METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING AND DISPLAYING BROADBAND CONTENT AVAILABILITY USING INFORMATION RECEIVED THROUGH A SATELLITE

• US 20090031356A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharkey, Jeffrey L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,063,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26603 for automatically generating descriptors from content, e.g. when it is not made available by its provider, using content analysis techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A communication system 100 includes a content management system 221 determining broadband content availability, and a transport processing system 250 dividing the broadband content availability into broadband content availability packets. The transport processing system 250 communicates the broadband availability packets to a user device through a satellite 106 or 108.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining broadband content availability data;

dividing the broadband content availability data into broadband content availability packets; and

communicating the broadband availability packets to a user device through a satellite within a content stream.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating broadband content through a terrestrial network.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating communicating the broadband availability packets within program guide packets.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a screen display associated with a user device in response to the broadband availability packets.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 selecting a selection from the screen display with the user device.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising communicating the selection to a content processing system through a terrestrial network.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising communicating content corresponding to the selection to the user device through the terrestrial network.

8. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising communicating content corresponding to the selection to the user device through the satellite.

9. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising communicating content corresponding to the selection to the user device through a cable connection.

10. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising communicating content corresponding to the selection to the user device through a broadband connection.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a digital video recorder.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the broadband content availability data comprises metadata.

14. A method comprising:

generating metadata corresponding to broadband content;

communicating the metadata to a user device through the satellite;

selecting a selection at a user device corresponding to a first broadband content in response to the metadata;

communicating the selection to a content source; and

communicating the first broadband content to the user device.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the metadata comprises a broadband content description.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the metadata comprises broadband content graphics.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the metadata comprises a decryption key.

18. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the metadata comprises a video preview for the broadband content.

19. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the metadata a network descriptor.

20. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the metadata comprises a broadband content description, broadband content graphics, decryption key, video preview for the broadband content and a network descriptor.

21. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising generating a screen display in response to the metadata.

22. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising prior to generating a screen display, determining subscription data.

23. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising when the user device is not subscription enabled, generating a display not including the metadata.

24. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein communicating the selection comprises communicating the selection through a terrestrial network.

25. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein communicating the first broadband content comprises communicating the first broadband content through a terrestrial network.

26. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein communicating the first broadband content comprises communicating the first broadband content through a satellite.

27. A communication system comprising:

a satellite;

a user device;

a content management system determining broadband content availability data; and

a transport processing system communicating the broadband availability data to the user device through the satellite.

28. A communication system as recited in claim 27 wherein the user device forms a selection corresponding to a first broadband content in response to the metadata.

29. A communication system as recited in claim 27 further comprising a terrestrial network communicating the selection to a content source.

30. A communication system as recited in claim 27 wherein the satellite communicates the first broadband content to the user device.

31. A communication system as recited in claim 27 wherein a terrestrial network communicates the first broadband content to the user device.

32. A system as recited in claim 27 further comprising a cable connection communicating the first broadband content corresponding to the selection to the user device.

33. A system as recited in claim 27 further comprising a broadband connection communicating the first broadband content corresponding to the selection to the user device.

34. A system as recited in claim 27 wherein the user device has a display associated therewith, said user device generating a screen display in response to the broadband availability data.

35. A system as recited in claim 27 wherein the user device comprises a digital video recorder.

36. A system as recited in claim 27 wherein the user device comprises a satellite television set top box.

37. A system as recited in claim 27 wherein the user device selects a selection corresponding to a first broadband content from the screen display, and further comprising a content processing system receiving the selection and communicating the first broadband content to the user device.

38. A system as recited in claim 37 wherein the satellite communicates the first broadband content through the satellite.

39. A system as recited in claim 37 wherein the satellite communicates the first broadband content through the terrestrial network.