U.S. patent application number 16/397914 was filed with the patent office on 2019-08-22 for systems and methods for overlaying a digital mini guide onto a video stream.
This patent application is currently assigned to DISH Technologies L.L.C.. The applicant listed for this patent is DISH Technologies L.L.C.. Invention is credited to Anthony Birdsong, William Joseph Harvey, III, Eric Herrmann, Christian Holbrook, Toby Youngberg.
Application Number | 20190258392 16/397914 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55182586 |
Filed Date | 2019-08-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190258392 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Youngberg; Toby ; et
al. |
August 22, 2019 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OVERLAYING A DIGITAL MINI GUIDE ONTO A
VIDEO STREAM
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for superimposing a program
guide browser onto a video stream. The method includes receiving a
request from the client while media content is displayed at the
host; in response to the request, transmitting a user interface
(UI) to the client; and displaying the UI at the client without
interrupting the displayed media content; wherein the UI comprises
a horizontally scrollable ribbon. Additional or alternate features
may be provided as desired.
Inventors: |
Youngberg; Toby; (Lehi,
UT) ; Harvey, III; William Joseph; (Lehi, UT)
; Holbrook; Christian; (Lehi, UT) ; Birdsong;
Anthony; (Orem, UT) ; Herrmann; Eric;
(Centerville, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DISH Technologies L.L.C. |
Englewood |
CO |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DISH Technologies L.L.C.
Englewood
CO
|
Family ID: |
55182586 |
Appl. No.: |
16/397914 |
Filed: |
April 29, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14587272 |
Dec 31, 2014 |
10275141 |
|
|
16397914 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/472 20130101;
H04N 21/4622 20130101; G06F 3/04855 20130101; H04N 21/4312
20130101; H04N 21/482 20130101; H04N 21/4782 20130101; H04N 21/6125
20130101; H04N 21/8173 20130101; H04N 21/23424 20130101; H04N
21/2187 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/0485 20060101
G06F003/0485; H04N 21/482 20060101 H04N021/482; H04N 21/2187
20060101 H04N021/2187; H04N 21/472 20060101 H04N021/472; H04N
21/462 20060101 H04N021/462; H04N 21/234 20060101 H04N021/234; H04N
21/61 20060101 H04N021/61; H04N 21/431 20060101 H04N021/431; H04N
21/81 20060101 H04N021/81; H04N 21/4782 20060101 H04N021/4782 |
Claims
1. An automated process executed by a host device that communicates
with a client device over a network, the automated process
comprising: receiving, by the host device, a request from the
client device while a video stream is displayed at the host device;
and in response to the request, the host device transmitting a user
interface (UI) to the client device for display of the UI by the
client device without interrupting the displayed video stream;
wherein the UI comprises a horizontally scrollable first ribbon
comprising a plurality of horizontally-adjacent first tiles,
wherein each tile of the plurality of horizontally-adjacent first
tiles comprises an image indicative of an additional media content
category; wherein the UI further comprises a
horizontally-scrollable second ribbon, disposed vertically-adjacent
to the horizontally-scrollable first ribbon, comprising a plurality
of horizontally-adjacent second tiles, wherein each tile of the
plurality of horizontally-adjacent second tiles comprises an image
of additional media content that is different from the video stream
being displayed, and wherein the horizontally-scrollable second
ribbon is dependent upon the horizontally-scrollable first ribbon
such that each time the horizontally-scrollable first ribbon is
scrolled to the left or right, the horizontally-scrollable second
ribbon is comprised of a new plurality of horizontally-adjacent
second tiles.
2. The automated process of claim 1 wherein the images indicative
of additional media content categories are different from a
category of the media content being displayed at the host device,
wherein each image in the first tiles corresponds to a television
channel logo, and wherein at least two of the plurality of
horizontally-adjacent first tiles and their respective images are
simultaneously viewable within the horizontally-scrollable first
ribbon.
3. The automated process of claim 2 wherein the image of additional
media content of each tile of the plurality of
horizontally-adjacent second tiles pertains to the additional media
content category of one of the plurality of horizontally-adjacent
first tiles, wherein each image in the second tiles corresponds to
a logo of a television program viewable on the television channel
corresponding to the one of the plurality of horizontally-adjacent
first tiles, and wherein at least two of the plurality of
horizontally-adjacent second tiles and their respective images are
simultaneously viewable within the horizontally-scrollable second
ribbon.
