Program sequencer for multi-display environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11297379-B2
Application number	US-201515534052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Programmable media interfaces, methods and systems for programming a plurality of displays in a multiple display environment are described herein. The media interfaces, methods and systems include processors configured to program a sequence of broadcast content to the plurality of display devices, control pre-set or pre-programmed sequencing of the broadcast of the future content at times, and select particular displays in the plurality of displays to display portions of the broadcast content at the pre-set or pre-programmed times for future playing.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of programming a plurality of displays in a multiple display environment comprising:
receiving a plurality of program streams which have been organized into a set of channels;
demodulating the program streams to condition the program streams for output of individual programs to the plurality of channels;
transporting the demodulated stream of channels to a modulator to produce a plurality of modulated output channels that are transportable to the plurality of displays in the multiple display environment;
programming a sequence of broadcast content corresponding to the modulated output channels for output to the plurality of display devices;
controlling pre-set or pre-programmed sequencing of the broadcast content corresponding to the modulated output channels for output to the plurality of displays at future times;
selecting particular displays in the plurality of displays to display portions of the broadcast content corresponding to the modulated output channels at the future times for future playing;
determining a display conflict with the particular displays selected;
determining a tuning resource conflict separately from the display conflict;
resolving the display conflict with the particular displays selected; and
resolving the tuning resource conflict.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising outputting for display a point guide containing information about the broadcast content.

3. The method recited in claim 2 , further comprising determining the display conflict within a display point guide after the display point guide has been updated.

4. The method recited in claim 3 , further comprising determining tuning resources in accordance with the display conflict.

5. The method recited in claim 4 , further comprising outputting for display a conflict resolution screen on a remote control.

6. The method recited in claim 5 , further comprising updating the display point guide after resolving the display conflict.

7. The method recited in claim 6 , further comprising saving the display point guide with a resolved sequence of information about the broadcast content.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the remote control consists essentially of one of a tablet, PC or smart phone.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a programming or channel change request;
updating a display point guide;
displaying the tuning resource conflict and the display conflict; and
further updating the display point guide.

10. An apparatus configured to manage an environment containing a plurality of displays, comprising:
a receiver configured to:
receive a plurality of program streams which have been organized into a plurality of channels; and
demodulate the plurality of program streams to produce a plurality of demodulated streams corresponding to the channels;

a modulator configured to modulate the plurality of demodulated streams corresponding to the channels for output on a plurality of frequencies to produce a modulated output signal;
a splitter configured to:
communicate with the modulator; and
split the modulated output signal thereby producing one or more output modulated channels that carry broadcast content;

a processor for programming the plurality of displays in the environment configured to:
program a sequence of the modulated channels to the plurality of display devices;
control pre-set or pre-programmed sequencing of the modulated channels for output to the plurality of displays at future times;
select particular displays in the plurality of displays to display particular of the modulated channels for future playing;
determine a display conflict with the particular displays selected;
determine a tuning resource conflict separately from the display conflict;
resolve the display conflict with the particular displays selected; and
resolve the tuning resource conflict.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to output for display a point guide containing information about the broadcast content.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the display conflict within a display point guide after the display point guide has been updated.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine tuning resources in accordance with the display conflict.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to output for display a conflict resolution screen on a remote control.

15. A method of programming a plurality of displays in a multiple display environment comprising:
receiving a plurality of program streams which have been organized into a set of channels;
demodulating the program streams to condition the program streams for output of individual programs to the plurality of channels;
transporting the demodulated stream of channels to a modulator to produce a plurality of modulated output channels that are transportable to the plurality of displays in the multiple display environment;
programming a sequence of broadcast content corresponding to the modulated output channels for output to the plurality of display devices;
controlling pre-set or pre-programmed sequencing of the broadcast content corresponding to the modulated output channels for output to the plurality of displays at future times;
selecting particular displays in the plurality of displays to display portions of the broadcast content corresponding to the modulated output channels at the future times for future playing;
outputting for display a display point guide containing information about the broadcast content;
updating the display point guide;
determining a display conflict within the display point guide after the display point guide has been updated; and
determining a tuning resource conflict separately from the display conflict;
resolving the display conflict within the display point guide;
resolving the tuning resource conflict; and
displaying resolution performed to resolve the display conflict.

16. The method of claim 15 ,
wherein the display point guide comprises a display guide, and
wherein the method further comprises displaying one or more options to resolve the display conflict.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein controlling pre-set or pre-programmed sequencing of the broadcast content comprises selecting a sequence mode.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein resolving the display conflict comprises:
displaying one or more options to resolve the display conflict;
receiving an indication of a resolution option selected from the one or more options to resolve the display conflict; and
updating one or more of the particular displays selected in accordance with the resolution option selected.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more options comprise at least one of a cut early to a next program before a current program finishes or a cut in to the next program once the current program finishes.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein resolving the display conflict comprises performing a default resolution based on previous activity.

Assignees

• Interdigital Madison Patent Holdings Sas

Inventors

• Rhodes Robert Andrew

Classifications

• H04N21/436 Primary

  Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home · CPC title

• H04N21/458

  Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules {; time-related management operations (arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4825

  using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists · CPC title

• H04N21/4586

  Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25) · CPC title

• H04N21/4122

  additional display device, e.g. video projector (digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423) · CPC title