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Television channel display device and method thereof

  • US 9,414,019 B2
  • Filed: 10/05/2007
  • Issued: 08/09/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • receiving, by a primary set-top box comprising a processor, a plurality of video streams from a media distribution system, wherein the primary set-top box has a bandwidth limitation so that only a limited number of video streams can be received, and wherein the plurality of video streams from the media distribution system do not exceed the bandwidth limitation of the primary set-top box;

    transmitting, by the primary set-top box, the plurality of video streams to a plurality of secondary set-top boxes;

    receiving, by the primary set-top box, a channel request from a first set-top box of the plurality of secondary set-top boxes;

    determining, by the primary set-top box, that fulfilling the channel request while transmitting the plurality of video streams would result in exceeding the bandwidth limitation of the primary set-top box;

    providing, by the primary set-top box, a first listing of the plurality of the video streams to the first set-top box plurality of secondary set top boxes responsive to determining that fulfilling the channel request would result in exceeding the bandwidth limitation, wherein the first listing comprises a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a show name field to identify a title of each of the plurality of video streams, a status field to indicate whether each of the plurality of video streams is being shown or recorded, and a control field comprising a control button for each of the plurality of video streams to selectively terminate one of the plurality of video streams, and wherein the graphical user interface presentsa thumbnail video stream for each of the plurality of video streams, and the channel request having a color that differs from each of the plurality of video streams to indicate that the channel request is not being transmitted to the primary set-top box;

    receiving, by the primary set-top box, a cancellation request from the first set-top box to cancel a first video stream of the plurality of video streams according to the first listing, wherein the cancellation request originates from a selection of the control button corresponding to the first video stream of the plurality of video streams;

    receiving, by the primary set-top box, security information from the first set-top in response to receiving the cancellation request;

    authenticating, by the primary set-top box, the security information associated with the cancellation request, wherein the cancelling of the transmitting of the first video stream is conditioned upon the authenticating;

    transmitting, by the primary set-top box, a message to at least one of the plurality of secondary set-top boxes indicating that the first video stream is going to be terminated;

    transmitting, by the primary set-top box, a termination request to an acquisition server to terminate transmission of the first video stream according to the cancellation request; and

    transmitting, by the primary set-top box, a new video stream associated with the channel request to the first set-top box in response to the termination of the first video stream.

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