Multi-axis television navigation

• US 20050097606A1
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Scott, Thomas III, Barrett, Peter T., Sloo, David Hendler
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An exemplary multi-axis television navigation system defines television navigation axes according to attributes of television programs. In one implementation, if a television program has an attribute defining an axis, then the exemplary system links a predefined database query associated with the axis to metadata for the television program. When launched, the predefined query returns a sequence of navigable television programs having the attribute that defines the axis.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

selecting combinable navigation contexts for creating a navigable sequence of television programs;

logically combining the navigation contexts;

querying a database of television programming metadata for television program identifiers associated with the combined navigation contexts; and

presenting a sequence of television programs associated with the identifiers for navigation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the querying is performed by one or more predefined queries and each predefined query is associated with a combinable navigation context.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the predefined queries comprise predefined query strings.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein links for launching the one or more predefined queries are associated with television program content.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the television program content is included in a conventional broadcast television show.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the television program content is included in one of an on-demand television show or an on-demand television movie.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the television program content is included in television musical programming.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein a link is selectable while the television program content is playing.

9. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein links for launching the one or more predefined queries are associated with television program metadata.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein a link is selectable while the television program metadata is displayed.

11. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein navigation controls perform the navigating.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the navigation controls select one or more of the combinable navigation contexts.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using at least one of the combinable navigation contexts as a logical filter.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising logically combining with Boolean operators.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the Boolean operators are applied automatically based on an association between a link for launching a predefined query corresponding to a navigation context and the television program content associated with the link.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the Boolean operators are applied automatically based on an association between a link for launching a predefined query corresponding to a navigation context and the television program metadata associated with the link.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising navigating the sequence, wherein the navigating comprises using a navigation control to change from playing a currently playing program in the sequence to playing another program in the sequence.

18. A method, comprising:

defining a query for television programming metadata, wherein if the query is launched, then the query uses one or more attribute values from a television program context from which the query was launched to produce a list of television program identifiers associated with the one or more attribute values;

arranging the television programming metadata into a data structure wherein attribute values are associated with program identifiers; and

providing a user interface, wherein a navigation control selects whether to launch the query and if launched, designates one or more attribute values from the television program context.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the television program context is a television program currently being displayed.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the television program context is program guide information associated with a television program.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the television program context is an order form for ordering an on-demand television program.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising if the query is launched, then using the navigation control to access television programs associated with television program identifiers on the list.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising playing each television program in response to the navigation control accessing the television program.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising displaying program information for each television in response to the navigation control accessing the television program.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

pausing a first television program at a pause point in response to the navigation control accessing a second television program on the list; and

resuming the first television program at the pause point in response to the navigation control accessing the first television program.

26. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising defining multiple queries for television programming metadata, wherein multiple queries are capable of being logically combined.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the multiple queries are logically combined through Boolean logic operators.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the Boolean operators are designated by the television program context.

29. A multi-axis television navigation system, comprising:

a server for storing and accessing digital television programming content;

a navigation control for changing a currently playing television program to a television program provided by the server and for selecting links to launch predefined queries, wherein each predefined query queries a database based on a television program attribute and returns a navigation axis comprising a list of program identifiers of programs corresponding to a value for the television program attribute;

a means for storing television program metadata in a database,

a means for arranging the program metadata in a relational schema,

a means for defining and storing the pre-defined queries; and

a means for embedding links to the pre-defined queries in logically associated metadata for a currently playing television program.

30. The multi-axis television navigation system as recited in claim 29, further comprising a means logically combining multiple predefined queries.

31. The multi-axis television navigation system as recited in claim 30, further comprising a means for selecting more than one link in order to logically combine multiple predefined queries.

32. The multi-axis television navigation system as recited in claim 29, wherein the relational schema adheres at least in part to a global listings format.

33. A television navigation engine, comprising:

a database for television program metadata;

a query engine to find identifiers in the database corresponding to predefined queries, wherein a predefined query returns a navigational axis from the database, wherein a navigational axis is a list of identifiers of television programs;

a user interface to associate launch of one or more of the predefined queries with selection of one or more attributes of a currently playing television program or currently displayed metadata of the television program;

an axis cache to store the list of identifiers returned by one or more predefined queries; and

a navigation controller associated with the user interface to select the attributes launching the predefined queries and to play television programs corresponding to the identifiers on the list.

34. The television navigation engine as recited in claim 33, further comprising a combiner to combine selected attributes for launching multiple predefined queries.

35. The television navigation engine as recited in claim 34, wherein the navigation controller is on a remote controller.

36. A multi-axis database schema, comprising:

instructions for arranging a database of television programming metadata into indices facilitating predefined queries;

wherein one or more links contextually associated with one or more attributes of a television program call the predefined queries,

wherein the predefined queries return a list of identifiers from the database corresponding with one or more of the attributes,

wherein the identifiers correspond to television programs,

wherein the television programs on the list are played in turn as accessed by a television channel navigation means.

37. The multi-axis database schema as recited in claim 36, wherein the one or more attributes include one of:

type of program, program title, alphabetical order of title, year of release, channel, time, first air date, episode order, episode name, genre, actors, writer, director, producer, rating, sound characteristics, video characteristics, language, subtitles, closeness of match to search criteria, and popularity.

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

defining television navigation axes according to attributes of television programs;

linking a predefined database query for one of the axes to a television program having the attribute that defines the axis;

providing a database of television program identifiers associated with the attributes;

providing a means for selecting and launching the predefined database query, wherein the query returns a list of program identifiers of television programs having the attribute that defines the axis.

39. The one or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, further comprising instructions to cycle through playing the television programs on the list when a user uses a navigation controller for changing television channels.