Systems and methods for displaying media content and media guidance information

• US 8,978,088 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Akitaka, Yoshimoto, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu Oanh T
• Application Number:
  US14/047,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20140068667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/59, 725/118, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 comprises television equipment and a number of portable electronic devices. The television equipment includes a large display and control circuitry. The control circuitry receives media content and media guidance data for display on the display. The control circuitry also includes communication components for communicating with the portable electronic devices. The portable electronic devices are operable for displaying video and communicating with the television equipment. A method comprises the steps of receiving media guidance information with a first portable electronic device; transmitting at least some of the media guidance information from the first portable electronic device to the control circuitry of the television equipment; and displaying the media guidance information from the first portable electronic device on the display of the television equipment while simultaneously displaying media content or media guidance information received from a source other than the first portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying media guidance information, the method comprising:

transmitting media guidance information from a first portable electronic device to user equipment via a communication link, wherein the media guidance information received by the user equipment from the first portable electronic device is generated for simultaneous display, with the user equipment, with media content or media guidance information received by the user equipment from a source other than the first portable electronic device; and

receiving an indication with the first portable electronic device that the media guidance information generated for display with the user equipment has been manipulated.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting media guidance information from a second portable electronic device to the user equipment; and

generating for display the media guidance information from the second portable electronic device alongside the media guidance information from the first portable electronic device on the user equipment.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting from the user equipment at least some of the media guidance information received from the first portable electronic device to the second portable electronic device.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first and second portable electronic devices are mobile phones, portable computers, portable game players, portable navigation devices, portable televisions, or personal digital assistants.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

generating for display media guidance information received from a satellite or cable television provider alongside the media guidance information transmitted from the first portable electronic device on the user equipment.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

performing a media guidance application function with the media guidance information transmitted from the first portable electronic device while the media guidance information is generated for displayed with the user equipment; and

after the media guidance application is performed, transmitting at least some of the media guidance information back to the first portable electronic device.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the media guidance application function includes entering user information, searching for a desired media content, scheduling a selected media content for recording, recording a selected media content, deleting a previously recorded media content, adding a selected media content to a favorite media content list, setting a reminder for a selected media content, or ordering a selected media content via an on-demand or pay-per-view service.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user equipment executes an interactive media guidance application.

10. A system for displaying media guidance information, the system comprising:

a first portable electronic device comprising;

a communication device for transmitting media guidance information to user equipment via a communication link, wherein the media guidance information received by the user equipment from the first portable electronic device is generated for simultaneous display, with the user equipment, with media content or media guidance information received by the user equipment from a source other than the first portable electronic device; and

a receiver for receiving an indication that the media guidance information generated for display with the user equipment has been manipulated.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the receiver comprises a digital receiver for receiving the media content from a mobile terrestrial digital broadcasting service.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the receiver comprises a separate wireless mobile phone receiver for receiving the media guidance information from a phone network.

13. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the receiver is a single receiver that receives the media content and the media guidance information from a common signal.

14. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communication device is a wireless local area network (LAN) transmitter or transceiver.

15. The system as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

a second portable electronic device including;

a first receiver for receiving media content from a media content source;

a second receiver for receiving media guidance information from a media guidance source; and

a communication device for transmitting at least some of the media guidance information to the user equipment for generating a simultaneous display with the media guidance information from the first portable electronic device.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first and second portable electronic devices are mobile phones, portable computers, portable game players, portable navigation devices, portable televisions, or personal digital assistants.

17. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first portable electronic device is operable for performing a media guidance application function with the media guidance information while the media guidance information is displayed on the display.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the media guidance application function includes entering user information, searching for a desired media content, scheduling a selected media content for recording, recording a selected media content, deleting a previously recorded media content, adding a selected media content to a favorite media content list, setting a reminder for a selected media content, or ordering a selected media content via an on-demand or pay-per-view service.

19. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the user equipment comprises a set-top box.

20. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the user equipment executes an interactive media guidance application.