Provider-defined live multichannel viewing events
First Claim
1. A method for providing a multichannel viewing event, the method comprising:
- broadcasting, by a television service provider, a multichannel viewing event definition to a plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining;
a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event,a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable,the second start time of the multichannel viewing event,an end time of the multichannel viewing event, anda multichannel viewing event title, wherein the plurality of television channels comprises four or more distinct television channels;
storing, by a television receiver of the plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event;
comparing, by the television receiver, a current time with the second start time and the end time;
determining, by the television receiver, that the current time is within a time period defined by the second start time and the end time;
in response to the current time being determined to be between the second start time and the end time, providing, by the television receiver, as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG), a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein;
the multichannel viewing event title is presented in association with the single-selection option as part of the EPG; and
after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection;
receiving, by the television receiver, user input that selects the single-selection option;
in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, accessing, by the television receiver, the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event;
in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tuning one or more tuners of the television receiver based on the plurality of television channels defined in the definition of the multichannel viewing event; and
output a quad video stream that comprises live feeds of four television channels from the plurality of television channels, and, when presented by a display device, the quad video stream results in the live feeds of the four television channels being presented simultaneously.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various arrangements for providing a multichannel viewing event are presented. A definition of the multichannel viewing event may be broadcast to multiple television receivers. A television receiver may, as part of an electronic programming guide, provide a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the broadcast definition. In response to receiving user input that selects the single-selection option, the definition of the multichannel viewing event is accessed. One or more tuners of the television receiver may be tuned based on the television channels defined in the definition of the multichannel viewing event. A quad video stream that includes live feeds of four television channels may then be output to a display device for simultaneous presentation.
218 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for providing a multichannel viewing event, the method comprising:
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broadcasting, by a television service provider, a multichannel viewing event definition to a plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining; a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event, a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable, the second start time of the multichannel viewing event, an end time of the multichannel viewing event, and a multichannel viewing event title, wherein the plurality of television channels comprises four or more distinct television channels; storing, by a television receiver of the plurality of television receivers, the definition of the multichannel viewing event; comparing, by the television receiver, a current time with the second start time and the end time; determining, by the television receiver, that the current time is within a time period defined by the second start time and the end time; in response to the current time being determined to be between the second start time and the end time, providing, by the television receiver, as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG), a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein; the multichannel viewing event title is presented in association with the single-selection option as part of the EPG; and after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection; receiving, by the television receiver, user input that selects the single-selection option; in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, accessing, by the television receiver, the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event; in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tuning one or more tuners of the television receiver based on the plurality of television channels defined in the definition of the multichannel viewing event; and output a quad video stream that comprises live feeds of four television channels from the plurality of television channels, and, when presented by a display device, the quad video stream results in the live feeds of the four television channels being presented simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A television receiver for outputting a multichannel viewing event, the television receiver comprising:
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a plurality of tuners; one or more processors; and a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to; receive, via the plurality of tuners, a multichannel viewing event definition, the definition of the multichannel viewing event defining;
a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event, a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable, the second start time of the multichannel viewing event, an end time of the multichannel viewing event, and a multichannel viewing event title, wherein the plurality of television channels comprises four or more distinct television channels;cause the definition of the multichannel viewing event to be stored; compare a current time with the second start time and the end time; determine that the current time is within a time period defined by the second start time and the end time; in response to the current time being determined to be between the second start time and the end time, provide as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG), a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein; the multichannel viewing event title is presented in association with the single-selection option as part of the EPG; and after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection; receive user input that selects the single-selection option; in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, access the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event; in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tune one or more tuners of the plurality of tuners; and cause a quad high definition video stream to be output that comprises live feeds of four television channels from the plurality of television channels, such that, when presented by a display device, the quad video stream results in the live feeds of the four television channels being presented simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory processor-readable medium, comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors to:
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receive a multichannel viewing event definition transmitted to a plurality of television receivers, the definition of a multichannel viewing event defining;
a plurality of television channels to be included as part of the multichannel viewing event, a first start time after which, but prior to a second start time, the multichannel viewing event is presented as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG) but is unavailable, the second start time of the multichannel viewing event, an end time of the multichannel viewing event, and a multichannel viewing event title, wherein the plurality of television channels comprises four or more distinct television channels;cause the definition of the multichannel viewing event to be stored; compare a current time with the second start time and the end time; determine that the current time is within a time period defined by the second start time and the end time; in response to the current time being determined to be between the second start time and the end time, provide as part of an electronic programming guide (EPG), a single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition, wherein; the multichannel viewing event title is presented in association with the single-selection option as part of the EPG; and after the first start time but before the second start time, the single-selection option to activate the multichannel viewing event based on the multichannel viewing event definition is presented as part of the EPG but is not available for selection; receive user input that selects the single-selection option; in response to receiving the user input that selects the single-selection option, access the stored definition of the multichannel viewing event; in response to the user input and the accessed stored definition of the multichannel viewing event, tune one or more tuners of a plurality of tuners; and cause a quad high definition video stream to be output that comprises live feeds of four television channels from the plurality of television channels, such that each channel of the four television channels is output in high definition and, when presented by a display device, the quad high definition video streams results in the live feeds of the four television channels being presented simultaneously.
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Specification