Video electronic programming guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10313736-B2
Application number	US-201715406477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Jul 27, 2015
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a video electronic programming guide (“video EPG”) may include outputting a primary program for display on a display screen, receiving a command to activate the video EPG, and in response to receiving the command, outputting a plurality of widgets for display on a display screen. Each of the plurality of widgets may represent a category of broadcast programs. Systems and methods may include receiving a widget selection for one of the plurality of widgets and outputting a video menu corresponding to the selected widget for display on the display screen. The video menu includes a plurality of video scenes, whereby each of the plurality of video scenes represents a broadcast program categorized in the selected widget. Systems and methods may include receiving a program selection for one of the plurality of video scenes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing an electronic programming guide (EPG), comprising:
receiving, by a television receiver, user input from a user defining a source of social media, wherein:
television programming currently trending is identified from the source of the social media;

configuring, by the television receiver, a social media widget to use the source of social media based on the received user input;
tuning, by the television receiver, one or more tuners to a plurality of broadcast television channels receiving the television programming to obtain a plurality of video scenes, wherein the tuning is performed based on the television receiver predicting selection of the social media widget by the user;
outputting, by the television receiver, a plurality of widgets for display as part of the EPG, wherein:
the plurality of widgets comprises the social media widget to the television programming currently trending on the source of social media used based on the received user input;
the social media widget is associated with a single category of broadcast programming selected from a plurality of categories of broadcast programming; and
the single category of broadcast programming is selected for the social media widget by the television receiver based on historical content output for presentation by the television receiver;

receiving, by the television receiver, a selection of the social media widget of the plurality of widgets output for display;
in response to the received selection of the social media widget, outputting, by the television receiver, a menu corresponding to the social media widget for display, wherein:
the menu indicates a plurality of broadcast programs categorized in the single category of broadcast programming of the social media widget, each of the plurality of broadcast programs currently trending on the source of the social media; and
each of the plurality of broadcast programs of the plurality of broadcast programs indicated by the menu is represented by a corresponding representative video scene of the plurality of video scenes obtained via the one or more tuners being tuned to the plurality of broadcast television channels based on the television receiver predicting selection of the social media widget by the user;

receiving, by the television receiver, a program selection from the menu; and
outputting, by the television receiver, a broadcast program corresponding to the received program selection.

2. The method for providing the EPG of claim 1 , wherein a second widget of the plurality of widgets is mapped to a plurality of favorite channels.

3. The method for providing the EPG of claim 1 , wherein:
video scenes from the plurality of video scenes are presented in a single row as part of an overlay interface such that only a subset of the plurality of video scenes are presented at a given time, wherein the overlay interface is presented over a primary piece of content being output for display; and
a scroll interface is presented that enables scrolling to change the subset of the plurality of video scenes that are presented.

4. The method for providing the EPG of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of widgets are output as an overlay over primary programming being output by the television receiver.

5. The method for providing the EPG of claim 1 , wherein a second widget of the plurality of widgets is mapped to a plurality of user-defined television channels.

6. The method for providing the EPG of claim 1 , wherein the single category of broadcast programming is selected from the group consisting of: sports, weather, news, cartoons, children's shows, music videos, talk shows, and movies.

7. A television receiver for providing an electronic programming guide (EPG), comprising:
a plurality of tuners;
a television interface;
a user interface;
one or more processors; and
a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, via the television interface, user input defining a source of social media, wherein television programming currently trending is identified from the source of the social media;
configure a social media widget to use the source of social media based on the received user input;
tune one or more tuners of the plurality of tuners to a plurality of broadcast television channels receiving the television programming to obtain a plurality of video scenes, wherein the tuning is performed based on the television receiver predicting selection of the social media widget by a user;
output, via the television interface, a plurality of widgets for display as part of the EPG, wherein:
the plurality of widgets comprises the social media widget to the television programming currently trending on the source of social media used based on the received user input;
the social media widget corresponds to a single category of broadcast programming selected from a plurality of categories of broadcast programming; and
the single category of broadcast programming is selected for the social media widget by the television receiver based on historical content output for presentation by the television receiver;

receive a selection of the social media widget of the plurality of widgets output for display via the television interface;
in response to the received selection of the social media widget, output, via the television interface, a menu corresponding to the selected social media widget for display, wherein:
the menu indicates a plurality of broadcast programs categorized in the single category of broadcast programming of the selected social media widget, each of the plurality of broadcast programs currently trending on the source of the social media; and
each of the plurality of broadcast programs of the plurality of broadcast programs indicated by the menu is represented by a corresponding representative video scene of the plurality of video scenes obtained via the plurality of tuners being tuned to the plurality of broadcast television channels based on the television receiver predicting selection of the social media widget by the user;

receive, via the user interface, a program selection from the menu; and
output, via the television interface, a broadcast program corresponding to the received program selection.

8. The television receiver for providing the EPG of claim 7 , wherein:
video scenes from the plurality of video scenes are presented in a linear arrangement such that only a subset of the plurality of video scenes are presented at a given time; and
a scroll interface is presented that enables scrolling to change the subset of the plurality of video scenes that are presented.

9. The television receiver for providing the EPG of claim 7 , wherein a second widget of the plurality of widgets is mapped to a plurality of user-defined television channels.

10. The television receiver for providing the EPG of claim 7 , wherein the single category of broadcast programming is selected from the group consisting of: sports, weather, news, cartoons, children's shows, music videos, talk shows, and movies.

Assignees

• Sling Media Pvt Ltd

Inventors

• Rasool Mohammed
• Raikar Yatish

Classifications

• H04N21/4307

  Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the video output on the TV screen · CPC title

• H04N21/42204

  User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205) · CPC title

• H04N21/4821

  using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time · CPC title

• H04N21/25891

  being end-user preferences (retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18) · CPC title

• H04N21/4312 Primary

  involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations · CPC title