U.S. patent application number 09/909468 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-23 for object representation of television programs within an interactive television system.
This patent application is currently assigned to DIGEO, Inc.. Invention is credited to McKenna, Thomas P. JR..
Application Number | 20030018970 09/909468 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25427271 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030018970 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McKenna, Thomas P. JR. |
January 23, 2003 |
Object representation of television programs within an interactive
television system
Abstract
Television programs are represented by program interface objects
(PIOs) within an interactive television system. The PIOs provide a
visual indicator for quick identification of the represented
television program, attributes providing information concerning the
represented television program, and actions that may be performed
on or in connection with the represented television program. The
PIOs may be sorted, filtered, and/or managed based on user-provided
criteria. The PIOs may be communicated between a variety of
electronic devices and software applications.
Inventors: |
McKenna, Thomas P. JR.;
(Sammamish, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DIGEO, INC C/O STOEL RIVES LLP
201 SOUTH MAIN STREET, SUITE 1100
ONE UTAH CENTER
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84111
US
|
Assignee: |
DIGEO, Inc.
Kirkland
WA
|
Family ID: |
25427271 |
Appl. No.: |
09/909468 |
Filed: |
July 19, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/37 ; 725/39;
725/53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/454 20130101;
H04N 2005/44556 20130101; H04N 21/482 20130101; H04N 21/84
20130101; H04N 5/44543 20130101; H04N 21/462 20130101; H04N 21/4821
20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101; H04N 21/4828 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/37 ; 725/39;
725/53 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/445 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A program interface object (PIO) for representing a television
program within an interactive television system, the program
interface object comprising: a plurality of attributes carrying
information about the television program; a plurality of
user-selectable actions performable by the interactive television
system in connection with the television program; and a visual
indicator displayable in a graphical user interface to facilitate
user interaction with the program interface object.
2. The PIO of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises one
of a graphical icon, an animated image, a video clip, and a text
description.
3. The PIO of claim 1, further comprising: an audible indicator
capable of being played back by the interactive television
system.
4. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one of the user-selectable
actions comprises program code executable by the interactive
television system in response to a user selection.
5. The PIO of claim 4, wherein the program code is substantially
machine-independent.
6. The PIO of claim 5, wherein the PIO comprises one of a JavaBean
object and a Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) object.
7. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises a
title of the television program.
8. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises a
starting time of the television program.
9. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises a
running time of the television program.
10. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises a
description of the television program.
11. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises an
indication of a channel on which the television program is
broadcast.
12. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises a
storage location of the television program.
13. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute comprises an
alternative language version of another attribute.
14. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one user-selectable action
is configured to display at least one attribute of the PIO using
the interactive television system.
15. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one user-selectable action
is configured to record the television program within the
interactive television system.
16. The PIO of claim 1, wherein at least one user-selectable action
is configured to display the television program using the
interactive television system.
17. A method for managing television programs received by an
interactive television system, the method comprising: providing,
for each television program, a program interface object (PIO)
comprising a plurality of attributes carrying information about the
television program, a plurality of user-selectable actions
performable by the interactive television system in connection with
the television program, and a visual indicator displayable in a
graphical user interface to facilitate user interaction with the
PIO; displaying one or more visual indicators corresponding to
PIOs; receiving a user selection of a visual indicator
corresponding to a PIO; receiving a user selection of an action
associated with the selected PIO; and executing the selected action
within the interactive television system.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: displaying, in
response to a user selection of a visual indicator, a list of
user-selectable actions associated with the selected PIO.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the list is displayed in a
context-sensitive menu associated with the visual indicator of the
selected PIO.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying one or more visual
indicators comprises: filtering an initial set of PIOs according to
user-specified filtering criteria; and displaying visual indicators
of the PIOs satisfying the filtering criteria.
21. The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving at least
one PIO from a remote system.
22. The method of claim 17, further comprising: transmitting at
least one PIO to a remote system in response to a user command.
23. The method of claim 21, further comprising: modifying at least
one attribute of a PIO in response to a schedule change.
24. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one visual indicator
comprises one of a graphical icon, an animated image, a video clip,
and a text description.
25. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one PIO includes an
audible indicator, the method further comprising: playing back the
audible indicator using the interactive television system.
26. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one user-selectable
action comprises program code executable by the interactive
television system in response to a user selection.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the program code is
substantially machine-independent.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one PIO comprises one
of a JavaBean object and a Distributed Component Object Model
(DCOM) object.
29. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a title of a television program.
30. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a starting time of a television program.
31. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a running time of a television program.
32. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a description of a television program.
33. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises an indication of a channel on which a television program
is broadcast.
34. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a storage location of a television program.
35. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute
comprises an alternative language version of another attribute.
36. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one user-selectable
action is configured to display an attribute of the selected PIO
using the interactive television system.
37. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one user-selectable
action is configured to record a television program corresponding
to the selected PIO within the interactive television system.
38. The method of claim 37, further comprising: recording the
television program at a time indicated by an attribute of the
selected PIO.
39. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one user-selectable
action is configured to display a television program corresponding
to the selected PIO using the interactive television system.
40. The method of claim 39, further comprising: locating a stored
recording of the television program using an attribute of the
selected PIO; displaying the stored recording of the television
program.
41. A system for managing television programs received by an
interactive television system, the system comprising: a computer
readable medium comprising, for each television program, a program
interface object (PIO) comprising a plurality of attributes
carrying information about the television program, a plurality of
user-selectable actions performable by the interactive television
system in connection with the television program, and a visual
indicator displayable in a graphical user interface to facilitate
user interaction with the PIO; a display component configured to
display one or more visual indicators corresponding to PIOs; a
selection component configured to receive a user selection of a
visual indicator corresponding to a PIO and a user selection of an
action associated with the selected PIO; and an action component
configured to execute the selected action within the interactive
television system.
42. The system of claim 41, wherein the selection component is
further configured to display, in response to a user selection of a
visual indicator, a list of user-selectable actions associated with
the selected PIO.
43. The system of claim 42, wherein the list is displayed in a
context-sensitive menu associated with the visual indicator of the
selected PIO.
44. The system of claim 41, further comprising a population
component configured to filter an initial set of PIOs according to
user-specified filtering criteria, wherein the display component is
further configured to display the visual indicators of the PIOs
satisfying the filtering criteria.
