EP0758833A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for providing an interactive guide to events available on an information network
Assignee: Arris Technology Inc
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Filing: 1996-08-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-08-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods are provided for implementing an interactive program guide on an information network. A plurality of database pages are communicated over the information network. Each page corresponds to a time slot over which events are available on the network. Schedule data for each event to be included in the interactive guide is inserted into the database page for the time slot during which the event is to be provided. The database pages are transmitted via the information network at a transmission rate selected to enable the recovery of a particular database page within a predetermined acquisition time limit, for retrieval of schedule data for the time represented by that page. Schedule information for a current time period can be provided in a trickle data stream with future scheduling information provided in a demand data stream. The demand data stream is transmitted at a substantially higher rate than the trickle data stream. Data from the trickle stream is downloaded into memory at the decoder for instantaneous display. Data from the demand data stream is accessible on an as needed basis by retrieving only that data necessary for the display of scheduling information for a desired time slot.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark K. Eyer
- 👤 Zicheng Guo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/433; H04N21/4332; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/236; H04N21/2362; H04N21/25; H04N21/262; H04N21/26208; H04N21/26216; H04N21/26266; H04N21/26283; H04N21/41; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/42206; H04N21/4221; H04N21/426; H04N21/42692; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N21/4331; H04N21/434; H04N21/4345; H04N21/435; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/165; H04N7/173; H04N21/47; H04N21/482; H04N21/4823
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for providing an interactive guide to events via an information network on which the events are available, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of database pages for communication over said information network, each page corresponding to a time slot over which events are available on the network; inserting schedule data for each event to be included in the interactive guide into the database page for the time slot during which the event is to be provided; and transmitting said database pages via said information network at a transmission rate selected to enable the recovery of a particular database page within a predetermined acquisition time limit, for retrieval of schedule data for the time slot represented by that page.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said schedule data is representative of information services and messages identifying events provided by particular information services at particular times, said method comprising the further step of: sorting said schedule data by information service and message type for insertion into the database pages in a preformatted form, said schedule data being transmitted in said preformatted form to facilitate the display of schedules by time slot at a decoder without performing said sorting at the decoder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein: said transmitting step transmits said database pages in a packetized transport stream in which different categories of data are carried in different packet streams, each packet stream having a unique packet identifier (PID); and said database pages are carried in at least one packet stream identified by a unique PID.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein: each of said database pages is carried in a separate packet stream having a unique PID for that page.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 comprising the further step of: providing an additional data stream containing foundation data necessary to decode the schedule data carried in said database pages, said additional data stream having its own PID.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 comprising the further step of: providing an additional data stream containing foundation data necessary to decode the schedule data carried in said database pages, said additional data stream having its own PID.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
85 words
A method in accordance with one of claims 1 - 6 wherein said database pages contain schedule data for time periods beyond a current time period, said method comprising the further steps of: providing a separate stream of data containing schedule information for said current time period, said separate stream having its own PID and providing the schedule information for said current time period at a rate which is slower than the rate at which the schedule data carried in said database pages are provided.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said current time period is a current 24 hour period.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
69 words
A method in accordance with one of claims 1 - 8 wherein for each event to be included in the interactive guide, said schedule data comprises a title record containing title information for that event and may optionally comprise a description record containing description information for that event, whereby the description information for an event can be processed at a decoder independently of the title information for that event.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 comprising the further step of allocating the insertion of said title and description records within said database pages to communicate said title information at a higher rate than said description information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said title and description records for a time slot of interest are stored in a memory of said decoder, comprising the further steps of: monitoring an amount of memory available for storing said records; and in the event that the amount of memory available is less than that required to store the title and description records for a time slot of interest, purging description records to make room for said title records.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said title and description records for a time slot of interest are stored in a memory of said decoder, comprising the further steps of: monitoring an amount of memory available for storing said records; and in the event that the amount of memory available is less than that required to store the title records for a time slot of interest, purging description records from said memory to make room for said title records.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
55 words
