System for presenting media programs

• US 8,972,544 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US14/149,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20140123205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/219, 709/223, 709/229, 709/231, 725/80, 725131-133
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may use, for example, a method for sending a set-top box an identification of the media player, receiving operational instructions from the set-top box according to the emulator executed by the set-top box that emulates a user interface of the media player by presenting a representation of the media player in a graphical user interface, and transmitting media content to the set-top box according to the operational instructions. The emulator can be supplied to the set-top box by way of a multimedia system communicatively coupled to the set-top box. The user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator substantially mimics functions of the media player. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage device, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a set-top box for an emulator that emulates a media player by presenting the media player as a user interface in a graphical user interface, wherein the emulator comprises software instructions executed by the set-top box to emulate the user interface of the media player via the set top box;

receiving an identification of the media player;

retrieving the emulator according to the identification of the media player; and

transmitting to the set-top box the emulator for executing the software instructions associated with the emulator, thereby emulating the user interface of the media player by way of the set-top box;

wherein the user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator mimics the media player;

wherein the media player presents one of audio media, moving image media, or still image media;

wherein the graphical user interface is presented on a display device of a remote controller or a presentation device coupled to the set-top box;

wherein the identification of the media player comprises one of a model number, a serial number, or a description of the media player;

wherein the media player wirelessly communicates data for presentation without using a hardwire interface; and

wherein the computer-readable storage device is used by a multimedia system.

2. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the moving image media conforms to one of a plurality of standards defined by a moving picture experts group.

3. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the still image media conforms to a joint photographic experts group standard.

4. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the still image media conforms to a graphic interchange format standard.

5. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the multimedia system comprises an internet protocol television system, a cable media system, or a satellite media system.

6. A method, comprising:

determining, by a set-top box comprising a processor, an identification of a media player;

initiating, by the set-top box, an emulator according to the identification to emulate the media player by presenting the media player as a user interface in a graphical user interface, wherein the emulator comprises software executed by the set top box to emulate the user interface of the media player via the set top box; and

receiving, by the set-top box, data from the media player responsive to a request by the emulator;

presenting, by the set-top box, through the graphical user interface media stored in the media player determined from the data;

receiving, by the set-top box, by way of a selection applied to the graphical user interface a request to present the media;

wherein the user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator mimics the media player;

wherein the media player presents one of audio media, moving image media, or still image media;

wherein the graphical user interface is presented on a display device of a media controller or a presentation device coupled to the set-top box,

receiving, by the set-top box, by way of a second selection applied to the graphical user interface a request to copy the media from the media player; and

submitting to a multimedia system the identification of the media player.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the media player is coupled to the set-top box.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving the media from the media player responsive to the selection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating audio signals associated with the media.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting the audio signals.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving audio signals from the media player associated with the media.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting the audio signals.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving the media from the media player.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the media.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving from the multimedia system the emulator according to the identification.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving the emulator according to the identification of the media player.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving the emulator from the media player.

18. A computer-readable storage device, comprising instructions that, when executed by a media player, cause the media player to perform operations comprising:

sending a set-top box an identification of the media player;

receiving operational instructions from the set-top box according to an emulator executed by the set-top box that emulates a user interface of the media player by presenting a representation of the media player in a graphical user interface;

transmitting media content to the set-top box according to the operational instructions;

wherein the emulator is supplied to the set-top box by way of a multimedia system communicatively coupled to the set-top box,

wherein the multimedia system selects the emulator according to the identification of the media player,

wherein the user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator mimics functions of the media player,

wherein the media player presents audio media, moving image media, or still image media, and

wherein the graphical user interface is presented on a display device of a remote controller or a presentation device coupled to the set-top box; and

sending the emulator to the set-top box,

wherein the identification of the media player comprises a model number, a serial number, or a description of the media player.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the still image media conforms to one of a joint photographic experts group standard, or a graphic interchange format standard.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the multimedia system comprises an internet protocol television system, a cable media system, or a satellite media system.