4. The automated process of claim 1, wherein displaying the UI
comprises overlaying the UI on top of the displayed media content
while maintaining the shape size of the displayed media
content.
5. The automated process of claim 4 wherein displaying the UI
comprises overlaying the UI on a bottom portion of the displayed
media content.
6. The automated process of claim 5, wherein the bottom portion
comprises in the range of 10% to 50% of the height of the displayed
media content.
7. The automated process of claim 1 wherein transmitting the UI
comprises the host device forming a web page with program guide
information and transmitting the web page to an application
executing on the client device.
8. The automated process of claim 1, further comprising: in
response to a user selecting one of the detail tiles, changing the
then current media content to display new media content
corresponding to the selected detail tile.
9. The automated process of claim 1, further comprising: in
response to a user selecting one of the detail tiles, presenting a
third ribbon comprising further detail corresponding to the
selected detail tile.
10. A media delivery host system configured to simultaneously
transmit a video stream and an interactive program guide browser to
a client device via a network, wherein the client device decodes
the video stream and provides the video stream and the interactive
program guide browser for simultaneous presentation, the media
delivery host system comprising: a non-transitory data storage
configured to store computer-executable instructions; and a
processor configured to execute the instructions stored by the
non-transitory data storage to perform and automated process that
provides an integrated display to the client device, the integrated
display comprising: a master ribbon comprising a plurality of
horizontally-adjacent first tiles, wherein each tile of the
plurality of horizontally-adjacent first tiles comprises an image
indicative of an additional media content category, and a detail
ribbon, disposed vertically-adjacent to the master ribbon,
comprising a plurality of horizontally-adjacent second tiles
overlaid on the bottom portion of the video frame, wherein each
tile of the plurality of horizontally-adjacent second tiles
comprises an image of additional media content, different from the
media content being displayed, wherein the detail ribbon is
dependent upon the master ribbon such that each time the master
ribbon is scrolled to the left or right, the detail ribbon is
comprised of a new plurality of horizontally-adjacent second
tiles.
11. The media delivery host system of claim 10 wherein the
additional media content category is overlaid onto a bottom portion
of a video frame, wherein each image in the first tiles corresponds
to a television channel logo, and wherein at least two of the
plurality of horizontally-adjacent first tiles and their respective
images are simultaneously viewable within the master ribbon
12. The media delivery host system of claim 11 wherein the image of
additional media content of each tile of the plurality of
horizontally-adjacent second tiles pertains to the additional media
content category of one of the plurality of horizontally-adjacent
first tiles, wherein each image in the second tiles corresponds to
a logo of a television program viewable on the television channel
corresponding to the one of the plurality of horizontally-adjacent
first tiles, and wherein at least two of the plurality of
horizontally-adjacent second tiles and their respective images are
simultaneously viewable within the detail ribbon.
13. The media delivery host system of claim 10, wherein the detail
ribbon abuts a bottom horizontal edge of the video frame, and the
master ribbon abuts a top horizontal edge of the detail ribbon.
14. The media delivery host system of claim 10, wherein the master
and detail ribbons are independently horizontally scrollable.
15. The media delivery host system of claim 10, wherein the
integrated display further includes: a third ribbon disposed
adjacent the detail ribbon and comprising additional information
corresponding to a selected program tile.
16. The media delivery host system of claim 10, wherein the browser
is overlaid upon the video stream without interrupting the video
stream.
17. The media delivery system of claim 10, wherein the browser is
overlaid upon the video stream while maintaining the shape size of
the video frame.
18. The media delivery system of claim 10, wherein at least one
program tile comprises textual, photographic, and branding
imagery.
19. The media delivery system of claim 10, further configured to
change the then current video stream and to display a new video
stream in response to a user selecting one of the program tiles.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/587,272 filed on Dec. 31, 2014, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and
methods for providing media content and information regarding the
media content over a network. Such systems and techniques may be
useful, for example, in navigating a user interface (UI) of
available content while viewing a current video selection.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Most television viewers receive their television programming
through a cable, direct broadcast satellite (DBS), IPTV or similar
subscription-based service. To that end, television service is
usually broadcast from a cable, DBS or other content aggregator to
multiple subscribers. The subscribers may then view received
content as live broadcasts from any one of a plurality of client
devices connected to a home network, and may similarly browse
available content from any connected device.
