System and method of contextual pre-tuning

• US 8,099,680 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Group, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kolde, Hubert E., Billmaier, James A., Kellum, John M., Reid, Dewey, Rogan, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Bautista, Xiomar L
• Application Number:
  US10/328,514
• Time in Patent Office: 3,312 Days
• Field of Search: 715/738, 715/760, 715/764, 715/767, 715/781, 715/784, 715/810, 715/835, 715/838, 725/37, 725/39, 725/44, 725/45, 725/46, 725/47, 725/48, 725/52, 725/54
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method implemented on a multi-tuner receiver system comprises successively displaying a set of visual cards where each visual card of the set of visual cards comprises a graphical representation. A visual card of the set of visual cards is selected, the visual card being associated with a first television program. Based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program is identified. The second television program is then tuned.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a multi-tuner receiver system, the method comprising:

successively displaying a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation;

selecting a visual card of the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program;

identifying, based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program; and

tuning to the second television program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation is of a television program.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising tuning to the first television program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises the positioning of the selected visual card within a user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises the time at which the selected visual card is selected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.

7. A method of contextual tuning, the method comprising:

navigating a set of media program indicators;

selecting an indicator of the set of indicators, the indicator being associated with a first television program;

allocating, based on a characteristic of the selected indicator, an instruction to tune to a second television program; and

tuning to the second television program.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising tuning to the first television program.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic comprises the positioning of the selected indicator within a user interface.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic comprises the time at which the selected indicator is selected.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic comprises a category to which the selected indicator belongs.

12. A receiver system, comprising:

a card displayer successively displaying a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation;

a card selector selecting a visual card of the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program;

an allocator identifying, based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program; and

a first tuner tuning to the second television program.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the graphical representation is of a television program.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a second tuner tuning to the first television program.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic comprises the positioning of the selected visual card within a user interface.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic comprises the time at which the selected visual card is selected.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the characteristic comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.

18. A system for contextual tuning, comprising:

a processor successively displaying a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation, the processor further selecting a visual card of the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program, the processor further identifying, based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program; and

a first tuner tuning to the second television program.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical representation is of a television program.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a second tuner tuning to the first television program.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the characteristic comprises the positioning of the selected visual card within a user interface.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the characteristic comprises the time at which the selected visual card is selected.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the characteristic comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.

24. A computer program product comprising program code for performing a method implemented on a multi-tuner receiver system, the method comprising:

successively displaying a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation;

selecting a visual card of the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program;

identifying, based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program; and

tuning to the second television program.

25. The product of claim 24, wherein the graphical representation is of a television program.

26. The product of claim 24, further comprising tuning to the first television program.

27. The product of claim 24, wherein the characteristic comprises the positioning of the selected visual card within a user interface.

28. The product of claim 24, wherein the characteristic comprises the time at which the selected visual card is selected.

29. The product of claim 24, wherein the characteristic comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.

30. A receiver system, comprising:

means for successively displaying a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation;

means for selecting a visual card of the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program;

means for identifying, based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program; and

means for tuning to the second television program.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the graphical representation is of a television program.

32. The system of claim 30, further comprising means for tuning to the first television program.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the characteristic comprises the positioning of the selected visual card within a user interface.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the characteristic comprises the time at which the selected visual card is selected.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the characteristic comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.