45. The system of claim 41, further comprising a communication
component configured to receive at least one PIO from a remote
system.
46. The system of claim 45, wherein the at least one PIO is
received from the remote system via e-mail.
47. The system of claim 41, further comprising a communication
component configured to transmit at least one PIO to a remote
system in response to a user command.
48. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one visual indicator
comprises one of a graphical icon, an animated image, a video clip,
and a text description.
49. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one PIO includes an
audible indicator, the system further comprising: a playback
component configured to play back the audible indicator.
50. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one user-selectable
action comprises program code executable by the interactive
television system in response to a user selection.
51. The system of claim 50, wherein the program code is
substantially machine-independent.
52. The system of claim 51, wherein at least one PIO comprises one
of a JavaBean object and a Distributed Component Object Model
(DCOM) object.
53. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a title of a television program.
54. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a starting time of a television program.
55. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a running time of a television program.
56. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a description of a television program.
57. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises an indication of a channel on which a television program
is broadcast.
58. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises a storage location of a television program.
59. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one attribute
comprises an alternative language version of another attribute.
60. The system of claim 41, wherein the display component is
further configured to display an attribute of the selected PIO
using the interactive television system.
61. The system of claim 41, further comprising: a recording
component configured to record a television program corresponding
to the selected PIO using the interactive television system.
62. The system of claim 61, wherein the recording component is
further configured to record the television program at a time
indicated by an attribute of the selected PIO.
63. The system of claim 41, wherein the display component is
further configured to display a television program corresponding to
the selected PIO using the interactive television system.
64. The system of claim 63, further comprising: a playback
component configured to locate a stored recording of the television
program using an attribute of the selected PIO, and display the
stored recording of the television program.
65. A method for managing television programs received by an
interactive television system, the method comprising: providing,
for each television program, a program interface object (PIO)
comprising a plurality of attributes carrying information about the
television program, a plurality of user-selectable actions
performable by the interactive television system in connection with
the television program, and an icon displayable in a graphical user
interface to facilitate user interaction with the PIO; filtering an
initial set of PIOs according to user-specified filtering criteria;
displaying the icons corresponding to the PIOs satisfying the
filtering criteria; receiving a user selection of an icon
corresponding to a PIO; displaying a list of user-selectable
actions associated with the selected PIO; receiving a user
selection of an action associated with the selected PIO from the
list; and executing the selected action within the interactive
television system.
65. A system for managing television programs received by an
interactive television system, the method comprising: a
computer-readable medium storing, for each television program, a
program interface object (PIO) comprising a plurality of attributes
carrying information about the television program, a plurality of
user-selectable actions performable by the interactive television
system in connection with the television program, and an icon
displayable in a graphical user interface to facilitate user
interaction with the PIO; a filtering component configured to
filter an initial set of PIOs according to user-specified filtering
criteria; an icon display component configured to display the icons
corresponding to the PIOs satisfying the filtering criteria; an
icon selection component configured to receive a user selection of
an icon corresponding to a PIO; an action display component
configured to display a list of user-selectable actions associated
with the selected PIO; an action selection component configured to
receive a user selection of an action associated with the selected
PIO from the list; and an action execution component configured to
execute the selected action within the interactive television
system.
66. A system for managing television programs received by an
interactive television system, the system comprising: means for
storing, for each television program, a program interface object
(PIO) comprising a plurality of attributes carrying information
about the television program, a plurality of user-selectable
actions performable by the interactive television system in
connection with the television program, and a visual indicator
displayable in a graphical user interface to facilitate user
interaction with the PIO; means for displaying one or more visual
indicators corresponding to PIOs; means for receiving a user
selection of a visual indicator corresponding to a PIO and a user
selection of an action associated with the selected PIO; and means
for executing the selected action within the interactive television
system.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
interactive television systems. More specifically, the present
invention relates to an object representation of television
programs within an interactive television system.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Background Art
[0004] Due to the ever-increasing number of channels offered by
cable television and satellite networks, an electronic program
guide (EPG) has become a common feature of many set top boxes
(STBs). Conventional EPGs display schedule information for
television programs in a grid-based format. One axis of the EPG
typically corresponds to channels or stations, while the other axis
corresponds to time slots (typically an hour or half hour in
length). Rectangular elements formed within the grid represent
specific television programs.
[0005] While EPGs have numerous advantages over conventional
printed guides (such as TV Guide.RTM.), EPGs are still based on the
channel/time slot model, which is of diminishing importance today.
For example, where a viewer has access to over 500 channels, he or
she is not in interested in the fact that the latest episode of
Friends.RTM. is being shown on Channel 498. Rather, the viewer
would simply like to know when the program is being broadcast and
allow the entertainment system to automatically switch to the
appropriate channel.
[0006] With the advent of digital video recorders (DVRs), even the
concept of broadcast time is becoming irrelevant. Ideally, a viewer
would like to instruct the entertainment system to record the next
episode of Friends.RTM., which the viewer can then watch at a
convenient time.
[0007] Forcing a viewer to search through a grid consisting, for
example, of over 500 rows (corresponding to channels) and possibly
thousands of columns (corresponding to time slots) is no longer
acceptable. Given the wide variety of entertainment options and the
limited amount of time available to individuals for entertainment,
any advancement increasing the convenience of an entertainment
system would be highly advantageous.
[0008] Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that
overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art. In
particular, the system and method should provide convenient access
to available programming within an entertainment system without
requiring the use of a conventional, grid-based EPG.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Non-exhaustive embodiments of the invention are described
with reference to the figures, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for delivering
television programs and other forms of content;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an illustration of an interactive television
system;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of hardware components of a set
top box (STB);
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional electronic program guide
(EPG);
[0014] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a plurality of program
interface objects (PIOs) within a memory of an STB;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an expanded block diagram of a PIO;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system utilizing PIOs to
represent television programs;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a user interface for interacting with PIOs;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of various functional modules for
processing actions associated with a PIO;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating use of a PIO to
record an associated television program;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a user interface illustrating visual indicators
of PIOs within a calendar;
[0021] FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating use of a PIO to
display a previously recorded television program;
[0022] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating display of an
attribute of a PIO;
[0023] FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a system for filtering a set
of PIOs according to user-defined filtering criteria; and
[0024] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a system for transmitting PIOs
between interactive television system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The present invention solves the foregoing problems and
disadvantages by using program interface objects (PIOs) to
represent television programs within an entertainment system, such
as interactive television system.
