System for presenting media programs

• US 9,733,810 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US15/044,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20160162257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may use, for example, a method for sending a set-top box an identification of the media player, receiving operational instructions from the set-top box according to the emulator executed by the set-top box that emulates a user interface of the media player by presenting a representation of the media player in a graphical user interface, and transmitting media content to the set-top box according to the operational instructions. The emulator can be supplied to the set-top box by way of a multimedia system communicatively coupled to the set-top box. The user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator substantially mimics functions of the media player. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing first executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform operations comprising;

receiving a request for an emulator to simulate a user interface of a media player, wherein the user interface of the media player is physically integrated in the media player, wherein the user interface of the media player comprises a first portion on a first surface of the media player and a second portion on a second surface of the media player, wherein the first surface comprises one of a top surface, a bottom surface, a font surface, a rear surface, a right side surface and a left side surface, and wherein the second surface comprises a different one of the top surface, the bottom surface, the font surface, the rear surface, the right side surface and the left side surface;

responsive to receiving the request, obtaining second executable instructions of the emulator; and

providing the second executable instructions of the emulator to a media processor to enable the media processor to present a simulated image of the user interface of the media player for controlling operations of the media player without utilizing the user interface that is physically integrated in the media player, wherein the simulated image of the user interface provides, as a two-dimensional presentation, the first portion of the user interface of the media player from the first surface and the second portion of the user interface of the media player from the second surface;

wherein the media processor presents the simulated image of the user interface at a first display device coupled to the media processor or a second display device of a remote controller that controls operations of the media processor; and

wherein the media processor is configured to detect user-generated input applied to the simulated image of the user interface of the media player to control operations of the media player.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the media player is configured to present audio media, moving image media, still image media or a combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the media processor comprises a set-top box.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a server.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second executable instructions of the emulator are stored in a database accessible by the device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the second executable instructions of the emulator are obtained from a memory element of the media player.

7. A media processor, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing executable first instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform operations, comprising;

obtaining second instructions for emulating a media player, the media player including a user interface for operating the media player, the user interface being integrally part of the media player, wherein the user interface of the media player comprises a first portion on a first surface of the media player and a second portion on a second surface of the media player, wherein the first surface comprises one of a top surface, a bottom surface, a font surface, a rear surface, a right side surface and a left side surface, and wherein the second surface comprises a different one of the top surface, the bottom surface, the font surface, the rear surface, the right side surface and the left side surface;

responsive to executing the second instructions for emulating the media player, presenting a simulated image of the user interface of the media player at a first display device coupled to the media processor or a second display device of a remote controller that controls operations of the media processor, wherein the simulated image of the user interface mimics functions of the user interface that is integrally part of the media player, wherein the simulated image of the user interface is provided as a two-dimensional presentation, wherein the two-dimensional presentation comprises the first portion of the user interface of the media player from the first surface, and wherein the two-dimensional presentation comprises the second portion of the user interface of the media player from the second surface;

detecting user-generated input applied to the simulated image of the user interface to control an operation of the media player; and

controlling the operation of the media player according to the user-generated input.

8. The media processor of claim 7, wherein the second instructions for emulating the media player are obtained from the media player.

9. The media processor of claim 7, wherein the second instructions for emulating the media player are obtained from a system remote to the media processor.

10. The media processor of claim 7, further comprising a communications interface for coupling to the media player.

11. The media processor of claim 10, wherein the media player presents audio content at an audio system coupled to the media processor responsive to receiving control information from the media processor, the control information being generated by the media processor according to the user-generated input.

12. The media processor of claim 10, wherein the media player presents image content at the first display device coupled to the media processor or the second display device of the remote controller responsive to receiving control information from the media processor, the control information being generated by the media processor according to the user-generated input.

13. The media processor of claim 10, wherein the communications interface enables the media processor to wirelessly communicate with the media player and control operations of the media player.

14. The media processor of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise obtaining an identification of an emulator for presenting the simulated image of the user interface of the media player.

15. The media processor of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the identification to obtain the second instructions for emulating the media player.

16. A method, comprising:

determining, by a system comprising a processor, an identification of a media player, the media player including a user interface integrally part of the media player for controlling operations of the media player, wherein the user interface of the media player comprises a first portion on a first surface of the media player, wherein the user interface of the media player comprises a second portion on a second surface of the media player, wherein the first surface comprises one of a top surface, a bottom surface, a font surface, a rear surface, a right side surface and a left side surface, wherein the second surface comprises one of the top surface, the bottom surface, the font surface, the rear surface, the right side surface and the left side surface, and wherein the first surface is a different surface than the second surface;

obtaining, by the system, executable instructions of an emulator for presenting a simulated image of the user interface of the media player;

responsive to performing the executable instructions of the emulator, presenting, by the system, the simulated image of the user interface of the media player, wherein the simulated image of the user interface mimics one or more functions of the user interface of the media player, and wherein the simulated image of the user interface provides, as a two-dimensional presentation, the first portion of the user interface of the media player from the first surface and the second portion of the user interface of the media player from the second surface;

detecting, by the system, user-generated input applied to the simulated image of the user interface; and

controlling, by the system, operations of the media player according to the user-generated input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the executable instructions of the emulator are obtained from the media player.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling operations of the media player comprises:

detecting according to the user-generated input a request for audio content from the media player; and

submitting a request to the media player to present the audio content at a presentation device coupled to the system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling operations of the media player comprises:

detecting according to the user-generated input a request for image content from the media player; and

submitting a request to the media player to present the image content at a presentation device coupled to the system.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting, by the system, an identification of the emulator to obtain the executable instructions of the emulator.