Prioritization of electronic service guide carousels

• US 7,614,068 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jansky, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park, Jeong S
• Application Number:
  US11/252,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 725/54, 725/39, 725/44, 725/50
• US Class Current: 725/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Prior art methods of receiving, organizing, and implementing the data transmitted to mobile devices, such as ESG fragments, have a great impact on mobile device performance and battery lifetime. Furthermore, in order to keep server side and client side ESG fragments in synch, any change in content of ESG fragments needs to be indicated. Additionally, any change in how ESG fragments are distributed requires the client side to verify if all the fragments are still available and valid in any new distribution set up and if their content has not changed. Aspects of the invention provide a protocol for prioritizing the ESG fragments to ensure the end user of a destination device receives more pertinent ESG data in a timely manner. Other aspects of the invention minimize the number of updates required on a client side or destination device caused by the re-distribution of the “unchanged” ESG fragments into different carousels.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions that are configured to, with a processor, cause an apparatus to perform at least the following:

collecting a plurality of ESG fragments;

arranging the ESG fragments into a plurality of ESG carousels, wherein an ESG carousel will comprise a plurality of associated ESG fragments;

assigning the ESG carousels a value according to a first level priority utilizing information regarding a time period of programming information within the enclosed ESG fragments wherein carousels having the same value are arranged in a series whereby each carousel in a single series will have the same first level priority value;

for each series, prioritizing the ESG carousels a value according to a second level priority, wherein the ESG carousels are arranged within each series according to the value of the second level priority;

creating an announcement carousel, the announcement carousel comprising priority information of the ESG carousels;

transmitting the announcement carousel and the ESG carousels to a device according to the first and second level priority values, wherein the first level priority value determines the order of transmitting the series, and the second level priority value determines ordering of transmitting carousels within each series;

when a carousel is outdated, removing the outdated carousel and transmitting an announcement carousel indicating the outdated carousel is no longer being transmitted;

rearranging the carousels within the series of the removed character carousel to be transmitted based upon their assigned first level priority value, wherein the contents of the carousels already within the series of the removed carousel are not altered; and

reassigning a carousel having a different first level priority value from the removed carousel to have the same first level priority value of the removed carousel.

2. The instructions of claim 1, wherein assigning the second level priority value comprises information regarding a time period the programming information within the enclosed ESG fragments refers to.

3. The instructions of claim 1, wherein the reassigned carousel is assigned a second level priority value indicating the reassigned carousel is the last carousel in the series to which it has been reassigned to.

4. The instructions of claim 1, further comprising:

without rearranging the ESG fragments within the reassigned carousel, parsing the located ESG carousel into at least two carousels, wherein at least one parsed carousel is assigned the same first level priority value of the removed carousel.

5. The instructions of claim 1, wherein the determination for the first level priority value comprises information relating to the number of ESG fragments within each carousel of the series.

6. The instructions of claim 1, wherein the determination for the second level priority value comprises information relating to the number of ESG fragments within each carousel of the series.

7. The instructions of claim 1, wherein the announcement carousel further comprises information regarding carousels not having a value assigned in the assigning of the ESG carousels a value according to a first level priority;

and further comprising;

for each series, prioritizing the ESG carousels a value according to a second level priority, wherein the ESG carousels are arranged within each series according to the value of the second level priority.

8. The instructions of claim 7, wherein the announcement carousel further comprises information regarding at least one static objects carousel.

9. A method comprising:

receiving an announcement carousel at a mobile terminal comprising a processor, a display, and memory, the announcement carousel comprising priority information of available ESG carousels and declaring other ESG carousels, wherein the priority information comprises at least a first level priority value and a second level priority value, wherein carousels having the same first level priority value are determined to be in a series, and the second level priority value determines the priority of the carousels within each series;

receiving instructions into the memory, wherein the instructions determine the priority of receiving the available ESG carousels;

initiate receiving at least one ESG carousel of a series according to the instructions;

receiving a second announcement carousel at the mobile terminal, the announcement carousel comprising priority information indicating at least one carousel is no longer being transmitted and further comprising information that at least one priority value of at least one ESG carousel being transmitted has been updated;

based upon the second level priority value of the remaining ESG carousels, rearranging the ESG carousels within the series of the removed carousel to be prioritized based upon their assigned second level priority value, wherein the lowest, or least prioritized, position in the series to be open; and