[0004] At the same time, the Internet and other digital
communications networks continue to have significant effects on
every aspect of personal and professional life. Network
communications are becoming increasingly ubiquitous due to the
reduced cost and increased performance of portable computing
devices, as well as the increasing prevalence and capability of
mobile telephony and other wireless communications technologies.
Additionally, more and more devices, including set top boxes
(STBs), television receivers, personal or digital video recorders
(DVRs), placeshifting devices and the like are becoming enabled for
communications over digital networks. Consumers therefore expect
convenient modalities for browsing available media content from a
wide range of devices and settings.
[0005] Digital streaming media services such as Netflix.TM.,
Hulu.TM. Plus, and Amazon.TM. Prime employ a "browse-then-watch"
metaphor for navigating and viewing subscription content. For
example, a user must first terminate or suspend the current viewing
session, navigate through available content choices, select the
next movie, television show, or the like, and then terminate the
browsing session and begin viewing the most recently selected
content. That is, the user must interrupt the current viewing
session, switch to a browsing mode, and thereafter return to a
viewing mode. Other services shrink the current video frame, push
it to one corner of the screen, and display a viewing guide in the
remaining portion of the screen.
[0006] Presently known media distribution paradigms lack the
ability to browse available content without substantially
disrupting the current viewing session. Moreover, presently known
guides are typically presented in the form of a grid containing
textual information.
[0007] Systems and methods are thus needed which overcome these
limitations.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0008] According to various exemplary embodiments, systems and
methods are described for displaying an interactive user guide in a
graphically appealing manner which minimally disrupts the then
current viewing session. In some embodiments, during a video
viewing session, a browsing session is overlaid onto the video
being viewed in response to a viewing guide request received from
the client. In this way, a viewer may browse for content in the
context of the current video viewing session, without shrinking or
stretching the frame size of the video session. Information about
the available content is displayed in a graphical hierarchy, such
as horizontally scrollable ribbons superimposed on the lower
portion of the screen.
[0009] In an embodiment, the ribbons present a master/detail
paradigm, such that the top ribbon displays categories of content
(e.g., channels, genre), and a lower ribbon displays details of a
selected category. The navigation hierarchy may be abstracted to
any number of dimensions, whereby successively increasing embedded
detail for a selected tile is displayed in a subsequent ribbon.
Other embodiments may also display control instructions to change
channels, to fast forward or rewind content, to adjust user
preferences, and/or to take any other actions as desired.
[0010] Other embodiments provide a hardware environment in which
the video decoder and the graphics driver are implemented in the
same processor or processing system, thereby reducing cost and
hardware complexity. In this way, the interactive user guide
interface may be superimposed over the video on virtually any state
of the art television, smart phone, lap top or tablet computer, or
the like.
[0011] Various other embodiments, aspects and features are
described in more detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0012] Exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in
conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like
numerals denote like elements, and:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary host system
including a guide server and content server in accordance with an
embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a screen shot of a ribbon based guide hierarchy
overlaid onto a video in accordance with an embodiment; and
[0015] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
navigating a content hierarchy during a video session in accordance
with an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The following detailed description of the invention is
merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the
invention or the application and uses of the invention.
Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory
presented in the preceding background or the following detailed
description.
[0017] According to various embodiments, an interactive user guide
interface is presented to a user upon request, in the form of
horizontally scrollable ribbons disposed in the lower portion of a
video screen. in a preferred embodiment, guide overlays and hence
cover up the lower portion (e.g., the lower third) of the viewing
screen. The guide comprises a top ribbon which presents the viewer
with categories of information, and the bottom ribbon displays a
detail view of a selected category.
[0018] By way of non-limiting example, categories displayed in the
top ribbon may include: available channels (e.g., CBS, NBC, ABC,
CNN); genres (e.g., comedy, suspense); sports (e.g., NHL, NFL, MLB,
NBA); actors (e.g., Jimmy Stewart, Robert Wagner). Details
displayed in the bottom ribbon may include the current, past, and
future programs offered by a selected channel, available movies
corresponding to a selected genre, available games corresponding to
a selected sports league, an interactive search feature, and so on.
