Sourcing EPG data
First Claim
1. A method of managing Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) information for an Intelligent television (TV), comprising:
- executing, by a processor of the Intelligent TV, two or more EPG source plug-ins;
polling, by a first EPG source plug-in through a network, a first EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source of EPG information, wherein the first source of EPG information is associated with digital television EPG information, wherein, for an EPG source with no updated EPG information, the polling and/or retrieving step comprises associating the EPG information from the EPG source with dummy EPG data, wherein the dummy EPG data is one of a plain channel listing and a standard label in an EPG time slot;
if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source, retrieving, by the first EPG source plug-in, the updated EPG information from the first EPG source;
polling, by a second EPG source plug-in through the network, a second EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the EPG second source of EPG information, wherein the second EPG source of EPG information is associated with cloud-stored EPG information;
if updated EPG information is available from the second EPG source, retrieving, by the second EPG source plug-in, the updated EPG information from the second EPG source, wherein one or more of the polling step and the retrieving step is activated after a channel scanning operation by the Intelligent TV;
aggregating, by the processor, the updated EPG information from the first and second EPG sources; and
providing, by the processor, a relevant portion of the updated EPG information to an application of the Intelligent TV.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An EPG data service for an Intelligent TV includes various of source plugins polling and retrieving updated EPG information from a plurality of respective EPG information sources and an EPG subservice receiving the EPG information retrieved by the various source plugins, aggregate the EPG information, and provide a relevant portion of the EPG information to an application of the Intelligent TV. For an EPG source with substantially no updated EPG information, the respective source plugin associates EPG information from the EPG source with dummy EPG data. The EPG subservice aggregates the updated EPG information from the plurality of EPG sources and resolve conflicts between duplicate EPG information from the plurality of EPG sources according to various rules.
440 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of managing Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) information for an Intelligent television (TV), comprising:
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executing, by a processor of the Intelligent TV, two or more EPG source plug-ins; polling, by a first EPG source plug-in through a network, a first EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source of EPG information, wherein the first source of EPG information is associated with digital television EPG information, wherein, for an EPG source with no updated EPG information, the polling and/or retrieving step comprises associating the EPG information from the EPG source with dummy EPG data, wherein the dummy EPG data is one of a plain channel listing and a standard label in an EPG time slot; if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source, retrieving, by the first EPG source plug-in, the updated EPG information from the first EPG source; polling, by a second EPG source plug-in through the network, a second EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the EPG second source of EPG information, wherein the second EPG source of EPG information is associated with cloud-stored EPG information; if updated EPG information is available from the second EPG source, retrieving, by the second EPG source plug-in, the updated EPG information from the second EPG source, wherein one or more of the polling step and the retrieving step is activated after a channel scanning operation by the Intelligent TV; aggregating, by the processor, the updated EPG information from the first and second EPG sources; and providing, by the processor, a relevant portion of the updated EPG information to an application of the Intelligent TV. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17)
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7. An EPG data service for an Intelligent TV, comprising:
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a processor of an Intelligent TV executing a first source plug-in that; polls, through a network, a first EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source of EPG information, wherein the first EPG source of EPG information is associated with digital television EPG information, wherein, for an EPG source with no updated EPG information, the polling and/or retrieving step comprises associating the EPG information from the EPG source with dummy EPG data, wherein the dummy EPG data is one of a plain channel listing and a standard label in an EPG time slot; and if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source, retrieves the updated EPG information from the first EPG source; the processor of an Intelligent TV executing a second source plug-in that; polls, through the network, a second EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the second EPG source of EPG information, wherein the second EPG source of EPG information is associated with cloud-stored EPG information; and if updated EPG information is available from the second EPG source, retrieves the updated EPG information from the second EPG source, wherein one or more of the polling step and the retrieving step is activated after a channel scanning operation by the Intelligent TV; and the processor of an Intelligent TV executing an EPG subservice that; receives the updated EPG information retrieved by the first and/or second source plug-ins; aggregates the EPG information; and provides a relevant portion of the EPG information to an application of the Intelligent TV. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An Intelligent TV comprising:
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a memory; a processor in communication with memory, the processor operable to execute; an EPG display application configured to generate an EPG display for the Intelligent TV; and an EPG data service, the EPG data service comprises; a first source plug-in that; polls, through a network, a first EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source of EPG information, wherein the first EPG source of EPG information is associated with digital television EPG information; and if updated EPG information is available from the first EPG source, retrieves the updated EPG information from the first EPG source, wherein, for an EPG source with no updated EPG information, the polling and/or retrieving step comprises associating the EPG information from the EPG source with dummy EPG data, wherein the dummy EPG data is one of a plain channel listing and a standard label in an EPG time slot; a second of source plug-in that; polls, through the network, a second EPG source for updated EPG information to determine if updated EPG information is available from the second EPG source of EPG information, wherein the second EPG source of EPG information is associated with cloud-stored EPG information; and if updated EPG information is available from the second EPG source, retrieves the updated EPG information from the second EPG source, wherein one or more of the polling and the retrieving operations is activated after a channel scanning operation by the Intelligent TV; and an EPG subservice that; receives the updated EPG information retrieved by the first and/or second source plug-ins; aggregates the EPG information; and provides a relevant portion of the EPG information to an application of the Intelligent TV. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification