System and method of providing television content

• US 20060184991A1
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Schlamp, Michael, Crabb, Larry L.
• Application Number:
  US11/057,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184991A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/120
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27

Abstract

A method of providing television content includes receiving a channel selection at a television and determining whether the selected channel is provided within a user-defined multi-channel analog stream from a set top box. The multi-channel analog stream can include one hundred and twenty five user selected channels. Further, the user-defined multi-channel analog stream is created from a digital satellite signal. The television can be tuned to the channel after determining that the channel is provided within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream. The method includes determining whether the television is serviced by the set top box. A satellite signal is decoded for the channel at the set top box after determining that the channel is not provided within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream and after determining that the television is serviced by the set top box. A single channel signal associated with the channel can be transmitted to the television.

Claims

1. A method of providing television content, the method comprising:

receiving a channel selection at a television; and

determining whether a channel identified by the channel selection is provided within a user-defined multi-channel analog stream from a set top box.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising tuning the television to the channel after determining that the channel is provided within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether the television is serviced by the set top box.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising decoding a satellite signal for the channel at the set top box after determining that the channel is not provided within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream and after determining that the television is serviced by the set top box.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting a single channel signal associated with the channel to the television for the channel.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising indicating that the channel is unavailable after determining that the channel is not provided within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream and after determining that the television is not serviced by the set top box.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-channel analog stream includes one hundred and twenty five user selected channels.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user-defined multi-channel analog stream is created from a digital satellite signal.

9. A method of providing digital content and analog television content from a set top box, the method comprising:

receiving a satellite signal; and

converting a group of selected channels within the satellite signal into a multi-channel analog stream based on a group of channels selected by a user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting a user-defined multi-channel analog stream to one or more televisions connected to the set top box.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a channel selection at a television.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising tuning the television to a selected channel when the selected channel is within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising decoding the satellite signal for the selected channel after determining that the selected channel is not within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream to yield a single channel signal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the single channel signal to a television that is configured to receive content from the set top box.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising indicating that a selected channel is unavailable when the selected channel is not within the user-defined multi-channel analog stream and when the television is not configured to receive all content from the set top box.

16. A video system, comprising:

a first television;

a second television;

a set top box coupled to the first television and the second television, wherein the set top box transmits a single channel signal and a user-defined multi-channel analog stream to the first television and wherein the set top box transmits the user-defined multi-channel analog stream to the second television.

17. The video system of claim 16, further comprising a processor, a memory accessible to the processor, and a computer program embedded within the memory, the computer program including instructions to present a channel selection menu to a user.

18. The video system of claim 17, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to receive a selected group of channels from a user.

19. The video system of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to convert the selected group of channels within a digital channel signal to the user-defined multi-channel analog stream.

20. The video system of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to inject the user-defined multi-channel analog stream into a cable distribution system at a user location.