Method and system for updating programming listing data for a broadcasting system

• US 9,485,536 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaudhry, Kapil
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhong, Jun Fei
• Application Number:
  US12/203,760
• Time in Patent Office: 2,981 Days
• Field of Search: 725/48, 725/50, 725/39
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• 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 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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

A method and system for processing listing data includes a listing system having a listing database associated therewith, an external data source communicating station data, external schedule data and external program data to a listing system and an internal source communicating internal program data to the listing system. The listing system stores the station data, external schedule data and external program data and the internal program data in the database. The listing system communicates the listing data to other systems using the listing data such as a program guide system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

electronically communicating station data, schedule data and program data from an event scheduler to a listing system;

electronically communicating guide channel data from a guide channel manager separate from the event scheduler to the listing system;

electronically communicating broadcast channel attribute data and a broadcast operation channel to guide channel mapping to the listing system;

electronically forming a listing database from the guide channel data, the broadcast channel attribute data, the broadcast operation channel to guide channel mapping, the station data, the schedule data and the program data; and

electronically communicating listing data from the listing database to an external system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises pushing the listing data to the external system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises pushing the listing data to the external system periodically.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises pulling the listing data to the external system from the listing system.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises communicating a change in the listing data to the external system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to communicating the listing data, communicating an update notification to the external system.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising generating an update request at an external system in response to the update notification and wherein communicating the listing data comprises communicating the listing data in response to the update notification.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises communicating the listing data to a program guide web service and communicating the listing data from the program guide web service to a partner service provider.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises communicating the listing data to a program guide system, and further comprising communicating the listing data from the program guide system to a user device.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the listing data comprises communicating the listing data to a program guide system, and further comprising communicating the listing data from the program guide system to a user device through a satellite.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating internal program data and internal schedule data to the listing system and wherein forming the listing database comprises forming the listing database from the guide channel data, the broadcast channel attribute data, the broadcast operation channel to guide channel mapping, the station data, the schedule data, the program data, the internal program data and the internal schedule data.

12. A system comprising:

a primary service provider comprising a listing system and an internal source;

said listing system having a listing database associated therewith;

an external data source external to the primary service provider communicating station data, external schedule data and external program data to the listing system;

said internal source communicating internal program data to the listing system from within the primary service provider; and

said listing system storing the station data, the external schedule data, the external program data and the internal program data in the listing database.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the internal source communicates broadcast channels to the listing system, said listing system forming the listing database from the broadcast channels.

14. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the internal source communicates guide channel data to the listing database, said listing system forming the listing database from the guide channel data.

15. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a listing consumer receiving the listing data from the listing database.

16. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the listing consumer comprises a program guide web service, said program guide web service in communication with a partner service provider.

17. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the listing consumer comprises a program guide system, said program guide system in communication with a user device through a satellite.

18. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a notification service communicating a change notice to the listing consumer in response to a change in the listing database.

19. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a consumer agent formatting the listing data for the listing consumer.