Method for addressing on-demand TV program content on TV services platform of a digital TV services provider

• US 9,491,497 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Broadband iTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Perez, Milton Diaz
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
• Application Number:
  US14/827,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74-104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/239 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/4823 : using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 : directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 : specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• 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 21/85406 : involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 : for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many, new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

(a) providing, to a mobile Internet-connected digital device, a viewer interface application configured to access broadcast program content and video-on-demand program content;

(b) receiving, at a television service platform, a first request from the viewer interface application running on the mobile Internet-connected digital device to access an electronic program guide;

(c) retrieving, by the television service platform, electronic program guide data from an electronic program guide database;

(d) providing the electronic program guide data to the viewer interface application to generate the electronic program guide to be viewed by a user of the mobile Internet-connected digital device, wherein, for at least the video-on-demand program content, the electronic program guide comprises program titles arranged according to drill-down displays of hierarchical categories and sub-categories according to metadata uploaded by a content provider along with respective video-on-demand program content, the metadata comprising a title, one or more category terms, and one or more sub-category terms using a hierarchical structure;

(e) receiving, at the television service platform from the mobile Internet-connected digital device, a second request to display a first video-on-demand program identified by a respective program title in the electronic program guide;

(f) transmitting, from the television service platform to the mobile Internet-connected digital device, first video-on-demand program content corresponding to the first video-on-demand program to be displayed on the mobile Internet-connected digital device;

(g) receiving, at the television service platform from the mobile Internet-connected digital device, a third request to access broadcast TV channel programming; and

(h) transmitting, from the television service platform to the mobile Internet-connected digital device, a data stream of video content corresponding to the broadcast TV channel programming to be displayed on the mobile Internet-connected digital device,

wherein the data stream of video content corresponding to the broadcast TV channel programming and the first video-on-demand program content that are transmitted from the television service platform to the mobile Internet-connected digital device are also available via IPTV to a set-top box for display on a television display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video-on-demand program content corresponding to the first video-on-demand program was uploaded by the content provider along with the metadata to a web-based content management system and the first video-on-demand program content was thereafter transmitted from the web-based content management system to the television service platform.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first video-on-demand program content that is also available via IPTV to the set-top box for display is obtained from the content management system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, for at least the video-on-demand program content, the same electronic program guide data as is available at the viewer interface application running on the mobile Internet-connected digital device is available via IPTV for populating a second electronic program guide for use at the set-top box to select at least the video-on-demand program content, such that the second electronic program guide comprises the program titles arranged according to the same hierarchical categories and sub-categories as are used in the first electronic program guide.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the video-on-demand program content is uploaded to the content management system by a self-publishing user from a user device to the web-based content management system via the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the video-on-demand program content comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

user-generated content from Internet users, web-based content from video content websites, digital video from mobile phones, and digital video from Internet-connected portable video devices, or from the mobile Internet-connected digital device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile Internet-connected digital device is a digital phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile Internet-connected digital device is a media player.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile Internet-connected digital device is a game console.