Global listings format (GLF) for multimedia programming content and electronic program guide (EPG) information

• US 20040154039A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Simms, Andrew M., Scott, Samuel Thomas III
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

An exemplary global listings format (GLF) is metadata for electronically transferring multimedia programming content and electronic program guide information. The GLF metadata specifies a self-referential data structure having a self-consistency mechanism comprising interlocking and crosslocking data elements. The self-consistency mechanism ensures completeness and validity of transferred programming data. In one implementation, the exemplary GLF is expressed in an extensible markup language (XML) schema definition (XSD) specification.

Claims

1. A method of formatting multimedia programming data for electronic transfer, wherein the programming data has data elements comprising:

establishing a completeness and validity format for the data;

receiving data elements;

arranging the data elements according to the completeness and validity format.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the completeness and validity format interlocks data elements to achieve programming data completeness.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the programming data comprises listings data elements and lineup data elements.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein for each listings data element received the completeness and validity format interlocks associated listings data elements to achieve complete and valid listings data.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein for each lineup data element received the completeness and validity format interlocks associated lineup data elements to achieve complete and valid lineup data.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the completeness and validity format crosslocks lineup data elements to listings data elements to achieve data completeness and validity.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein for received listings data elements representing a multimedia program entity the completeness and validity format crosslocks enough lineup data elements to achieve a valid channel definition.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein a valid channel definition a description of a valid multimedia channel for airing the multimedia program entity in a given area.

9. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the completeness and validity format further interlocks a first listings data element with a second listings data element comprising one of a program role data element, a program name data element, a program value data element, a program map data element, a program category data element, a program flag data element, and a language translation data element.

10. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the completeness and validity format further interlocks a first listings data element with a second listings data element comprising one of a schedule flag data element and a schedule flag translation data element.

11. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the completeness and validity format further interlocks a first lineup data element with a second lineup data element comprising one of an area data element, a headend data element, and a channel lineup data element.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the arranging includes checking each received programming data elements for a valid format to achieve programming data validity.

13. A method for linking multimedia information for electronic transfer, comprising:

linking a first multimedia information field with a second multimedia information field, wherein if information is stored in the first information field, then information is required to be stored in the second information field;

receiving multimedia information; and

storing the multimedia information in the first and second information fields.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the first and second information fields may be any combination of listings information fields and lineup information fields.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein listings information fields can store program and schedule information elements, and lineup information fields can store location, headend, and channel lineup information elements.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising linking a first listings information field with a first lineup information field, wherein if listings information is stored in the first listings information field, then lineup information is required to be stored in the first lineup information field.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising linking the first listings information field with a second listings information field, wherein if information is stored in the first listings information field, then information is required to be stored in the second listings information field.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising linking the first lineup information field with a second lineup information field, wherein if information is stored in the first lineup information field, then information is required to be stored in the second lineup information field.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the linking uses extensible markup language schema definition (XML XSD) keys and keyref constraints.

20. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the linking uses a relational representation of a global listings format.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the multimedia information includes keys and foreign keys and the relational representation uses key and foreign key constraints.

22. A method for formatting multimedia programming information having listings elements and lineup elements according to a global listings format (GLF), wherein the GLF requires each listing element to be validated and linked with associated validated listings elements and linked with associated validated lineup elements to provide complete and valid programming information for an area, comprising:

receiving a listings element;

receiving associated listings elements and associated lineup elements to link to the listings element;

if the associated listings and lineup elements are missing, then prompting for the associated listings and lineup elements;

validating the listings element, the associated listings elements, and the associated lineup elements; and

linking the associated listings elements and the associated lineup elements with the listings element according to the GLF.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein an area is a geographical and/or geopolitical region.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein an area is a region characterized by specific languages spoken in the region.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein an area is a region characterized by specific multimedia programming channels available in the region.

26. A method of creating a self-consistent data structure for transferring multimedia programming data, comprising:

creating listings information elements;

creating lineup information elements; and

linking logically related listings information elements with each other and with logically related lineup information elements to create the self-consistent data structure.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the linking further comprises linking logically related lineup information elements with each other.

28. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising linking listings information elements with lineup information elements to consistently describe valid channels in given geographical and geopolitical areas for multimedia program entities.

29. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising preventing invalid representation of information elements data by checking the form of the information elements.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising using a pre-established information element format having allowed information element forms and allowed data types.

31. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the self-consistent data structure uses extensible markup language schema definition (XML XSD) keys and keyref constraints.

32. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the self-consistent data structure is expressed as a relational representation of a global listings format.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the relational representation uses key and foreign key constraints.

