Automatic on-demand navigation based on meta-data broadcast with media content

• US 10,390,093 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Music Choice
• Original Assignee: Music Choice
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Jeremy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Montoya, Oschta I
• Application Number:
  US15/670,613
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

A method for enabling a user to easily select and consume on-demand content is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method is performed by a communication device and includes the following steps: (1) receiving meta-data received by a set-top-box from a head-end system; (2) in response to receiving the meta-data, obtaining information associated with the received meta-data; (3) displaying one or more on-demand options in response to obtaining the information associated with the meta-data; (4) receiving user input indicating a user of the communication device has selected one of the displayed on-demand options; and (5) in response to receiving the user input, causing the set-top-box to (i) tune to an on-demand channel or (ii) display an on-demand menu.

Claims

1. In a system comprising:

(a) a set-top-box receiving data broadcast from a remote head-end system comprising a server and (b) a communication device located near the set-top-box, wherein the data broadcast by the head-end system comprises audio and/or video data (audio/video data) corresponding to a particular media content item, a method performed by the communication device, comprising;

receiving, at the communication device, a music genre identifier transmitted by the set-top-box, wherein the set-top-box automatically transmitted the music genre identifier in response to receiving a signal containing the music genre identifier regardless of whether a user of the communication device has performed any operation;

in response to receiving the music genre identifier, the communication device obtaining information associated with the received music genre identifier, wherein obtaining the information associated with the received music genre identifier comprises the communication device transmitting to a server a request message comprising the music genre identifier and the communication device receiving from the server, in response to the request message, the information associated with the received music genre identifier, wherein the information associated with the received music genre identifier comprises a plurality of music video identifiers, wherein each of the plurality of music video identifiers identifies music video associated with the music genre identified by the music genre identifier;

the communication device displaying the plurality of music video identifier in response to obtaining the information associated with the music genre identifier;

the communication device receiving user input indicating a user of the communication device has selected one of the displayed music video identifiers; and

the communication device causing the set-top-box to tune to an on-demand channel, which is not a linear channel, in response to receiving the user input indicating that the user has selected one of the music video identifiers displayed by the communication device, wherein

the step of the communication device causing the set-top-box to tune to an on-demand channel comprises;

the communication device transmitting to the server of the remote head-end system a message comprising information for identifying the set-top-box and the selected music video identifier, wherein server is configured such that, in response to receiving the message, the server transmits to the set-top-box a command that causes the set-top-box to tune to the on-demand channel and unicasts to the set-top-box the music video identified by the selected music video identifier.