Methods, systems, and products for providing sample content

• US 9,860,599 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• 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: Huslak, Nicholas Steven, McQuaide, Jr., Arnold C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUFFIELD, JEREMY S
• Application Number:
  US11/156,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20060288398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,582 Days
• Field of Search: 725 38, 725 40, 725 41, 725 43, 725 46, 725100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and products provide sample content. One such device includes a processor that receives an electronic programming guide including a listing of available content. The processor also receives an ancillary stream of including samples of content listed in the electronic programming guide. The processor receives a subscriber input that selects a particular content from the electronic programming guide. The processor filters unselected samples of content from the ancillary stream of data to produce a sample of the selected particular content. The processor processes the sample as a video signal, thus producing a preview of the selected particular content.

Claims

1. A server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing code, the code when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

sending a programming guide to a media device, the programming guide comprising a listing of available content;

sending a single ancillary stream of data to the media device, the single ancillary stream of data comprising samples of content listed in the programming guide;

receiving a selection from the single ancillary stream of data, the selection sent from the media device and the selection requesting a sample of the samples of content in the single ancillary stream of data;

receiving a corresponding selection of content from the media device, the corresponding selection of content requesting content in the programming guide that corresponds to the sample selected from the single ancillary stream of data;

determining a common descriptor between the selection associated with the single ancillary stream of data and the corresponding selection of content requested in the programming guide;

filtering the single ancillary stream of data to remove the samples of content that fail to match the common descriptor;

sending a filtered ancillary stream of data to the media device, the filtered ancillary stream of data comprising remaining samples of content listed in the programming guide that remain after the filtering of the single ancillary stream of data to remove the samples of content that fail to match the common descriptor;

receiving a user input sent from the media device, the user input selecting one of the remaining samples of content for a preview from the filtered ancillary stream of data;

removing unselected samples of content from the filtered ancillary stream of data not selected for the preview; and

sending a remaining sample in the filtered ancillary stream of data to the media device as the preview.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a video as the remaining sample.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a future selection of future content in the programming guide.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a genre selection that limits genres of programming listed in the programming guide.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring how much of the remaining sample was received.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring how much of the content was received.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a textual description associated with the remaining sample.

8. A method for providing a preview, comprising:

sending, by a server, a programming guide to a media device, the programming guide comprising a listing of available content;

sending, by the server, a single ancillary stream of data to the media device, the single ancillary stream of data comprising samples of content listed in the programming guide;

receiving, at the server, a selection in the single ancillary stream of data, the selection sent from the media device, the selection requesting a delivery of a sample of the samples of content in the single ancillary stream of data;

receiving, at the server, a corresponding selection of content sent from the media device, the corresponding selection of content requesting a content listed in the programming guide that corresponds to the sample requested in the single ancillary stream of data;

determining, by the server, a common descriptor between the selection in the single ancillary stream of data and the corresponding selection of content listed in the programming guide;

filtering, by the server, the ancillary stream of data to remove the samples of content from the single ancillary stream of data that fail to match the common descriptor;

sending, by the server, a filtered ancillary stream of data to the media device, the filtered ancillary stream of data comprising remaining samples of content listed in the programming guide that remain after the filtering to remove the samples of content that fail to match the common descriptor;

receiving, by the server, a user input sent from the media device that selects a selected content from the programming guide for a preview;

removing, by the server, unselected samples of content from the filtered ancillary stream of data not selected for the preview; and

processing, by the server, one remaining sample in the filtered ancillary stream of data for display as the preview.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising retrieving a video as the one remaining sample.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising retrieving a textual description of the one remaining sample.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a future selection of future content listed in the programming guide.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising monitoring how much of the one remaining sample was received.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising monitoring how much of the selected content was received.

14. A memory device storing code that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

sending a programming guide from a server to a media device, the programming guide comprising a listing of available content;

sending a single ancillary stream of data from the server to the media device, the ancillary stream of data comprising samples of content listed in the programming guide;

receiving a selection from the single ancillary stream of data, the selection sent from the media device, the selection requesting one of the samples of content in the single ancillary stream of data;

receiving a corresponding selection of content sent from the media device, the corresponding selection of content requesting content from the programming guide that corresponds to the one of the samples of content;

determining a common descriptor between the selection from the single ancillary stream of data and the corresponding selection of content from the programming guide;

filtering the ancillary stream of data to remove the samples of content that fail to match the common descriptor;

sending a filtered ancillary stream of data from the server to the media device, the filtered ancillary stream of data comprising remaining samples of content listed in the programming guide that remain after the filtering to remove the samples of content that fail to match the common descriptor;

receiving a user input from the media device that selects one of the remaining samples of content for a preview from the programming guide;

removing by the server unselected samples of content from the filtered ancillary stream of data not selected for the preview; and

sending from the server one remaining sample in the filtered ancillary stream of data for display as the preview.

15. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise limiting bandwidth consumed by the ancillary stream of data.

16. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a user configuration that blocks objectionable content from the single ancillary stream of data.

17. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a user configuration that blocks an objectionable genre of content from the single ancillary stream of data.

18. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the single ancillary stream of data exceeds a maximum bit rate; and

prompting the media device to remove some of the samples of content listed in the programming guide to reduce bandwidth consumption.

19. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a user configuration that limits genres of the programming available in the single ancillary stream of data.

20. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the single ancillary stream of data exceeds a maximum bit rate available in a home network; and

prompting the media device to remove some of the samples of content listed in the programming guide to reduce bandwidth consumption in the home network.