Program guide data distribution system with configurable queues
First Claim
1. A method for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers, comprising:
- forming a plurality of queues in a location separate from the local systems for the program guide data;
selectively changing the configuration of the queues; and
distributing the program guide data from the queues to the receivers using the local systems.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for distributing television program guide data from a main facility to set-top boxes or similar receivers via local television systems. Program guide data is placed in a number of selectively configurable queues. The configuration of the queues is determined by queue configuration data that may be supplied by the operator of the main facility. The operator can readily reconfigure the queues by altering the queue configuration data. Program guide data from the queues may be distributed to the receivers using multiple feed generators, each of which distributes program guide data to receivers with different addresses. The feed generators determine which receivers are busy processing recently transmitted data, so that data may be directed toward receivers that are not currently busy.
173 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers, comprising:
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forming a plurality of queues in a location separate from the local systems for the program guide data; selectively changing the configuration of the queues; and distributing the program guide data from the queues to the receivers using the local systems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers, comprising:
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means located separate from the local systems for forming a plurality of queues for the program guide data; means for selectively changing the configuration of the queues; and means for distributing the program guide data from the queues to the receivers using the local systems. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers, comprising:
a queue generator in a location separate from the local systems that forms a plurality of queues for the program guide data, wherein; the configuration of the queues is selectively changeable; and the program guide data is distributed from the queues to the receivers using the local systems. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers without processing the program guide data substantially in the local systems, comprising:
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means for forming a plurality of feed generator queues for program guide data records; means for locating a high priority feed generator queue; means for locating a given data record to be transmitted from the high priority feed generator queue while avoiding data records with addresses corresponding to receivers that are busy; means for constructing a message from other data records with the same address as the given data record; means for transmitting the message to receivers having the address of the given data record; and means for determining how long those receivers will be busy processing the transmitted message using information about the contents of the transmitted message.
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41. A method for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers without processing the program guide data substantially in the local systems, comprising:
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forming a plurality of feed generator queues for program guide data records; locating a high priority feed generator queue; locating a given data record to be transmitted from the high priority feed generator queue while avoiding data records with addresses corresponding to receivers that are busy; constructing a message from other data records with the same address as the given data record; transmitting the message to receivers having the address of the given data record; and determining how long those receivers will be busy processing the transmitted message using information about the contents of the transmitted message.
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42. A system for distributing program guide data from a main facility through local systems to a plurality of receivers without processing the program guide data substantially in the local systems, comprising:
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a feed generator for forming a plurality of feed generator queues for program guide data records, wherein the feed generator; locates a high priority feed generator queue; locates a given data record to be transmitted from the high priority feed generator queue while avoiding data records with addresses corresponding to receivers that are busy; constructs a message from other data records with the same address as the given data record; transmits the message to receivers having the address of the given data record; and determines how long those receivers will be busy processing the transmitted message using information about the contents of the transmitted message.
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Specification