[0026] In one embodiment, each PIO includes a plurality of actions
and attributes. Actions correspond to various operations that may
be performed on or in connection with the television program
represented by the PIO. For example, one action may schedule the
recording of the represented television program, while another
action may play back the represented television program if it was
previously recorded. Actions may be embodied as program code, in a
machine-independent format, such as Java or Javascript, that may be
executed, for example, by an STB for an interactive television
system.
[0027] Attributes contain information about the television program
represented by the PIO. For example, one attribute of a television
program may correspond to the program's name, while another
attribute may correspond to the program's broadcast time.
[0028] Attributes may be used to sort, filter, prioritize, or
otherwise organize a set of PIOs. Moreover, certain attributes may
be used in the context of certain actions. For example, an action
for recording a television program may need to access attributes
containing the channel, starting time, and running time of the
television program.
[0029] PIOs may be implemented using various technologies. For
instance, a PIO may be implemented as a JavaBean object.
Alternatively, a PIO may be embodied as a Distributed Component
Object Model (DCOM) object. The present invention is not limited to
a particular object format.
[0030] In one implementation, each PIO also includes a visual
indicator, such as an icon, which is displayed in a graphical user
interface (GUI) to facilitate user interaction with the PIO. The
GUI may display a plurality of visual indicators corresponding to a
set of PIOs. Using a remote control or other selection mechanism, a
user may select a PIO by its corresponding visual indicator.
Further, a user may select an action associated with the PIO, which
then may be executed by the STB.
[0031] In one embodiment, an STB or other system may be populated
with visual indicators of a set of PIOs selected from a larger set
of available PIOs. The set of available PIOs may be filtered based
on user-defined filtering criteria. For example, a user may filter
the set of available PIOs for ones relating to sporting events.
[0032] In certain embodiments, PIOs may be transmitted between
interactive television systems, personal computers, mobile devices,
and the like. For example, a PIO may be attached to an e-mail
message and sent via the Internet to another system where it may be
used to perform various actions on, or provide information
concerning, a represented television program.
[0033] Thus, PIOs are an alternative mechanism for providing access
to available television programming within an interactive
television system, without the necessity of a conventional EPG. A
user need not be concerned with such details as channel or
broadcast time, as was necessary in conventional systems. The user
need only select an icon for a PIO and select the desired
action.
[0034] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment"
or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,
appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an
embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
[0035] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or
characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or
more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific
details are provided, such as examples of programming, user
selections, network transactions, database queries, database
structures, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of
embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will
recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one
or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components,
materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures,
materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to
avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
[0036] Throughout the following disclosure, the term "coupled" may
be used to refer to components that are either directly connected
to one another or linked by one or more other components. Thus, as
used herein, the term "coupled" may be synonymous with "in
electrical communication with" or simply "in communication
with."
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a system 100 for
delivering television programs and other forms of content to a
plurality of customers. In one implementation, the system 100
relies on a broadband communication network 101, such as a cable
network. However, as described more fully below, other networks are
contemplated, one particular example of which is a satellite
network.
[0038] In one configuration, the system 100 includes a plurality of
set top boxes (STBs) 102 located, for instance, at customer homes.
Generally, an STB 102 is a consumer electronics device that serves
as a gateway between a customer's television 104 and the network
101. In alternative embodiments, an STB 102 may be embodied more
generally as a personal computer, an advanced television 104
including STB functionality, or another type of client
terminal.
[0039] An STB 102 receives encoded television signals and other
information from the network 101 and decodes the same for display
on the television 104 or other display device (such as a computer
monitor, flat panel display, or the like). As its name implies, an
STB 102 is typically located on top of, or in close proximity to,
the television 104.
[0040] Each STB 102 may be distinguished from other network
components by a unique identifier, number, code, or address,
examples of which include an Internet Protocol (IP) address or
media access control (MAC) address. Thus, video streams and other
information may be transmitted from the network 101 to a specific
STB 102 by specifying the corresponding address, after which the
network 101 routes the transmission to its destination using
conventional techniques.
[0041] A remote control 106 is provided, in one configuration, for
convenient remote operation of the STB 102 and the television 104.
The remote control 106 may use infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF),
or other wireless technologies to transmit control signals to the
STB 102 and the television 104. Other remote controls are also
contemplated, such as a wired or wireless mouse (not shown).
[0042] Additionally, a keyboard 108 (either wireless or wired) is
provided, in one embodiment, to allow the customer to rapidly enter
text information into the STB 102. Such text information may be
used for e-mail or instant messaging, e.g. text-based chat. In
various embodiments, the keyboard 108 may use infrared (IR), radio
frequency (RF), or other wireless technologies to transmit
keystroke data to the STB 102.
[0043] Each STB 102 may be coupled to the network 101 via a
head-end 1 10 or other distribution node or broadcast center. In
the context of a cable network, a head-end 110 is generally a
centrally-located facility where television programs are received
from a local cable TV satellite downlink or other source and
packaged together for transmission to customer homes. In one
configuration, a head-end 110 also functions as a Central Office
(CO) in the telecommunications industry, routing video streams and
other data to and from the various STBs 102 serviced thereby.
Head-ends 110 may be coupled directly to one another or through the
network 101. In some cases, head-ends 110 may be connected via a
separate network, one particular example of which is the Internet
112.
[0044] The network 101 is preferably coupled to one or more
television sources 114, which provide television programming for
distribution to the STBs 102. Preferably, television programs are
distributed in an encoded format, such as MPEG (Moving Picture
Experts Group). Various MPEG standards are known, such as MPEG-2,
MPEG-4, MPEG-7, and the like. Thus, the term "MPEG," as used
herein, contemplates all MPEG standards. Moreover, other video
encoding/compression standards exist other than MPEG, such as JPEG,
JPEG-LS, H.261, and H.263. Accordingly, the invention should not be
construed as being limited only to MPEG.
