System for processing programs and system timing information derived from multiple broadcast sources

• US 8,286,207 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Schneidewend, Daniel Richard, Dinwiddie, Aaron Hal
• Primary Examiner(s): SALCE, JASON P
• Application Number:
  US09/190,309
• Time in Patent Office: 5,080 Days
• Field of Search: 725/38, 725/39, 725/40, 725/44, 725/48, 725/68, 725/100, 725/139, 725/151, 725/58, 368/46, 368/47, 368/52, 348/553, 348/500, 348/460, 375/327
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45 Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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

Abstract

A system for initiating scheduled program processing functions such as program display, recording or playback, derives a time clock based on a current time reference indication produced by a particular broadcast source. The derived time clock is used in initiating scheduled processing functions for programs derived from the particular broadcast source and time clocks derived from sources other than the particular broadcast source are disregarded. The system displays a second time clock different to the derived time clock. In addition, the system forms a composite program guide from data from multiple broadcast sources to associate current time reference indications with their corresponding broadcast sources.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving selection of (1) a first program from a first program source, (2) a second program from a second program source, (3) a first program processing function for the first program, and (4) a second program processing function for the second program;

synchronizing, prior to initiating the first program processing function, (1) a first running elapsed scheduling time clock that provides a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed and used for determining when a scheduled start time in the future occurs for the first program processing function, to (2) a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source;

comparing the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock to the scheduled start time for the first program processing function, as time indicated by the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock gets closer to the scheduled start time for the first program processing function, in order to determine when to initiate the first program processing function;

initiating the first program processing function based on the comparing of the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock and the scheduled start time for the first program processing function;

synchronizing, prior to initiating the second program processing function, (1) a second running elapsed scheduling time clock that provides a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed and used for determining when a scheduled start time in the future occurs for the second program processing function, to (2) a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed at the second program source;

comparing the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock to the scheduled start time for the second program processing function, as time indicated by the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock gets closer to the scheduled start time for the second program processing function, in order to determine when to initiate the second program processing function; and

initiating the second program processing function based on the comparing of the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock and the scheduled start time for the second program processing function.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising simultaneously maintaining, for at least a period of time, both (1) the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock, and (2) the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first programming processing function comprises at least one from a group consisting of display, record, and playback.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the group further comprises:

program transmission, program standards conversion, program encryption, program decryption, program scrambling, and program decoding.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising terminating the second program processing function based on the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source comprises System Time Table (STT) data of an MPEG compliant data stream.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving (1) the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source, and (2) the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the second program source.

8. A receiving system comprising a processor, the processor programmed:

to provide a guide operable by a user (1) to select a first program from a first program source, (2) to select a second program from a second program source, (3) to select a first program processing function for the first program, and (4) to select a second program processing function for the second program;

to synchronize, prior to initiating the first program processing function, (1) a first running elapsed scheduling time clock that provides a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed and used for determining when a scheduled start time in the future occurs for the first program processing function, to (2) a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source;

to compare the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock to the scheduled start time for the first program processing function, as time indicated by the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock gets closer to the scheduled start time for the first program processing function, in order to determine when to initiate the first program processing function;

to initiate the first program processing function based on the comparing of the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock and the scheduled start time for the first program processing function;

to synchronize, prior to initiating the second program processing function, (1) a second running elapsed scheduling time clock that provides a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed and used for determining when a scheduled start time in the future occurs for the second program processing function, to (2) a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed at the second program source;

to compare the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock to the scheduled start time for the second program processing function, as time indicated by the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock gets closer to the scheduled start time for the second program processing function, in order to determine when to initiate the second program processing function; and

to initiate the second program processing function based on the comparing of the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock and the scheduled start time for the second program processing function.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is programmed to simultaneously maintain, for at least a period of time, both (1) the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock, and (2) the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is programmed to terminate the second program processing function based on the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source comprises System Time Table (STT) data of an MPEG compliant data stream.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the processor is further programmed to receive (1) the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source, and (2) the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the second program source.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising programmed instructions for performing at least the following:

receiving selection of (1) a first program from a first program source, (2) a second program from a second program source, (3) a first program processing function for the first program, and (4) a second program processing function for the second program;

synchronizing, prior to initiating the first program processing function, (1) a first running elapsed scheduling time clock that provides a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed and used for determining when a scheduled start time in the future occurs for the first program processing function, to (2) a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source;

comparing the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock to the scheduled start time for the first program processing function, as time indicated by the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock gets closer to the scheduled start time for the first program processing function, in order to determine when to initiate the first program processing function;

initiating the first program processing function based on the comparing of the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock and the scheduled start time for the first program processing function;

synchronizing, prior to initiating the second program processing function, (1) a second running elapsed scheduling time clock that provides a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed and used for determining when a scheduled start time in the future occurs for the second program processing function, to (2) a current running elapsed time of day indicating an amount of time that has already elapsed at the second program source;

comparing the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock to the scheduled start time for the second program processing function, as time indicated by the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock gets closer to the scheduled start time for the second program processing function, in order to determine when to initiate the second program processing function; and

initiating the second program processing function based on the comparing of the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock and the scheduled start time for the second program processing function.

14. The storage non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein:

the programmed instructions are further for performing simultaneously maintaining, for at least a period of time, both (1) the synchronized first running elapsed scheduling time clock, and (2) the synchronized second running elapsed scheduling time clock.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein:

the programmed instructions are further for performing receiving (1) the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the first program source, and (2) the current running elapsed time of day indicating the amount of time that has already elapsed at the second program source.