System for processing program guide information items for the creation of a program guide
First Claim
1. A method for processing information concerning intra-program events occurring within a program, comprising the steps of:
- employing at least one processing device for,receiving signal data including information items describing intra-program events occuring during a program and comprising at least one of a) one or more scenes, b) episodes, c)chapters, and d) program portions;
identifying said information items in signal data;
processing said information items describing said intra-program events to provide processed data representative of intra-program events sequentially ordered by time;
deriving time indicators using time stamps in content data representing said program, said time indicators indicating when said intra-program events start and indicating different sections of a program and indicating a broadcast time when said intra-program events start; and
communicating said processed data to a device.
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Abstract
A system provides an intra-program event guide for display. The intra-program event guide enables a User to identify the events (e.g. scenes, episodes, alternative scenes, program portions etc.) occurring within a program and to initiate viewing (or initiate other functions associated with the event) via the guide. A method for processing information concerning intra-program events (e.g. comprising particular MPEG compatible groups of pictures (GOPS)) occurring within a program involves receiving signal data and identifying in the signal data information items describing intra-program events occurring during a program. The information items describing intra-program events are processed to provide processed data representative of intra-program events sequentially ordered by time and the processed data is communicated to a device. Generation of an intra-program event guide of the information items is initiated in response to user command. The guide shows other types of information items describing intra-program events scheduled for occurrence during a program. Such other types of events include, for example, (a) web page display, (b) software download, (c) PIP (Picture-in-Picture) image display, and (d) peripheral operation.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for processing information concerning intra-program events occurring within a program, comprising the steps of:
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employing at least one processing device for, receiving signal data including information items describing intra-program events occuring during a program and comprising at least one of a) one or more scenes, b) episodes, c)chapters, and d) program portions; identifying said information items in signal data; processing said information items describing said intra-program events to provide processed data representative of intra-program events sequentially ordered by time; deriving time indicators using time stamps in content data representing said program, said time indicators indicating when said intra-program events start and indicating different sections of a program and indicating a broadcast time when said intra-program events start; and communicating said processed data to a device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for processing information concerning intra-program events occuring within a program, comprising the steps of;
employing at least one processing device for, receiving signal data containing information items describing intra-program events occuring during a program and comprising at least one of (a) web page display, (b) software download, (c) PIP image display, and (d) peripheral operation; identifying said information items in said signal data; processing said information items describing intra-program events to provided processed data representative of intra-program events sequentially ordered by time; deriving time indicators from within contents data representing said program exclusive of viewer interactive content associated with said program, said time indicators indicating when said intra-program events start and indicating different sections of a program and indicating a broadcast time when said intra-program events start; and communicating said processed data to a device.
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14. A method for processing information concerning intra-program events occurring within a program, comprising the steps of:
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receiving signal data including information items describing intra-program events exclusive of viewer interactive events comprising a plurality of MPEG compatible groups of pictures (GOPS) occurring during a program; identifying said information items in signal data processing said information items describing said intra-program events to provide processed data representative of intra-program events sequentially ordered by time; deriving time indicators using time stamps in content data representing said program, said time indicators indicating when said intra-program events start; and communicating said processed data to a device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method at least one processing device for providing an intra-program event guide for display, comprising the steps of:
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employing at least one processing device for, receiving information items describing intra-program events scheduled for occurrence during a program and comprising at least one of, (a) web page display, (b) software download, (c) PIP image display, and (d) peripheral operation; collating said information items for presentation in a display; initiating generation of an intra-program event guide display of said collated information items describing intra-program events sequentially ordered by time and including time indicators indicating when said intra-program events start, said time indicators identify different sections of a program exclusive of viewer interactive content and derived from content data representing said program; and communicating data representing said intra-program event guide display for presentation on a reproduction device. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A system for processing information concerning intra-program events occuring within a program, comprising;
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an interface for receiving signal data containing information items describing intra-program events exclusive of viewer interactive events occuring during a program and comprising at least one of a) one or more scenes, b) episodes, c) chapters, and d) program portions; a data processor for identifying said information items in said signal data and processing said information items describing intra-program events to provide processed data representative of intra-program events sequentially ordered by time and deriving indicators from content data representing said program, said time indicators indicating when said intra-program events start and indicating different sections of a program and indicating a broadcast time when said intra-program events start; and an output processor for communicating said processed data to a device.
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Specification