Methods and systems for updating functionality of a set-top box using markup language

• US 9,172,987 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemmons, Thomas R., Zaring, Jon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sternbane, Larry
• Application Number:
  US13/193,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 725 39- 61, 725136-153, 715/760, 348/460, 348/461
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80

Abstract

An interactive television program guide is provided. Program guide display elements are arranged and styled using markup language documents. These markup language documents may also indicate and select program guide functions. The program guide interprets the markup language documents and generates the display screens and program guide functionality without user intervention. The program guide may also be updated by supplying new markup language documents that modify display screens and program guide functionality. The markup language documents may be supplied by a main facility or a television distribution facility.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating for display, with a set-top box, a display item having a first program function, wherein the first program function is based on a non-markup language, and the first program function is preprogrammed on the set-top box;

receiving, with the set-top box, a markup language document, from a remote source;

interpreting the markup language document, with the set-top box, to determine that the markup language document assigns a second program function to the display item;

updating the set-top box based on the markup language document such that the display item has the second program function; and

generating for display, with the set-top box, the display item having the second program function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating the set-top box is in response to a user input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second program function causes a display of the display item to change in response to a user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the set-top box based on the markup language document such that the display item has the second program function comprises updating a displayed plurality of program listings from being displayed on a first portion of the display screen having a first size to the plurality of program listings being displayed on a second portion of the screen having a second size, where the second size is larger than the first size.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the set-top box based on the markup language document such that the display item has the second program function comprises updating a displayed plurality of program listings from being displayed in an arrangement by channel to the plurality of program listings being displayed in an arrangement by theme.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the set-top box based on the markup language document such that the display item has the second program function comprises updating a displayed plurality of program listings from being displayed as a grid to the plurality of program listings being displayed as a list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second program function causes, in response to a user input, the updated set-top box to generate for display a program listing information screen, start a recording, set a favorite channel, or set a reminder.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup language document is a Hyper Text Markup Language document, a Dynamic Hyper Text Markup Language document, or an Extensible Markup Language document.

9. A system comprising a set-top box with control circuitry configured to:

generate for display a display item having a first program function, wherein the first program function is based on a non-markup language, and the first program function is preprogrammed on the set-top box;

receive a markup language document from a remote source;

interpret the markup language document to determine that the markup language document assigns a second program function to the display item;

update the set-top box based on the markup language document such that the display item has the second program function; and

generate for display, the display item having the second program function.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein updating the set-top box is in response to a user input.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second program function causes a display of the display item to change in response to a user input.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein updating the set-top box comprises updating a displayed plurality of program listings being displayed on a first portion of the screen having a first size to the plurality of program listings being displayed on a second portion of the screen having a second size, where the second size is larger than the first size.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein updating the set-top box comprises updating a displayed plurality of program listings being displayed in an arrangement by channel to the plurality of program listings being displayed in an arrangement by theme.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein updating the set-top box comprises updating a displayed plurality of program listings being displayed as a grid to the plurality of program listings being displayed as a list.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the second program function causes, in response to a user input, the updated set-top box to generate for display a program listing information screen, start a recording, set a favorite channel, or set a reminder.

16. The system defined in claim 9, wherein the markup language document is a Hyper Text Markup Language document, a Dynamic Hyper Text Markup Language document, or an Extensible Markup Language document.