User interface

• US 9,264,779 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kirby, Morgan Haden, Martch, Henry Gregg
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US14/095,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 725/31, 725/58, 725/40, 725/52, 725/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23895 involving multiplex stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43853 involving multiplex stream decryption arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

A method of providing access to a block of stored content includes transmitting a general EPG at a content receiver for display on a presentation device, the EPG including a plurality of channels having a plurality of programs available at a plurality of times, receiving input from a user to display a block guide, and transmitting the block guide wherein, the block guide is associated with the block of stored content for accessing the block of stored content, the block guide including a plurality of channels having a plurality of programs available for a selected airing time.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a block guide, the method comprising:

recording, by a content receiver, a plurality of instances of television programs on a plurality of television channels in response to received instructions from a content provider, wherein;

the content provider broadcast the plurality of television channels on a single frequency band; and

each television channel of the plurality of television channels are recorded during a same time period on multiple days in response to the received instructions from the content provider;

outputting, by the content receiver, for presentation, an electronic programming guide, wherein;

the electronic programming guide comprises a plurality of columns corresponding to time periods, and a plurality of rows corresponding to television channels,

the plurality of rows and the plurality of columns define a plurality of cells corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of television channels;

receiving, by the content receiver, a first selection of an instance of a television program from the at least the subset of the plurality of television channels presented in the electronic programming guide;

determining, by the content receiver, the block guide is available due to the television program having been recorded on the single frequency band in response to the received instructions from the content provider;

in response to determining that the block guide is available due to the television program having been recorded on the single frequency band in response to the received instructions from the content provider, outputting, by the content receiver, an indication that the block guide is available for the television program, the indication of the block guide being presented on the electronic programming guide;

receiving, by the content receiver, a second selection of the television program; and

in response to the second selection, outputting, by the content receiver, the block guide for presentation, wherein;

the block guide comprises multiple previously recorded episodes of the television program, and

each of the previously recorded episodes are from the plurality of instances of television programs on the plurality of television channels recorded on the plurality of television channels in response to the received instructions from the content provider on the single frequency band.

2. The method for providing access to the block guide of claim 1, wherein the block guide is output for presentation as a popup over the electronic programming guide.

3. The method for providing access to the block guide of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting, by the content receiver, a block guide bar incorporated with the electronic programming guide;

receiving, by the content receiver, a selection of the block guide bar; and

in response to the selection of the block guide bar, outputting, by the content receiver, information about the recorded plurality of television channels.

4. The method for providing access to the block guide of claim 3, wherein the information about the recorded plurality of television channels comprises a listing of block guides specific to particular days.

5. The method for providing access to the block guide of claim 3, wherein the information about the recorded plurality of television channels corresponds to the previous day when prior to a cutoff time of time and the information about the recorded plurality of television channels corresponds to the current day when after the cutoff time of day.

6. The method for providing access to the block guide of claim 1, further comprising:

descrambling, by the content receiver, the plurality of television programs on the plurality of television channels using a single control word.

7. The method for providing access to the block guide of claim 1, wherein the plurality of television channels are four television networks received via a same tuner of the content receiver.

8. A system for providing access to a block guide, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

record a plurality of television programs on a plurality of television channels in response to received instructions from a content provider, wherein;

the content provider broadcast the plurality of television channels on a single frequency band; and

each television channel of the plurality of television channels are recorded during a same time period on multiple days in response to the received instructions from the content provider;

output for presentation, an electronic programming guide, wherein;

the electronic programming guide comprises a plurality of columns corresponding to time periods, and a plurality of rows corresponding to television channels, and

the plurality of rows and the plurality of columns define a plurality of cells corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of television channels;

receive a selection of a television program from at least subset of the plurality of television channels presented in the electronic programming guide;

determine the block guide is available due to the television program having been recorded on the single frequency band in response to the received instructions from the content provider; and

in response to the selection and determining that the block guide is available due to the television program having been recorded on the single frequency band in response to the received instructions from the content provider, output the block guide for presentation, wherein;

the block guide comprises multiple previously recorded episodes of the television program, and

each of the previously recorded episodes are from the plurality of instances of television programs on the plurality of television channels recorded on the plurality of television channels in response to the received instructions from the content provider on the single frequency band.

9. The system for providing access to the block guide of claim 8, wherein the block guide is configured to be output for presentation as a popup over the electronic programming guide.

10. The system for providing access to the block guide of claim 8, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

output a block guide bar incorporated with the electronic programming guide;

receive a selection of the block guide bar; and

in response to the selection of the block guide bar, output information about the recorded plurality of television channels.

11. The system for providing access to the block guide of claim 10, wherein the block guide bar is incorporated with the electronic programming guide as a row.

12. The system for providing access to the block guide of claim 10, wherein the information about the recorded plurality of television channels comprises a listing of block guides specific to particular days.

13. The system for providing access to the block guide of claim 10, wherein the information about the recorded plurality of television channels corresponds to the previous day when prior to a cutoff time of time and the information about the recorded plurality of television channels corresponds to the current day when after the cutoff time of day.

14. The system for providing access to the block guide of claim 8, wherein the plurality of television channels are four television networks.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for providing access to a block guide, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

record a plurality of instances of television programs on a plurality of television channels in response to received instructions from a content provider, wherein;

the content provider broadcast the plurality of television channels on a single frequency band; and

each television channel of the plurality of television channels are recorded during a same time period on multiple days in response to the received instructions from the content provider;

output for presentation, an electronic programming guide, wherein;

the electronic programming guide comprises a plurality of columns corresponding to time periods, and a plurality of rows corresponding to television channels,

the plurality of rows and the plurality of columns define a plurality of cells corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of television channels;

receive a selection of a television program from at least the subset of the plurality of television channels presented in the electronic programming guide;

determine the block guide is available due to the television program having been recorded on the single frequency band in response to the received instructions from the content provider; and

in response to the selection and determining that the block guide is available due to the television program having been recorded on the single frequency band in response to the received instructions from the content provider, output the block guide for presentation, wherein;

the block guide comprises multiple previously recorded episodes of the television program, and

each of the previously recorded episodes are from the plurality of instances of television programs on the plurality of television channels recorded on the plurality of television channels in response to the received instructions from the content provider.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for providing access to the block guide of claim 15, wherein the block guide is configured to be output for presentation as a popup over the electronic programming guide.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for providing access to the block guide of claim 15, wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

output a block guide bar incorporated with the electronic programming guide;

receive a selection of the block guide bar; and

in response to the selection of the block guide bar, output information about the recorded plurality of television channels.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for providing access to the block guide of claim 17, wherein the information about the recorded plurality of television channels comprises a listing of block guides specific to particular days.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for providing access to the block guide of claim 17, wherein the information about the recorded plurality of television channels corresponds to the previous day when prior to a cutoff time of time and the information about the recorded plurality of television channels corresponds to the current day when after the cutoff time of day.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for providing access to the block guide of claim 15, wherein the plurality of television channels are four television networks.