System and method of contextual pre-tuning

• US 8,677,276 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kolde, Hubert E., Billmaier, James A., Kellum, John M., Reid, Dewey, Rogan, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US13/351,955
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 715/738, 715/760, 715/764, 715/767, 715/781, 715/784, 715/810, 715/835, 715/838, 725/45, 725/47, 725/52
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method implemented on a multi-tuner receiver system comprises successively displaying a set of visual cards where each visual card of the set of visual cards comprises a graphical representation. A visual card of the set of visual cards is selected, the visual card being associated with a first television program. Based on a characteristic of the selected visual card, a second television program is identified. The second television program is then tuned.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of contextual tuning, the method comprising:

navigating a set of media program indicators;

receiving a selection of a first indicator from the set of media program indicators, the first indicator being associated with a first television program;

instructing a first tuner to tune to the first television program;

selecting one or more additional television programs based on one or more characteristics of the selected indicator or first television program; and

instructing one or more additional tuners to tune to the one or more additional television programs.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising tuning to the first television program.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises a positioning of the selected indicator within a user interface.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises a time at which the selected indicator is selected.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics comprises a category to which the selected indicator belongs.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising tuning to the one or more additional programs.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a television program associated with the selected first television program;

receiving a request for a second television program from among the one or more additional television programs;

tuning to the requested second television program; and

displaying the requested second television program.

8. A receiver system, comprising:

a graphical user interface generator operable to provide a graphical user interface having successive displays comprising each of set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation, the graphical user interface being operable to facilitate selection of a visual card from the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program;

an allocator operable to identify a one or more second television programs based on a characteristic of the selected visual card or first television program;

a first tuner tuning to the first television program; and

one or more secondary tuners operable to tune to the one or more second television programs.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation comprises a television program.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation comprises a promotional picture of the television program.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the characteristic used to select the one or more second television programs comprises a positioning associated with the selected visual card within a user interface.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the characteristic used to select the one or more second television programs comprises a time at which the selected visual card is selected.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the characteristic used to select the one or more second television programs comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.

14. A system for contextual tuning, comprising:

a processor operable to display a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation, the processor further operable to facilitate selection of a first visual card from the set of visual cards, the visual card being associated with a first television program, and the processor further operable to identify a second television program based on a characteristic of the selected visual card or first television program;

a first tuner operable to tune to the first television program responsive to selection of the first visual card; and

a second tuner operable to tune to the second television program responsive to identification of the second television program.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the graphical representation is of a television program.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the characteristic used to identify the second television program comprises a positioning of the selected visual card within a user interface.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the characteristic used to identify the second television program comprises a time at which the selected visual card is selected.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the characteristic used to identify the second television program comprises a category to which the selected visual card belongs.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the set of visual cards comprises a single visual card.

20. One or more non-transitory computer readable media operable to execute on one or more processors, the computer readable being operable to cause the one or more processors to perform a method implemented on a multi-tuner receiver system, the method comprising:

displaying a set of visual cards, each visual card of the set of visual cards comprising a graphical representation;

receiving a selection of a first visual card from the set of visual cards, the first visual card being associated with a first television program;

identifying a second television program based on a characteristic of the selected visual card or the first television program; and

tuning to the second television program.