In a preferred embodiment, the bottom ribbon comprises a sequence
of individual tiles, each including one or more photographic,
graphical, and textual cues using, for example, the imagery and/or
art associated with a particular program or franchise. Accordingly,
the ribbon metaphor provides at least three dimensions of
navigation hierarchy: i) the master ribbon; ii) the detail ribbon;
and iii) the textual/graphical/imagery within each tile.
[0019] In other embodiments, the ribbon metaphor may be
extrapolated to any number of dimensions, such that selecting an
item from the then current detail level produces a successive
ribbon comprising a deeper level of detail, much like navigating
files and folders on a hard drive. In this regard, the "up, down"
buttons on a remote, display, or touch pad may be used to navigate
up and down the ribbon hierarchy, and the "left, right" buttons may
be used to scroll within a ribbon leveraging the left-to-right
temporal/chronological metaphor. The Enter, Return, Select, or
other intuitively appropriate key (or virtual button) may be used
to select an item or tile from within the hierarchy.
[0020] In contrast to presently known set top boxes which typically
implement graphics drivers and video decoding in software, various
embodiments integrate these functions in a single hardware
implementation, for example, in a single or multi-core processor,
chip set, central processing unit (CPU) or other processing system.
In this way, the graphical user interface (GUI) may be overlaid or
superimposed onto the video stream seamlessly and cost effectively.
Moreover, high bandwidth network protocols allow the system to
simultaneously download live video and the GUI graphics over the
same pipe in real time.
[0021] Various embodiments therefore provide a relatively robust
set of functions and features to the viewer that can be
conveniently accessed using conventional web protocols and existing
client devices. Other embodiments may provide alternate or
additional features, as desired.
[0022] Turning now to the drawing figures and with initial
reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary media delivery system 100 useful
in overlaying a media guide user interface onto a video stream
includes a media server 104 for pushing media content 105, and a
media guide server 116 for pushing information regarding available
programming, to a client 102 via a network 110. The client 102 is
configured to present content 101 on a display screen, monitor, or
the like, and to overlay a user interface (or browser) 103 onto a
bottom portion of the screen in response to a user request for the
browser.
[0023] Upon receiving a request from a client 102, the host 116
establishes a session with the media server 104 to access available
programming. The host 116 also retrieves program guide information
from a guide database 115, which may be a stand-alone database,
integrated with the host 116 or media 115, or otherwise available
to the host 116. This information may be appropriately processed
and/or formatted (e.g., as a plurality of ribbons) and provided to
client 102 via network 110. Some implementations may provide robust
searching of content 105 and/or guide information 115, for example.
Such searching may also consider information 112 about on-demand
programming, and/or other information as desired in addition to
information obtained from media server 104. Other embodiments may
additionally or alternately provide the ability to change
preferences or other settings on media server 104, to view media
content 105 in a web browser or other window, and/or to take any
other actions as may be desired.
[0024] Client 102 may be any device, component, module, hardware,
software application and/or the like that is capable of
communicating over network no. To that end, many different types of
clients 102 may be implemented with any sort of general or special
purpose hardware, software and/or firmware. In some embodiments,
client 102 may be a conventional personal computer, portable
computer, workstation and/or other computing system. In still other
embodiments, some types of clients 102 may include personal digital
assistants, video game players, mobile telephones, network
appliances, network-enabled remote controls and/or any other
devices capable of communicating on network no.
[0025] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, client 102 may execute
any sort of conventional browser application that is compatible
with standard Internet, world wide web (WWW) and/or other formats.
Conventional web browsers available for a number of different
computing platforms include the INTERNET EXPLORER, MOZILLA FIREFOX,
SAFARI, CHROME, and OPERA browsers, as well as many others. Such
browsers 103 are typically capable of displaying active or other
documents formatted in accordance with published protocols (e.g.,
hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML),
and/or the like). Many browsers are also capable of executing
"plugin" applications, applets or the like. Such plugins may be
formatted in accordance with ActiveX, JAVA and/or any number of
other formats.
