Application program interfaces for electronic program guide data services

• US 6,990,677 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2000
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fries, Robert M., Wray, Jonathan A., Pietraszak, Michael E., Gibson, Robert S. T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koenig, Andrew Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/527,137
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 725/49, 709/250, 719/328, 719/331, 719/332, 719/321, 719/322
• US Class Current: 725/49
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• 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 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

EPG services are provided, which enables a device such as a computer, a set top box or the like to collect EPG data from multiple EPG data providers or sources. The EPG data is collected at the device by EPG loaders. Each EPG loader collects EPG data from a particular source. The EPG loaders deliver the EPG data to a writer module, which performs scaling and formatting functions to the EPG data. The writer module also stores the scaled and formatted EPG data in a database or other storage. The writer module may also be implemented by chaining EPG loaders in a priority scheme. However, EPG loader interaction reduces independence and forces more rigid interface and implementation constraints upon the design of EPG loaders. Once stored, applications gain access to the EPG data through a control module. The control module provides the accessed EPG data to the applications. EPG services function to isolate the operation of the applications from the EPG data sources. Because the EPG data is stored by the writer module and accessed by the control module, the applications and EPG data sources can change independently of one another without having an effect on the ability of EPG services to collect and provide access to EPG data.

Claims

1. In a device having a plurality of electronic program guide (EPG) loaders that are each configured to receive EPG data from one or more EPG sources, a method for interfacing the one or more EPG loaders with a database associated with the device, the method comprising:

receiving, at each of a plurality of EPG loaders, EPG data from a different EPG data source;

collecting the EPG data from the EPG loaders at a writer module;

upon determining at the writer module that there is a conflict in the EPG data received from at least two of the different EPG data sources, resolving the conflict according to conflict resolution criteria, wherein the conflict resolution criteria includes giving each EPG loader equal priorities, and wherein resolving the conflict includes giving precedence to EPG data that is received most recently;

calling a function of the writer module to store the EPG data in a database accessible by the device; and

executing the function by the writer module, thereby storing the EPG data in the database.

2. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds a new audio subchannel format to the stored EPG data.

3. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds a new audio subchannel to a schedule entry in the stored EPG data.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the function creates a new categorization system for storing the EPG data.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the function adds at least one of a new category and subcategory pair to the database.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the function maps a category pair to a specific program.

7. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds a new EPG channel to the database.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein a function executed by the writer module removes all EPG data from the database.

9. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes all channel data from the database.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes all program data from the database.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein a function executed by the writer module removes all schedule data from the database.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein a function executed by the writer module removes a specific audio subchannel from the database.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein a function executed by the writer module removes a specific categorization system from the database.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein a function executed by the writer module removes a specific category pair from the database.

15. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes a specific program from the database.

16. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes a property from a program object in the database.

17. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes a property from a schedule entry in the database.

18. A method as in claim 1, wherein a function executed by the writer module removes a property from a weblink object in the database.

19. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes a specific schedule entry from the database.

20. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that sets a preferred result for a condition.

21. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds a new program to the database.

22. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds an extensible name-value property to a specific channel.

23. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds an extensible name-value property to a specific program.

24. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds an extensible name-value property to a specific schedule entry.

25. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds an extensible name-value property to a specific Weblink.

26. A method as in claim 1, wherein the function adds a new purchase string to a specific schedule entry.

27. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that maps a rating authority and rating to a specific program.

28. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that removes schedule entries and associated program, rating, category, property and Weblink data from the database prior to a specific time.

29. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds a new schedule entry to the database.

30. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that indicates a current set of updates to the database is complete.

31. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that indicates the current set of updates to the EPG services storage or database is complete.

32. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that creates a relationship between a schedule entry and a video subchannel.

33. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that adds a Weblink to the database.

34. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that maps a Weblink to a specific channel.

35. A method as in claim 1, further including execution of another function of the writer module that maps a Weblink to a specific program.

36. A method as in claim 1, wherein the function maps a Weblink to a specific schedule entry.

37. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein resolving the conflict includes allowing a user to select a conflict resolution scheme.

38. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein allowing the user to select a conflict resolution scheme includes allowing a user to assign a priority to the EPG loaders.

39. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein resolving the conflict includes allowing an application to select a conflict resolution scheme.

40. A method as recited in claim 1, further including:

calling a second function of a control module operating at the device that accesses the database to retrieve the EPG data and transmits the EPG data to the one or more applications; and

executing the second function by the control module.

41. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a collection of names of known schemes for organizing programs by type.

42. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns a time in the future at which available data ends.

43. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns a furthest time in the future when a program starts.

44. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns information to confirm if valid channel and guide listings exist in the database.

45. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns information to indicate if channel data exists in the database.

46. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a collection of strings for names of known schemes for organizing content ratings.

47. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a channels collection object.

48. A method as in claim 47, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves the Channels collection object for valid device channels with a particular channel number.

49. A method as in claim 40, wherein the function disables signaling of update events.

50. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a collection of names of main categories within a categorization system for a given categorization system name.

51. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns channels matching a search value.

52. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns information indicating whether EPG data is found for a range.

53. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a program object representing a program shown on a specified charnel at a specified time.

54. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves an end time for a program.

55. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a length of a program shown.

56. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a rating object for a particular program.

57. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves the start time for a particular program.

58. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a name of a program.

59. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that indicates that an event should be fired when any aspect of a known categorization system of the database changes.

60. A method as in claim 59, further including execution of another function of the control module that indicates that the event should be fired when a new channel has been added to the database.

61. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns updates occurring within a particular time range.

62. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns all schedule time slots matching query values.

63. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that returns programs that match query values.

64. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a collection object representing all time periods for programs whose title or description includes a particular case-insensitive string.

65. A method as in claim 40, further including execution of another function of the control module that retrieves a collection of subcategory names for a given category name.

66. A method as in claim 40, wherein the second function indicates that a new category has been added to the EPG data.

67. A method as in claim 40, wherein the second function indicates that a new channel has been added to the EPG data.

68. A method as in claim 40, wherein the second function indicates that the EPG data within a particular time range has changed.

69. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for implementing the method recited in claim 1.

70. A computing device comprising one or more computer readable media having computer-executable instructions for implementing the method recited in claim 1.