[0045] Television programming or its equivalent may also be
received via the Internet 112 from one or more streaming video
sources 116. Communication over the Internet 112 is accomplished
using standard protocols, such as TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet protocol) and the like.
[0046] In one implementation, a schedule source 118 is coupled to
one or both of the broadband communication network 101 and the
Internet 112. The schedule source 118 preferably maintains schedule
information for past, present, and future television programs.
Throughout the following disclosure, the term "broadcast" is not
limited to electromagnetic transmissions over the air, but
contemplates packetized transmissions using a network, such as the
Internet 112. The schedule source 118 may be implemented using any
conventional relational or hierarchical database management system
(DBMS) and appropriate server software.
[0047] In one implementation, the schedule source 118 receives
television program schedule information directly from the
television sources 114 and/or streaming video sources 116 via the
Internet 112 and/or the network 101 using, for example, the
hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) or the file transfer protocol
(FTP). In such embodiments, updates of the database may be fully
automated. However, in other embodiments, the schedule information
may be obtained from disks, CD-ROMS, tapes, manual entry, etc.
[0048] While FIG. 1 illustrates a broadband communication network
101, such as a cable network, the invention is not limited in this
respect. A satellite delivery system may also be used, such as a
direct broadcast satellite (DBS) system. A DBS system may include a
small 18-inch satellite dish (which is an antenna for receiving a
satellite broadcast signal); a digital integrated receiver/decoder
(IRD), which separates each channel and decompresses and translates
the digital signal for display by a television; and a remote
control.
[0049] Programming for a DBS system may be distributed, for
example, by multiple high-power satellites in geosynchronous orbit,
each with multiple transponders. Compression (e.g., MPEG) may be
used to increase the amount of programming that can be transmitted
in the available bandwidth.
[0050] A digital broadcast center may be used to gather programming
content, ensure its digital quality, and transmit the signal up to
the satellites. Programming may come to the broadcast center from
content providers (TBS.RTM., HBO.RTM., CNN.RTM., ESPN.RTM., etc.)
via satellite, fiber optic cable and/or special digital tape.
Satellite-delivered programming is typically immediately digitized,
encrypted and uplinked to the orbiting satellites. The satellites
retransmit the signal to every earth-station--or, in other words,
every compatible DBS system receiver dish at customers' homes and
businesses.
[0051] Some programs may be recorded on digital videotape in the
broadcast center to be broadcast later. Before any recorded
programs are viewed by customers, technicians may use
post-production equipment to view and analyze each tape to ensure
audio and video quality. Tapes may then be loaded into a robotic
tape handling systems, and playback may be triggered by a
computerized signal sent from a broadcast automation system.
Back-up videotape playback equipment may ensure uninterrupted
transmission at all times.
[0052] While the following description makes particular reference
to cable head-ends 110, it should be recognized that satellite
broadcast centers may be used for the same purpose. Thus, as used
herein, the term "broadcast center" may refer interchangeably to
head-ends 110 or satellite broadcast centers.
[0053] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an interactive
television (ITV) system 200 according to an embodiment of the
invention. As depicted, the system 200 may include an STB 102, a
television 104 (or other display device), a remote control 106,
and, in certain configurations, a keyboard 108.
[0054] The remote control 106 is provided for convenient remote
operation of the STB 102 and the television 104. In one
configuration, the remote control 106 includes a wireless
transmitter 202 for transmitting control signals to a corresponding
wireless receiver 204 within the STB 102 and/or the television 104.
In certain embodiments, the remote control 106 includes a wireless
receiver 204 for receiving signals from a wireless transmitter 202
in the STB 102. Of course, the wireless transmitters 202 of the STB
102 and remote control 106 need not be identical. The same is true
with respect to the wireless receivers 204.
[0055] In one embodiment, the wireless transmitters 202 and
receivers 204 are configured to use radio frequency (RF) signals.
In other embodiments, infrared (IR) or other frequencies along the
electromagnetic spectrum may be used. Operational details regarding
the wireless transmitters 202 and receivers 204 are generally well
known to those of skill in the art.
[0056] The remote control 106 preferably includes a number of
buttons or other similar controls. For instance, the remote control
106 may include a power button 206, an up arrow button 208, a down
arrow button 210, a left arrow button 212, a right arrow button
214, a "Select" button 216, an "OK" button 218, channel adjustment
buttons 220, volume adjustment buttons 222, alphanumeric buttons
224, and the like.
[0057] Additionally, the remote control 106, in one configuration,
may include a number of buttons specifically-designated for
activating various interactive options. These buttons may include,
for example, a "Help" button 226, an information button 228, a
"Buy" button 230, an e-mail button 232, as well as other buttons
234, 236, 238, 240 designated to activate specific interactive
options.
[0058] The optional keyboard 108 facilitates rapid composition of
text messages. The keyboard 108 includes a plurality of standard
alphanumeric keys 252 arranged in a suitable format. In one
configuration, the keyboard 108 includes a wireless transmitter
202, similar or identical to the wireless transmitter 202 of the
remote control 106. The wireless transmitter 202 transmits
keystroke data from the keyboard 108 to the STB 102. Additionally,
the keyboard 108 may include one or more of the buttons illustrated
on the remote control 106.
[0059] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a physical block
diagram of an STB 102 according to an embodiment of the invention.
As noted above, the STB 102 includes a wireless receiver 204 for
receiving control signals sent by the wireless transmitter 202 in
the remote control 106.
[0060] The STB 102 also includes, in one implementation, a network
interface 302 for communicating with the broadband communication
network 101 via the head-end 110. The interface 302 may include
conventional tuning circuitry for receiving MPEG (Moving Picture
Experts Group) packets for a selected television channel. The
interface 302 may also include conventional cable modem circuitry
for sending or receiving other types of data. For example, the
interface 302 may conform to the DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service
Interface Specification) or DAVIC (Digital Audio-Visual Council)
cable modem standards.
[0061] In one configuration, one or more frequency bands (for
example, from 5 to 30 MHz) may be reserved for upstream
transmission. Digital modulation (for example, quadrature amplitude
modulation or vestigial sideband modulation) may be used to send
digital signals in the upstream transmission. Of course, upstream
transmission may be accomplished differently for different networks
101. Alternative ways to accomplish upstream transmission include
using a back channel transmission, which is typically sent via an
analog telephone line, ISDN, DSL, or other techniques.