[0026] In some embodiments, client 102 includes a media application
including a graphics and/or video driver in the form of a software
module, or the media application may be implemented in hardware
(e.g., integrated into the processor associated with the client
device). In other embodiments, the media application could be
implemented as a plugin or other applet that runs within the
browser, as desired. In some embodiments, the media application may
be initially obtained from a networked host, such as host 116. The
application may be retrieved on an as-needed basis in some
embodiments, or may be stored at client 102 for subsequent
execution.
[0027] Network 110 is any digital or other communications network
capable of transmitting messages between senders (e.g., media
server 104) and receivers (e.g., media server 104). In various
embodiments, network no includes any number of public or private
data connections, links or networks supporting any number of
communications protocols. Network no may include the Internet, for
example, or any other network. Such networks may be based upon
TCP/IP or other conventional protocols, although other embodiments
may use any type of alternate or successor protocols, as desired.
In various embodiments, network no may also incorporate a wireless
and/or wired telephone network, such as a cellular communications
network for communicating with mobile phones, personal digital
assistants, and/or the like. Various embodiments of network 110 may
also incorporate any sort of wireless or wired local area networks,
such as one or more IEEE 802.3 and/or IEEE 802.11 networks.
[0028] Media server 104 is any device or system communicating on
network 110 that is capable of receiving, recording, placeshifting
and/or otherwise processing media content 105. In various
embodiments, media server 104 includes a personal or digital video
recorder (DVR) feature that allows the server 104 to record
received programming for later viewing. A DVR may a standalone
device, or may be integrated within any sort of receiver (e.g., a
cable, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) or other set top box (STB))
that is capable of receiving and demodulating programming signals.
Other embodiments of media server 104 may include any sort of
standalone or hybrid media players, file servers and/or the like
that are capable of receiving, storing or otherwise processing
streaming or file-based content 105 of any sort. Still other
embodiments of media server 104 could implement a networked gaming
server or other media service as desired.
[0029] Content 105 is any sort of file-based programming or other
content that is accessible to media server 104. In various
embodiments, content 105 represents stored programming that is
received from an internal or external television receiver. Content
105 may also represent programming received from a camera, network
server and/or other source, as desired. Content may be stored in
any media, including in memory, on a hard disk, on a networked
server, and/or in any other digital, optical or other available
storage medium. Content 105 may be stored in any sort of compressed
or uncompressed format, as desired, and may be encoded or
transcoded as desired for effective receipt, storage, retrieval and
playing.
[0030] Host 116 is any server or other network host capable of
interacting with one or more clients 102 to provide instructions to
one or more servers 104. In various embodiments, host 116 is a
program guide server that also allows integration of program guide
information 115 and/or information about available on-demand
programming 112 or the like with information about content 105, as
described more fully below.
[0031] FIG. 1 shows one example of a host 116 that could be used to
provide a guide server that interacts with any number of clients
102 and servers 104. To that end, each host 116 within system 100
may be implemented with a server computer system or service that is
based upon any processor, architecture and/or operating system.
Each host 116 will typically by implemented using any sort of
conventional processing hardware 122, memory 124 and input/output
features 125. Various embodiments may be implemented using
dedicated or shared hardware servers; other implementations may
make use of virtual server features as part of a "cloud computing"
service, such as any of the cloud computing services provided by
AMAZON, GOOGLE, MICROSOFT, IBM, UBUNTU, SUN MICROSYSTEMS and/or any
number of other providers.
[0032] Although FIG. 1 shows a single host 116 for convenience,
many practical embodiments may provide a cluster or other
collection of multiple hosts 116 to support any desired number of
simultaneous connections. This cluster may also incorporate
appropriate routing, load balancing, access and security mechanisms
and or any number of other features. In various embodiments, each
host 116 is an actual or virtual computer system executing an
operating system 126 such as any version of LINUX, UNIX, SOLARIS,
NETWARE, WINDOWS, OS/X, AIX and/or the like. The various UNIX/LINUX
operating systems typically provide a computing core that is
capable of executing a guide server application 128, as well as any
number of daemons, processes, applications or other instance
modules as desired. For example, a guide server application 128
could execute as a daemon on host 116, with connections to separate
clients 102 being managed as separate processes or instances that
communicate with server application 128 using features provided by
operating system 126.
