Merging multi-source information in a television system

• US 5,684,525 A
• Filed: 03/28/1996
• Issued: 11/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Klosterman, Brian Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/623,429
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 348/7, 348/6, 348/12, 348/13, 348/584, 348/906, 348/569, 348/460, 348/468
• US Class Current: 725/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/47214 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6106 specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• 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 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention provides a scheme for merging television schedule information received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, a microprocessor (36) mixes and sorts the schedule information received from multiple source devices (26, 28, 30 or 34). The schedule information is then displayed in a television schedule guide (50). A user can select a program (60 or 62) by pointing to that program in the displayed schedule information (50). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program'"'"'s channel (52).

Claims

1. A method for providing a consolidated channel guide information listing to a television system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving individual channel guide information listings from at least two information sources by a merging system;

merging said individual channel guide information listings to form the consolidated channel guide information listing;

providing the consolidated channel guide information listing to the television system, wherein the consolidated guide provided to the television system contains program listings for at least two signal providing sources; and

thereafter

generating a display of at least a portion of the consolidated channel guide information listing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step includes the step of transmitting the consolidated channel guide information listing over at least one television signal source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said individual channel guide information listings are selected from the group consisting of a first type and a second type, wherein said first type of individual channel guide information listing represents channel guide information for local geographic regions and said second type of individual channel guide information listing represents channel guide information for national geographic regions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said information sources are selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, a direct broadcast satellite system, a telephone line, and a keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidated channel guide information listing is ordered according to a numerical order.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidated channel guide information listing is ordered according to a user defined ordering scheme.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said transmitting step includes the step of relaying the consolidated channel guide information listing through a satellite.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidated channel guide information listing provided to the television system includes source identification for each of said program listings.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said television signal source is selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, a direct broadcast satellite system.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating step includes the step of displaying said portion of the consolidated guide on one of a television display screen, a computer monitor and a printed medium.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one television signal source is one of said signal providing sources.

10. An information merging system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving individual channel guide information listings from at least two information sources;

a microprocessor coupled to said receiver, said microprocessor merging said individual channel guide information listings into a consolidated channel guide information listing;

a signal provider, wherein said signal provider provides said consolidated channel guide listing to a television system, wherein said consolidated guide provided to the television system contains program listings for at least two signal providing sources; and

a display generator coupled to said television system for generating a display of at least a portion of said consolidated channel guide information listing.

11. The information merging system of claim 10, wherein said signal provider includes a transmitter coupled to said microprocessor for transmitting said consolidated guide over at least one television signal source.

12. The information merging system of claim 10, wherein said information sources are selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, a direct broadcast satellite system, a telephone line, and a keyboard.

13. The information merging system of claim 11, wherein said television signal source is selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, a direct broadcast satellite system.

14. The information merging system of claim 10, wherein said consolidated channel guide information listing is ordered according to a numerical order.

15. The information merging system of claim 10, wherein said consolidated channel guide information listing is ordered according to a user defined ordering scheme.

16. The information merging system of claim 11, wherein said signal provider further includes a satellite for relaying said transmitted consolidated channel guide information listing.

17. The information merging system of claim 10, wherein said consolidated channel guide information listing provided to said television system includes source identification for each of said program listings.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein said display generator is selected from the group consisting of a television display screen, a computer monitor and a printing device.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein said at least one television signal source is one of said signal providing sources.