Method and system for preselecting multimedia content

• US 9,282,375 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Robert, Moore, Darryl Cynthia, Roberts, Linda A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US14/493,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for remote control at a client of a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) enables a user to add desired multimedia program listings to a user collection. The user collection may be saved at an MCDN server for subsequent retrieval. Multimedia programs corresponding to the listings may be stored in a user collection cache. The user may easily select the listings in a user collection for presentation at an MCDN client. The multimedia programs may be provided from a plurality of content sources, including external content providers and the Internet.

Claims

1. A multimedia content delivery method, comprising:

providing a bidirectional connection between a set top box and a mobile device configured to provide wireless telephone service;

sending a multimedia program listing indicative of programs, including a particular program, available from a multimedia service provider, from the set top box to the mobile device via the bidirectional connection;

wherein the bidirectional connection includes a wireless link between the mobile device and a wireless network and an access link between the set top box and an access network connecting the set top box to the service provider;

receiving, by the set top box via the bidirectional connection, first user input indicative of the particular program;

indicating the particular program in a user list; and

storing the user list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia program listing includes an electronic programming guide listing at least one of:

a video-on-demand program, a prerecorded program, a pay-per-view program, streaming Internet content, a scheduled program, and a broadcasted program broadcast.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first user input comprises receiving a message indicative of the first user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operations include:

receiving second user input indicative of a desired multimedia program listed in the user list; and

initiating playback of the desired multimedia program.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a second program in the user list for subsequent playback.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving third user input indicative of a user list name; and

recognizing the user list name as a reference to the user list.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving fourth user input for selecting a named user list; and

displaying an indication of the named user list.

8. A smart phone, comprising:

a processor;

a wireless interface coupled to the processor;

a memory device, coupled to the processor, including processor-executable program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the smart phone to perform operations, comprising;

receiving, from a set top box via a bidirectional communication link, information indicative of multimedia programs available from a multimedia service provider;

displaying a listing of at least some of the multimedia programs available from the multimedia service provider; and

responsive to receiving second user input indicative of a desired multimedia program indicated in the listing, communicating, via the bidirectional connection, information indicative of the desired multimedia program to the set top box, wherein the bidirectional connection includes a wireless link between the smart phone and a wireless network and an access link between the set top box and an access network coupling the set top box to the service provider.

9. The smart phone of claim 8, wherein communicating the information indicative of the desired multimedia program includes:

sending a message to the set top box requesting the set top box to output a multimedia program corresponding to the second user input.

10. The smart phone of claim 8, wherein the multimedia programs available from the multimedia service provider include at least one of:

an electronic programming guide provided by the service provider, a video-on-demand program, a prerecorded program, a pay-per-view program, streaming Internet content, a scheduled program, and a program broadcast in real time.

11. The smart phone of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

storing the desired multimedia program in a user collection cache for subsequent playback.

12. The smart phone of claim 11, wherein the user collection cache comprises set top box storage associated with a digital video recorder associated with a multimedia handling device.

13. The smart phone of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

storing the listing on a network server.

14. The smart phone of claim 13, wherein the operations include:

receiving third user input for selecting a particular listing from a network server;

retrieving the particular listing from the network server; and

displaying, using the display, an indication of the particular listing.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium, including processor-executable program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

providing a bidirectional connection between a set top box and a mobile device configured to provide wireless telephone service;

sending a multimedia program listing indicative of programs, including a particular program, available from a multimedia service provider, from the set top box to the mobile device via the bidirectional connection;

wherein the bidirectional connection includes a wireless link between the mobile device and a wireless network and an access link between the set top box and an access network connecting the set top box to the service provider;

receiving, by the set top box from the mobile device via the bidirectional connection, first user input indicative of the particular program;

indicating the particular program in a user list; and

storing the user list.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the multimedia program listing includes an electronic programming guide listing at least one of:

a video-on-demand program, a prerecorded program, a pay-per-view program, streaming Internet content, a scheduled program, and a broadcasted program broadcast.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the programs available from the service provider include:

an electronic programming guide, a video-on-demand program, a prerecorded program, a pay-per-view program, streaming Internet content, a scheduled program, and a program broadcast in real time.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein storing the user listing, including the multimedia program listings, on a network server of the service provider.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations include:

receiving third user input indicating a desired program selected from the user list;

retrieving the desired program from the network server; and

displaying, on the display, the retrieved user collection.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations include:

causing a plurality of multimedia programs included in the user list to be output at a network client in a predetermined sequence determined by sequence information included in the user list.