MULTI-SOURCE SWITCHING IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM

US 20080134242A1
Filed: 08/20/2007
Published: 06/05/2008
Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1995
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1-13. -13. (canceled)

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Abstract

The present invention provides a tuning scheme for coordinating schedule information and programs received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, an identifier associated with the program'"'"'s channel (52) is used to identify a source device (26, 28, 30 or 34). When a user selects a program (60 or 62) listed in displayed schedule information (50), the system (10) reads the source identifier attached to the program'"'"'s channel (52). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program'"'"'s channel (52).

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41 Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for providing channel guide information listings, the method comprising:
- receiving channel guide information listings, the received listings include channel guide information corresponding to at least two program sources, each program source operative to transmit a plurality of television channels;
  
  providing a channel guide having program listings for the plurality of television channels, the channel guide includes the channel guide information corresponding to the at least two program sources; and
  
  displaying at least some of the listings.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- - 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the channel guide information listings are received from a single data source.
  - 16. The method of claim 14 wherein:
    - the channel guide information listings corresponding to a first program source of the at least two program sources are received from the first program source; and
      
      the channel guide information listings corresponding to a second program source of the at least two program sources are received from the second program source.
  - 17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
    - merging the channel guide information to form the channel guide which includes the channel guide information corresponding to the least two sources.
  - 18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
    - mixing and sorting the channel guide information received from the at least two sources in a desired order; and
      
      generating a display with the channel guide information presented in the desired order.
  - 19. The method of claim 14, wherein said providing further comprises:
    - automatically deleting duplicate listings from the channel guide.
  - 20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
    - providing a signal source identifier for each program listing, each identifier identifying the transmission scheme of one of the at least two sources.
  - 21. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
    - receiving from a user a program selection from the displayed listing;
      
      retrieving a signal source identifier that corresponds to source of the program selection; and
      
      coupling the input of a user equipment device to a television signal from the source that corresponds to the retrieved source identifier.
  - 22. The method of claim 14, wherein the sources are selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, an antenna source, a terrestrial source, a satellite source, and a direct broadcast satellite source.
  - 23. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
    - identifying the source of a displayed listing.
  - 24. The method of claim 23 wherein identifying the source includes a source identifier in a first color that corresponds to a listing associated with a first of the at least two sources, and a source identifier in a second color that corresponds to a listing associated with a second of the at least two sources.
  - 25. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
    - displaying at least some of the listings that correspond to a first of the at least two program sources; and
      
      displaying, in response to a user input, at least some of the listings that correspond to a second of the at least two sources.
  - 26. The method of claim 14, wherein a transmission scheme of the source is terrestrial or satellite.
  - 27. The method of claim 14 further comprising simultaneously displaying listings from the at least two sources.

28. A system for use in providing channel guide information listings, the method comprising:
- means for receiving channel guide information listings, the received listings include channel guide information corresponding to at least two program sources, each program source operative to transmit a plurality of television channels;
  
  means for providing a channel guide having program listings for the plurality of television channels, the channel guide includes the channel guide information corresponding to the at least two program sources; and
  
  means for displaying at least some of the listings.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
- - 29. The system of claim 28 wherein the channel guide information listings are received from a single data source.
  - 30. The system of claim 28 wherein:
    - the channel guide information listings corresponding to a first program source of the at least two program sources are received from the first program source; and
      
      the channel guide information listings corresponding to a second program source of the at least two program sources are received from the second program source.
  - 31. The system of claim 28 further comprising:
    - means for merging the channel guide information to form the channel guide which includes the channel guide information corresponding to the least two sources.
  - 32. The system of claim 28 further comprising:
    - means for mixing and sorting the channel guide information received from the at least two sources in a desired order; and
      
      means for generating a display with the channel guide information presented in the desired order.
  - 33. The system of claim 28, wherein said providing further comprises:
    - means for automatically deleting duplicate listings from the channel guide.
  - 34. The system of claim 28, further comprising:
    - means for providing a signal source identifier for each program listing, each identifier identifying the transmission scheme of one of the at least two sources.
  - 35. The system of claim 28 further comprising:
    - means for receiving from a user a program selection from the displayed listing;
      
      means for retrieving a signal source identifier that corresponds to source of the program selection; and
      
      means for coupling the input of a user equipment device to a television signal from the source that corresponds to the retrieved source identifier.
  - 36. The system of claim 28, wherein the sources are selected from the group consisting of a cable, a broadcast source, an antenna source, a terrestrial source, a satellite source, and a direct broadcast satellite source.
  - 37. The system of claim 28 further comprising:
    - means for identifying the source of a displayed listing.
  - 38. The system of claim 37 wherein identifying the source includes a source identifier in a first color that corresponds to a listing associated with a first of the at least two sources, and a source identifier in a second color that corresponds to a listing associated with a second of the at least two sources.
  - 39. The system of claim 28 further comprising:
    - means for displaying at least some of the listings that correspond to a first of the at least two program sources; and
      
      means for displaying, in response to a user input, at least some of the listings that correspond to a second of the at least two sources.
  - 40. The system of claim 28, wherein a transmission scheme of the source is terrestrial or satellite.
  - 41. The system of claim 28 further comprising means for simultaneously displaying listings from the at least two sources.

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Current Assignee
Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
Original Assignee
Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
Inventors
Klosterman, Brian Lee

Granted Patent

US 8,266,655 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

725/44
CPC Class Codes

H04N 21/4345   Extraction or processing of...

H04N 21/4622   Retrieving content or addit...

H04N 21/47   End-user applications

H04N 21/47214   for content reservation or ...

H04N 21/482   End-user interface for prog...

H04N 21/4821   using a grid, e.g. sorted o...

H04N 21/485   End-user interface for clie...

H04N 21/84   Generation or processing of...

H04N 5/505   Invisible or silent tuning

H04N 7/163   by receiver means only

MULTI-SOURCE SWITCHING IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM

First Claim

8 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

52 Citations

41 Claims

Specification

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MULTI-SOURCE SWITCHING IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM

First Claim

8 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

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Abstract

52 Citations

41 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links