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Virtualizing user interface and set top box functionality while providing media over network

  • US 9,338,479 B2
  • Filed: 03/30/2015
  • Issued: 05/10/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system providing media over a network, the system comprising:

  • one or more servers deployed on the network and operable to manage operation of a plurality of virtual set top boxes (VSTBs) and virtual user interfaces (VUIs);

    one or more media servers deployed on the network and operable to make available to the VSTBs a plurality of digital media streams via the network; and

    a plurality of display devices coupled to the network;

    wherein the display devices cannot directly access and playback the digital media streams from the media servers;

    the one or more servers are operable to receive an alert via the network upon a user activating a display device at a start of a user session;

    the one or more servers are operable to allocate resources in order to instantiate both a VSTB and a VUI for the display device in response to receiving the alert, the VSTB connecting to the VUI via a first connection in order to receive graphical updates representing a graphical user interface as generated by the VUI, the VSTB further combining the graphical user interface with one or more of the digital media streams received from the media servers;

    the one or more servers are further operable to transmit the combined graphical user interface and the one or more media streams from the VSTB to the display device as a single media stream having a frame format and codec supported by the display device;

    the one or more servers are further operable to receive user input and provide the user input to the VUI via a second connection, at least some of the user input representing interaction of the user with a representation of the graphical user interface as shown on the display device;

    the one or more servers are further operable to send updates of the graphical user interface as driven by the user input from the VUI to the VSTB via the first connection;

    the one or more servers are further operable to change media stream inputs to the VSTB such that the VSTB combines the graphical user interface with a different one or more of the digital media streams selected according to actions of the user interacting with the graphical user interface provided by the VUI; and

    the one or more servers are further operable to release the resources allocated for the VSTB and VUI when the user session is complete.

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