[0062] The STB 102 also preferably includes a CODEC
(encoder/decoder) 304, which serves to encode audio/video signals
into a network-compatible data stream for transmission over the
network 101. The CODEC 304 also serves to decode a
network-compatible data stream received from the network 101. The
CODEC 304 may be implemented in hardware and/or software. Moreover,
the CODEC 304 may use various algorithms, such as MPEG or Voice
over IP (VolP), for encoding and decoding.
[0063] The STB 102 further includes a memory device 306, such as a
random access memory (RAM), for storing temporary data. Similarly,
a read-only memory (ROM) may be provided for storing more permanent
data, such as fixed code and configuration information.
[0064] In one embodiment, an audio/video (AN) controller 308 is
provided for converting digital audio/video signals into analog
signals for display/playback on the television 104. The AN
controller 308 may be implemented using one or more physical
devices, such as a separate graphics and sound controllers. The A/V
controller 308 may include graphics hardware for performing
bit-block transfers (bit-blits) and other graphical operations in
order to display a graphical user interface (GUI) on the television
104.
[0065] In some implementations, the STB 102 may include a storage
device 310, such as a hard disk drive or the like. The storage
device 310 may be configured to store encoded television broadcasts
and retrieve the same at a later time for display.
[0066] The storage device 310 may also be used in various
embodiments to store viewer preferences, parental lock settings,
programming preferences, passwords, e-mail messages, and the like.
To aide in transferring this data between STBs 102, the storage
device 310 may interface with removable storage media such as
memory cards, memory sticks, CDs, diskettes, and the like. In one
implementation, the storage device 310 also stores an operating
system (OS) for the STB 102, such as Windows CE.RTM. or
Linux.RTM..
[0067] A CPU 312 controls the operation of the STB 102, including
the other components thereof, which are coupled to the CPU 312 via
a bus 314. The CPU 312 may be embodied as a microprocessor, a
microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP) or other device
known in the art. As noted above, the CPU 312 may perform logical
and arithmetic operations based upon control signals generated by
the remote control 106 and transmitted to the receiver 204.
[0068] Of course, FIG. 3 illustrates only one possible
configuration of an STB 102. Those skilled in the art will
recognize that various other architectures and components may be
provided within the scope of the invention. In addition, various
standard components are not illustrated in order to avoid obscuring
aspects of the invention.
[0069] FIG. 4 illustrates one implementation of a conventional
Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) 402. As noted above, a typical
EPG 402 includes a grid having two axes, one for time slots 404 and
the other for channels or stations 406. Rectangular elements 408
formed within the grid correspond to specific television
programs.
[0070] Generally, the navigation interface for a conventional EPG
402 is awkward and ill-suited to entertainment systems having more
than a few channels. For example, a satellite STB may receive more
than 500 channels, requiring the user to scroll through many pages
of information to locate a desired program. Clearly, a conventional
EPG 402 is based on the channel/time slot model, which is of
diminishing relevance today.
[0071] For example, where a viewer has access to over 500 channels,
he or she is not in interested in the fact that the latest episode
of Friends.RTM. is being shown on Channel 498. Rather, the viewer
would simply like to know when the program is being broadcast and
allow the entertainment system to automatically switch to the
appropriate channel.
[0072] With the advent of digital video recorders (DVRs), even the
concept of broadcast time is becoming irrelevant. Ideally, a viewer
would like instruct the entertainment system to record the next
episode of Friends , which the viewer can then watch at a
convenient time.
[0073] In conventional systems, the EPG 402 is generated from a
text data file 410 or the like containing raw schedule information.
For example, each program element 408 in the EPG 402 may correspond
to one or more lines in the text data file 410. Unfortunately,
storing raw schedule information in this manner severely limits the
way in which the information may be used and communicated. For
example, each system that receives the text data file 410 must be
programmed to parse and display the information in a user-friendly
format. The file 410, itself, does not include code or resources
for using or displaying the information.
[0074] FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative to the conventional EPG
402 and in accordance with principles of the present invention. In
one embodiment of the invention, program interface objects (PIOs)
502 are used to represent television programs within an
entertainment system, such as an interactive television system 200.
In the depicted embodiment, a plurality of PIOs 502 are stored
within a memory 306 of an STB 102. However, various other systems
and devices may be used to store PIOs 502, such as personal digital
assistants (PDAs), webpads, personal computers, and the like.
[0075] As noted above, a PIO 502 may include a plurality of actions
504 and attributes 506. In one embodiment, actions 504 correspond
to various operations that may be performed on or in connection
with the television program represented by the PIO 502. For
example, one action 504 may schedule the recording of the
represented television program, while another action may display
the represented television program if it was previously recorded or
is currently in progress. Actions 504 may be embodied as program
code, in a machine-independent format, that may be executed, for
example, by an STB 102 for an interactive television system.
Alternatively, actions 504 may include resources that are used by
program code within a STB 102 or the like.
[0076] Attributes 506 contain information about the television
program represented by the PIO 502. For example, one attribute 506
may correspond to a television program's name, while another
attribute 506 may correspond to the program's broadcast time.
[0077] As described more fully hereafter, attributes 506 may be
used to sort, filter, search, prioritize, or otherwise organize a
set of PIOs 502. Moreover, certain attributes 506 may be used in
the context of certain actions 504. For example, an action 504 for
recording a television program may need to access the attributes
506 containing the channel, starting time, and running time of the
television program.
[0078] Each of the attributes 506 in a PIO 502 may include a
triplet of information, e.g., the attribute name (Program Title,
Program Broadcast Time, Program Broadcast Channel), the attribute's
type (searchable text, time, executable code, GIF image, ATVEF
triggers and their time mark within the program, MIME, or the
like), and the attribute's value. In some cases, attributes 506 may
include text in multiple languages to allow the PIO 502 to be used
in different countries around the world.
[0079] PIOs 502 may be implemented using various technologies. For
instance, a PIO 502 may be implemented as a JavaBean object.
Alternatively, a PIO 502 may be embodied as a Distributed Component
Object Model (DCOM) object.
