System for presenting media programs

• US 8,417,804 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US11/738,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/223, 709/229, 709/219, 709/231, 725/59, 725/134, 725/142, 725/60, 725131-133, 725/80
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/232 Content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g. reading video streams from disk arrays storage management G06F3/0604; details of querying and searching of video data from a database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system for presenting media programs is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimedia system having a controller element to receive a request from a set-top box (STB) for an emulator that emulates a user interface of a media player, wherein the request identifies the media player, retrieve the emulator according to the identification of the media player, and transmit to the STB the emulator for emulating the user interface of the media player by way of the STB. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A multimedia system, comprising:

a memory; and

a controller element coupled to the memory, wherein the memory comprises computer instructions, which when executed by the controller element, cause the controller element to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request from a set-top box for an emulator that emulates a media player by presenting the media player as a user interface in a graphical user interface, wherein the request identifies the media player, wherein the emulator comprises software instructions executed by the set-top box to emulate the user interface of the media player via the set-top box;

retrieving the emulator according to the identification of the media player; and

transmitting to the set-top box the emulator for executing the software instructions associated with the emulator, thereby emulating the user interface of the media player by way of the set-top box wherein the media player wirelessly communicates data for presentation without using a hardwire interface;

wherein the user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator substantially mimics the media player;

wherein the media player presents at least one of audio media, moving image media, or still image media, and wherein the graphical user interface is presented on a display device of a remote controller or a presentation device coupled to the set-top box that manages operations of the set-top box.

2. The multimedia system of claim 1, wherein the audio media conforms to one of a plurality of standards defined by a Moving Picture Experts Group, wherein the moving image media conforms to one of plurality of standards defined by the Moving Picture Experts Group, and wherein the still image media conforms to one of a Joint Photographic Experts Group standard, or Graphic Interchange Format standard.

3. The multimedia system of claim 1, wherein the identification of the media player comprises one of a model number, a serial number, or a description of the media player.

4. The multimedia system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia system comprises one of an internet protocol television system, a cable media system, or a satellite media system.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a set-top box, comprising computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

executing an emulator that emulates a media player by presenting the media player as a user interface in a graphical user interface, wherein the emulator comprises software executed by the set-top box to emulate the user interface of the media player via the set-top box; and

receiving from the media player wirelessly data that is managed by the emulator;

wherein the user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator substantially mimics the media player;

wherein the media player presents at least one of audio media, moving image media, or still image media, and wherein the graphical user interface is presented on a display device of a media controller or a presentation device coupled to the set-top box that manages operations of the set-top box.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the media player is coupled to the set-top box, and wherein the storage medium comprises computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

presenting through the graphical user interface one or more media stored in the media player.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving by way of a selection applied to the graphical user interface a request to present the one or more media.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

retrieving the one or more media wirelessly from the media player;

generating audio signals associated with the one or more media; and

presenting said audio signals.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving audio signals from the media player associated with the one or more media; and

presenting said audio signals.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more media selection is supplied to the set-top box by one of the media controller or the media player.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more media comprises one of audio media, moving image media, or still image media, and wherein the presentation device comprises one of a display system, an audio system, or combination thereof.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving by way of a selection applied to the graphical user interface a request to copy the one or more media from the media player;

retrieving said one or more media from the media player; and

storing said one or more media.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving by way of a selection applied to the graphical user interface a request to present a select media;

retrieving the selected media from memory; and

presenting the selected media.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining an identification of the media player;

submitting to a multimedia system the identification of the media player;

receiving from the multimedia system the emulator selected according to the identification of the media player responsive to the identification of the media player being identifiable by the multimedia system; and

generating an error message and configured an alternate emulator responsive to the identification of the media player being unidentifiable by the multimedia system.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, comprising computer instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining an identification of the media player;

retrieving the emulator according to the identification of the media player.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, comprising computer instructions for receiving the emulator from the media player.

17. A media player, comprising:

a memory; and

a controller element coupled to the memory, wherein the memory comprises computer instructions, which when executed by the controller element, cause the controller element to perform operations comprising wirelessly receiving operational instructions from a set-top box according to an emulator executed by the set-top box that emulates a user interface of the media player by presenting the media player in a graphical user interface, wherein the emulator comprises software executed by the set-top box to emulate the user interface of the media player, and wherein the emulator is supplied to the set-top box by way of a multimedia system communicatively coupled to the set-top box;

wherein the user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator substantially mimics the media player;

wherein the media player presents at least one of audio media, moving image media, or still image media, and wherein the graphical user interface is presented on a display device of a remote controller or a presentation device coupled to the set-top box that manages operations of the set-top box.

18. The media player of claim 17, wherein the audio media conforms to one of a plurality of standards defined by a Moving Picture Experts Group, wherein the moving image media conforms to one of a plurality of standards defined by the Moving Picture Experts Group, and wherein the still image media conforms to one of a Joint Photographic Experts Group standard, or Graphic Interchange Format standard.

19. The media player of claim 17, wherein the controller element further performs operations comprising supplying the emulator to the set-top box.

20. The media player of claim 17, wherein the controller element further performs operations comprising supplying the set-top box an identification of the media player for selecting the emulator, and wherein the identification of the media player comprises one of a model number, a serial number, or a description of the media player.

21. The media player of claim 17, wherein the controller element wirelessly provides media content to the set-top box.