corresponds to at least one of the desired time range, desired service and desired type of program, storing said day and time of said event, said service number and said show number, in an events list and storing said show number in a desired titles list;

receiving group two packets of television program information, each of said group two packets comprising a show number and a title corresponding to said show number, a description number and a description length corresponding to said show number; and

for each received second type packet of television information, determining whether the received show number is in the desired titles list; and

if said received show number is in the desired titles list, storing said titles, determining whether a description is desired, and if desired, storing said description number in a desired description list.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

receiving group three packets of television program information, each of said group three packets comprising a description number and a description corresponding to said description number;

for each received group three packet of television program information, determining whether the received description number is in the desired description list; and

if said received description number is in the desired description list, storing the corresponding description.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of storing at least said day and time of said event, said service number and said show number comprises the step of storing said day and time of said event, said service number, said show number and the type of show;

and wherein said method further comprises the step of;

sorting the stored day and time of said events, said service numbers, said show numbers and the types of show according to the type of show.

32. In a television program information receiving apparatus comprising a packet buffer for receiving packets of television program information and a television program information memory for storing therein information from selected ones of the received packets of television program information, a method of storing said information from said selected ones of the received packets of television program information in said television program information memory comprising the steps of:

storing an event time and date, service number and show number from packets of television program information which meet at least one of a desired event time and date, a desired event service number, and a desired event show number in an events list in said television program information memory;

storing title numbers corresponding to events stored in said events list in a desired titles list in said television program information memory;

storing description numbers corresponding to selected ones of the events stored in said events list in a desired description list in said television program information memory;

storing titles corresponding to said title numbers in a titles list and removing the corresponding title number from said desired titles list; and

storing descriptions corresponding to said description numbers in a descriptions list and removing the corresponding description number for said desired descriptions list.

33. Apparatus for receiving television program information comprising:

a packet buffer for sequentially receiving packets of television program information for a plurality of television events, each event comprising a television show provided by a unique television service at a unique time;

a list containing at least one of a desired event start time, a desired event end time, and a desired event service;

television program information storage means; and

means for comparing information in said received packet of television program information against said list and for storing information from said received packet of television program information if the compared information meets at least one of the desired event start time, the desired event end time, and the desired event service;

said television program information storage means comprising first, second and third areas;

said first area comprising at least one of the desired event start time, the desired event end time, and the desired event service for some of said plurality of television events;

said second area comprising titles of a least some television shows represented by said at least some of said plurality of television events;

said third area comprising descriptions of a least some of said plurality of television events.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said second area comprises titles of all of the televisions shows represented by said at least some of said plurality of television events.