[0033] Guide server application 128 is typically initiated when
host 116 is booted or otherwise initialized. In various
embodiments, application 128 suitably registers with any
appropriate load balancers or other routers so that connections
with clients 102 can be appropriately distributed. Application 128
then processes connection requests from clients 102 as appropriate.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, guide server application 128
contains control logic 132 for controlling remotely-located servers
104 and a web server or other presentation logic 136 for providing
information to client 102 in a web-based or other format that can
be conveniently presented to the user. Various embodiments may also
provide search engine logic 134 as desired; this search engine may
perform an integrated search of information about content 105 that
is stored with the remote media server 104, as well as any program
guide information 115 and/or information about on-demand
programming 112 as desired. Such information 112, 115 may be
obtained from any database or other source available to host 116,
including any database executing on a separate server or the
like.
[0034] Control module 132 contains any appropriate programming
logic to establish sessions over network no with one or more media
servers 104 in response to requests received from clients 102. Such
sessions can be used to retrieve information from the media server
104 and/or to provide instructions to the media server as desired.
In various embodiments, interaction between client 102 and host 116
is implemented within the context of a conventional web session
that allows active and/or passive web content to be displayed
within the browser 103; other embodiments may use different
structures or techniques as desired.
[0035] Interactions between host 116 and client 102 may be managed
in any manner. In various embodiments, client 102 interacts with
host 116 using a conventional web browser that can receive
information from a conventional web server. Such information may be
provide as part of dynamic or active web content (e.g., using ASP,
JAVASCRIPT, Cold Fusion, PHP and/or other content, or using JAVA,
ACTIVEX and/or other plugins), and/or as static content (e.g.,
using HTML, XML or similar constructs). In various embodiments, a
conventional web page or similar document may be displayed with
embedded active content that allows the user to interact with a
program guide or other information using conventional graphical
user interface (GUI) constructs.
[0036] Guide server application 128 may provide any alternate
and/or additional functions and features as desired. Generally,
guide server application 128 is at least partially implemented
using conventional compiled object code derived from source code in
any programming language (e.g., C, C++ or the like). Other
embodiments may make use of an interpreted or other abstracted
environment, such as the JAVA environment available from Sun
Microsystems of Sunnyvale, Calif. or the .NET environment available
from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. Other embodiments may
implement the various components of guide server application 128
using any other programs, programming languages, scripting
languages, development or execution environments, and/or the like.
Such programming may be stored in source or object code form on any
digital storage medium (e.g., memory 124, mass storage, removable
media, or any other medium) that is accessible to guide server
application 128.
[0037] Turning now to FIG. 2, a screen shot 200 illustrates a
ribbon based guide 202 overlaid onto program content 204 in
accordance with an embodiment. More particularly, the program
content 204 may occupy the entire screen when the guide 202 is not
present. When summoned by the user, the guide 202 is overlaid,
superimposed, or otherwise integrated onto the same screen as the
viewed program, for example, over the lower portion (e.g., the
lower third, half, quarter) of the screen. In various embodiments,
the aspect ratio of the program content remains intact while the
user interface is displayer; that is, the frame size of the program
being viewed is neither increased nor decreased. Alternatively, the
frame size may be re-formatted onto that portion of the available
screen not occupied by the UI.
[0038] With continued reference to FIG. 2, the UI 202 includes a
first ribbon 206 and a second ribbon 208. In the illustrated
embodiment, the first ribbon 206 comprises a scrollable listing of
available channels which, when selected by the user, reveal a
deeper level of detail in a subsequent ribbon. The second (lower)
ribbon 208 comprises a scrollable sequence of individual tiles 210,
each including one or more of branding or franchise (e.g., channel,
network, or program) information 212, textual and/or graphical
information 214, and/or photographic or other imagery 216.
[0039] Turning now to FIG. 3, an exemplary process 300 for
simultaneously providing media content and a searchable program
guide to a client 102 over network 110 is shown. Generally
speaking, process 300 involves establishing a session 212 between
host 106 and media server 104 in response to a request 204 received
from a client 102. Host 116 also interacts with client 102 as
desired to provide program information and media content, to
receive instructions, and/or for any other purpose. The various
functions shown in FIG. 3 may be performed by software, firmware or
other programmable instructions stored within and executed by the
various components of FIG. 1, as appropriate.
[0040] With continued reference to FIG. 3, in various embodiments
the client requests (function 302) content to be viewed, whereupon
the host retrieves (function 304) the content from the content
server. The media server returns (function 306) the requested
content to the host, which pushes (function 309) the selected
content to the client for viewing.
