Electronic program guide generation

• US 9,313,542 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, James Vernon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dubasky, Gigi L
• Application Number:
  US12/731,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20110239251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74- 85
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; tracking of instant messages H04L51/234; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• 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 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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

An electronic program guide may be provided. A plurality of encoded content streams may be received along with associated program guide information. The content streams may be re-modulated and associated with new channel assignments. Program guide entries for the content streams may be created and/or updated to reflect the new channel assignments. The re-modulated content streams and program guide entries may then be distributed to a plurality of display devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing a local program guide, the method comprising:

providing a program guide from a headend of a television service provider to an EPG generator, wherein the EPG generator generates local program guides for distribution to a plurality of televisions in a local commercial environment rather than to subscribers of the television service provider;

generating a private content distribution network for providing content via a plurality of remapped channels to the plurality of televisions in the local commercial environment by;

receiving at a re-modulation device the program guide from the television service provider and a plurality of channel streams from the headend of the television service provider, the plurality of channel streams are each associated with a physical channel and a virtual channel in a channel map, wherein one of the plurality of channel streams is associated with a first channel;

receiving content information associated with the one of the plurality of channel streams from the television service provider;

re-modulating via the re-modulation device the one of the plurality of channel streams to disassociate the one of the plurality of channel streams with the first channel and to associate the one of the plurality of channel streams with a new channel;

associating the content information associated with the one of the plurality of channel streams to the new channel;

receiving at the re-modulation device a second channel stream from a local content source associated with the commercial environment;

receiving content information associated with the second channel stream from the local content source;

re-modulating via the re-modulation device the second channel stream from the local content source to associate the second channel stream with the first channel;

associating the content information associated with the second channel stream to the first channel; and

generating, via the EPG generator, a local program guide having a grid reflecting times of available content and wherein different content is selectable from the local program guide while moving across the grid in time, the local program guide comprising the content information associated with the one of the plurality of channel streams on the new channel and the content information associated with the second channel stream on the first channel;

distributing the program guide from the headend of the television service provider to the subscribers of the television service provider wherein the program guide of the television service provider comprises the plurality of channel streams associated with the first and second channels;

distributing over the private content distribution network the re-modulated first content stream, the re-modulated second content stream and the local program guide from the EPG generator to provide the content via the plurality of remapped channels to the plurality of televisions in the local commercial environment; and

displaying the local program guide and tuning to the one of the plurality of channel streams received from the headend in response to selecting from the local program guide a program associated with the new channel or tuning to the second channel stream from the local content source in response to selecting from the local program guide another program associated with the first channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content information associated with the one of the plurality of channel streams is associated with the new channel according to the channel map comprising data identifying the new channel for the one of the plurality of channel streams.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the channel map is created according to a local premises content distribution network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

re-modulating a second one of the plurality of channel streams to associate the one of the plurality of channel streams with a second new channel; and

updating the channel map to reflect the association of a second one of the plurality of channel streams with the second new channel.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the channel map is created by a provider of the plurality of channel streams and comprises a physical channel associated with each of the plurality of channel streams, a virtual channel associated with each of the plurality of channel streams, and the new channel associated with the one of the plurality of channel streams.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encoding a new content stream for distribution with the one of the plurality of channel streams.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adding program information associated with the new content stream to the program guide.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encoding a plurality of new content streams, wherein each of the new content streams are received from an associated content provider; and

adding program information associated with each of the plurality of new content streams to the program guide, wherein the program information associated with each of the plurality of new content streams is received from the associated content provider.

9. A system for providing a local program guide, the system comprising:

a program guide from a headend of a television service provider provided to an EPG generator, wherein the EPG generator generates local program guides for distribution to a plurality of televisions in a local commercial environment rather than to subscribers of the television service provider;