[0080] In one implementation, each PIO 502 also includes a visual
indicator 506, such as an icon, animated image, or video clip,
which is displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) to
facilitate user interaction with the PIO 502. As illustrated in
subsequent figures, the GUI may display a plurality of visual
indicators 508 corresponding to a set of PIOs 502. Using a remote
control 106 or other selection mechanism, a user may select a PIO
502 by its corresponding visual indicator 508. Further, a user may
select an action associated with the PIO 502 to be executed by the
STB 102.
[0081] In one embodiment, PIOs 502 include program code in a
substantially machine-independent format. For example, Java Bean or
DCOM objects generally do not require proprietary hardware so long
as the hardware executes a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), a DCOM
server, or the like. The PIOs 502 may be created using a variety of
programming languages, and protocols, such as Java, C++, Smalltalk,
and other programming languages that support object-oriented
programming.
[0082] Machine independence allows the PIOs 502 to be portable.
Information and functionality associated with a particular
television program are encapsulated within the PIOs 502. PIOs may
be transferred between STBs 102 or other devices, such as personal
computers and hand-held devices. PIOs 502 may also be stored in
computer-readable media, such as CDs, diskettes, memory cards,
memory sticks, or the like.
[0083] Of course, PIOs 502 may be configured in various ways, and
may be referred to using different terms, while still being
considered within the scope of the invention. For example,
"actions" may be termed "methods" or "functions", and "attributes"
may be referred to as "variables", "state", or "data".
[0084] FIG. 6 illustrates an expanded view of a PIO 502 including
examples of attributes 506, actions 504, and visual indicators 508.
For instance, a typical PIO 502 may include such attributes 506 as
title 506a, description 506b, broadcast channel 506c, rating 506d
(e.g., TV-G, TV-PG), start time 506e, end time 506f, running time
506g, release year 506h, classification 506i (e.g., drama, sit-com,
sports), actor(s) 506j, producer(s) 506k, related Internet links
506l, storage location 506m, country of origin 506n, language 506o,
etc. Of course, various other attributes 506 may be provided within
the scope of the invention.
[0085] In some cases, attributes 506 may be embodied as references
to external data in the form of hyperlinks or the like. For
example, where a start time 506e attribute contains a fixed start
time (e.g., 8:00 pm), an STB 102 may not be able to account for
scheduling changes by a television source 114. Thus, in certain
embodiments, the start time attribute 506e(and other such
attributes 506), may include a link to a server (not shown) that
contains the up-to-date start time for the television program.
Thus, scheduling changes reflected in the server will be
automatically recognized by all corresponding PIOs 502. This is
particularly advantageous in the context of a sports game that goes
into overtime. For example, the STB 102 can get updates from the
broadcaster, allowing the STB 102 to extend the duration of the
recording of the program.
[0086] In other embodiments, one or more attributes 506 of a PIO
502 may be dynamically updated based on (possibly real-time)
updates from a broadcaster using a transmission method that can be
specified in the PIO 502. The transmission methods can include, for
instance, HTTP, FTP, e-mail, or an ATVEF trigger.
[0087] One particularly advantageous attribute 506 is the is the
related Internet links attribute 506l. The related Internet links
attribute 506l may link a PIO 502 to an associated web site (e.g.,
a sponsored link), a chat room (e.g., real time chat about the
television program being watched), or an e-commerce site.
[0088] In certain embodiments, one attribute 506 may comprise a
link (not shown) to one or more other PIOs 502. This facilitates
PIO linking, which is advantageous, for example, in the context of
related PIOs 502, e.g., a miniseries.
[0089] A typical PIO 502 may also include various actions 504, such
as an action 504a for recording the associated television program.
As described more fully below, the recording action 504a may
operate in conjunction with the CODEC 304 and storage device 310 of
FIG. 3 to digitally record the television program when it is
broadcast by a television source 114 or streaming video source 116.
In addition, the recording action 504 may access the channel, start
time, end time, and/or running time attributes 506c, 506e-g in
order to facilitate the recording. The instantiation of a PIO 502
as stored in the STB memory 306 may contain additional, or updated
data and may not be exactly the same as the originally broadcast
PIO 502. The recording action 504a is an example of this dynamic
update of the stored copy of the PIO 502.
[0090] An action 504b may also be provided for displaying the
represented television program on a television 104. If, for
instance, the television program is currently being broadcast, the
display action 504b may be configured to tune the STB 102 to the
correct channel. If, however, the television program was previously
broadcast and recorded (e.g., by the record action 504a), the
display action 504b may retrieve and display the stored television
program. In one embodiment, the display action 504 accesses the
storage location 506m attribute to locate a stored television
program.
[0091] Various other actions 504 may include an action 504b for
reminding a user that a particular program is scheduled to be
broadcast and/or reminding the user that the program has been
recorded. Additionally, an action 504d may be provided for
displaying one or more attributes 506 of the PIO 502 on the
television 104 or other display device. Moreover, an action 504e
may be included to allow a user to rate and/or comment on the
represented television program. An action 504f may also be provided
to send a copy of the PIO 502 to another system or device.
[0092] In some cases, actions 504 may be propagated between linked
PIOs 502. For example, a user may selection the record action 502a
of a PIO 502 corresponding to a program in a mini-series. If the
PIOs 502 of the mini-series are linked (e.g., by an appropriate
attribute 506 or the like), then the same action 506a may be
executed by the linked PIOs 502 as well.
[0093] Of course, numerous other attributes 506 and actions 504 may
be provided within the scope of the invention. Moreover, the
object-oriented nature of a PIO 502 allows for additional actions
504 and attributes 506 to be dynamically added as necessary.
[0094] The PIO 502 may also include a visual indicator 508, such as
a graphical icon, to facilitate interaction with the PIO 502 in the
context of a GUI. A visual indicator 508 may alternatively, or in
addition, include a textual description of the television program,
such as the program's name.
[0095] A graphical visual indicator 508 is advantageous in that it
overcomes language and illiteracy barriers presented by
conventional EPGs 402. For example, a child user may be unable to
read a text description. However, a Big Bird.RTM. icon would be
clearly recognizable as representing Sesame Street.RTM..
[0096] In certain embodiments, a PIO 502 may include an audible
indicator 502. The audible indicator 502 may include, for example,
a description of the PIO 502 (similar to the description attribute
506b), an advertisement, user instructions, or the like. The
audible indicator 502 may be embodied as an audio clip or sample,
which is played back by the STB 102 when the PIO 502 is selected or
when the corresponding visual indicator 506 is displayed. The
inclusion of an audible indicator 502 is advantageous for people
who are visually disabled or those who have difficulty reading.