34. A method for arranging multimedia program content having program information elements, channel information elements, and headend information elements, comprising:

establishing rules for relating the program information elements with both the channel information elements and the headend information elements to create consistently structured data; and

relating the program information elements with the channel information elements and the headend information elements according to the rules to create the consistently structured data.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising electronically transferring the multimedia program content, comprising:

sending the consistently structured data to a recipient; and

verifying the accuracy and validity of the program information elements, the channel information elements, and the headend information elements using the rules.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the multimedia program content is arranged according to an extensible markup language schema definition (XML XSD), and the rules include one or more keys and keyref constraints placed in the schema to verify that each of the program information elements, each of the channel information elements, and each of the headend information elements are present and valid.

37. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the multimedia program content is arranged according to a relational representation of a global listings format.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein the information elements include keys and foreign keys and the relational representation expresses key and foreign key constraints.

39. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising relating the program information elements, the channel information elements, and the headend information elements with schedule information elements, lineup information elements, and location information elements according to the rules.

40. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a first data field containing data representing a listings element of a multimedia program; and

a second data field containing data representing a lineup element of the multimedia program logically related to the listings element, wherein the lineup element is at least part of information required to establish a valid channel definition for airing the multimedia program in a given region.

41. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure as recited in claim 40, further comprising a third field containing data representing metadata for deciding if the lineup element is sufficient to establish the valid channel definition and for adding additional lineup elements to data fields of the data structure if the lineup element is not sufficient.

42. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure as recited in claim 40, wherein the data structure is created in sections having required fields and the metadata further comprises data structure completeness and validity information, wherein if a section of the data structure is created then data must be stored in each required field in the created section of the data structure.

43. A global listings format for electronic program guide information, comprising:

listings data fields, wherein at least some of the listings data fields are interlocked with each other; and

lineup data fields crosslocked with the listings data fields, wherein at least some of the lineup data fields are interlocked with each other.

44. The global listings format as recited in claim 43, further comprising a self-consistency mechanism.

45. The global listings format as recited in claim 44, wherein the self-consistency mechanism includes extensible markup language keys and keyref constraints.

46. A data file engine for producing multimedia programming arranged in a completeness-and-validity format, wherein the multimedia programming includes listings data elements and lineup data elements, comprising:

a store of completeness-and-validity metadata;

a listings data element interlocker communicatively coupled with the store of completeness-and-validity metadata;

a lineup data element interlocker communicatively coupled with the store of completeness-and-validity metadata; and

a listings and lineup data elements crosslocker communicatively coupled with the listings data element interlocker, the lineup data element interlocker, and the store of completeness-and-validity metadata.

47. The data file engine as recited in claim 46, further comprising a listings data inputter and a lineup data inputter.

48. The data file engine as recited in claim 47, wherein the listings data inputter and the lineup data inputter perform validity checks on the listings data elements and the lineup data elements.

49. A system for electronically transferring multimedia programming content, comprising:

metadata describing complete and valid multimedia programming; and

a data file engine having access to the metadata to produce a data file having substantially complete and valid multimedia programming information.

50. The system as recited in claim 49, wherein the data file engine further comprises one or more interlockers to link logically related data elements of the multimedia programming content according to the metadata.

51. The system as recited in claim 49, wherein the data file engine further comprises a crosslocker to link listings elements of the multimedia programming with lineup elements of the multimedia programming.

52. A global listings format (GLF) data file for transferring multimedia programming content, comprising:

an expandable multimedia programming listings component; and

an expandable multimedia programming lineup component.

53. The GLF data file as recited in claim 52, further comprising an expandable data type definitions component.

54. The GLF data file as recited in claim 53, wherein each of the GLF data file and the components are XML schema definition (XSD) files.

55. One or more computer readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to perform actions comprising:

receiving a first listings element from multimedia programming information having listings elements and lineup elements;

receiving additional listings elements and lineup elements associated with the first listings element;

validating the listings and lineup elements; and

linking the additional listings elements and lineup elements with the first listings element in a data structure.

56. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 55, the actions further comprising:

using completeness and validity metadata to expand the data structure by receiving subsequent listings elements and linking related listings and lineup elements with the subsequent listings elements.

57. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 55, wherein the validating further comprises verifying data types of the listings elements and the lineup elements.

58. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata, comprising:

rules for consistently formatting multimedia programming data; and

rules for achieving completeness of the multimedia programming data.

59. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 58, wherein the rules for consistently formatting multimedia programming data further comprise instructions to interlock a first listings data element with a second related listings data element.

60. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 58, wherein the rules for consistently formatting multimedia programming data further comprise instructions to interlock a first lineup data element with a second related lineup data element.

61. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 58, wherein the rules for consistently formatting multimedia programming data further comprise instructions to crosslock a first listings data element with a first related lineup data element.

62. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 58, further comprising rules for accounting for each element of multimedia programming data.

63. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 62, further comprising instructions to refer to each element of multimedia programming data.

64. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 58, further comprising rules for validating each element of multimedia programming data.

65. The computer-readable medium having stored thereon metadata as recited in claim 58, wherein the rules for achieving completeness of the multimedia programming data include rules for creating a data structure of multimedia programming data elements and completing a section of the data structure generated by the rules once a piece of the section has been generated by adding a data element according to the rules.