wherein the contents of the ESG carousels already within the series of the removed carousel are not altered, thereby the repositioned carousels remain static and do not require to be updated;

reassigning at least a portion of an ESG carousel having a different first level priority value from the series of the removed carousel into the lowest position of the series of the removed carousel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reassigning of the at least a portion of an ESG carousel having a different first level priority value includes, without altering the ESG fragments within the reassigned carousel, parsing the located ESG carousel into at least two carousels, wherein at least one parsed carousel is assigned the same first level priority value of the removed carousel.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the determination for the first level priority value comprises information relating to the number of ESG fragments within each carousel of the series.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determination for the second level priority value comprises information relating to the number of ESG fragments within each carousel of the series.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

combining the ESG fragments and displaying an output on the display of the mobile terminal device.

14. A system for transmitting ESG fragments from a transmitter to a mobile receiver, the system comprising:

a service source having a plurality of ESG fragments having programming information stored on a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium further having computer-executable instructions that are configured to cause an apparatus to perform at least the following;

arranging the ESG fragments into ESG carousels and prioritizing the carousels, wherein the arrangement of carousels is determined by at least a first level of priority and a second level of priority, wherein the carousels having the same first level of priority are arranged in a series, wherein at least one level of priority is determined by a time period the programming information within the enclosed ESG fragments refers to; and

creating a first announcement carousel comprising priority information of the ESG carousels, wherein the priority information is determined by at least the first and second level of priority information;

creating a second announcement carousel, wherein the second announcement carousel comprises priority information indicating at least one carousel announced in the first announcement carousel has been removed and no longer being transmitted from the transmitter and further comprising information updating at least one aspect of the priority information of at least one ESG carousel announced in the first announcement carousel;

based upon the second level priority of the remaining ESG carousels, rearranging the ESG carousels within the series of the removed carousel to be prioritized based upon their assigned second level priority value, wherein the lowest, or least prioritized, position in the series to be open; and

wherein the contents of the ESG carousels already within the series of the removed carousel are not altered, thereby the repositioned carousels remain static and do not require to be updated, and

reassigning at least a portion of an ESG carousel having a different first level priority from the series of the removed carousel into the lowest position of the series of the removed carousel;

a transmitter configured to transmit the announcement carousels and ESG carousels; and

a mobile device having a receiver configured to receive the at least one announcement carousel and the ESG carousels, wherein the reception of the ESG carousels is based upon the assigned first level and second level of priority, the mobile device further having a processor configured to process the received ESG fragments.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a display configured to display an output generated by processing the ESG fragments received at the mobile device.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a service source having a plurality of ESG fragments having programming information stored on a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium further having computer-executable instructions that are configured to cause an apparatus to perform at least the following;

arranging the ESG fragments into ESG carousels and prioritizing the carousels, wherein the arrangement of carousels is determined by at least a first level of priority and a second level of priority, wherein the carousels having the same first level of priority are arranged in a series, wherein at least one level of priority is determined by a time period the programming information within the enclosed ESG fragments refers to; and

creating a first announcement carousel comprising priority information of the ESG carousels, wherein the priority information is determined by at least the first and second level of priority information;

creating a second announcement carousel, wherein the second announcement carousel comprises priority information indicating at least one carousel announced in the first announcement carousel has been removed and no longer being transmitted from the transmitter and further comprising information updating at least one aspect of the priority information of at least one ESG carousel announced in the first announcement carousel;

based upon the second level priority of the remaining ESG carousels, rearranging the ESG carousels within the series of the removed carousel to be prioritized based upon their assigned second level priority value, wherein the lowest, or least prioritized, position in the series to be open; and

wherein the contents of the ESG carousels already within the series of the removed carousel are not altered, thereby the repositioned carousels remain static and do not require to be updated, and

reassigning at least a portion of an ESG carousel having a different first level priority from the series of the removed carousel into the lowest position of the series of the removed carousel; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the announcement carousels and ESG carousels.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the determination for the first level priority value comprises information relating to the number of ESG fragments within each carousel of the series.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the determination for the second level priority value comprises information relating to the number of ESG fragments within each carousel of the series.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the assignment of the second level priority value is based, at least in part, on information regarding a time period the programming information within the enclosed ESG fragments refers to.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the reassigned carousel is assigned a second level priority value indicating the reassigned carousel is the last carousel in the series to which it has been reassigned to.