Method and apparatus for selection and presentation of media content

• US 9,402,105 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2012
• 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: Pratt, James, Crowe, Keith, Sullivan, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tesfaye, Aklil
• Application Number:
  US14/754,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, capturing from a plurality of media sources information describing a plurality of media content offered at the plurality of media sources, generating a plurality of exemplars of the plurality of media content offered at the plurality of media sources based on the information captured from the plurality of media sources, presenting the plurality of exemplars at a display, receiving a selection of a first exemplar of the plurality of exemplars, and presenting a portion of first media content associated with a first media source of the plurality of media sources associated with the first exemplar based on the information captured from the plurality of media sources responsive to the selection of the first exemplar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

scanning a plurality of inputs to detect a plurality of media sources that are communicatively coupled;

accessing a search term associated with a user profile for a user of the device, wherein the search term comprises one of a title of or an individual appearing in video content;

comparing the search term to media content information from the plurality of media sources;

identifying first video content of a first media source of the plurality of media sources, wherein the search term matches a first portion of first media content information that is associated with the first video content;

capturing a first media data stream associated with the first video content from the first media source of the plurality of media sources and a second media data stream from a second media source of the plurality of media sources;

generating a first exemplar for the first media source according to the first video content of the first media data stream and a second exemplar for the second media source according to second video content of the second media data stream;

transmitting the first exemplar and the second exemplar to a first media device for presentation at the first media device;

presenting the first exemplar and the second exemplar at the display;

receiving a selection of the first exemplar;

presenting first information associated with first media content in a pop-up window at the display responsive to the selection of the first exemplar;

presenting a preview portion of the first media content responsive to the selection of the first exemplar, wherein the preview portion of the first media content is based on the first media data stream;

receiving a first encoded data stream representing the first media content of the first media source responsive to the selection of the first exemplar;

decoding the first encoded data stream to generate a first presentation stream of the first media content;

presenting the first presentation stream at the display;

presenting second information associated viewing activities of members of a social network associated with the device in a status window of the display;

re-encoding the first presentation stream to generate an output presentation stream according to a characteristic of a communication device that is coupled to the device; and

transmitting the output presentation stream to the communication device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first exemplar comprises box art associated with the first media content.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first exemplar further comprises a screen capture associated with the first media content.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a request for the characteristic to the communication device; and

receiving the characteristic from the communication device, wherein the characteristic is associated with video reproduction, audio reproduction, data link speed, processing speed, or any combination thereof.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining first configuration information for the first media source according to signals from the first media source; and

configuring a first communication link of the first media source according to the first configuration information.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

capturing a second media stream from a home security system that is coupled to the device;

generating a home security exemplar according to the second media stream that is captured; and

presenting the home security exemplar at the display of the device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise capturing, from the communication device, second information associated with the characteristic.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first media device comprises one of the plurality of media sources and wherein the first exemplar is selected via the first media device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving third information associated with the plurality of media sources; and

parsing the third information to detect first metadata for the first video content of the first media source.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting third information associated with the first media content over a network.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a television.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of media sources comprises a set-top box device for receiving programming from a service provider and wherein the first exemplar comprises third information describing a program being received by the set-top box device from the service provider.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise accessing, at the user profile associated with the user of the device, the search term.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which, responsive to being executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

determining a plurality of first configurations according to signals of a plurality of media sources that are communicatively coupled to a television device, wherein one of the plurality of media sources comprises a set-top box device for receiving programming from a service provider;

enabling a plurality of communication links between the plurality of media sources and the television device according to the plurality of first configurations;

capturing, from the plurality of media sources that are communicatively coupled to the television device, first information that is descriptive of a plurality of media content that is offered at the plurality of media sources;

accessing a search term associated with a user profile for a user of the television device, wherein the search term comprises one of a title of or an individual appearing in video content;

comparing the search term to the first information that is descriptive of the plurality of media content;

identifying first video content of a first media source of the plurality of media sources, wherein the search term matches a first portion of the first information that is associated with the first video content;

capturing a first media data stream from the first media source of the plurality of media sources;

generating a plurality of exemplars of the plurality of media content offered at the plurality of media sources based on the first information captured from the plurality of media sources, wherein a first exemplar of the plurality of exemplars is generated according to first media data stream;

presenting the plurality of exemplars at a display of the television device;

receiving a selection of the first exemplar of the plurality of exemplars;

presenting second information associated with first media content in a pop-up window at the display responsive to the selection of the first exemplar;

presenting third information associated viewing activities of members of a social network associated with the television device in a status window of the display;

encoding a first media stream of the first media content of the first media source of the plurality of media sources associated with the first exemplar according to a presentation characteristic of a media device that is communicatively coupled to the television device; and

transmitting the first media stream to the media device for presentation at the media device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

capturing a second media stream from a home security system that is coupled to the television device;

generating a home security exemplar according to the second media stream that is captured; and

presenting the home security exemplar at the display of the television device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise capturing, from the media device, fourth information associated with the presentation characteristic of the media device, wherein the first media stream is encoded based on the second information associated with the presentation characteristic.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein one of the plurality of exemplars comprises second information describing a program being received by the set-top box device from the service provider.

18. A method, comprising:

capturing, by a system comprising a processor, first information from a plurality of media sources describing a plurality of media content offered at the plurality of media sources;

accessing, by the system, a search term associated with a user profile for a user of the system, wherein the search term comprises one of a title of or an individual appearing in video content;

comparing, by the system, the search term to the first information from the plurality of media sources;

identifying, by the system, first media content of a first media source of the plurality of media sources, wherein the search term matches a first portion of the first information that is associated with the first media content;

generating, by the system, a plurality of exemplars of the plurality of media content offered at the plurality of media sources based on the first information captured from the plurality of media sources, wherein a first exemplar of the plurality of exemplars comprises a screen capture from a first data stream that is associated with the first media content, wherein one of the plurality of exemplars comprises fourth information describing a program being received by a set-top box device from a service provider;

presenting, by the system, the plurality of exemplars at a display;

receiving, by the system, a selection of the first exemplar of the plurality of exemplars;

presenting, by the system, second information associated with the first media content in a pop-up window at the display responsive to the selection of the first exemplar;

presenting, by the system, third information associated viewing activities of members of a social network associated with the system in a status window of the display;

presenting, by the system, a portion of the first media content associated with the first media source of the plurality of media sources associated with the first exemplar based on the first information captured from the plurality of media sources responsive to the selection of the first exemplar;

receiving, by the system, a first encoded data stream representing the first media content from the first media source of the plurality of media sources responsive to the selection of the first exemplar;

decoding, by the system, the first encoded data stream to generate a first media stream of the first media content;

encoding, by the system, the first media stream according to a presentation characteristic of a media device that is communicatively coupled to the system; and

transmitting, by the system, the first media stream to the media device for presentation at the media device.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising presenting, by the system, the first media stream at the display.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein one of the plurality of media sources comprises a set-top box device for receiving programming from a service provider.