[0041] While the elected content is being viewed, the user may
request (function 310) a program guide or other user interface to
facilitate navigating through a hierarchy of available content for
subsequent viewing. The host retrieves (function 312) the guide
information from the guide server, whereupon the guide server
returns (function 314) the guide information to the host. The guide
information is then transmitted to the client device (function
316), where it is populated into an appropriate UI and overlaid
onto the then current program being viewed.
[0042] With continued reference to FIG. 3, the user may select
(function 318) an item from the master ribbon (e.g., the top
ribbon), whereupon the guide server returns (function 320) the
corresponding detail for the selected item to the host. The host
then pushes (function 322) the detail to the client, for display in
the second (e.g., bottom) ribbon.
[0043] A method executable by a host communicating with a client
over a network is thus provided. The method includes: receiving a
request from the client while media content is displayed at the
host; in response to the request, transmitting a user interface
(UI) to the client; and displaying the UI at the client without
interrupting the displayed media content; wherein the UI comprises
a horizontally scrollable ribbon.
[0044] In an embodiment, the media content comprises a video
stream, and the host comprises a server configured to
simultaneously transmit the media content and the UI to the
client.
[0045] In an embodiment, displaying the UI comprises overlaying the
UI on top of the displayed media content while maintaining the
shape size of the displayed media content.
[0046] In an embodiment, displaying the UI comprises overlaying the
UI on a bottom portion of the displayed media content, where the
bottom portion may be in the range of 10% to 50% of the height of
the displayed media content.
[0047] In an embodiment, transmitting the UI comprises forming a
web page with program guide information and transmitting the web
page to an application executing on the client.
[0048] In an embodiment, the UI comprises a first horizontally
scrollable ribbon comprising topic tiles and a second horizontally
scrollable ribbon comprising detail tiles pertaining to one of the
topics.
[0049] In an embodiment, the method also includes changing the then
current media content to display new media content corresponding to
the selected detail tile in response to a user selecting one of the
detail tiles.
[0050] In an embodiment, the method also includes presenting a
third ribbon comprising further detail corresponding to the
selected detail tile in response to a user selecting one of the
detail tiles.
[0051] A media delivery system is also provided which includes: a
host configured to simultaneously transmit a video stream and an
interactive program guide browser to a client device; and a
processor configured to simultaneously decode the video stream and
display the browser at the client device; wherein the system is
configured to provide an integrated display at the client device,
the integrated display including a master ribbon comprising
selectable channel tiles overlaid onto a bottom portion of a video
frame.
[0052] In an embodiment, the integrated display further includes a
detail ribbon comprising selectable program tiles overlaid on the
bottom portion of the video frame.
[0053] In an embodiment, the detail ribbon abuts a bottom
horizontal edge of the video frame, and the master ribbon abuts a
top horizontal edge of the detail ribbon, and the master and detail
ribbons are independently horizontally scrollable.
[0054] In an embodiment, the integrated display further includes a
third ribbon disposed adjacent the detail ribbon and comprises
additional information corresponding to a selected program
tile.
[0055] In an embodiment, the media delivery system is further
configured to overlay the browser without interrupting the video
stream while maintaining the shape size of the video frame.
[0056] In an embodiment, the at least one program tile comprises
textual, photographic, and branding imagery.
[0057] In an embodiment, the media delivery system is further
configured to change the then current video stream and display a
new video stream in response to a user selecting one of the program
tiles.
[0058] An integrated display provided by a host to a client device
comprises: a substantially rectangular frame; a live stream video
provided within the frame; and a program guide overlaid onto a
portion of the live stream video, the program guide including a
master ribbon and a detail ribbon; wherein the master and detail
ribbons are horizontally scrollable.
[0059] While several exemplary embodiments have been presented in
the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a
vast number of alternate but equivalent variations exist, and the
examples presented herein are not intended to limit the scope,
applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. To the
contrary, various changes may be made in the function and
arrangement of elements described without departing from the scope
of the claims and their legal equivalents. The term "exemplary" is
used herein to represent one example, instance or illustration that
may have any number of alternates. Any implementation described
herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as
preferred or advantageous over other implementations.
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