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Global listings format (GLF) for multimedia programming content and electronic program guide (EPG) information

  • US 7,913,279 B2
  • Filed: 01/31/2003
  • Issued: 03/22/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method implemented on a computing device by a processor configured to execute instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the computing device to perform acts comprising:

  • formatting multimedia programming information having listing elements and lineup elements according to a global listings format (GLF), the GLF causing each listing element to be validated and linked with associated listings elements and linked with associated validated lineup elements to provide complete and valid programming information for an area;

    receiving a listings element from a first Independent Data Provider;

    receiving associated listings elements and associated lineup elements to link to the listings element from one or more second Independent Data Providers;

    prompting the one or more second Independent Data Providers for the associated listings elements and the associated lineup elements when the associated listings elements and the associated lineup elements are missing, according to the GLF;

    validating the listings element, the associated listings elements, and the associated lineup elements, by the processor, against a predefined schema that enforces referential integrity constraints and required fields on the data representing the listings elements and the lineup elements, the predefined schema including;

    a listings component including;

    schedule information comprising a channel identifier, a start time, and a duration; and

    program information comprising a program identifier and a program name;

    a lineups component including the area, available headends, and a channel lineup per one of the headends, the headends defining a set of channels available at a source, and the area being a region in which a one of the headends exists;

    a common data entity including channels, the common data entity joining the listings component and the lineups component;

    a fundamentals component, including basic data type definitions, that defines a structure of the data in the listings component and the lineups component;

    linking the associated listings elements and the associated lineup elements with the listings element according to the GLF; and

    transferring the formatted multimedia programming information to a local programming distributor;

    wherein the linking includes creating a logical relationship between one of the associated listings elements and one of the associated lineup elements such that presence of the one of the associated listings elements requires presence of the one of the associated lineup elements.

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