[0097] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a block diagram of
logical components of a system 700 that utilizes PIOs 502 to
represent television programs. The depicted logical components may
be implemented using one or more of the physical components shown
in FIG. 3. Additionally, or in the alternative, various logical
components may be implemented as software modules stored in the
memory 306 and/or storage device 310 and executed by the CPU
312.
[0098] In one configuration, a plurality of PIOs 502a-f may be
stored within a memory, such as a memory 306 of an STB 102. A
display component 702 displays each visual indicator 508 of a PIO
502 on a television 104 or other display device. The visual
indicators 508 may be displayed in connection with a GUI 704.
[0099] In certain embodiments, the displayed visual indicators
508a-f may be grouped in the GUI 704 within logical folders or the
like, allowing user to organize the visual indicators 508a-f in any
desired manner. For example, a user may group visual indicators
508a-f within such folders as "My sit-coms", "My TV dramas", "My
sports", etc., to facilitate easy access thereto.
[0100] As described more fully below, a selection component 706
allows a user to select one or more PIOs 502 by selecting
corresponding visual indicators 508. Thereafter, the selection
component 706 allows a user to choose one of the actions associated
with the selected PIO 502. The selection of an action 504 may be
accomplished via a context-sensitive menu or other suitable
mechanism, as illustrated below.
[0101] As an example, suppose a PIO 502a includes a number of
attributes 506, such as a title attribute 506a (e.g., "Dallas v.
Denver"), a channel attribute 506c ("4 KTVX"), a start time
attribute 506e(e.g., "Monday, 7:00 pm"), and an end time attribute
506f("Monday, 10:00 pm"). Further, suppose that the PIO 502a
includes a record action 504a, a display action 504b, and an iconic
visual indicator 508a.
[0102] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary GUI 704 including visual
indicators 508a-f corresponding to the PIOs 502a-f of FIG. 7. In
the illustrated embodiment, a user selects visual indicator 508a
using, for example, the arrow buttons 208-214 of the remote control
106. A pointer, selection outline, or other mechanism may used to
pick the desired indicator 508a.
[0103] In response to the selection, a context-sensitive menu 802
may be displayed listing the available actions 504a-b for the PIO
502a. Where a large number of actions 504 are available, the menu
802 may display only the most popular or common actions 504, while
providing a mechanism to display additional actions if desired.
[0104] In some cases, selecting an action 504 may result in the
display of various options 804 in the form of a sub-menu 806. The
options 804 may correspond to various parameters, features, or
settings used by the corresponding action 504. For example, the
record action 504a may include two options 804a-b, corresponding to
record "Weekly" and record "Next Time Broadcast." If the "Next Time
Broadcast" option 804b is selected, for instance, the record action
504a may record the next episode of a television program, as
opposed to recurring weekly episodes (in the case of TV drama or
sit-com).
[0105] Of course, different selection mechanisms may be provided
other than the context-sensitive menu 802 and sub-menu 806. For
example, the selection component 706 may display a plurality of
user-selectable icons (not shown) corresponding to different
actions 504 and options 804.
[0106] Because each PIO 502 may be tailored to a particular
television program, the actions 504 available in the
context-sensitive menu 802 may vary from program to program.
Similarly, options 804 available in a sub-menu 806 for a particular
action 504 may vary from one program to the next.
[0107] Referring to FIG. 9, the STB 102 may further include an
action component 902 that executes a user-selected action 504. The
action component 902 may be implemented, in various embodiments, in
the context of a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), a DCOM server, or the
like. Of course, other implementations are possible.
[0108] To execute the selected action 504, the action component 902
may interact with various other logical components of the STB 102,
such as a recording component 904, a scheduling component 906, and
a playback component 908, as described below.
[0109] Briefly, the recording component 904 is configured to record
a television program using, for example, the storage device 310.
The scheduling component 906 schedules recording tasks to record
television programs to be broadcast in the future. In addition, the
scheduling component 906 interacts with the recording component 904
to record a desired television program at the correct time and date
in accordance with a scheduled recording task. The playback
component 908 is configured, in one embodiment, to display a
television program stored within the storage device 310 or the
like. Each of the above-described components may be implemented in
the context of a digital video recording (DVR) system, one example
of which is the TiVo.RTM. DVR, available from TiVo, Inc.
[0110] Suppose, as shown in FIG. 8, that a user selects the record
action 504a with the "Next Time Broadcast" option 804b. In response
to such selection, and as illustrated in FIG. 10, the starting time
506e, ending time 506f, and channel 506c attributes may be provided
to the scheduling component 906. Thereafter, the scheduling
component 906 schedules a recording event to record the television
program. At the specified time and date, the scheduling component
906 instructs the recording component 904 to record 904 the
television program on the specified channel.
[0111] The recorded television program may be stored within the
storage device 310 of the STB 102 or another suitable location.
After the program is recorded, the stored location of the
television program may be placed in the storage location attribute
506m of the PIO 502a to allow subsequent access thereto.
[0112] FIG. 11 illustrates use of PIOs 502 in the context of a
personal information manager (PIM) 1100, such as an adapted version
of Microsoft.RTM. Outlook.RTM.. In one embodiment, when a
television program represented by a PIO 502 is scheduled for
recording, the scheduling component 906 interacts with the PIM 1100
to display a visual indicator 508 of the PIO 502 in a calendar,
to-do list, or the like, provided by the PIM 1100.
[0113] Moreover, in one implementation, the scheduling component
906 inserts reminders 1102 into the PIM 1100 to notify users
concerning scheduled recordings. Similarly, reminders 1102 of
upcoming television programs may be noted on the calendar a day or
two prior to the broadcast date. In this manner, a user may quickly
see which television programs he or she plans to watch.
[0114] In certain embodiments, PIOs 502 may be dragged and dropped
onto the PIM 1100 using object linking and embedding (OLE), DCOM,
ActiveX, or the like. A result of dropping a PIO 502 on the PIM
1100 may be to schedule the program represented by the PIO 502 for
recording.
