Saving and restoring control settings for multimedia content receivers

• US 8,447,162 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AdaptFlow Technologies LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Schultz, Mark Alan, Johnson, Ronald Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/735,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 386/200, 386/231, 386/234, 386/248, 386/291, 386/299
• US Class Current: 386/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• 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 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• 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 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A settings controller for a multimedia content receiver is responsive to a control settings command. The settings controller saves a first set of control settings and loads a second set of control settings associated with the control settings command after saving the first set of control settings. It then reloads the first set of control settings when the control settings command is no longer valid. This allows for viewer settings to be automatically restored after an interruption.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a controller for a receiver that is responsive to a command, wherein the controller saves a first set of settings in response to a command, loads a second set of settings associated with the command after saving the first set of settings, accepts setting changes to the second set of settings and reloads unchanged settings from the first set of settings when the command is no longer valid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives an emergency control settings command and loads emergency control settings that help to immediately bring emergent conditions to the attention of viewers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives a service announcement control settings command and loads service announcement control settings.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives a control settings command from an airborne multimedia content distribution system master controller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller loads portions of multiple sets of control settings associated with the control settings command into the content controller device after saving the first set of control settings.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving a command;

saving a first set of settings of a controller for a receiver in response to the command;

loading a second set of settings associated with the command into the controller after saving the first set of settings;

receiving setting changes to the second set of settings from a user; and

reloading unchanged settings from the first set of settings into the controller when the command is no longer valid.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving an emergency command that prompts loading of emergency settings that bring emergent conditions to the attention of viewers.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a service command that prompts loading of service announcement control settings.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a command from a master controller.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

loading portions of multiple sets of settings associated with the command into the controller after saving the first set of settings.

11. A system, comprising:

a means for receiving a command;

a means for saving a first set of settings in response to the command;

a means for loading a second set of settings associated with the command after saving the first set of control settings;

receiving setting changes to the second set of settings from a user; and

a means for reloading unchanged settings from the first set of settings when the command is no longer valid.