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

generate a private content distribution network for providing content via a plurality of remapped channels to the plurality of televisions in the local commercial environment by the processing unit being operative to;

receive the program guide and a first encoded content stream from the headend of a television service provider, the first encoded content stream being associated with a first channel in a channel map comprising a physical channel and a virtual channel for each of encoded content streams received from the headend of the television service provider;

receive a first guide entry comprising program information associated with the first encoded content stream and the first channel;

determine whether the first encoded content stream is assigned for distribution on the first virtual channel;

receive a second encoded content stream from a local content source associated with the local commercial environment, the second encoded content stream being associated with a second channel;

receive a second guide entry comprising the program information associated with the second encoded content stream;

determine whether the second encoded content stream is assigned for distribution on a second virtual channel;

in response to determining that the first encoded content stream is assigned for distribution on the first virtual channel, create a new first guide entry comprising the program information associated with the first encoded content stream and the first virtual channel;

in response to determining that the second encoded content stream is assigned for distribution on the second virtual channel, create a new second guide entry comprising the program information associated with the second encoded content stream and the second virtual channel; and

generating, via the EPG generator, a local program guide having a grid reflecting times of available content and wherein different content is selectable from the local program guide while moving across the grid in time;

distributing the program guide from the headend of the television service provider to the subscribers of the television service provider wherein the program guide of the television service provider comprises the first and second guide entries associated with the first and second encoded content streams, respectively received from the headend of the television service provider;

distribute over the private content distribution network the first content stream, the second content stream and the local program guide from the EPG generator over the private content distribution network to provide the content via the plurality of remapped channels to the plurality of televisions in the local commercial environment; and

displaying the local program guide with the new first and second guide entries and tuning to either of the first encoded content stream from the headend or the second encoded content stream from the local content source in response to selecting from the local program guide a program associated with either of the new first or second guide entries.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein determining whether the first encoded content stream is assigned for distribution on the first virtual channel comprises determining whether the channel map comprises an entry associating the first virtual channel with the first virtual channel.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the channel map further comprises a physical channel associated with the first encoded content stream.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the new first guide entry comprises at least one graphical layout instruction.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one graphical layout instruction comprises at least one of the following:

a position, a font, a text color, and a background color.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the graphical layout instruction is associated with a shared graphics library.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the graphical layout instruction is associated with a local graphics library.

16. A system for providing a local program guide, the system comprising:

a program guide from a headend of a television service provider provided to an EPG generator, wherein the EPG generator generates local program guides for distribution to a plurality of televisions in a local commercial environment rather than to subscribers of the television service provider;

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

generate a private content distribution network for providing content via a plurality of remapped channels to the plurality of televisions in the commercial environment by the processing unit being operative to;

receive a plurality of encoded content streams from a television service provider, wherein each of the plurality of encoded channel streams is associated with a first channel in a channel map comprising a physical channel and a virtual channel for the each of the plurality of encoded channel streams;

receive the program guide comprising content information associated with each of the plurality of encoded content streams from the television service provider;

re-modulate one of the plurality of encoded content streams to disassociate the one of the plurality of encoded content streams from association with the first channel and to associate the one of the plurality of encoded content streams with a second channel;

generate a first program guide entry associated with the re-modulated one of the plurality of encoded content streams according to the received program guide;

receive a second channel stream from a local content source associated with the local commercial environment, wherein the second channel stream is associated with a third channel;

receive content information associated with the second channel stream from the local content source;

re-modulate the second channel stream from the local content source to associate the second channel stream with a fourth channel;

generating a second program guide entry associated with the re-modulated second channel stream;

distributing the program guide from the headend of the television service provider to the subscribers of the television service provider without a channel associated with the local content source;

distribute over the private content distribution network the re-modulated one of the plurality of encoded content streams, the re-modulated second channel stream, and the local program guide from the EPG generator including the first program guide entry and the second program guide entry over the private content distribution network to provide the content via the plurality of remapped channels to the plurality of display devices in the local commercial environment to display currently available content; and

displaying the local program guide and tuning to either the re-modulated one of the plurality of encoded content streams from the service provided in response to selection from the local program guide a program associated with the second channel or tuning to the re-modulated second channel stream from the local content source in response to selection from the local program guide of another program associated with the fourth channel.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the program guide entry is generated according to the channel map comprising a first channel assignment and a second channel assignment, wherein the first channel assignment comprises a channel assignment associated with the at least one of the plurality of encoded content streams prior to being re-modulated and the second channel assignment comprises a channel assignment associated with the at least one of the plurality of encoded content streams after being re-modulated.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

detect a change in the second channel assignment; and

update the program guide entry according to the changed second channel assignment.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first channel assignment and the second channel assignment each comprise at least one of the following:

a virtual channel assignment and a physical channel assignment.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

encode a new content stream;

add a new program guide entry associated with the new content stream; and

transmit the new encoded content stream and the new program guide entry to the plurality of display devices.