[0115] While FIG. 11 illustrates use of PIOs 502 in a PIM 1100, the
object-oriented nature of the PIOs 502 allows them to interface
with a variety of software applications. Moreover, PIOs may be used
with a variety of electronic devices, including personal computers,
cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers,
telephones, and the like. The portable nature of the PIOs 502 and
flexibility available provide for a variety of uses for the PIOs
502. For example, an action 504 may exist to call a user and
deliver a voice synthesized reminder 1102 one hour prior to a
broadcast of the associated television program. The possibilities
for actions 504 are endless.
[0116] As shown in FIG. 12, once a television program is recorded,
it may be retrieved and displayed in response to a user selection
of the display action 504b shown in FIG. 8. In one embodiment, the
location of the recorded television program is retrieved from the
stored location attribute 506m and provided to the playback
component 908. Thereafter, the playback component 908 retrieves the
recorded program and plays back the same on the television 104.
[0117] As shown in FIG. 13, an action 504d may be provided for
displaying one or more of the attributes of a PIO 502. The action
504d and the desired attribute(s) 506 may be selected using the
context-sensitive menu 802 and sub-menu 806 illustrated in FIG. 8,
although the invention is not limited in this respect.
[0118] Suppose, for example, that a user selects the display
attribute action 504d with the description attribute 506b. In one
embodiment, the description attribute 506b is retrieved from the
PIO 502 and provided to the display component 702 or the like for
display. In various embodiments, a selected attribute 506 may
include text, audio, video, or the like. Thus, the various modules
not shown but well known in the art may be required for displaying
or playing back the selected attribute 506.
[0119] FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a system 1400 providing
a set of PIOs 502 to an interactive television system 200. PIOs 502
may be available from a variety of sources including, for example,
a head-end 110, a television source 114 (such as a television
network), a schedule source 118, a streaming video source 116, an
PIO server (not shown), and the like. The PIOs 502 may be
transmitted from these sources, across a broadband network 101, the
Internet 112, or other network connection, including a satellite
link, to an STB 102.
[0120] In the depicted embodiment, a population component 914 is
provided for populating an STB 102 or the like with a user-selected
set of PIOs 502. The population component 914 may be implemented
within the STB 102 (as shown), within a head-end 110, or the
like.
[0121] In one embodiment, the population component 914 provides a
filter component 1402 for reducing an initial set 1404 of available
PIOs 502 to a user-specified set 1405 that may be stored within the
STB 102. In certain embodiments, the initial set 1404 may include
hundreds or thousands of PIOs 502 associated with corresponding
television programs. Thus, reducing the initial set 1404 to a more
manageable set 1405 is generally desirable.
[0122] The filter component 1402 may include or be associated with
filtering criteria 1406. The filtering criteria 1406 may comprise a
set of user-defined rules for filtering the initial set 1404. For
example, a user may specify that the population component 914 only
retrieve PIOs 502 having a start time 506eof 7:00 pm and a end time
506fof 10:00 pm (e.g., primetime). Alternatively, a user may
specify that the population component 914 only retrieve PIOs 502
corresponding to sporting events. Of course, those skilled in the
art recognize that various other filtering criteria 1406 may be
used, including logical operators (e.g., AND, OR, NOT) and the
like.
[0123] The filtering component 1402 may also be used within an STB
102 to divide the initial set 1404 based on different criteria,
such as the genres of the respective television programs, in order
to transmit PIOs 502 or information from PIOs 502 to auxiliary
devices such as pagers, PDAs, personal computers, or telephone
handsets that can receive information and display it for the
user.
[0124] As illustrated in FIG. 14, suppose PIOs 502a-d belong to the
initial set 1404. The population component 914 applies the
filtering criteria 1406 (e.g., primetime) to each PIO 502a-d. The
PIOs 502 that match the filtering criteria 1406 (e.g., PIO 502a-b)
are retrieved from the source and stored in the STB 102. As
previously described, the display component 702 may then display
the corresponding visual indicators 508a-b on the television
104.
[0125] The filtering component 1402 may also be used internally
within a STB 102 to organize the selected set 1405. For example, a
user may further divide the set 1405 based on different criteria
1406, such as the genres of the respective television programs.
This allows the user to organize the PIOs 502 using logical folders
or the like.
[0126] As shown in FIG. 15, PIOs 502 may be transmitted from one
system to another. For example, a PIO 502a within a first STB 102a
may be transmitted via the network 101 to second STB 102b. Of
course, other networks may be used, such as telephone and satellite
networks (not shown). Additionally, PIOs 502 may be communicated
between a variety of electronic devices, including personal
computers, PDAs, telephones, cell phones, pagers, and the like.
[0127] In one embodiment, a communication component 1502 is
provided within each STB 102a-b or other systems or devices. The
communication component 1502 may be embodied by various standard
communication tools, such as Web browsers, e-mail clients, or the
like. Moreover, various communication protocols may be used, such
as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, IMAP, which are well known to those skilled in
the art.
[0128] In the illustrated embodiment, a user of the source STB 102a
may select the visual indicator 508a of PIO 502a. Thereafter, the
user may select, for example, the send action 504f from the
context-sensitive menu 802. The send action 504f may include code
for interacting with the communication component 1502 to transmit a
copy of the PIO 502a to the destination STB 102b.
[0129] Alternatively, a PIO 502 may be communicated through the use
of portable computer-readable media, such as CD-ROMs, diskettes,
memory cards, memory sticks, and the like. In one embodiment, the
PIO 502, or a copy thereof, is placed on a computer-readable medium
by a source system. Thereafter, the computer-readable medium is
provided to the destination system, where it is read into memory
306 and/or a storage device 310.
[0130] Based on the foregoing, the present invention offers a
number of advantages not available in conventional approaches. The
present invention allows users to quickly and efficiently access
television programming within an entertainment system without the
need for a conventional, grid-based EPG 402. PIOs 502 may be
organized according to user-specified criteria and transmitted
between various types of entertainment systems and devices.
Television programs may be recorded and played back while shielding
a user from the details of the program's broadcast time and
channel.
[0131] While specific embodiments and applications of the present
invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited to the precise
configuration and components disclosed herein. Various
modifications, changes, and variations apparent to those skilled in
the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of
the methods and systems of the present invention disclosed herein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *