Patent US5990883A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5990883A
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US
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Unified presentation of programming from different physical sources
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1997-04-28
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Granted: 1999-11-23
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Expires: 2017-04-28
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed herein is a system and method for selecting content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources. In one example, physical sources comprise different signal sources or types, such as terrestrially broadcast signals and cable television signals. Content sources comprise different channels or network sources. The method includes a step of displaying an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user, wherein each content entry is associated with both a content source and a physical source from which particular content is available. The system accepts a selection from the user of a single content entry, and in response renders the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry. The invention also includes steps of obtaining content data for a plurality of different content sources in a variety of data formats, and of translating the content data into an integrated database having a predefined schema.
Inventors
- 👤 David S. Byrne
- 👤 Sean McDowell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/433; H04N21/4332; H04N21/45; H04N21/466; H04N21/4662; H04N21/47; H04N21/482
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A universal entertainment system comprising: a video receiver that receives a plurality of content sources from a plurality of different physical signal sources, the content sources having corresponding content data; an automated program guide that operates in conjunction with the video receiver to translate the content data to a predefined interface schema; the automated program guide being configured to present an integrated listing of program entries that are available from the signal sources and their content sources in the predefined interface schema, wherein each program entry is associated with both a signal source and a content source that is available from said signal source; wherein the automated program guide accepts a selection from the user of a single program entry and in response tunes the video receiver to the signal source associated with the selected single program entry and to the content source associated with the selected single program entry.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A universal entertainment system comprising: a video receiver that receives a plurality of content sources from a plurality of different physical signal sources, the content sources having corresponding content data; an automated program guide that operates in conjunction with the video receiver to translate the content data to a predefined interface schema; the automated program guide being configured to present an integrated listing of program entries that are available from the signal sources and their content sources in the predefined interface schema, wherein each program entry is associated with both a signal source and a content source that is available from said signal source; wherein the automated program guide accepts a selection from the user of a single program entry and in response tunes the video receiver to the signal source associated with the selected single program entry and to the content source associated with the selected single program entry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the automated program guide identifies broadcast channels by channel indicators; broadcast channels having the same channel indicators are available from different signal sources.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the automated program guide identifies broadcast channels by channel numbers; broadcast channels having the same channel numbers are available from different signal sources.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 1, wherein each signal source comprises a different physical receiving apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 1, wherein one signal source comprises an antenna and another signal source comprises a subscription television cable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 1, wherein the signal sources comprise different subscription television cables.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
168 words
A universal automated program guide that operates in conjunction with a rendering system that can receive and render content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources, the automated program guide comprising: logic hardware configured to receive content data corresponding to the different content sources, to format the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema, and to display an integrated listing of content entries that are available from the physical sources and their content sources in the predefined interface schema; wherein the content entries are associated with content sources and physical sources from which the content entries are available; the logic hardware being configured to accept a selection from the user of a single content entry; the logic hardware being further configured to instruct the rendering system to render the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
168 words
A universal automated program guide that operates in conjunction with a rendering system that can receive and render content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources, the automated program guide comprising: logic hardware configured to receive content data corresponding to the different content sources, to format the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema, and to display an integrated listing of content entries that are available from the physical sources and their content sources in the predefined interface schema; wherein the content entries are associated with content sources and physical sources from which the content entries are available; the logic hardware being configured to accept a selection from the user of a single content entry; the logic hardware being further configured to instruct the rendering system to render the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein the content sources comprise broadcast channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein at least some of the content sources comprise Internet content.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein: the automated program guide identifies content sources by channel numbers; broadcast channels having the same channel numbers are available from different physical sources.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the physical sources comprises the Internet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the physical sources comprises the Internet, and wherein at least some of the content sources comprise Internet content.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein the physical sources comprise different transmission media.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein the physical sources comprise different storage media.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein the physical sources comprise different physical receiving apparatuses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
An automated program guide as recited in claim 7 wherein one physical source comprises an antenna and another physical source comprises a subscription television cable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
A universal entertainment system comprising: a receiver that can receive content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources available from the physical sources, wherein the physical sources are identified by physical source identifiers and the content sources are identified by content source identifiers; an automated program guide associated with the receiver that receives content data corresponding to the different content sources, formats the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema, and presents an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user in accordance with the predefined interface schema, wherein each content entry comprises a physical source identifier and a content source identifier from which particular content is available.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
119 words
A universal entertainment system comprising: a receiver that can receive content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources available from the physical sources, wherein the physical sources are identified by physical source identifiers and the content sources are identified by content source identifiers; an automated program guide associated with the receiver that receives content data corresponding to the different content sources, formats the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema, and presents an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user in accordance with the predefined interface schema, wherein each content entry comprises a physical source identifier and a content source identifier from which particular content is available.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17, wherein the automated program guide accepts a selection from the user of a single content entry and in response presents content from the physical source and content source identified by the selected source entry.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein the content sources comprise broadcast channels.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein the content sources comprise broadcast channels identified by channel numbers, and wherein broadcast channels having the same channel indicators are available from different physical sources.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein the physical sources comprise different transmission media.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein the physical sources comprise different storage media.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein the physical sources comprise different physical receiving apparatuses.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein at least some of the content sources comprise Internet content.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein at least one of the physical sources comprises the Internet.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein at least one of the physical sources comprises the Internet, and wherein at least some of the content sources comprise Internet content.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
An entertainment system as recited in claim 17 wherein one physical source comprises an antenna and another physical source comprises a subscription television cable.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of selecting content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources, comprising the following steps; identifying content data corresponding to the variety of content sources: formatting the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema; displaying an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user in accordance with the predefined interface schema, wherein each content entry is associated with both a content source and a physical source from which particular content is available; accepting a selection from the user of a single content entry; in response to accepting a selection, rendering the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of selecting content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources, comprising the following steps; identifying content data corresponding to the variety of content sources: formatting the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema; displaying an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user in accordance with the predefined interface schema, wherein each content entry is associated with both a content source and a physical source from which particular content is available; accepting a selection from the user of a single content entry; in response to accepting a selection, rendering the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the content sources comprise broadcast channels.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the rendering step comprises a step of tuning the tuner to a selected broadcast channel.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the content sources comprise broadcast channels identified by channel numbers, and wherein broadcast channels having the same channel indicators are available from different physical sources.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein at least some of the content sources comprise Internet content.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein at least one of the physical sources comprises the Internet.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein at least one of the physical sources comprises the Internet, and wherein at least some of the content sources comprise Internet content.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the physical sources comprise different transmission media.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the physical sources comprise different storage media.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the physical sources comprise different physical receiving apparatuses.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as recited in claim 28, further comprising: obtaining content data for a plurality of different content sources in a variety of data formats; translating the content data into an integrated database having a predefined schema; composing the integrated listing of content entries based upon the integrated database.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
139 words
A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for selecting content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources, the instructions performing steps comprising: identifying content data corresponding to the variety of content sources; formatting the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema; displaying an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user in accordance with the predefined interface schema, wherein each content entry is associated with both a content source and a physical source from which particular content is available; accepting a selection from the user of a single content entry; in response to accepting a selection, rendering the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
139 words
A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for selecting content from a plurality of different physical sources and from a variety of content sources that are available from the physical sources, the instructions performing steps comprising: identifying content data corresponding to the variety of content sources; formatting the content data in accordance with a predefined interface schema; displaying an integrated listing of content entries for selection by a user in accordance with the predefined interface schema, wherein each content entry is associated with both a content source and a physical source from which particular content is available; accepting a selection from the user of a single content entry; in response to accepting a selection, rendering the content source associated with the selected single content entry from the physical source that is also associated with the selected single content entry.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 39, wherein the rendering step comprises a step of tuning the tuner to a selected broadcast channel.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as recited in claim 39, further comprising: obtaining content data for a plurality of different content sources in a variety of data formats; translating the content data into an integrated database having a predefined schema; composing the integrated listing of content entries based upon the integrated database.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-22 | 2003-05-24 | 2003-11-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-22 | 2007-05-24 | 2007-11-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-22 | 2011-05-24 | 2011-11-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |