System for automatically forming a program guide from information derived from multiple sources

• US 7,533,400 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1997
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing Dtv
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael Wayne, Logan, Robert Joseph, Morrison, Hugh Boyd, Crosby, Sheila Renee, Comer, Robert Skipworth, Hailey, James Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/402,517
• Time in Patent Office: 4,249 Days
• Field of Search: 725/59, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/007 Transform coding, e.g. discrete cosine transform
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• 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 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 : for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• 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 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 : the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 : Solar thermal

Abstract

A video decoder system automatically acquires program guide information from local and remote peripheral devices to form a composite program guide. Program guide information is received from a first source and access data is retrieved from memory. The access data is used to initiate communication automatically between the video decoder and a second source external to the video decoder. Program guide information retrieved from the second source together with program guide information provided by the first source is incorporated into a composite program guide for display. The communication may be initiated upon different conditions and a peripheral device and associated communication protocol may be identified from various sources of configuration information.

Claims

1. In a video decoder system for receiving program guide information from a first source, a method for forming a composite program guide for program content available from a plurality of sources, comprising the steps of:

a) retrieving access data from memory;

b) initiating communication automatically between said decoder and a second source external to said video decoder using said access data;

said communication being initiated by said decoder independently of a user command associated with a program or service selection, wherein

said second source is a peripheral device coupled to said video decoder;

said second source stores programming content and program information related to said program content available from said peripheral device

c) retrieving said program information from said second source; and

d) incorporating said program information provided by said first and second sources into a program guide for display.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein, in step (b)

said communication is initiated in response to at least one of:

a) power-up of said decoder, and b) power-up of said peripheral device.

3. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of

detecting a change in number or type of peripheral devices connected to said decoder.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein

said change is detected in response to configuration data identifying said peripheral device attached to said decoder and provided from received program guide information.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said step of initiating communication is performed in response to pre-stored configuration data identifying said peripheral device attached to said decoder.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said first source is one of a) a satellite broadcast source, b) a terrestrial broadcast source, and c) a cable broadcast source, and

said second source is one of a) a storage source, b) a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, and c) a server.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising an additional step of:

e) requesting said stored programming content from said peripheral device in response to selecting an entry that corresponds to said programming content displayed in said program guide.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising an additional step of:

f) decoding said programming content that is received from said peripheral device that was requested in step e.

7. In a video decoder system for receiving program guide information from a first source, a method for forming a program guide for program content available from a plurality of sources, comprising the steps of:

a) automatically identifying a peripheral device attached to said decoder, said identification being initiated by said decoder independently of a user command associated with a program or service selection;

b) initiating communication between said decoder and said peripheral device attached to said decoder, wherein said peripheral device stores programming content and program information related to said program content available from said peripheral device;

c) retrieving said program information stored in said peripheral device; and

d) incorporating said program information provided by said first source and peripheral device into a program guide for display.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein, in step (a)

said peripheral device is identified from configuration information derived from one of:

a) pre-stored data in internal memory of said decoder, b) data entered by a User, and c) said program guide information received from said first source.

9. A method according to claim 7 further including the step of

polling via a decoder communication link to determine whether said peripheral device is attached to said decoder link.

10. A method according to claim 7 further including the step of

identifying a change in number or type of peripheral devices connected to said decoder.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein in step (c)

said communication is initiated in response to said change.

12. A method according to claim 7 wherein

said peripheral device is one of a) a storage device, b) a DVD player, and c) a server.

17. The method of claim 7 comprising an additional step of:

e) requesting said stored programming content from said peripheral device in response to selecting an entry that corresponds to said programming content displayed in said program guide.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising an additional step of:

f) decoding said programming content that is received from said peripheral device that was requested in step e.

13. In a video decoder system for receiving program guide information from a first source, a method for forming a program guide for program content available from a plurality of sources, comprising the steps of:

a) automatically initiating communication between said decoder and a peripheral device attached to said decoder in response to at least one of the following conditions;

i) power-up of said decoder, ii) power-up of said attached peripheral device, iii) repetitive pre-programmed command from a decoder processor, iv) change in number of attached peripheral devices, and v) change in type of attached peripheral devices;

b) retrieving program information from said peripheral device, wherein said peripheral device stores programming content and program information related to said program content available from said peripheral device; and

c) incorporating said program guide information provided by said first source and peripheral device into a program guide for display, wherein said first source is accessed via the Internet using access data.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said access data comprises a uniform resource locator.

19. The method of claim 13 comprising an additional step of:

d) requesting said stored programming content from said peripheral device in response to selecting an entry that corresponds to said programming content displayed in said program guide.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising an additional step of:

e) decoding said programming content that is received from said peripheral device that was requested in step e.