A method in accordance with one of claims 9 - 12 wherein said schedule data further comprises a schedule record for the time slot to which the schedule data pertains, said schedule record containing title and description record identifiers cross-referencing the start time for an event with the title and description records for that event.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
136 words
A decoder for providing an interactive program guide (IPG) from data received via an information network on which events listed in the program guide are available, comprising: means for recovering IPG trickle data from said information network at a first data rate, said trickle data comprising current schedule information for storage in a decoder memory and substantially instantaneous display at any time during a current time period; means for selectively retrieving IPG demand data from said information network at a second data rate that is faster than said first data rate, said demand data being provided in pages and comprising future schedule information, each of said pages containing demand data for different future time slots; and means for storing selectively retrieved pages of IPG demand data for display after the retrieval thereof from said information network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A decoder in accordance with claim 14 wherein said IPG trickle data and IPG demand data is received from at least one packetized transport stream containing a succession of packets, the packets for said trickle data being identified by a first packet identifier (PID) and the packets for said pages of demand data being identified by at least one second PID.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A decoder in accordance with claim 14 or 15 wherein each of said pages of IPG demand data corresponds to a different time slot and has a unique PID.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A decoder in accordance with one of claims 14 - 16 wherein each page of IPG demand data corresponding to a different time slot has a unique page identifier, and a plurality of said pages is communicated under a common PID.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
A decoder in accordance with one of claims 14 - 17 wherein for each event to be included in the interactive guide, said schedule information comprises a title record containing title information for that event and may optionally comprise a description record containing description information for that event, said decoder further comprising: means for retrieving schedule records from said current and future schedule information, said schedule records containing title and description record identifiers cross-referencing the start time for an event with the title and description records provided for that event; and means responsive to a user input for selectively outputting title information for specific time slots and descriptions for specific programs based on information contained in said schedule records.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
A decoder in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: means for monitoring an amount of memory available in said storing means; and in the event that the amount of memory available is less than that required to store the title and description records for a time slot of interest, purging description records to make room for said title records in said storing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
A decoder in accordance with one of claims 14 - 19 wherein said decoder memory is of a size sufficient to hold at least 24 hours of current schedule information and said trickle data provides schedule information for at least a full day of events at a time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
123 words
A decoder in accordance with one of claims 14 - 20 wherein each of said pages is carried in a separate packet stream having a unique PID for that page, said decoder further comprising: a first PID processor for acquiring schedule information contained in a first page for a first time slot; a second PID processor for acquiring schedule information contained in a second page for a second time slot that immediately follows said first time slot; and means for selectively combining a portion of schedule information acquired by said first PID processor with a portion of schedule information acquired by said second PID processor to provide a schedule of events available during a time period spanning said first and second time slots.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for providing an interactive program guide (IPG) from data received via an information network on which events listed in the program guide are available, comprising the steps of: providing an IPG trickle data stream at a first data rate, said trickle data stream comprising current schedule information for communication to and storage in a decoder to enable instantaneous display of portions of said current schedule information on a display coupled to the decoder; providing an IPG demand data stream at a second data rate that is faster than said first data rate, said demand data being provided in pages and comprising future schedule information, each of said pages containing demand data for at least one different future time slot, said second data rate being chosen to enable the selective acquisition and display of portions of said future schedule information on said display within a predetermined acquisition time limit; and transmitting said trickle data stream at said first rate and said demand data stream at said second rate over said information network for receipt by a population of decoders.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein said current and future schedule information is representative of information services and messages identifying events provided by particular information services at particular times, said method comprising the further step of: sorting said schedule information by information service and message type for transmission to said decoders in a preformatted form, thereby facilitating the display of schedules by time slot at the decoders without performing said sorting at the decoder.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method in accordance with claim 22 or 23 wherein for each event to be included in the interactive guide, said schedule information comprises a title record containing title information for that event and may optionally comprise a description record containing description information for that event, whereby the description information for an event can be processed at said decoders independently of the title information for that event.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 24 comprising the further step of allocating the transmission of said title and description records within said demand data stream to communicate said title information at a higher rate than said description information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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