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

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Marc A., Edwards, Gregory, Pearl, Joan
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khalid, Omer
• Application Number:
  US11/868,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,231 Days
• Field of Search: 725 86-104, 725/2, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151, 348/725
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17363 at or near the user terminal

Abstract

An Internet Protocol television system includes a set-top box that receives requests to display video streams being transmitted to a household. In response to the request, the set-top box provides a list of the video streams to a display device. The list includes options to terminate transmission of one or more of the streams. This allows a user to determine which video streams should be transmitted when bandwidth limitations are reached.

Claims

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 presents

a 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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprise transmitting, by the primary set-top box, an alternate video stream to at least one of the plurality of secondary set-top boxes in response to the termination of the first video stream.

3. A device comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving, by a primary media device comprising a second processor, a plurality of video streams from a media distribution system, wherein the primary media device 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 does not exceed the bandwidth limitation of the primary media device;

transmitting, by the primary media device, the plurality of video streams to a plurality of secondary media devices;

receiving, by the primary media device, a channel request from a first media device of the plurality of secondary media devices;

determining, by the primary media device, that fulfilling the channel request while transmitting the plurality of video streams would result in exceeding the bandwidth limitation of the primary media device;

providing, by the primary media device, a first listing of the plurality of the video streams to the first media device 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 presents a 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 media device;

receiving, by the primary media device, a cancellation request from the first media device 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 media device, security information from the first media device in response to receiving the cancellation request;

authenticating, by the primary media device, the security information associated with the cancellation request, wherein cancelling of the transmitting of the first video stream is conditioned upon the authenticating;

transmitting, by the primary media device, a message to at least one of the plurality of secondary media devices indicating that the first video stream is going to be terminated;

transmitting, by the primary media device, 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 media device, a new video stream associated with the channel request to the first media device in response to termination of the first video stream.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the plurality of secondary media devices is selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, a personal computer, set-top box, and a personal digital assistant.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, by the primary media device, an alternate video stream to at least one of the plurality of secondary media devices in response to the termination of the first video stream.

6. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a primary media device comprising a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving a plurality of video streams from a media distribution system, wherein the primary media device 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 does not exceed the bandwidth limitation of the primary media device;

transmitting the plurality of video streams to a plurality of secondary media devices;

receiving a channel request from a first media device of the plurality of secondary media devices;

determining that fulfilling the channel request while transmitting the plurality of video streams would result in exceeding the bandwidth limitation of the primary media device;

providing a first listing of the plurality of the video streams to the first media device 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 presents a 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 media device;

receiving a cancellation request from the first media device 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 security information from the first media device in response to receiving the cancellation request;

authenticating 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 a message to at least one of the plurality of secondary media devices indicating that the first video stream is going to be terminated;

transmitting a termination request to an acquisition server to terminate transmission of the first video stream according to the cancellation request; and

transmitting a new video stream associated with the channel request to the first media device in response to the termination of the first video stream.

7. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the plurality of secondary media devices is selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, a personal computer, set-top box, and a personal digital assistant.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, by the primary media device, an alternate video stream to at least one of the plurality of secondary media devices in response to the termination of the first video stream.