Method and system for optimal usage of memory for storing scheduling and guiding data in 3D-enabled EPG

• US 7,106,338 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eagle New Media Investments, LLC (Nexstar Media Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shirman, Leon Alexander, Kamen, Yakov
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHER, JONI
• Application Number:
  US09/691,794
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 345/552, 345/555, 345/536, 345/530, 345/547, 345/557, 345/543, 345/522, 345/537, 345/542, 725/131, 725/134
• US Class Current: 345/543
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4435 Memory management allocation of memory to service a request G06F9/5016; addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures G06F12/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

A system that can store electronic program guide information using 3D graphics is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a data filter and a text-to-image converter are used for converting filtered data into a set of digital images that are defined as a set of texture maps. In order to apply those texture maps, a memory analyzer analyzes the set-top box layout and indicates available memory types. The memory analyzer controls a memory distributor for distributing texture maps into the appropriate types of memory.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

A first preferred memory of a given size and a second memory;

a data filter coupled to a text-to-image converter for converting filtered data into image data using texture maps; and

a processor coupled to the data filter, wherein the processor executes a first logic in which the total size of the set of texture maps is less than or equal to the first memory size; and

a second logic if the total size of the set of texture maps is greater than the first memory size, to divide the set of texture maps into two groups and

a memory analyzer for analyzing set-top box layout to determine the types and corresponding sizes of at least the first and the second memories available in the set-top box, the memory analyzer being coupled to a memory distributor, wherein the system determines a storage size necessary for storing the texture maps defining one or more images and the memory distributor distributes the texture maps to a preferred first memory if the total size of the texture maps is less than or equal to the available first memory size and further wherein if the total size of the texture maps is greater than the first memory size, the texture maps are divided into two groups where a first group'"'"'s total size is the largest possible sum of map sizes less than the first memory size and where a second group'"'"'s total size is the difference between the total size of the set of texture maps and the total size of the first group, wherein the set of texture maps of the first group is stored in the first memory, wherein the set of texture maps of the second group is stored in the second memory, and wherein the set of texture maps of the second group is compressed to fit into the first memory if sufficient second memory is not available to receive the set of texture maps of the second group.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a total size of the set of texture maps is a sum of all texture map sizes.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compression engine.

4. A method comprising:

computing a total size of a set of texture maps;

searching for types of memories in a set-top box;

comparing the total size of the set of texture maps with a size of a preferred first memory;

dividing the set of texture maps into at least two groups if the total size of the set of texture maps is larger than the first memory size, such that the total size of the texture maps in a first group is the largest possible sum of texture map sizes for which the total size of texture maps is less than the first memory size and the total size of a second group is the difference between the total size of the set of texture maps and the total size of the first group, storing the second group of texture maps in a second memory, and compressing the second group of texture maps to fit into the first memory if sufficient second memory is not available.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein computing a total size of a set of texture maps comprises:

computing a sum of all texture maps.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

storing the set of texture maps in the first memory if the total size of the set of texture maps is less than or equal to the first memory size.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

storing the first group of texture maps in the first memory.