Playlist menu navigation
First Claim
1. A method of operating a communications system, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a terminal, a selection of a video-on-demand service;
responsive to receiving said selection of said video-on-demand service, providing, to the terminal, at least one navigation catalog corresponding to said selection of said video-on-demand service, said at least one navigation catalog comprising a plurality of selection links, said at least one navigation catalog being provided to the terminal over a data link of said communications system;
subsequent to said selection of said video-on-demand service, receiving a request for establishment of a session from the terminal;
responsive to said request for said establishment of said session, establishing the session with the terminal by establishing a video-on-demand link separate from said data link;
generating a navigation playlist comprising an indexed listing of a plurality of navigation video segments, the navigation playlist comprising pointers to storage locations of the navigation video segments, the storage locations being in a video-on-demand server in a head end of the communications system, the video-on-demand server being remote from the terminal, wherein the communications system provides at least said video-on-demand service to the terminal;
providing, to the terminal, via said video-on-demand link, an initial one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist, for the terminal to construct and display an initial selection menu allowing further menu navigation, by having the terminal superimpose initial ones of said selection links on said initial one of said navigation video segments;
receiving, at the terminal, a selection from among the initial ones of the selection links from the initial selection menu formed by the terminal superimposing the initial ones of the selection links on the initial one of the navigation video segments;
responsive to the selection from the initial selection menu, providing, to the terminal, via said video-on-demand link, a subsequent one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist, for the terminal to construct and display a subsequent selection menu allowing program selection, by having the terminal superimpose subsequent ones of said selection links on said subsequent one of said navigation video segments;
receiving, at the terminal, a request for a program via a selection made from the subsequent selection menu formed by the terminal superimposing the subsequent ones of the selection links on the subsequent one of the navigation video segments; and
responsive to receiving said request from the terminal via a reverse data link, transmitting the program to the terminal for viewing;
wherein the navigation video segments of the playlist are separate and distinct from the program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a method of operating a communications system is disclosed comprising receiving a request for establishment of a session from a terminal, establishing the session with the terminal, and providing at least one navigation video segment to the terminal, via the session. The communications system may be a source of programming, such as a cable system, and the terminal may be a set-top terminal coupled to a display device. The navigation video segment may be used by the terminal to create selection menus to be displayed for user navigation. The video segments may be rich media video segments. A playlist may be generated comprising an indexed listing of a plurality of available video segments. The playlist may facilitate retrieval of video segments requested by a terminal. Communications systems, terminals and methods of operating a terminal are disclosed, as well.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of operating a communications system, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a terminal, a selection of a video-on-demand service; responsive to receiving said selection of said video-on-demand service, providing, to the terminal, at least one navigation catalog corresponding to said selection of said video-on-demand service, said at least one navigation catalog comprising a plurality of selection links, said at least one navigation catalog being provided to the terminal over a data link of said communications system; subsequent to said selection of said video-on-demand service, receiving a request for establishment of a session from the terminal; responsive to said request for said establishment of said session, establishing the session with the terminal by establishing a video-on-demand link separate from said data link; generating a navigation playlist comprising an indexed listing of a plurality of navigation video segments, the navigation playlist comprising pointers to storage locations of the navigation video segments, the storage locations being in a video-on-demand server in a head end of the communications system, the video-on-demand server being remote from the terminal, wherein the communications system provides at least said video-on-demand service to the terminal; providing, to the terminal, via said video-on-demand link, an initial one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist, for the terminal to construct and display an initial selection menu allowing further menu navigation, by having the terminal superimpose initial ones of said selection links on said initial one of said navigation video segments; receiving, at the terminal, a selection from among the initial ones of the selection links from the initial selection menu formed by the terminal superimposing the initial ones of the selection links on the initial one of the navigation video segments; responsive to the selection from the initial selection menu, providing, to the terminal, via said video-on-demand link, a subsequent one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist, for the terminal to construct and display a subsequent selection menu allowing program selection, by having the terminal superimpose subsequent ones of said selection links on said subsequent one of said navigation video segments; receiving, at the terminal, a request for a program via a selection made from the subsequent selection menu formed by the terminal superimposing the subsequent ones of the selection links on the subsequent one of the navigation video segments; and responsive to receiving said request from the terminal via a reverse data link, transmitting the program to the terminal for viewing; wherein the navigation video segments of the playlist are separate and distinct from the program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communications system for communication with a remote terminal, said system comprising:
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a head end, said head end in turn comprising; at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to said at least one processor, said at least one processor being programmed to; receive, from the terminal, a selection of a video-on-demand service; responsive to receiving said selection of said video-on-demand service, provide, to the terminal, at least one navigation catalog corresponding to said selection of said video-on-demand service, said at least one navigation catalog comprising a plurality of selection links, said at least one navigation catalog being provided to the terminal over a data link of said communications system; establish a session with the remote terminal, upon request by the remote terminal, the request being subsequent to the selection of the video-on-demand service, the session being established in response to the request, the session being established by establishing a video-on-demand link separate from said data link; generate a navigation playlist comprising an indexed listing of a plurality of navigation video segments, said navigation playlist comprising pointers to storage locations of said video segments, said storage locations being in said at least one memory, wherein said communications system provides at least video-on-demand service to the remote terminal; provide, to the terminal, via said video-on-demand link, an initial one of said navigation video segments listed in said navigation playlist, for the terminal to construct and display an initial selection menu allowing further menu navigation, by having the terminal superimpose initial ones of said selection links on said initial one of said navigation video segments; based on a selection received at the terminal from among said initial ones of said selection links from said initial selection menu formed by the terminal superimposing said initial ones of the selection links on said initial one of the navigation video segments, provide, to the terminal, via said video-on-demand link, a subsequent one of said navigation video segments listed in said navigation playlist, for the terminal to construct and display a subsequent selection menu allowing program selection, by having the terminal superimpose subsequent ones of said selection links on said subsequent one of said navigation video segments; receive a request for a program from the terminal, based on a selection made, at the terminal, from said subsequent selection menu formed by the terminal superimposing said subsequent ones of said selection links on said subsequent one of said navigation video segments; and responsive to receiving said request from the terminal via a reverse data link, transmit said program to the terminal for viewing; wherein said navigation video segments of said playlist are separate and distinct from said program. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A terminal to (i) receive programming from a head end remote from the terminal, the head end having a video-on-demand server, and to (ii) display the programming on a display, the terminal comprising:
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a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is programmed to; transmit, to the head end, a selection of a video-on-demand service; receive, from the head end, at least one navigation catalog comprising a plurality of selection links, the navigation catalog being received in response to the selection of the video-on-demand service and corresponding to the selection of the video-on-demand service, the navigation catalog being provided to said terminal over a data link of the communications system; subsequent to said selection of said video-on-demand service, request establishment of a session between the head end and the terminal, the session being established via a video-on-demand link separate from the data link; store in said memory an initial navigation video segment received via the session over the video-on-demand link, the initial navigation video segment comprising an initial one of a plurality of navigation video segments listed in a navigation playlist generated in the head end, the navigation playlist comprising an indexed listing of the plurality of navigation video segments, the navigation playlist comprising pointers to storage locations of the plurality of navigation video segments, the storage locations being in the video-on-demand server; generate and display an initial selection menu allowing further menu navigation, by superimposing initial ones of the selection links on the initial navigation video segment; receive a selection from among the initial ones of the selection links from the initial selection menu; responsive to the selection from the initial selection menu, request, from the head end, a subsequent one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist; receive, from the head end, over the video-on-demand link, the subsequent one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist; generate and display a subsequent selection menu allowing program selection, by superimposing subsequent ones of the selection links over the subsequent one of the navigation video segments; receive a request for a program, via a selection made from the subsequent selection menu; transmit a request for the program to the head end via a reverse data link; and receive said program from the head end for viewing, in response to said request; wherein said navigation video segments of said playlist are separate and distinct from said program. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of operating a terminal coupled to a head end, remote from the terminal, and a display device, the method comprising:
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transmitting, to the head end, a selection of a video-on-demand service; receiving, from the head end, at least one navigation catalog comprising a plurality of selection links, the navigation catalog being received in response to the selection of the video-on-demand service and corresponding to the selection of the video-on-demand service, the navigation catalog being provided to said terminal over a data link of the communications system; subsequent to said selection of said video-on-demand service, requesting establishment of a session with the head end, the session being established via a video-on-demand link separate from the data link; receiving an initial navigation video segment via the session over the video-on-demand link, the initial navigation video segment comprising an initial one of a plurality of navigation video segments listed in a navigation playlist generated in the head end, the navigation playlist comprising an indexed listing of the plurality of navigation video segments, the navigation playlist comprising pointers to storage locations of the plurality of navigation video segments, the storage locations being in a video-on-demand server; generating an initial selection menu allowing further menu navigation, by superimposing initial ones of the selection links over the initial navigation video segment; displaying the initial selection menu; receiving a selection from among the initial ones of the selection links from the initial selection menu; responsive to the selection from the initial selection menu, requesting, from the head end, a subsequent one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist; receiving, from the head end, over the video-on-demand link, the subsequent one of the navigation video segments listed in the navigation playlist; generating and displaying a subsequent selection menu allowing program selection, by superimposing subsequent ones of the selection links over the subsequent one of the navigation video segments; receiving a request for a program, via a selection made from the subsequent selection menu; transmitting a request for the program to the head end via a reverse data link; and receiving said program from the head end for viewing, in response to said request; wherein said navigation video segments of said playlist are separate and distinct from said program. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification