Providing On-Demand and Broadcast Television

• US 20110239248A1
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
• Original Assignee: British Broadcasting Corporation
• Inventors: Greenham, Andrew, Murison, Jane, Still, Amelia, Gammon, Ben
• Application Number:
  US13/071,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20110239248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A television receiver apparatus is described. The television receiver apparatus comprises an input interface arranged to receive commands from a user, a communication interface arranged to send and receive data over a one-to-one communication network, a broadcast receiver arranged to receive data sent over a broadcast network, a display interface arranged to connect to a display device, and a processor. The processor controls the display device to display an electronic programme guide comprising a schedule of programmes currently being broadcast, programmes to be broadcast after the current time, and programmes previously broadcast in a time period prior to the current time. The processor receives a request to view a selected programme displayed in the electronic programme guide, retrieves the selected programme from the communication network if the selected programme was previously broadcast in the time period, and controls the display device to display the selected programme.

Claims

1. A television receiver apparatus, comprising:

an input interface arranged to receive commands from a user;

a communication interface arranged to send and receive data over a one-to-one communication network;

a broadcast receiver arranged to receive data sent over a broadcast network;

a display interface arranged to connect to a display device; and

a processor arranged to;

control the display device using the display interface to display an electronic programme guide comprising a schedule of programmes currently being broadcast, programmes to be broadcast after the current time, and programmes previously broadcast in a time period prior to the current time;

receive via the input interface a request to view a selected programme displayed in the electronic programme guide;

retrieve the selected programme from the communication network using the communication interface if the selected programme was previously broadcast in the time period; and

control the display device using the display interface to display the selected programme.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to retrieve the selected programme from the broadcast network using the broadcast receiver if the selected programme is currently being broadcast.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to determine whether the selected programme is available from the communication network if the selected programme is to be broadcast after the current time.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if the processor determines that the selected programme is available from the communication network, the processor is further arranged to the retrieve the selected programme from the communication network using the communication interface.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if the processor determines that the selected programme is not available from the communication network, the processor is further arranged to record the selected programme from the broadcast network using the broadcast receiver at its time of broadcast.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if the processor determines that the selected programme is not available from the communication network, the processor is further arranged to display a reminder message to the user at the time of broadcast of the selected programme.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a data storage device, and wherein the processor is further arranged to determine whether the selected programme is stored on the data storage device prior to retrieving the selected programme from the communication network.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to retrieve the electronic programme guide schedule from at least one of:

the broadcast network using the broadcast receiver; and

the communication network using the communication interface.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further arranged to render the electronic programme guide in tabular form for display on the display device.

10. A set-top box comprising the receiver apparatus of claim 1.

11. A television set comprising the receiver apparatus of claim 1.

12. A method of retrieving a television programme at a television receiver arranged to receive data sent over a broadcast network and send and receive data over a one-to-one communication network, comprising:

controlling a display device connected to the television receiver to display an electronic programme guide comprising a schedule of programmes currently being broadcast, programmes to be broadcast after the current time, and programmes previously broadcast in a time period prior to the current time;

receiving a user request to view a selected programme displayed in the electronic programme guide;

retrieving the selected programme from the communication network if the selected programme was previously broadcast in the time period; and

controlling the display device to display the selected programme.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of retrieving the selected programme from the broadcast network if the selected programme is currently being broadcast.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of determining whether the selected programme is available from the communication network if the selected programme is to be broadcast after the current time.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of retrieving the selected programme from the communication network if the step of determining determines that the selected programme is available from the communication network.

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of recording the selected programme from the broadcast network at its time of broadcast if the step of determining determines that the selected programme is not available from the communication network.

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying a reminder message to the user at the time of broadcast of the selected programme if the step of determining determines that the selected programme is not available from the communication network.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of determining whether the selected programme is stored on a data storage device at the television receiver prior to retrieving the selected programme from the communication network.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of retrieving the electronic programme guide schedule from at least one of the broadcast network, and the communication network.

20. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of renders the electronic programme guide in tabular form for display on a display device.