Data structure and methods for providing an interactive program guide

• US 6,584,153 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DIVA Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Edmonds, Jeremy S., Gordon, Donald F., Bayrakeri, Sadik, Ludvig, Edward A., Comito, John P., Gershtein, Eugene, Wild, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims S.
• Application Number:
  US09/293,535
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/36, 725/41, 725/42, 725/87, 725/91, 725/38, 725/32, 725/144, 725/90, 725/43, 725/66, 725/68, 375/240.13, 375/240.01, 375/240.28, 348/385.1, 348/423.1, 348/425.4, 348/584, 348/564, 348/565, 348/588
• US Class Current: 375/240.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/577 Motion compensation with bidirectional frame interpolation, i.e. using B-pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A data structure suited to efficiently representing a plurality of image streams including common and non-common portions. Specifically, a plurality of similar group of picture (GOP) data structures representing the corresponding plurality of image streams including common and non-common portions is adapted to provide a first encoded stream comprising only P-picture and B-picture access units of one of the similar GOP data structures, and a corresponding plurality of encoded streams comprising only respective I-picture access units of the similar GOP data structures. In this manner, the redundant P-picture and B-picture access units within the encoded streams are eliminated, thereby greatly reducing the bandwidth or memory resources needed to transmit or store the plurality of image streams.

Claims

1. A method for providing a plurality of video streams having common predictive-coded information, comprising:

providing a plurality of video streams;

encoding the video streams;

isolating first intra-coded information and the predictive-coded information from a first video stream of the video streams;

isolating a second intra-coded information from a second video stream of the video streams;

packetizing the first intra-coded information, the second intra-coded information and the predictive-coded information; and

multiplexing the first intra-coded information, the second intra-coded information and the predictive-coded information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising buffering the first intra-coded information, the second intra-coded information and the predictive-coded information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said encoding is performed substantially in compliance with MPEG.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said multiplexing produces an output stream comprising a program stream substantially in compliance with MPEG.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said multiplexing produces an output stream comprising a transport stream substantially in compliance with MPEG.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said multiplexing produces an output stream, said second encoded video stream being retrieved from said output stream according to the steps of:

demultiplexing said output stream to retrieve intra-coded information of said second encoded video stream and predictive coded information of said first encoded video stream; and

arranging retrieved intra-coded information of said second encoded video stream and predictive coded information of said first encoded video stream to form an encoded video stream representative of said second video stream.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

decoding said encoded video stream representative of said second video stream to produce imagery associated with said second video stream.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said video streams are encoded using a common profile to provide an ensemble of encoded video signals.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said common profile includes a common timing signal such that said encoded video streams are formed in a synchronized manner.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said imagery represented by said first and second video streams comprises imagery supportive of an electronic program guide.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said imagery supportive of an electronic program, guide comprises a program guide screen including at least a first guide region and a second guide region;

said first guide region including relatively static imagery and occupying a first portion of said program guide screen; and

said second guide region including relatively dynamic imagery independent of the still imagery and occupying a second portion of said program guide screen;

wherein said output stream comprises intra-coded information representing at least said relatively static imagery and predictive information representing relatively dynamic imagery.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said isolating further comprises isolating intra-coded information from at least one additional video stream within said plurality of video streams;

said packetizing further comprises packetizing the intra-coded information associated with said from at least one additional video stream within said plurality of video streams; and

said multiplexing further comprises multiplexing said intra-coded information associated with said from at least one additional video stream.