Method and system for associating content and content information in a menu structure

• US 8,856,835 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kidd, Deanna R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWLIN, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US11/828,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20090031347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,630 Days
• Field of Search: 725/43, 725/48, 725/63, 725/86, 725/87, 725/93
• US Class Current: 725/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A system and method includes a user device and a content processing system receiving content from a content provider, assigning a material identification to the content, receiving content information different than the content, associating the content information and the content and communicating the content information and material identification to the user device. The user device forms a menu from the content information and associated material identification, generates a menu selection from the menu, and communicates the material identification associated with the menu selection to the content processing system. The content processing system communicates the content corresponding to the menu selection to the user device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving content at a content processing system from a content provider having an asset identifier;

storing the content in a house format server as house format content;

assigning a material identification different than the asset identifier to the house format content in a content management system of the content processing system;

receiving metadata and program associated data for the house format content at the content processing system;

associating the metadata with the material identification at the content management system;

communicating the metadata and material identification to a user device through a program guide system;

scheduling processing of the house format content to a broadband format content at the content management system;

communicating the program associated data to a schedule PAD server that generates control words for a video transport processing system;

generating the broadband format content based on the control words, based on scheduling and the house format content;

storing the broadband format content in a content repository;

forming a menu from the program associated data, metadata and material identification;

generating a menu selection from the menu at the user device;

communicating the material identification associated with the menu selection to a content processing system; and

communicating the broadband format content corresponding to the menu selection to the user device from the content repository through a content delivery network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving content comprises receiving content through a first communication means and receiving metadata comprises receiving the metadata through a second communication means different than the first communication means.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the first communication means comprises a satellite or optical fiber and the second means comprises a digital file.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises an asset name.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a broadband communication system.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a terrestrial system.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a satellite.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a broadband communication system.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a terrestrial system.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite and wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a satellite.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite and wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a broadband communication system.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the metadata comprises communicating the metadata through a satellite and wherein communicating the content comprises communicating the content through a terrestrial system.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises a start time and an end time.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises an asset identification.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a fixed user device.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.

19. A system comprising:

a user device;

a content processing system comprising a content management system, a house format server, a workflow system, a video transport processing system, a program guide system, and a schedule PAD server, said content processing system receiving content from a content provider having an asset identifier and storing house format content in the house format server, assigning a material identification to the house format content different than the asset identifier, receiving metadata for the house format content, associating the metadata and the material identification at the content management system and, communicating the metadata and material identification to the user device through the program guide system;

said content management system scheduling processing of the house format content to a broadband format content;

said content management system communicating the program associated data to the schedule PAD server;

said schedule PAD server generating control words and communicating the control words to the video transport processing system;

said content processing system controlling a movement of the house format content from the house format server to the video transport processing system;

said video transport processing system generating broadband content from the house format content and the control words, and storing the broadband content in a content repository;

said user device forming a menu from the program associated data, metadata and material identification, generating a menu selection from the menu, and communicating the material identification associated with the menu selection to the content processing system; and

said content processing system communicating the content corresponding to the menu selection to the user device from the content repository through a content delivery network.

20. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a first communication means and a second communication means, wherein said content processing system receiving content through the first communication means and wherein the content processing system receiving metadata through the second communication means different than the first communication means.

21. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the first communication means comprises a satellite or optical fiber and the second means comprises a digital file.

22. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the metadata comprises an asset name.

23. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata.

24. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a broadband communication system communicating the metadata.

25. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a terrestrial system communicating the metadata.

26. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a satellite communicating the content.

27. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a broadband communication system communicating the content.

28. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a terrestrial system communicating the content.

29. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata and the content.

30. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata and a broadband communication system communicating the content.

31. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a satellite communicating the metadata and a terrestrial system communicating the content.

32. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the metadata comprises a start time and an end time.

33. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the metadata comprises an asset identification.

34. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the user device comprises a mobile user device.

35. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the user device comprises a fixed user device.

36. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.