Channel family surf control

• US 8,416,952 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TVWorks LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Moreau, Samuel, Carney, John, de Andrade, David, Ahrnes, Don, Gibbs, Georgia
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Minh
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US10/894,740
• Time in Patent Office: 3,186 Days
• Field of Search: 725 45- 46, 725 51- 53, 725 56- 58, 725/61, 455/515, 455518-519
• US Class Current: 380/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score

Abstract

An interface for an interactive television application includes a graphical representation of a channel changing apparatus and is configured such that in response to a channel change request a channel change event limited to a channel change within a designated family of television channels is initiated. The graphical element may be labeled so as to indicate the presently viewed family of television channels. In various embodiment, the channel content may be scaled to fit within a window or may be full screen, in which latter case the interface may be overlaid on top of the full screen video. In one example, the graphical representation of the channel changing apparatus resembles a pair of channel up/down buttons.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:

process channel identifiers that indicate a branding relationship between individual ones of a plurality of channels and a plurality of channel families, each channel family of the plurality of channel families comprising a subset of the plurality of channels and corresponding to content provided by a respective one of a plurality of branded content creators;

in response to receiving a selection of a first channel family of the plurality of channel families, generate a graphical user interface configured to display video of a first channel in the subset of the first channel family and, while displaying the video, display advertisement content that identifies a first branded content creator of the plurality of branded content creators, wherein the first channel family corresponds to content provided by the first branded content creator; and

in response to each received channel change request after selection of the first channel family, display video of a different channel in the subset of the first channel family within the graphical user interface while continuing to display the advertisement content that identifies the first branded content creator.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the processor to present a label for a graphical element indicating the first channel family has been selected.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface has a window for displaying video of a selected channel in the subset of the first channel family scaled to fit within the window, and wherein the advertisement content that identifies the first branded content creator surrounds the window.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the processor to cause presentation of an overlay on top of full screen video.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the processor to cause presentation of a pair of channel up/down buttons.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a selection of a second channel family of the plurality of channel families, wherein the second channel family corresponds to content provided by a second branded content creator; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the second channel family, update the graphical user interface to display video of a channel in the subset of the second channel family and update the graphical user interface to display advertisement content that identifies the second branded content creator.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a second channel change request;

in response to determining that the first channel family has been selected and in response to the second channel change request, limit channel change to only the subset of the first channel family and present the first channel within the graphical user interface; and

in response to determining that a channel family has not been selected and in response to the second channel change request, present a new channel different than the first channel without display of the graphical user interface.

6. A method comprising:

processing, by a computer, channel identifiers that indicate a branding relationship between individual ones of a plurality of channels and a plurality of channel families, each channel family of the plurality of channel families comprising a subset of the plurality of channels and corresponding to content provided by a respective one of a plurality of branded content creators;

in response to receiving a selection of a first channel family of the plurality of channel families, generating a graphical user interface configured to display video of a first channel in the subset of the first channel family and, while displaying the video, display advertisement content that identifies a first branded content creator of the plurality of branded content creators, wherein the first channel family corresponds to content provided by the first branded content creator; and

in response to each received channel change request after selection of the first channel family, display video of a different channel in the subset of the first channel family within the graphical user interface while continuing to display the advertisement content that identifies the first branded content creator.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising causing presentation of a pair of channel up/down buttons.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface has a window for displaying video of a selected channel in the subset of the first channel family that is scaled to fit within the window, and wherein the advertisement content that identifies the first branded content creator surrounds the window.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising causing presentation of a label indicating the first channel family has been selected.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising causing presentation of an overlay on top of full screen video.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a second channel family of the plurality of channel families, wherein the second channel family corresponds to content provided by a second branded content creator; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the second channel family, updating the graphical user interface to display video of a channel in the subset of the second channel family and updating the graphical user interface to display advertisement content that identifies the second branded content creator.

20. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a second channel change request;

in response to determining that the first channel family has been selected and in response to the second channel change request, limiting channel change to only the subset of the first channel family and presenting the first channel within the graphical user interface; and

in response to determining that a channel family has not been selected and in response to the second channel change request, presenting a new channel different than the first channel without display of the graphical user interface.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

process channel identifiers that indicate a branding relationship between individual ones of a plurality of channels and a plurality of channel families, each channel family of the plurality of channel families comprising a subset of the plurality of channels and corresponding to content provided by a respective one of a plurality of branded content creators;

in response to receiving a selection of a first channel family of the plurality of channel families, generate a graphical user interface configured to display video of a first channel in the subset of the first channel family and, while displaying the video, display advertisement content that identifies a first branded content creator of the plurality of branded content creators, wherein the first channel family corresponds to content provided by the first branded content creator; and

in response to each received channel change request after selection of the first channel family, display video of a different channel in the subset of the first channel family within the graphical user interface while continuing to display the advertisement content that identifies the first branded content creator.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of a label for a graphical element indicating the first channel family has been selected.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the graphical user interface has a window for displaying video of a selected channel in the subset of the first channel family that is scaled to fit within the window, and wherein the advertisement content that identifies the first branded content creator surrounds the window.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of an overlay on top of full screen video.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of a pair of channel up/down buttons.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

receive a selection of a second channel family of the plurality of channel families, wherein the second channel family corresponds to content provided by a second branded content creator; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the second channel family, update the graphical user interface to display video of a channel in the subset of the second channel family and update the graphical user interface to display advertisement content that identifies the second branded content creator.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

receive a second channel change request;

in response to determining that the first channel family has been selected and in response to the second channel change request, limit channel change to only the subset of the first channel family and the first channel within the graphical user interface; and

in response to determining that a channel family has not been selected and in response to the second channel change request, present a new channel different than the first channel without display of the graphical user interface.