System for handling program meta-data
First Claim
1. A method of grouping program meta-data which relates to a plurality of programs, the method comprising:
- scanning the program meta-data to determine program instances which have substantially equal meta-data;
grouping the program meta-data into groups so that each group refers to a set of program instances that have substantially equal meta-data, each set of program instances comprising at least one program instance; and
so that meta-data associated with any one group is different from meta-data associated with every other group;
assigning each group a unique program identifier, thereby producing a set of program identifiers;
grouping the program meta-data by time windows to produce a set of time-window identifiers in which each time-window identifier is associated with at least one of the time windows;
placing the program meta-data in virtual containers; and
associating each virtual container with at least one program identifier from the set of program identifiers, and associating each virtual container with one time-window identifier from the set of time-window identifiers;
transmitting the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers;
wherein the transmitting comprises conveying the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers in at least one PID (Packet Identification) stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of accessing program meta-data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of program meta-data virtual containers, at least one of the virtual containers comprising normalized program meta-data of programs having instances in a plurality of time windows, receiving an input indicating a selected time window, the input at least one of comprises and refers to a time-window identifier identifying the selected time window, and using the time-window identifier to filter the plurality of virtual containers, so as to obtain a subset of the program meta-data which corresponds to the selected time window. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.
14 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of grouping program meta-data which relates to a plurality of programs, the method comprising:
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scanning the program meta-data to determine program instances which have substantially equal meta-data; grouping the program meta-data into groups so that each group refers to a set of program instances that have substantially equal meta-data, each set of program instances comprising at least one program instance; and
so that meta-data associated with any one group is different from meta-data associated with every other group;assigning each group a unique program identifier, thereby producing a set of program identifiers; grouping the program meta-data by time windows to produce a set of time-window identifiers in which each time-window identifier is associated with at least one of the time windows; placing the program meta-data in virtual containers; and associating each virtual container with at least one program identifier from the set of program identifiers, and associating each virtual container with one time-window identifier from the set of time-window identifiers; transmitting the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers; wherein the transmitting comprises conveying the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers in at least one PID (Packet Identification) stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for grouping program meta-data which relates to a plurality of programs, the apparatus comprising:
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a meta-data processor which is operative to perform the following; scan the program meta-data to determine program instances which have substantially equal meta-data; group the program meta-data into groups so that each group refers to a set of program instances that have substantially equal meta-data, each set of program instances comprising at least one program instance, and so that meta-data associated with any one group is different from meta-data associated with every other group; and assign each group a unique program identifier, thereby producing a set of program identifiers; and group the program meta-data by time windows to produce a set of time-window identifiers in which each time-window identifier is associated with at least one of the time windows; an encapsulation unit which is operative to; place the program meta-data in virtual containers; associate each virtual container with at least one program identifier from the set of program identifiers; and associate each virtual container with one time-window identifier from the set of time-window identifiers; and a transmitter for transmitting the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers, wherein the transmitting comprises conveying the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers in at least one PID (Packet Identification) stream.
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19. Apparatus for grouping program meta-data which relates to a plurality of programs, the apparatus comprising:
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means for scanning the program meta-data to determine program instances which have substantially equal meta-data, for grouping the program meta-data into groups so that each group refers to a set of program instances that have substantially equal meta-data, each set of program instances comprising at least one program instance, and so that meta-data associated with any one group is different from meta-data associated with every other group, and for assigning each group a unique program identifier, thereby producing a set of program identifiers; means for grouping the program meta-data by time windows to produce a set of time-window identifiers in which each time-window identifier is associated with at least one of the time windows; means for placing the program meta-data in virtual containers, for associating each virtual container with at least one program identifier from the set of program identifiers, and for associating each virtual container with one time-window identifier from the set of time-window identifiers; and means for transmitting the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers, wherein the transmitting comprises conveying the virtual containers, the set of program identifiers, and the set of time-window identifiers in at least one PID (Packet Identification) stream.
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Specification