Merging multi-source information in a television system

• US 5,923,362 A
• Filed: 03/28/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• 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:
  US08/826,030
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/906, 348/569, 348/460, 348/468, 348/584, 348/600, 455/3.2, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1
• 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 at least a portion of each of said individual channel guide information listings to form the consolidated channel guide information listing;

providing the consolidated listing to the television system, wherein the consolidated listing provided to the television system contains program listings for at least two signal providing sources, and a signal source identifier for each program listing, each identifier identifying one of said 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 display includes a representation of said signal source identifiers for each program listing in said display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said representation includes displaying program listings associated with a first one of said signal source identifiers in a first color, and program listings associated with a second one of said signal source identifiers in a second color, said first and second identifiers identifying a different signal providing source.

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

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said transmitting step includes the step of relaying the consolidated listing through a satellite.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said television signal source is selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, a direct broadcast satellite system.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one television signal source is one of said signal providing sources.

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

9. 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.

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 at least a portion of each of said individual channel guide information listings into a consolidated channel guide information listing;

a signal provider, wherein said signal provider provides said consolidated listing to a television system, wherein said consolidated listing provided to said television system contains program listings for at least two signal providing sources, and a signal source identifier for each program listing, each identifier identifying one of said 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 display includes a representation of said signal source identifiers for each program listing in said display.

12. The information merging system of claim 11, wherein said representation includes displaying program listings associated with a first one of said signal source identifiers in a first color, and program listings associated with a second one of said signal source identifiers in a second color, said first and second identifiers identifying a different signal providing source.

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

14. The information merging system of claim 13, wherein said signal provider further includes a satellite, wherein said transmitted consolidated listing is relayed through said satellite.

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

16. The information merging system of claim 13, wherein said at least one television signal source is one of said signal providing sources.

17. The information merging 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.

18. 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.

19. A method for operating a television system having multiple signal providing sources, the method comprising the steps of:

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

merging at least a portion of each of said individual channel guide information listings to form the consolidated channel guide information listing;

providing the consolidated listing to the television system, wherein said consolidated listing provided to the television system contains program listings for at least two of the signal providing sources, and a signal source identifier for each program listing, each identifier identifying one of the signal providing sources;

identifying a specific program from said consolidated listing;

using said signal source identifier associated with said identified specific program to select a signal providing source from among the signal providing sources; and

switching an input of said television system to said selected signal providing source.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the step of identifying a specific program comprises the steps of:

displaying said channel guide information in the form of a grid; and

pointing to said specific program with an indicator.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said multiple signal providing sources are selected from the group consisting of a cable television source, a satellite source, a DBS source, and an antenna source.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of tuning a tuner within said television system to said specific program.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of tuning a television to receive said specific program from said selected signal providing source.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of tuning a receiver of said selected signal providing source to said specific program.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said multiple signal providing sources are selected from the group consisting of a plurality of cable television sources, a plurality of satellite sources, a plurality of DBS sources, and a plurality of antenna sources.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said information source is selected from the group consisting of a coax cable, a direct broadcast satellite system, a telephone line, a fiber optic cable, a keyboard, and an antenna.

27. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said consolidated listing includes program titles for said program listings.

28. A switching system having multiple signal providing sources, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving a consolidated channel guide information listing from an information source, wherein said consolidated listing contains program listings for at least two of the signal providing sources, and a signal source identifier for each program listing, each identifier identifying one of the signal providing sources;

a memory, coupled to said receiver, for storing said consolidated listing;

a display, coupled to said memory, for presenting at least a portion of said consolidated listing;

a indicator for indicating a specific program from said presented portion of said consolidated listing;

a controller, coupled to said memory, for receiving an indicator signal associated with said indicated specific program from said indicator, wherein said controller controls said switching system; and

an emitter, coupled to said controller, for transmitting a control signal, said control signal switching an input on a television system to one of said multiple signal providing sources, said one of said multiple signal providing sources being identified by said signal source identifier associated with said specific program, and wherein said control signal tunes said television system to receive said specific program;

wherein said specific program is displayed on said television system.

29. The switching system of claim 28, wherein said emitter transmits a second control signal to a VCR, and said second control signal causes said VCR to record said specific program.

30. The switching system of claim 28, wherein said multiple signal providing sources are selected from the group consisting of a cable television source, a satellite source, a DBS source, and an antenna source.

31. The switching system of claim 28, wherein said information source is selected from the group consisting of a coax cable, a direct broadcast satellite system, a telephone line, a fiber optic cable, a keyboard, and an antenna.

32. The switching system of claim 28, wherein said indicator is a remote control unit.